Download PDF Version

The post Seasonal HVAC Preventative Maintenance Tips appeared first on Shreeji Cooling System Private Limited.

It’s now a widely accepted fact that lighting, heating, and cooling operating emissions account for a significant proportion (28%) of all carbon emissions emitted by building and construction (which is 39%). Given this, HVAC seems a good focus area to make good progress in the race to decarbonize.

Making A Shift To Reduce Carbon Footprint

Fortunately, the HVAC industry also benefits from technology capable of supporting ambitious green strategies. Pureplay mechanical ventilation systems, while popular, are undeniably carbon-intensive. By shifting to smart, automated natural, or hybrid natural and mechanical, systems, building managers and business owners can take a significant step towards reducing their carbon footprint.

As such, I’d like to take this opportunity to look at what a green HVAC strategy, incorporating intelligent natural ventilation, might look like and how it can help businesses achieve that all-important Net Zero ahead of 2050.

Sustainable Use

Using the right system allows for minimal disruption through quiet background automationModern passive ventilation systems comprise so much more than simply opening windows, having evolved to incorporate smart sensors, which monitor and adjust for variables inside and out.

Technology exists which enables your windows and BMS to communicate with one another, helping to optimize setpoints to achieve the best performance while complementing the energy use of other building systems. Further, using the right system allows for minimal disruption through quiet background automation, quick reaction to changing conditions, and improved security.

Smart Systems

However, it’s not the technology alone that optimizes energy efficiency, but also the way it enables the building to interact with the outdoors. When appropriately designed and controlled, passive ventilation systems harness the potential of natural elements, such as wind and thermal buoyancy, to regulate temperature and improve indoor air quality (IAQ) by bringing fresh air in and sending stale air out.

Put simply, smart passive ventilation reduces reliance on carbon-intensive mechanical ventilation systems, consequently lowering a building’s operational emissions. This means less maintenance and significantly lower utility bills. In some cases where a hybrid approach, combining natural and mechanical ventilation, is more appropriate, the benefits remain unchanged.

Sum Of The Parts

Smart-controlled passive ventilation can enhance material-based thermal performance

Passive ventilation is one piece of a much larger green construction puzzle. As effective as these systems are, their impact can be amplified when considered in tandem with other modern, eco-friendly design and building techniques, such as low-energy lighting and material-based approaches including ‘fabric first’.

Smart-controlled passive ventilation can enhance material-based thermal performance, working with a structure’s thermal mass for efficient and effective cooling throughout the day.

Going further, organizations can consider eco-friendly power sources for their HVAC, passive or otherwise. For example, the latest PV solar panels are reliable energy generators, potentially producing enough clean energy to power smart-controlled ventilation systems and deliver a comfortable interior with freely circulating, high-quality air.

Fundamental Foundations

To implement an effective passive ventilation system, there are a few key things to be aware of. The first of these is ensuring a good understanding of how it works and the design and operational processes behind it. Whether manual or automatic, the type and location of the window most appropriate for a setting depend on the building itself, its spaces, usage, and occupants.

The physical layout of your building presents a different range of potential approaches: typically single-sided or cross ventilation for smaller buildings, with the addition of stack ventilation using stair cores, light wells, and centralized atria across multiple zones for larger buildings.

Ventilation Strategies

Next, you’ll want to consider good control strategies to optimize performance and deliver levels of comfort, air quality, and energy efficiency virtually unachievable with only manual operation.

There are three essential ventilation strategies to consider:

• Night cooling: In summer, using cooler nighttime air to ventilate the building securely, reducing peak building temperatures the next day.
• Purge ventilation: Timely opening of windows before occupants arrive to freshen up spaces without the risk of discomfort.
• Preemptive ventilation: Reacting to changing room conditions and carefully beginning to ventilate spaces before room conditions begin to fail, considering weather conditions to keep rooms as near to ideal setpoints as possible.

Intuitive And Cost-Effective Delivery

Well-proven smart options are available which significantly improve functionality and performanceEven a great design supported by a well-thought-out strategy can fall flat without supporting technology. This last piece of the puzzle will ensure the quiet, intuitive, and cost-effective delivery of your natural ventilation.

Don’t stumble on this last hurdle by using low-tech components, which could create barriers to good performance and add cost to infrastructure. Well-proven smart options are available which significantly improve functionality and performance and often prove value-add and cost-neutral.

A Balance Between Ventilation Supply And Demand

A system comprising less capable actuators is likely to function at a fixed speed and often operate noisily. Basic systems may only react once room conditions have failed, opening windows more aggressively and bringing in undesirable amounts of outdoor air in an attempt to recover the space. This can cause unstable and uncomfortable conditions as well as reduce actuator life.

The best solution is aiming to achieve the ideal balance between ventilation supply and demand, opening periodically in smaller increments to adjust and hit the right balance of air quality, comfort, and energy, for as much time as possible.

BMS can tell the windows to open to specific percentage positions quietly for minimizing any disruption

An identical design, using the right technology, enable your windows and BMS to communicate with one another. In this situation, the BMS can tell the windows to open to specific percentage positions quietly for background automation, minimizing any disruption, and reacting more quickly if it starts raining or to an override function.

Hero To Zero

As the UK sets its sights on Net Zero 2050, focusing on energy-efficient new buildings isn’t enough to pass the finish line. Design and construction need to consider the UK’s ample existing building stock, frequently performing poorly and contributing significantly to operating emissions.

Fortunately, recent projects demonstrate energy efficiency and retrofit needn’t be mutually exclusive. Along with providing the opportunity to contribute to a healthier environment, refurbs focused on reducing emissions also set the foundations for happier building occupants. Equipped with a good understanding of the sustainable benefits and fundamentals of natural ventilation, you can now breathe a little easier as you approach your next project.

The post Naturally Speaking: An Intelligent Approach To HVAC appeared first on Shreeji Cooling System Private Limited.

Given the magnitude of energy consumption and the importance to occupant/tenant comfort, HVAC systems warrant significant attention. There are a lot of options with new equipment and controls to drive energy use down and enhance overall comfort that are very impactful, when budgets allow. However, there are budget friendly options that should be considered now.

There are aftermarket products that restore lost performance efficiency, reduce loads on equipment and extend equipment life.  A challenge is knowing which products really work and what can be trusted.

Refrigerant additives have been around for decades, solving several issues including improved thermal heat transfer, reduced frictional forces through enhanced lubrication, acid scavengers, water displacement, stop leaks, and the list goes on.

Over forty years ago, some of the first refrigerant treatments were formulated, with varied results. The principal objective was twofold: enhance the heat transfer from the refrigerant to the heat exchanger coils and reduce friction on the compressor moving parts.

How To Reduce Compressor Friction And Keep It Low

Industry offered improvements to refrigerant oils, building on synthetic oil development

HVAC systems include oil to lubricate the compressor mechanical moving parts with mineral oil being the old standard, used for decades. Older systems with R-22 refrigerant, as well as other types, use mineral oil.  This oil, made from naturally occurring crude petroleum oil, is prone to breakdown over time from wear and elevated temperatures. This means hermetically sealed compressors operating with the same oil as when originally built are running with greatly diminished friction protection. Friction protection longevity was greatly improved with the advent of synthetic oils, but even these oils can see diminished protection from wear and elevated temperatures.

Industry offered improvements to refrigerant oils, building on synthetic oil development. Two additives commonly found in gear oils include active sulfur with phosphorus, noted as Extreme Pressure (EP) gear oils. This same approach found its way to HVAC systems, adding materials that offered greatly improved friction reduction.

Some mistakes were made, such as using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), best known as Teflon. Although PTFE has phenomenal lubricating properties, it is too large of a minimum particle size, creating havoc within expansion valves. Teflon also received scrutiny by researchers identifying adverse health effects. Today, there are several technologies promoting improved refrigerant lubricants, either as a direct replacement or as an additive to existing oils.

How To Restore Lost HVAC Performance Efficiency

The refrigerant oils that keep compressor moving parts running serves a second important role: acting as a seal to keep compressed refrigerant from escaping from the compressor and ending up in the oil sump. HVAC engineers allow and design for some oil to migrate through the refrigerant loop, the condenser and evaporator coils. More sophisticated equipment, such as chillers, have features to collect and return most of this oil. Simpler systems rely on the high velocity of the refrigerant to pull the oil through the coils and return it to the compressor. Inevitably, some oil remains as a film on the heat exchanger coils and slowly builds through the operational life of the equipment. The oil buildup continues to reduce the heat transfer efficiency between the refrigerant and the coil walls.

There have been numerous formulations brought to the market with few detailed accounts of chemistry specifics

An opportunity was born for creative individuals to invent formulations that would remove this efficiency robbing oil layer. Early design attempts sometimes led to more problems than the efficiency improvements were worth. Some chemistry mistakes included using solvents or other cleaning agents to aid in removing oil from heat exchanger tubing. This diminished the effectiveness of the refrigerant oil and led to shortened equipment lives.

There have been numerous formulations brought to the market over the past four decades with few detailed accounts of chemistry specifics. There are few patents in addition to product website information that offer limited details in the public domain, making it hard to trust the suppliers.

Today’s formulations offer greater opportunity for realized performance gains, especially given advances in material science. Nanomaterials have enabled several newer solutions to be developed. One such product employs graphene, which is known for its fantastic heat transfer and lubricating properties. Nanomaterials offer properties to enhance heat transfer, improve lubrication while negating concerns about excessive buildup within expansion valves. For example, graphene exists as a one atom thick nanomaterial.

Perhaps the biggest challenge to the use of nanomaterials was how to keep the particles in suspension over the life of equipment, something that most specialty chemical houses hold as trade secrets.  Some products offered today boost refrigerant performance, stating altered boiling points. The performance is achieved by adding particulate that acts as nucleating sites. As material science continues to advance, we’ll see more products enter the market that also address changes in the choice of refrigerants and refrigerant oils.

How To Select The Best Additive For Your Needs

Make sure the formulation is compatible with your specific equipment, refrigerant and refrigerant oilWhen considering additives to reduce energy consumption for your HVAC refrigerant systems, your contribution to decarbonization, do your own due diligence and require validated performance efficiency improvements.  Make sure the formulation is compatible with your specific equipment, refrigerant and refrigerant oil.

Given that many sales agents won’t divulge their respective chemistry (or don’t know it) and most individuals responsible for HVAC equipment aren’t chemists, look for credentialed validations and testing. Ensure the products have been evaluated against ANSI standard compatibility tests and performance validated to ASHRAE or other accepted industry standards.

What The Market Thinks Of Refrigerant Additives

Over the first few decades since the creation of efficiency improving formulations for refrigerants and refrigerant oils, there has been mixed market adoption. The early days of failed attempts with oil degrading use of solvents or the use of expansion valve clogging solids, left a lingering perception of “snake oil”. Only those businesses that took the time to sort through the offerings to find the truly validated products found success in reducing their HVAC energy use and an added benefit of extending the life of their equipment.

Today the market is better accepting of newer technologies, gaining distance to the old wild west days of unproven formulations.  Trust is being earned for those businesses that offer professionally validated products that stand behind them with warranties.

The post Simple Ways To Improve HVAC Efficiency And Extend Equipment Life appeared first on Shreeji Cooling System Private Limited.

If so, your HVAC might have an uneven airflow. There are many symptoms of uneven airflow and many solutions. Amid the increasing demand for HVAC repair, homeowners need to learn how to keep their home system operating at its best. Understanding the potential causes of uneven airflow can help you troubleshoot the problem and get your HVAC system back up and running efficiently.

Evenly Distributing Air

How to Know If Your HVAC Has Uneven Airflow:

The desperate temperatures naturally separate, creating deposits throughout your home

There Are Hot & Cold Spots in Your House – One of the most common signs of uneven airflow is hot and cold spots in your home. If you notice that certain rooms are always warmer or cooler than others, there’s a good chance that your HVAC system isn’t evenly distributing air. When air can’t flow evenly through the HVAC, the desperate temperatures naturally separate, creating deposits throughout your home.

You Don’t Feel Much (If Any) Air From the Vent – Another way to tell if your home has uneven airflow is by feeling the air coming out of the vents. If you don’t feel much air coming from a particular vent, that’s an indication that not enough air is flowing through that area. Alternatively, if you feel a strong blast of air from one vent and barely any from another, that’s another telltale sign of airflow errors.

Creating Pressure Imbalances

Doors Are Shaking or Closing on Their Own – Have you ever jumped when a door seems to slam on its own? Don’t worry, it’s not a ghost. Uneven airflow creates pressure imbalances that can cause your doors to swing open/shut or rattle.

Vents Blowing Warm Air When A/C Is Turned On – If your air conditioning is cranked down, but the vents are still blowing warm air, that’s a problem. Don’t turn the temperature lower when this happens. Call your local HVAC technician to diagnose the cause of your inconsistent airflow.

Ensuring Optimal Airflow

Causes & Solutions For Uneven HVAC Airflow:

Clean or Replace Your Filters – A dirty air filter is one of the most common causes of uneven airflow. When your filter gets clogged with dust and dirt, it restricts the amount of air that can flow through your HVAC system.

Some research suggests that using an air purifier can extend the life of your filters

You should change or clean your air filters three or four times per year. Pets, smoking, and improperly sealed doors and windows can create extra debris that soils filters sooner. Some research suggests that using an air purifier can extend the life of your filters, but it’s still a good idea to change them regularly to ensure optimal airflow.

Lower-Rated MERV Filters

Find the Right MERV Rating For Your HVAC System – When you’re looking for a new air filter, it’s important to find one with the right MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating. The MERV scale rates how well an air filter can remove particles from the air; the higher the MERV rating, the more particles the filter will capture. Some homeowners assume that the highest MERV rating is best, but this isn’t necessarily true. You need to choose a MERV rating that’s compatible with your system’s motor.

If the filter is too dense, it will reduce airflow throughout the home. Additionally, it could overwork your motor and lead to a premature replacement of your HVAC system. If you choose to use air filters with a higher rating than your system’s capabilities, you’ll need to change them more frequently than you would with lower-rated MERV filters.

Preventing Proper Airflow

It’s best to build a fence or shed that leaves plenty of ‘breathing room’

Clutter Around The Outdoor Unit – If you have an outdoor air conditioner unit, it’s important to keep the area around it clear of debris. Grass, leaves, and twigs can prevent proper airflow and cause your system to overheat.

It’s a good idea to check the area around your outdoor unit every few weeks and remove any debris that has accumulated. Some people choose to cover up their HVAC to increase curb appeal. It’s best to build a fence or shed that leaves plenty of ‘breathing room.’ Any greenery around an HVAC unit can quickly overtake your system’s airflow without constant maintenance.

Maintaining Comfortable Temperatures

Improperly Fitted HVAC Unit – Bigger isn’t always better, especially when it comes to your HVAC unit. A unit that’s too large for your home will turn on and off frequently, which can lead to uneven airflow.

HVAC units that are too small have to work overtime to maintain comfortable temperatures

HVAC units that are too small have to work overtime to maintain comfortable temperatures in the home. This also causes the system to turn on and off frequently and can cause uneven airflow. The right size HVAC unit will depend on the size of your home. If you have an especially large home or if you’ve converted your single-family into a duplex, you might consider installing two HVAC systems.

Specific Refrigerant Levels

The Refrigerant Needs to Be Refilled – Low refrigerant levels is another reason you might feel warm air when the AC is turned on. Refrigerant is responsible for balancing the flow of cool air into the home and pushing warm air out of the home. When refrigerant is low, the air delivered to your home will feel warmer. Replacing refrigerant isn’t as easy as adding coolant to your car. HVAC manufacturers dictate specific refrigerant levels. Imbalanced levels can lead to expensive repairs, so it’s best to leave this job for the professionals.

Save Money & Increase Comfort By Balancing Your HVAC Airflow – If your HVAC has uneven airflow, there are many possible causes. The good news is that most of these causes have relatively simple solutions. If you can’t seem to get your airflow under control, be sure to consult a professional. With just a little bit of troubleshooting, you should be able to keep your home comfortable all year round.

The post What Can Cause Uneven Airflow In Your HVAC System? appeared first on Shreeji Cooling System Private Limited.

However, labor shortages limited companies’ ability to meet the demand. In some cases, money was left on the table. There was another impact of the pandemic on industry labor trends: HVAC contractors kept working, even when much of the economy was shut down.

Pandemic Highlighted The Importance Of HVAC

As a whole, the COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the importance of a career in HVAC

As a whole, the COVID-19 pandemic both accentuated the importance of a career in HVAC and highlighted the shortage of employees to fill those careers. In the aftermath of the pandemic, the labor shortage in the HVAC industry seems worse than ever.

One factor working against employment growth in the HVAC sector is the misconception among high school students that a college degree is required to achieve economic prosperity in any future career.

Sadly, the ‘value’ of a college education in the marketplace can sometimes be elusive or even illusory for graduates. It is not uncommon to hear of a recent liberal arts graduate working at minimum wage to pay off exorbitant student loans.

Need For More High School Programs In HVAC

High school counselors push college as the default route for high school students, even among students whose aptitude may point in other directions. Trade school has, for too long, been seen as a fallback position rather than as a worthy pursuit for the future. Fortunately, there are exceptions, including some high school programs that are preparing students for HVAC careers.

In short, neglecting the need to direct new members of the workforce toward skilled trades, such as HVAC is at the root of the current (and future) labor shortage.

Adapting To The Needs Of The Demographic

Attracting younger employees – the Gen Zs and eventually the Gen Alphas – requires adapting to the needs of this demographic. Younger folks want to work for a company that is environmentally friendly, diverse and inclusive, and is sensitive to the needs of employees.

They also tend to get bored easily, are more willing to change jobs, and are looking for Meaning (with a capital M) in the career they choose. They are also looking for a well-defined career ladder, through which they can build their future.

Careers In HVAC Evolving With Technological Progress

Some new technologies can reduce or simplify the labor involved in the installation

Careers in HVAC are evolving with the progress of technology. Although HVAC installation still involves a lot of hands-on work, the trend is toward technical tools that require a higher level of skill, more thought, and expertise in addition to the grunt work. Here is another factor useful in addressing labor shortages: Some new technologies can reduce or simplify the labor involved in the installation.

Experience is a factor when seeking out the best HVAC candidates. However, experience is a sword that cuts both ways. Sometimes ‘experience’ includes ingrained bad habits that an employer can avoid with proper training of a neophyte. On the other hand, a company can save training costs with a seasoned master who can be productive on their first day.

Offering Internship Opportunities And Mentoring Programs

Recent trade school or even high school graduates are a source of HVAC candidates. Companies can leverage this source of employees, by keeping in touch with nearby training institutions and by offering internship opportunities and mentoring programs.

Online job boards and websites point to potential HVAC candidates, but the choices are limited to candidates that are actively seeking employment or to change jobs. That’s only about 15% of the workforce. Many of the best candidates currently have other jobs and would need to be recruited to change positions. Employing recruiters can be expensive, although they only get paid if they provide a successful candidate.

Social Media Can Provide A Source Of Candidates

Social media can provide a source of candidates. Employers should build their social media strategy to portray their company as a solid business and a great place to work. Focusing on building customer relationships in social media has the side effect of introducing potential job candidates to the company’s spirit and character.

Another source for job candidates is employee referrals from current employees. A bonus program for employees who refer a new team member can drive the process.

The post Pandemic Highlighted HVAC Labor Shortage, Which Continues appeared first on Shreeji Cooling System Private Limited.

It’s not a common approach today, but the benefits of applying ‘As a service’ to HVAC are many – for customers and for equipment and service providers. Notably, an ‘As a service’ approach can help customers sidestep the higher costs of transitioning to more expensive green technologies, thus accelerating the green trend and avoiding pollutants and greenhouse gases.

Heating And Cooling ‘As A Service’

‘Heating as a Service’ (HaaS) and/or ‘Cooling as a Service’ (CaaS) provide all the benefits of the most up-to-date systems

Rather than requiring large capital investment, ‘Heating as a Service’ (HaaS) and/or ‘Cooling as a Service’ (CaaS) provide all the benefits of the most up-to-date systems, in exchange for a monthly fee.

In the case of ‘Heating as a Service’, a service provider charges a recurring fee to lease and maintain the hardware of a heating system. Rather than the customer paying for a fuel input (i.e., for each kWh of fuel used by the system), he or she pays for the heat that is generated, either as a monthly fee or based on usage.

Emphasis On Outcomes For The Customer

In the world of ‘as a service’, the emphasis is on outcomes for the customer, rather than on inputs. The entire system could be provided by one company or there could be an equipment supplier and a separate service provider.

Risks typically borne by the customer are instead the responsibility of the equipment and/or service provider(s). For example, the equipment supplier manages the financial risk of investing in the equipment and provides the needed maintenance and repairs.

Efficiency, The Responsibility Of System Provider

The system provider must assume responsibility for how efficiently the system performs, the energy costs and even adapting to the customer’s behavior that impacts heat demand.

There is the potential for flexibility in how ‘Heating as a Service’ (HaaS) plans are managed and charged. For example, a customer could choose and adjust usage to specific ‘warm hours’. Alternatively, they could choose ‘consistent comfort’. For lower-income customers, a manageable monthly fee is preferable to a sudden expensive and unbudgeted repair.

‘Cooling As A Service’ Aids In Managing Global Climate Goals

Transitioning to newer, greener technologies requires large capital investments in the latest equipment

‘Cooling as a service’ uses the same basic approach, but offers additional benefits in terms of managing global climate goals. Space cooling consumes 10% of global electricity and refrigerants used in cooling have a large potential to increase global warming.

Transitioning to newer, greener technologies requires large capital investments in the latest equipment. Approaching the challenge using an ‘as a service’ model pushes aside the need for large capital expenditures and offers the same capabilities for an affordable monthly fee.

Pay Per Unit Of Cooling Consumed

Instead of investing in greener cooling technologies, the customers need only pay per unit of cooling they consume. Because the technology provider owns and operates the system, they are incentivized to minimize the costs, leverage economies of scale, etc. If a technology provider reduces electricity consumption, uses more efficient technologies, and leverages the benefits of preventative maintenance, it’s more money in their pockets.

‘Cooling as a Service’ (CaaS) especially has potential as air conditioning spreads to new areas of the world. Cooling demand is on the verge of accelerating in countries, such as South Africa, India, and Mexico. CaaS can serve these new markets cost-effectively and at a minimum environmental impact.

‘As A Service’ Model

Customers who have tried out the ‘As a service’ model liked the idea of paying for comfort, rather than a fixed price for fuel. They liked the predictability of the pricing – no surprise repair fees or fluctuating fuel costs.

‘As a service’ plays into the reality that consumers today care more about the experience they get for their money, rather than the details of how the experience is achieved. Many consumers would be happy to leave concerns about HVAC equipment and operation to the specialists. They just want comfort and they are willing to pay a price for it.

The post Considering The Advantages Of Heating And Cooling ‘As A Service’ appeared first on Shreeji Cooling System Private Limited.

-By Daniel Fisher Modine Manufacturing Co.

HVAC systems are constantly becoming more intelligent, with new technological enhancements being embedded into individual components. In our VFDs (variable frequency drives), new features have been added, such as wireless keypads, which give users the ability and freedom to have complete control of their VFD remotely from an application on their smartphone. Another new feature, CBM (condition-based monitoring), turns the VFD into a smart sensor that allows users to be notified prior to critical failures in the system’s motors and applications so they can proactively plan for adjustment, repair, or replacement to keep their system running with minimal downtime.

-By Jackson Tiedmann Danfoss Drives

The post What’s New In Connectivity And Control Systems For HVAC? appeared first on Shreeji Cooling System Private Limited.