What are these?

[Steve]

I am a fan of wikimapia, google earth etc, and see these on various buildings, normally smaller versions of this on supermarkets. These two are on a mid-level of a multistorey car park on top of debenhams in a shopping centre. I assume they are to do with air handling, but what exactly do they do?

(I know, just the sort of thing you wonder on xmas day)

 

[conny]

Certainly look like Air-Con units.
The rectangular structures would house the fan motors and control equipment, the motors would then 'push' the air through the ducting which would get smaller at various stages along each branch. As the pressure would now be considerably less than at the start there would possibly be some 'supplementary' axial fan units to keep the flow regulated. The 4 circular objects look like air-intakes though if they are then they should be covered with baffles to prevent rain/snow etc getting into the system.

Then again I could be talking a load of hot air!

 

[333rocky333]

most are made abroad, shipped in and craned onto the roof.

Tesco use these

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• 333rocky333
• 25 Dec 2009
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• 333rocky333
• 25 Dec 2009
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http://www.alarko-carrier.com.tr/English/AC_urun.asp?ID=ACU39

The long bit sometimes , houses heating elements

Find tesco, 361 bethnall green road, london e2 and you might see one of the smaller ones on the roof
This one recently burnt out.

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• 333rocky333
• 25 Dec 2009
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[ColJack]

which debenhams?

the round fans are cooling fans for the condenser coils.. they are open to the elements and do not introduce snow etc to the store..

 

[conny]

I stand corrected!

I did say I may be talking hot air!

 

[Stivino]

http://tinyurl.com/yzl3mer
http://tinyurl.com/yzh4cg6
http://tinyurl.com/yj67rfv

I used to load these things on and off lorries with a forklift. They're not that heavy but the weight is always at one end which makes for an awkward lift.

 

[ColJack]

those are chiller units and not air con as in the first photo..

the air con pictured was likely shipped in 3 pieces and put back together on site..

Tesco use Weatherite for most of their stores.. I know I used to build the things..

I very likely built the ones shown.. ( or at least wired it )

the small picture shows a version of the one the OP posted, the condenser coils shown at the far left ( where the round fans are on the roof. )

 

[Nige F]

most are made abroad, shipped in

Nothing new there then

 

[tim west]

Looks like a couple of sunbeds to me

View media item 18037

 

[empip]

Looks like a couple of sunbeds to me

[net]pix[/net]

yloorp otohpsohdepp !

 

[tim west]

 

[scatmanjohn]

I have heard of people finding interesting things on Google Earth
E.g..Topless sunbathers etc.

Air handling units on top of random buildings....hmmmmm

 

[ColJack]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUfNSbzWLH0

 

[Steve]

Coljack, Frenchgate Doncaster. Built 2007.