Miscellaneous Category Winner

Dryvex MC5200

Ground Heaters, Wacker Neuson

The Dryvex MC5200 is a portable dehumidification unit that can be pulled by a one-ton truck. The unit features a powerful heat-based drying system that uses clean outside air-conditioned to a low relative humidity of 5 to 15 percent. The fresh, extremely dry air is blown into the wet structure via flexible ductwork. The dry air absorbs the moisture from the wet contents in the structure. Then a second return blower accelerates the drying process by extracting moisture-laden air from the structure. The unit can take 12,000 square feet or 170,000 cubic feet of saturated space from 90 percent relative humidity to below 15 percent in the crucial two- to three-day period before secondary damage from mold and bacteria growth can begin. The unit helps reduce reconstruction and insurance costs related to water damaged building.

RER: What makes the Dryvex MC5200 innovative?

Ken Cannella, project manager for the MC5200 and product manager for Ground Heaters, Wacker Neuson: This unit is an open drying system, which under positive pressure delivers heated air into the structure, allowing the wet materials to release moisture. A second blower extracts the moist laden air and exhaust outside the structure to atmosphere.

RER: What are the benefits to the Dryvex MC5200? How does the unit make jobs more effective and efficient for rental professionals and their contractor customers?

Cannella: This technology allows the wet structure to dry in 2 to 3 days, shortens the insurance claims cycle time. By reducing the drying time, unit helps reduce secondary damage such as mold or bacteria growth and reconstruction costs. The unit is very simple to set up, just install supply and return line; contractor will be drying in 15 minutes. Additionally the unit is self contained with onboard generator and fuel supply, allowing operation almost anywhere.

RER: Describe the development process of the Dryvex MC5200. Where did the idea come from and who was responsible for its engineering and development?

Cannella: We had a restoration contractor approach Ground Heaters about using a GHI heater to dry out wet structures. After experimenting with several heat drying units, Chet Grochoski and myself realized the key was positive pressure with extraction, so we decided to build a new machine. With the assistance of Ground Heater engineering group, we worked with an outside design engineering firm to help with design, drawings and fast track a prototype unit. From concept to production, Ground Heaters was selling units after ten months.