DUAL Vane Cassette: From Inception to Innovation

The LG DUAL Vane Cassette is offering diverse airflow, energy efficiency, air purification and smart functionality all in one compact cassette unit. The innovations achieved to bring this product to the market are unprecedented in the industry today. The DUAL Vane Cassette has also been recognized as the first industrial solution to receive the GREENGUARD Gold Certification as a product that provides healthy and clean indoor air while minimizing impact on the environment. But what sets this solution apart from the rest? How was LG able to develop this unique offering of design and performance and provide a truly differentiated product? We will answer these questions and more as we take an in-depth look at the DUAL Vane Cassette and hear from LG engineers who worked on the development of this innovative solution.

What makes the DUAL Vane Cassette different? The most unique aspect of the DUAL Vane solution is its ability to provide airflow that is customizable to the needs of any space. The proprietary vane technology and the powerful 3D fan allows the DUAL Vane to cover wider areas, reach even farther and deliver more diverse airflow options. It also enables power mode to reach target temperatures even faster. This powerful fan incorporated with 2 individual vanes from the unique DUAL Vane technology allows this unit to provide cool air all the way to the floor even when installed on ceilings as high as 5 meters. This feature makes the DUAL Vane ideal for large lobbies, auditoriums and conference halls with 6 airflow modes that conveniently direct air in the desired direction. Indirect airflow provided by the LG's airflow control system can also evenly maintain comfortable temperatures without blowing cold air directly at building occupants in spaces such as offices or hospitals.

Smart sensor technology also elevates performance when it comes to efficiency and comfort. Sensors can detect the temperature on the floor surface to ensure even distributed heating and cooling. The system can also detect whether a space is occupied and turn off the power to conserve energy. All of these features combined with comprehensive 5-step air purification ensure efficiency, comfort and a healthy environment.

The DUAL Vane’s road to success was not an easy one, but the path to groundbreaking innovation never is. We had the opportunity to talk with two LG engineers who were instrumental in the development of the DUAL Vane Cassette. Let’s meet these LG engineers and hear their insight on how the DUAL Vane Cassette came to be.

Q.
What was the most satisfactory element of developing the DUAL Vane Cassette?  

A.
"There are 2 extremes that customers want most from their air conditioner. They either want the airflow to blow on them directly or indirectly. Typically, in an office setting, we install air deflectors to keep the air from blowing directly at people's heads, but then if you want more direct airflow, you have to climb up and remove the air deflectors. Condensation can also form on air deflectors when they are installed. On the other hand, in places like churches and assembly halls with ceilings as high as 5 meters, the airflow never reaches all the way to the floor. Being able to develop this DUAL Vane technology that could narrow the vent opening for stronger airflow to directly reach the floor in these places with high ceilings was satisfactory."  

Q.
"The DUAL Vane cassette is equipped with a new fan. Didn't deeper wings increase the overall size of the product?"  

A.
"The DUAL Vane Cassette is the first air conditioner to implement a one-piece injection-molded 3D fan. The fan comes out of the injection mold in one solid piece. So, it is very smooth and has less resistance than other 3D fans. Our new 3D fan is designed to be more efficient and emit less noise without increasing the overall size of the product."  

Q.
What has been the feedback from technicians about the DUAL Vane Cassette?  

A.
"Technicians appreciate not having to remove the entire panel to replace the vanes like before. They can simply remove 2 screws to remove and replace the vane module, which makes repair service much more convenient."  

Q.
Who would you recommend the DUAL Vase cassette to the most?  

A.
Controlling direct and indirect airflow freely with just a single button is the biggest advantage of the product. I recommend this air conditioner to people who want easy control of airflow. Our current product was developed for commercial use, but people want this in their homes too. When you're in the living room or sleeping in the bedroom, air blowing directly on you can be a problem. So, we plan to apply the DUAL Vane technology for residential products as well."

Q.
What differentiates DUAL Vane's design from competitors?

A.
"To say it simply, we think the design reflects diverse customer needs while maintaining a sleek exterior. Our product has much smoother lines compared to the somewhat mechanical exterior of competitors' products. The smooth lines along with the sleek design without the need for air deflectors is what really sets our product apart."

Q.
How do you expect the trend of cassette design to change in the future?

A.
"Cassette air conditioners are installed in the ceiling. So, the core value of a cassette is that it naturally fits in with any type of interior design. Whether it's the never-before-seen aesthetical proportions or the super slim design that fits perfectly into the ceiling, we think these aspects are going to become trends in the industry.“

As LG seeks to provide the best solutions for customers and the environment, the DUAL Vane Cassette has been recognized for its innovation. Indoor air is generally been found to be 2 to 10 times more polluted than the air outdoors, according to the US EPA. Airborne chemicals that come from elements such as building materials, mold and even furniture combined with poor ventilation result in unhealthy air quality levels within buildings. While these harmful chemicals often go undetected in many buildings, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) was established to offer certification programs that ensure the efficacy of products in reducing emissions of these harmful chemicals. LG is proud to have its DUAL Vane Cassette to be the first industrial HVAC system to receive GREENGUARD Gold Certification. But what is GREENGUARD Certification and how is it making our indoor environments healthier and safer?

The GEI was established by an indoor air quality advocate know as Air Quality Sciences in the early 2000s and acquired by UL Environment in 2001. The GREENGUARD Certification Program has established test methods that focus on 4 distinct groups of products: (1) Building materials, furniture and furnishings (2) Electronic equipment (3) cleaning and maintenance products (4) Medical devices for breathing gas pathways. Since 2002, the criteria for GREENGUARD Certification have been used as the basis for LEED certification in low-emitting furniture. GREENGUARD Certification Standards are some of the most stringent in the world, so when a product is certified by the GEI, we can rest assured that it lives up to its claims as a healthier and safer product.

People spend approximately 90% of their time indoors and the majority of everyday exposure to airborne chemicals occurs in homes, schools, offices and other indoor environments. These airborne chemicals are commonly referred to as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In any given indoor environment, there may be anywhere from 50 to hundreds of individual VOCs present. The majority of these VOCs are not readily detectable, but they may cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, and can even be responsible for more serious chronic diseases, including cancer. This is why GREENGUARD Certification is so important in mitigating exposure to these chemicals. When using a GEI certified product, we create healthier indoor environments and GREENGUARD Certification is instrumental in raising the standard for indoor air quality.

As an industrial HVAC system, a product like the LG DUAL Vane cassette can not only make up a large percentage of energy consumption in a building, it can also contribute to the distribution of harmful chemicals in a space. But GREENGUARD Gold Certification ensures that the DUAL Vane Cassette has been thoroughly tested for the emission of harmful indoor air pollutants. The air conditioner unit was tested for VOC, particle and ozone emissions against the stringent standards of the GEI. The DUAL Vane Cassette was found to meet all the emission level criteria of the GREENGUARD Certification program for both short-term and long-term usage. As the first industrial HVAC to solution to receive GREENGUARD Certification, LG considers this a point of pride.  

From its inception, the DUAL Vane Cassette was set to create a shift in the HVAC industry and that is exactly what it has achieved. LG recognized the needs of customers that weren’t being met, and through trial and error, developed a solution that went above and beyond to be recognized as the first of its kind.