Yes, all water cooled chiller plants with vapor
compression (Carnot Cycle) machines will benefit with the control strategies
employed by the Chiller Plant Optimizer. The control
strategies are proven technologies and are employed in an open system to improve the energy efficiency of
typical chiller
plants using constant speed or variable speed chillers.
The patented application method is unique and it is applicable across
various chiller platforms, and is compatible with building automation
systems. This unique technology is applicable to water cooled chiller
plants of all sizes using centrifugal, screw and reciprocating type
compressors.
Two year paybacks are possible with chillers as small as 300 tons.
Larger chillers will achieve quicker paybacks.
If the
strategies employed by the Chiller Plant Optimizer are proven why
don't engineers regularly use them?
When these strategies are custom designed
into most building automation systems the engineer must make a number of
design compromises in an attempt to avoid the problems of chiller
compressor surging and excessive chiller starts. These compromises
significantly limit the savings and many times the cost benefit ratio is
not favorable.
When the plant configuration or load
pattern changes, and the owner notices chiller surging, he contacts the
chiller service expert who then has no choice but to disable the
strategies.
Typically, engineers find the strategies
awkward and complicated to apply, expensive to implement,
difficult to commission and maintain.
In other words, before now, these
strategies were not
available to most chiller plant owners and operators.
Referency 2003 ASHRAE Handbook "HVAC
Applications, Chapter 41.
This is not longer a problem of concern for
a couple of reasons, 1) Limits if needed for older model chillers are
easy to set, 2) newer model chillers don't have these limits.
The
following is a quote from the above ASHRAE reference and can be found on
page 41.15 under the subsection titled "Overrides for Equipment
Constraints - ... 'Many (older) chillers have a low limit on the
condenser water supply temperature that is necessary to avoid
lubrication migration from the compressor.'
The application method employed by the Chiller
Plant Optimizer is fail safe and works to avoid a situation that might
create compressor stall which leads to surging.
Let’s quickly review underlying cause of
compressor surge and the potential conditions that lead to this
situation. A compressor surges when the compressed gases (refrigerant
gas) flow backward into the compressor. This will happen if the
compressor is overloaded, that is if the chiller capacity is
insufficient to carry the load. A second cause is high pressure in the
condenser as a result extremely high entering condenser water
temperature, or extremely low condenser water flow.
Since the Chiller Plant Optimizer is in direct
control of condenser water temperature and condenser water flow, it
maintains these parameters well out of the range where surge problems
will occur. The methods employed by the Chiller Plant Optimizer will
not let part load efficiency improvements limit capacity demands when
needed by the chiller.
Excessive chiller starts will
occur when the 1st chiller has been capacity limited due to a low
condenser water temperature and the 2nd has to be operated to meet the
plant load requirements. The Chiller Plant Optimizer will not let this
condition occur. When the load requirement demands a higher condenser
water temperature the Chiller Plant Optimizer immediately adjusts the
temperature to meet the operational requirements of the chiller.
Can savings be determined before
installation of the Chiller Plant Optimizer?
With the open application technology used by the
Chiller Plant Optimizer, we are able to provide calculations for specific
installations that will predict the system performance with and without the
chiller plant optimizer, so that one can determine the savings potential of
the installation.
In addition the total cost of installation is easily
defined up front so that one can easily determine the payback and return on
investment potential prior to installation.
We can provide a monitoring system that will accurately
report system performance If you prefer to provide the monitoring system,
we can still assist you with equipment and /or methodology suggestions.
Performance monitoring of chiller plants is accomplished in
many ways by various consultants. We believe that some methodologies are not
complete and do not report parameters in a way that the results can be easily
digested or compared with similar operations.
Therefore we suggest that careful specification of what
constitutes a chiller plant, detail reporting criteria, and or graphical
criteria is carefully defined. Finally we believe a final concise, executive
type single paragraph report can be presented based on the carefully defined
criteria.
Are there
competitive alternatives to the Chiller Plant Optimizer?
There are several reasons. The
Chiller Plant Optimizer is a new product. We think that
comparison to
other's technologies will help you to recognize the obvious advantages
of our product. We also want to encourage you to improve your chiller
plant operation, regardless of whose technology you use, because either
way the environment is a winner. The more you know about the use
of these technologies by others (and especially by a major chiller
manufacturer) gives you another tool to evaluate and validate the
technology.
It is a factory preconfigured
instrumentation and control packaged that can be installed by any
competent mechanical and HVAC contractor. This is possible only
with the innovative and patent pending application method incorporated
into the Chiller Plant Optimizer allowing it to be installed as a stand alone control package or
interconnected into any existing BAS system for any chiller plant.
Here you will find pages of graphs,
formulas and thorough explanations showing that there is a relationship
between the cooling tower and chiller that can be optimized for energy
during part load operations. If you miss the discussion about
condenser water temperature control (or reset), you will find below implementation
and under steps #1 and #2 a short discussion about observing high and low limits for this
parameter.
Unlike the Chiller Plant Optimizer, ASHRAE
does not define a clear
implementation procedure, nor definitive methods for estimating
potential savings.
What does ASHRAE
say about chiller plant
optimization?
Refer to the 2003 ASHRAE Handbook "HVAC
Applications" Chapter 41 titled "Supervisory Control Strategies and
Optimization". Specific details can be found beginning at page
41.12 under the section titled "Supervisory Controls Strategies and
Tools - Cooling Tower Fan Control"
Looking for immediate opportunities to conserve energy use
within buildings and facilities? Then you may want to investigate the Chiller
Plant Optimizer ™ as a Beta Test Partner.
Un-like the “secret” methods offered by Trane’s Building
Automation System, The Chiller Plant Optimizer provides optimizing strategies as
a completely open set of technologies that can be evaluated prior to
installation. The application method of the Chiller Plant Optimizer is unique.
And, it is applicable across various chiller platforms, and works within any
building automation system.
Once you understand the nature of the technologies
involved, the potential for significant energy savings, and the proposed
methodology, you will see that there is little to no risk.
Currently beta
testing opportunities are open to a small number of nationwide locations,
and more local installations. Local, being within easy reach of San Jose, CA.
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