ACR July/August 15

ISSN 2058-4407

VOLUME 1 No7

Essential Information for the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry

dean&wood

now in Cambridge and

ready to serve you!

JULY/AUGUST 2015

dean&wood Cambridge dean&wood

Unit 18,Clifton Road Industrial Estate,Cambridge CB1 7EB www.dean-wood.co.uk

1989-2014

AN N RY

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CONTENTS

July 2015

REGULARS

1989-2014

AN N

IVE RSA

Essential Information for the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry

6 News

Editor

Will Hawkins 01778 392094 willh@warnersgroup.co.uk

IoR News

11 Publishing Editor

SIRACH Update

Juliet Loiselle 01778 391067 julietl@warnersgroup.co.uk

James Knight 01778 395029 jamesk@warnersgroup.co.uk

Advertising Sales Theresa Geeson 01778 392046 theresag@warnersgroup.co.uk

Editorial Design Development Design

Advertising Design Natalie Reynolds

Products & Awards Organiser Shelley Bright 01778 391172 shelleyb@warnersgroup.co.uk

Subscriptions

Published by:

News that the UK air conditioning and refrigeration industry grew by 4% in 2014 does not come as a surprise. You only have to look at the number of cranes in operation across our cities to get a sense that business is healthy in our sector. The demise of R22 is bringing in the opportunity for installers to provide new solutions for their customers. Manufacturers continue to invest in new products, from which a slew of new chillers, for example, is coming into the market. I had an interesting conversation recently with a chillers distributor. It showed me that some facilities managers still think that solutions for heating and cooling a building have to be two separate solutions. i.e. a boiler for heating and an air conditioning system for cooling. In fact, there are increasing numbers of products available that can provide both heating and cooling in one system. But, still there is a large amount of education that needs to happen to help people make the leap from thinking that heating and cooling are two separate challenges with different solutions. It would be good to hear from contractors and installers who are installing combined heating and cooling solutions.

46 Out and About with Will Hawkins The Quantum Group and the UNICO system

Essential Information for the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry

dean&wood

now in Cambridge and

ready to serve you!

dean&wood Cambridge

Unit 18,Clifton Road Industrial Estate,Cambridge CB1 7EB www.dean-wood.co.uk

1989-2014

AN N

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Coffee Break Competition Sponsored by REFCOM

dean&wood

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About our front cover:

42 PRINTED BY WARNERS 01778 395111

Women in ACR Joanna Robinson from Mansfield Pollard

JULY/AUGUST 2015

Single copy £3.00; Annual UK subscription £35.00 Overseas £65.00

ISSN 2058-4407

Sue Ward 01778 392405 production@warnersgroup.co.uk

Heating and Cooling – Two solutions? Or, one for both?

VOLUME 1 No7

Production

Mitsubishi column

Multimedia Account Manager

Joanna Robinson from Mansfield Pollard

Dean & Wood – visit the Dean and Wood website to learn more about the products, services and solutions they provide for the air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump market: www.dean-wood.com

07/07/2015 09:01

CONTENTS

acrjournal.uk

COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION

Contractors Corner TF Solutions look at ideas to make contractors’ jobs easier

28 J&E Hall – How one Dartmoor pub is keeping its beer at exactly the right temperature.

56 Company Profile This month, PACAIR

REFRIGERANTS & GASES

Chilly Chatter and Chilly Van, Sponsored by ITE (UK) Ltd

65 What’s New The latest products and solutions.

FEATURES

36 Mitsubishi Electric e-chiller

25 Daikin – Young Air Conditioning fits the UKs first Daikin R32 AC system

TRAINING

DATA CENTRE COOLING

Torin-Sifan – Martin Page explains how the Swindon based company trains its workforce

14 Armstrong Fluid Technology – Dominic Cutts explores how to achieve targets for energy efficiency.

AIR CONDITIONING

ChillAir Training – Will Hawkins interviews Paul Singh about the impact of winning at the National ACR Awards in January

Fujitsu – Colin Goode discusses how to work out loads for air conditioning systems 60kW Air Source Heat Pump Dimplex

Worlds Skills – an update on the competition finals

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

32 ebm papst - Geoff Lockwood, Technical Director at ebm-papst, explains the wider benefits of EC technology beyond energy saving

CHILLERS

34 Carrier – Carrier’s new high efficiency chillers are installed in a London project

36 Mitsubishi Electric – Mitsi launches into UK chiller market with its ‘e-chiller’ Controls

40 Fujitsu - The troubleshooting library in your pocket

ACR Training providers in the UK

TOOLS

26 JAVAC – News about JAVAC’s updated website

38 Advanced Engineering - One giant leap for manifolds IN THE OCTOBER ISSUE OF THE ACR JOURNAL:

Wholesalers/Distributors l Chillers l Retail Refrigeration l Training Submissions deadline Wednesday 5th August

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A-Gas – John Ormerod explains why oxy-acetylene is best for brazing

HEAT PUMPS

50 Dimplex & Ecoliving – Will Hawkins visits Dumfries House to see the numerous renewable heating systems installed in this Scottish Estate.

54 Delta-EE – How the market for hybrid heat pumps is set to develop

07/07/2015 09:02

NEWS

July/August 2015

Andrews Sykes Opens New Chiller Hire Depot in London Andrews Chillers has opened its ﬁrst depot in London to cater for the chiller hire business in the capital.

The new 10,000m2 depot adds to the existing national network of 25 depots providing 24-hour a day, year round support to customers with emergency chiller needs. The new London depot in Charlton stocks anything from 1kW air cooled ﬂuid chillers to multi-megawatt units.

Danfoss Qualiﬁes Two Compressors Valid to use with R407A/F

Dean & Wood opens Cambridge Branch

Refrigeration and air conditioning wholesaler, Dean & Wood, opened its latest branch in Cambridge, the company announced recently. Business at the specialist wholesaler to the industry is strong and demand in the east of England made it an easy decision for the company to open the 16th branch in its network across Britain.

Danfoss recently announced that its scroll and Maneurop reciprocating refrigeration compressors qualify for refrigerant R407A and F. The move will help customers working towards F-Gas phase-down requirements in Europe. The speciﬁc compressors validated to use with R404A and R404F are the ‘Danfoss Maneurop reciprocating MTZ’ and ‘Danfoss scrolls MLZ’ models. Also included are the Optyma Plus new generation and Optyma Slim Pack ranges. Refrigerant R404A will soon be unusable in new equipment because of the legal ban. Retail and commercial refrigeration applications widely use R404A. It has a high global warming potential (GWP equivalent of 3.8 tons of CO²).

UK Ventilation and Air Conditioning Market returns to growth The UK air conditioning and ventilation business grew by 4% in 2014, according to AMA Research. The research firm forecasts that the market will have grown to £1.2Bn by the end of 2019, a 10% increase on 2015 results. The growth and forecast shows that the market has left behind the downturn and doldrums experienced from 2008 by many firms. Air conditioning accounts for much of the growth (over 50%). New legislation in health and safety, energy efficiency, and revised building and environmental regulations are the main drivers behind it.

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NEWS

July/August 2015

Klima-Therm to Distribute Gree Solar-PV VRF Air Conditioning

Chiller and air conditioning experts, Klima-Therm, are to distribute Gree’s solar-PV VRF air conditioning and split systems, the company announced recently. Klima-Therm announced at Ecobuild earlier this year their agreement with Gree to distribute the Chinese company’s centrifugal chillers. The Solar-PV VRF distribution announcement now makes them the only UK company to carry Gree’s complete range of air conditioning products. Klima-Therm keeps all of Gree’s top selling VRF and split air conditioning products, as well as spares. Gree’s ‘pioneering’ solar-PV VRF system is the ﬁrst system to be commercially available across the world. Gree suggests that its unusual system can save up to 30% oﬀ a company’s cooling energy costs. The unit is usable in heating or hot water modes when using its heat pump mode. Gree’s solar-photovoltaic powerd VRF system avoids the need for a DC-AC converter. Instead, it feeds the electricity straight to the air conditioning system from the PV array. Gree PV-powered VRF system

Trane Begins Shipping New Air-Cooled Chillers in Europe The new ‘Sintesis’ air-cooled chillers, using either R-513A or R134a refrigerants, from Trane began shipping in June, the company announced recently. “Sintesis chillers are designed to deliver energy efficiency and offer choices with a variety of options to meet specific needs,” said Jeff Moe, applied portfolio business leader for Trane Commercial. “Efficiency and acoustic combinations prove the versatility of the Trane Sintesis and make it suitable for every purpose and building application including comfort, and process cooling, all year round and all around the globe.” The new Sintesis range covers cooling capacities from 300Kw to 1600kW.

Pioneering mentoring scheme for the ACRHP industry coming soon Refrigeration and cooling industry-renowned consultant, Steve Gill, announced the imminent launch of an innovative mentoring scheme for the air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump industry (ACRHP).

Job Numbers Increase in Renewables Sector The number of jobs in the UK renewables sector grew by 8% in the last year from 102,987 to 112,055, according to the Renewable Energy Association (REA).

The overall UK job market only grew by one per cent in the same period. Managing Partner at Hyperion Executive Search, David Hunt commented: “These ﬁgures back up what we are seeing as a specialist in renewables recruitment. Companies are posting more job opportunities which is not only creating opportunities for those in the industry, but also for those with transferable skills interested in moving across to the sector.” David added: “With such healthy job creation statistics, there is a real opportunity for our sector to continue to attract talented candidates in related industries. “We hope that the new Conservative Government recognises the role it can play by getting behind the renewables industry and helping it to move forward with conﬁdence. With an election largely won on economic growth and job creation, it is essential they see that as a sector we lead the way in both areas and provide much needed certainty and support.” David Hunt from Hyperion

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Sustain-Ability will be a pioneering new mentoring scheme with an initial pilot programme being launched in July, prior to full launch in September. Focused on the ACRHP industry, Sustain-Ability will oﬀer a unique opportunity for knowledge exchange between industry professionals at diﬀerent stages in their careers. The scheme will connect motivated industry professionals as mentors with equally motivated mentees from across the ACRHP sector through an online platform. The Sustain-Ability Mentoring scheme provides the ultimate opportunity for this industry to sustain and further develop the skills through knowledge transfer. Details of the Sustain-Ability platform will be provided in the next couple of weeks. For further details, or if you would like to take part as either a mentor or mentee in the pilot programme, please contact Steve Gill via email: steve@ stephengill.eu.

07/07/2015 09:04

EU F-gas regulation. Are you prepared? The new EU f-gas regulation (517/2014) replaces the existing legislation (842/2006) on 1.1.2015. It contains many changes that will impact the supply and use of f-gases, including:

BOC can help you understand the impact of phase-out on your business, develop the best plan of action and support your chosen path by providing you with the gases you need – when and where you need them.

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For more information please contact us on 0800 02 0800 or visit www.boconline.co.uk/refrigerants

Cap and phase down of the supply of HFC refrigerants New product and equipment bans Refrigeration service and maintenance ban Leak check and leak detection requirement changes Increased labelling Training, certiﬁcation and supply obligations

BOC The Priestley Centre, 10 Priestley Road, The Surrey Research Park, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XY, Y United Kingdom Y, Phone +44 800 02 0800, Fax +44 0800 136 601 www.boconline.co.uk/refrigerants

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IOR NEWS

July/August 2015

IOR UPDATE

This year the Institute of Refrigeration Service Engineers Section celebrates 15 years of providing good practice guides for service, maintenance, installation and commissioning engineers and technicians.

he Section has grown from a small group of service engineers keen to share good practice to a network of over 1000 with strong links to employers, wholesalers, manufacturers and colleges.

Together they have produced over 200 bulletins, guides and reviews of basic principles and widened the scope from refrigeration to cover the whole of refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump applications. The key focus has remained to break down complex legislation and safety information into manageable and practical summaries – usually no more than 2 pages in length. Some of the key achievements have been: • Promoting containment with the IOR REAL Zero guides on leak checking • Helping contractors get to grips with new F Gas Regulation requirements • Providing handouts to help end uses understand their obligations • A series reviewing fundamental principles like using comparators to measure superheat • Air conditioning and Heat Pump efficient operation series • Q & As on fault finding • Introductions to the properties of new refrigerants • News of incentives schemes • Raising awareness of safety issues and incident alerts This month’s bulletins alone show the wide variety of technical topics the section covers. We have material going out on reclaiming of HFC refrigerant, efficient summer operation of AC, the latest on F Gas enforcement activities and a reminder on R22 do’s and don’ts.

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The range of materials available to service engineers is continually expanding. The full list of printed guidance is available at www.ior. org.uk/service-engineers . The materials are sent to members but they are also available to download by nonmembers, providing reliable independent information for the air conditioning and refrigeration sector as a whole. But new ways of learning are also being introduced - members can now access two forms of e-learning. REAL Zero is focused on refrigerant containment and REAL Alternatives which goes into more detail on the properties and safety issues with carbon dioxide, hydrocarbon and ammonia.

FUTURE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES Bite size training workshops were held at the ACR Show in 2014 and we are planning to run some more events at the show next year. Members have also contributed to wider training initiatives such as the development of a new apprenticeship programme,

promoting student of the year competitions, and encouraging new people to join the industry. Members often proudly display their annual Certificate of membership as evidence of their commitment to their continued professional development, and wear their membership badge or use their van sticker. During the past year the Section has been going out to Colleges and employers talking about industry developments such as new refrigerants, energy efficiency and careers. Building links between colleges and employers is a good way of encouraging improved skills and a steady supply of new entrants to the industry. The Service Engineers Section is led by a group of engineers who come from contractors in air conditioning, designers, trainers, wholesalers and manufacturers. They are always interested in new people joining the group to help identify topics or materials that could be circulated to members, so if anyone would like to find out more please contact ses@ior.org.uk .

02/07/2015 16:14

SIRACH

July/August 2015

SIRACH Meeting Innovations in Heat Pumps and Cooling The Integration Challenge O

n the 23rd April the SIRACH network (Sustainable Innovation in Refrigeration Air conditioning and Heat pumps) met at Arctic Circle. The event focused mainly on the latest developments and innovations in heat pumps and cooling technologies and looked at the challenges that integration poses. It included technical presentations, an interactive group networking session and a tour of the Arctic Circle manufacturing facilities. According to European heat pump association (EHPA), more than 750,000 systems are installed annually in Europe and approximately 4.5 million systems have been deployed since 2005. The current European installed base of heat pumps produces 35TWh of renewable energy from the air, water and the ground and is responsible for the abatement of 8Mt of Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) per annum. This is equivalent to taking approximately 1.6 million cars off the road. Currently heat pumps are used in the main for heating, with the cold rejected to atmosphere. However, there is no reason why heat pumps cannot be used for heating and cooling at the same time. As shown in figure 1, if the output of the heat pump is heat from the condenser and cold from the evaporator, a very high combined efficiency or COPh+C of 9 can be achieved! A high COP will deliver large energy and carbon savings, but it will also save money! However, the challenge is how best to apply it or integration. This was the main subject at the meeting. The presentations focused on a significant challenges and opportunities for the RACHP industry in the UK in the widespread application of the low carbon heat pumps. These included presentations by Paul Bevington of Synergy, Egill Elvestad of IWMAC Trondheim, Pat Maughan of Hubbard and Nick Franzen and Chris Green of Arctic Circle, Professor Neil J Hewitt of the University of Ulster. Heat pump technology is well proven in many countries as a reliable, cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional heating systems. Read the full report, including details about SIRACH networking and Carbon Data Resources online here: www.w2u.eu/sirachjul2015 If you want to experience SIRACH in person, our next SIRACH meeting is scheduled for the 1st October 2015, Newcastle University, Claremont Road, NE1 7RU. Topics include: Networks for heating and cooling - opportunities, challenges and new solutions www.sirach.org.uk

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MITSUBISHI COLUMN 12

June 2015

Aircon engineers that are ready for anything by Ben Bartle - Ross, Technical Trainer

In the industry in which we work, we are all used to turning up to a site without knowing exactly what we are quite facing.

ure enough, there are drawings and diagrams for new installs, and service manuals and logs for existing equipment. But every engineers knows that there are jobs where things are not always how they are reported to be on paper!

Very few of us have to turn up to a job that is completely unknown, which may involve totally unexpected equipment, yet which we are still expected to get working and operating to its full capacity. But, that is not always the case around the world. I’ve recently been working with the people who train the Sappers of the Royal Engineers, men and women who quite literally have little idea where they will be sent and what they will face when they get there. These brave soldiers are required to go into completely unknown situations, to repair unknown equipment and make sure it works effectively and reliably, sometimes within a live conflict zone. Sometimes this will be something as mundane but essential as ensuring that the heating and cooling in a remote Embassy works efficiently, but it could equally be making sure that a field hospital has a

comfortable operating theatre which could literally mean the difference between life and death. These chaps are trained on the very latest VRF equipment but it is unlikely they will ever be installing it. The primary driver for them is to understand the basics of the technology so that they are able to deal with anything the find, wherever it is in the world. They need to have a full understanding of things such as psychometrics and pressure enthopy so that they can literally cope with just about anything they meet in the field. Along with ‘conventional’ heating and cooling functions, humidity often plays a much more important role than here in the UK. All the engineers going through the training programme end up as fully qualified F-Gas installers and are taught the basics of air conditioning so that they are able to understand any system and are able to operate on the basis of not being able to access operations manuals. I know we all think we face a new challenge every time we enter a new building but remember that there are engineers out there who have gone through all of the training we all have – and more, and who really are prepared for anything, anytime, anywhere.

Award-winning performance We understand the challenges you face and so develop efficient, resilient cooling solutions that help you cut operating costs and maximise uptime.

2015

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Energy Saving Product of the Year

Datacentre Cooling Product of the Year

Datacentre Energy Efficiency Product of the Year

Commercial Building Services Product of the Year

International Achievement of the Year

CIBSE Building Performance Awards

Data Centre Solutions (DCS)

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RAC Cooling Industry Awards

+44 (0)113 239 1000 connect@airedale.com www.airedale.com/acrjtrophy @AiredaleAC

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DATA CENTRE COOLING

July/August 2015

ACHIEVING TARGETS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF DATA CENTRES The HVAC industry is awash with acronyms but, if you are designing, installing or maintaining systems for data centres, then the acronym that really matters is PUE.

he PUE (Power usage effectiveness) metric provides a universal benchmark against which the environmental performance of every data centre can be measured. It has been developed by The Green Grid Association (a non-profit, open industry consortium of end users, policy makers, technology providers, facility architects, and utility companies) and carries significant weight within the data centre community. Whilst the guidelines issued by Green Grid and others (such as the EU Code of Conduct on Data Centres’ Energy Efficiency) are currently voluntary rather than mandatory, these initiatives for accreditation and benchmarking of environmental performance provide powerful commercial advantages for those data centre operators able to differentiate themselves through investment in energy efficiency.

luid Dominic Cutts

S 4300

2 iFMS

P-CHW

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IT equipment, of course, is a huge consumer of electricity in its own right and emerging technologies, such as virtualisation and blade servers, are believed to be pushing up energy consumption by between 5% and 10% per year. Increasing processing capacity also escalates demand for cooling, and as much as 45% of the energy costs of a data centre can relate to HVAC. Unsurprisingly, data centres are thought to be responsible for around 3% of the UK’s total electrical energy use. The PUE metric is so signiﬁcant for the HVAC industry because it provides, at a glance, a picture of the eﬃciency of the energy consumed both for processing and for cooling. A PUE of 1.5, for example, means that for every unit of power used on core IT equipment, an additional 0.5 units is spent on the supporting infrastructure. The challenges of reducing the IT equipment’s demand for power are considerable (as they impact

on processing capability), so the battle to improve PUE focuses on the supporting cooling systems. This fundamentally changes the relationship between the data centre operator and its HVAC supplier. The demands are intensiﬁed (as the HVAC supplier has a direct impact on its customer’s competitiveness) and sustainability performance is continually scrutinised and transparently reported. In addition, the critical nature of these cooling applications means that upgrade cycles (and payback periods) are typically shorter than those of traditional commercial premises. So what factors need particularly close attention when working with customers of this type? Firstly, of course, energy eﬃciency is paramount, necessitating careful consideration of control methodology. Secondly, systems need to be designed for incremental expansion rather

than installing full capacity from the outset. Thirdly, critical cooling requires several safeguards around reliability and fail-safe modes. Fourthly, this is a fast-moving and entrepreneurial business sector requiring delivery schedules far shorter than those of traditional construction projects.

Figure 1 Design Envelope IVS 4300

02/07/2015 10:46

DATA CENTRE COOLING

15 acrjournal.uk

Figure 2 iFMS

ENERGY EFFICIENCY Capacity based control systems are inadequate to meet the exacting energy eﬃciency targets of data centre cooling. Instead, of designing your chilled water system based on independent control loops with PID feedback control, look for demand based control methodologies (for example Hartman LOOPTM digital relational control) capable of treating the entire system ‘holistically’, rather than as individual sub-systems. This provides a number of beneﬁts, such as sequencing key energy consuming components, such as Armstrong Design Envelope pumps (Figure 1), to operate along their natural curve for all load conditions.

NCREMENTAL EXPANSION New data centres are established with the intention of expanding to full capacity over time, so Figure 3 IPP-CHW

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best practice is to specify HVAC solutions featuring modular design, capable of ‘boltingon’ additional cooling in line with expansion of IT processing capacity. This assists the data centre operator’s profitability by preventing the need to front-load capital investment for the facility, and avoids the significant energy wastage of over-sized plant. Armstrong iFMS modular packaged pump solutions (Figure 2) are ideal, as they are pre-designed, off-site manufactured pump packages that are fully-configurable to suit the application. Avoiding bespoke design, the iFMS also meets the demand for predictability and reproducibility of environmental performance which is so important in critical cooling applications with transparent reporting.

RELIABILITY Oﬀ-site manufacture has proved extremely popular for these applications, as assembling and integrating a complete chilled water plant room, or pump package, in the controlled environment of a factory provides

the best possible guarantee of system integrity. Testing can be carried out in the factory under controlled conditions prior to delivery, and the best solutions incorporate fail-safe features. Armstrong’s self-contained IPP-CHW fully-integrated chilled water plant package (Figure 3), for example, is a popular solution.

DELIVERY TIMES Oﬀ-site manufacture also satisﬁes the demanding timescales required by data centre operators, both when establishing new facilities, and when upgrading systems at existing sites. For example, specifying Armstrong IPS (Integrated Pumping Systems) (Figure 4), removes the assembly of the cooling infrastructure from the project’s critical path, reducing time to market. In conclusion, critical cooling applications of this type provide challenges and opportunities in equal measure for the HVAC industry. The technical solutions already exist to meet these challenges, however, and as data centre operators do battle over PUE, suppliers of chilled water systems will become increasingly important allies.

Figure 4 IPS package

02/07/2015 10:47

INSIGHTS

July/August 2015

Working out the loads By Colin Goode, Fujitsu’s Product and Specification Manager

Colin Goode

ne of the most frequent questions we are asked by contractors is, “what size and type of air conditioning system do I need for this job?” This is usually accompanied by a rough drawing of the space to be air conditioned and a few measurements. I suspect that distributors get asked this question even more than we do. While we are always happy to give technical assistance to anyone who needs it, the fact is that the best person to make the necessary calculations is the one who has surveyed the building and knows the client’s requirements; in other words the system designer or installer.

RULES OF THUMB

Design Simulator 1

Design Simulator 2

There are some rules of thumb that many people use, such as 100, 120 or 130Watts/m2 for cooling. These still hold good for small rooms, standard offices and for a budget quote, but for a more accurate solution a recognised software programme should be used. Accurately estimating the cooling / heating loads for every application is a fundamental design requirement of every heating and cooling project. This is vital to prevent over or under sizing of equipment and is something that should be done by the contractor or the person responsible for the overall system design. In other words, there is no point in installing an Airstage VRII when a JIIS will do the job more efficiently, or installing a split where a VRF is needed. This will ultimately lead to customer disappointment.

CALCULATING THE LOADS To accurately calculate the heating/ cooling loads, detailed drawings and/or a site survey is required and the following information obtained: size of room(s), occupation levels, internal equipment heat gains, orientation of building/room, area and type of glazing/shading, wall/

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ceiling/floor/roof construction, existing or required ventilation rates, ceiling void space, location of existing power supplies, space for new equipment and anything else that may be useful to assist with the proposed design. There are many load estimating software packages available. Some relatively simple free calculators can be found on the internet but any self-respecting contractor or designer should purchase something more sophisticated, such as AC Calc by Click Software, which uses industry recognised methods to model old and new building types. This software is more than adequate for most small to medium sized projects. We now have the Fujitsu Design Simulator, which allows you to set up the whole system on a computer to check that everything works with everything else. All aspects from selecting controls and optional parts to designing piping and wiring systems is made easier by the program’s built-in features. Once the project is designed, the export functions can be used to output materials lists, product specifications, refrigerant calculations and more. It can also export to Word or Excel and group relevant CAD data for your project.

ASK A CONSULTING ENGINEER FOR HELP Of course, the larger a project gets, the more complex it becomes, and for this reason it is usually wise to employ the services of a consulting engineer to do the calculations for you or on behalf of the client as part of the design process. More sophisticated heat load calculations are necessary for larger buildings to meet new building regulations so the consulting engineer will liaise with manufacturers to produce a system design and specification that meets your client’s needs and current requirements.

02/07/2015 09:47

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06/07/2015 11:36:35

TRAINING

July/August 2015

EC Manufacturing and Technology Centre

Engineering The Future

The ACR Journal talks to manufacturer Torin-Sifan about how it is encouraging young people into engineering

ngineering currently accounts for a quarter of UK turnover. Figures from the Engineering UK 2015 annual report stated that filling the demand for new engineering jobs would generate an additional £27 billion per year for the UK economy and the number of engineering apprentices and graduates entering the industry would need to double to meet this demand.

Martin Page

Swindon-based Torin-Sifan can vouch for the buoyant engineering sector. The company is a leading manufacturer of fans and blower products that utilise high efficiency EC motors (electronically commutated) and AC motors for the residential and commercial Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning market in Europe. The company has been manufacturing in Swindon for over 50 years. In 2015 the enterprise expanded its operations in Swindon opening a new manufacturing facility specialising in EC technology. The new 25,000 sq ft EC Manufacturing and Technology Centre has created 25 new jobs, primarily in advanced and applications engineering for its EC products, enabling an expansion programme focussed on delivering energy efficient, quiet and controllable air movement solutions for clients all over the world. Over the last decade legislation aimed at reducing energy

consumption of building products has driven significant migration to EC technology and with demand continuing to grow significantly, the company’s new EC Manufacturing and Technology Centre provides the manufacturing capacity needed to satisfy future requirements. There is currently an annual shortfall of 55,000 skilled workers in the UK. The key to filling this gap is encouraging more young people into engineering. Since engineering has a critical role in nearly all parts of society, it is important to engage young people and to widen its appeal so it is not just attracting those passionate about science technology, engineering and maths.

The company is committed to doing just that and capturing the imagination of young people early on. Martin Page, TorinSifan’s Technical Director is heavily involved in the company’s internal training programmes and outreach to local schools and colleges. Formerly a lecturer at RMCS Shrivenham he previously lectured in power electronics and is a chartered electronics engineer. He is also the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) Swindon secretary.

SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES Torin-Sifan is passionate about encouraging young people into engineering working with the IET, Engineering Development Trust (EDT) and local schools and colleges to involve young people in engineering ‘from the ground up’. Martin helps to achieve this through lectures and talks to schools and colleges for the IET. The business is also heavily involved in the EDT and enters

EC Fandeck

18_torin.indd 18

02/07/2015 10:44

TRAINING

acrjournal.uk

the Go4Set initiative with local schools each year. Go4Set aims to encourage young people into engineering and involves the company sponsoring and mentoring a school. Go4SET links teams of six Year 8/9 (England) and S2 (Scotland) pupils with employers and universities to offer a 10 week Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Project. The subsequent project is then judged by the EDT. Torin-Sifan has entered the last four years and has won a prize three out of four years. Through the EDT Martin also assesses local schools. Meanwhile on the practical side Torin-Sifan offers work experience to a local school to show that engineering is not restricted and that there are many different areas and disciplines. “We take them into the labs and engineering department to ensure they have exposure to engineering.”

YEAR IN INDUSTRY Immersing young people in engineering is key to igniting a passion for the subject. Torin-Sifan is therefore involved in the Year in Industry programme through the EDT which organises the paid placements of pre-university students during their gap year before or during their degree. This involves the company bringing the students into its engineering department, here they work alongside electronics and mechanical engineers in the engineering lab experiencing the discipline. In the lab students can experience the complexities of manufacturing fans and motors. To some a fan or a motor may seem a simple product to design, develop and manufacture, but a wide range of engineering disciplines and skills are needed including: electronics, electromagnetics, firmware, software, electromechanical (printed circuit assemblies), mechanical, aeromechanical, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, rotational dynamics, vibration, acoustics, materials, product design, packaging,

18_torin.indd 19

design for manufacture, sheet material forming, plastic moulding design, tooling, production test, product approvals and third party certification, detail drawing and 3D solid modelling. “What is key with people coming into Torin-Sifan is that we don’t pigeon hole people in engineering. There are a wide range of disciplines which include every part of the physics spectrum. We may have specialists but generally there is cross fertilisation of other areas which is key to understanding the technology as a whole,” explains Martin.

SPONSORSHIP Keen to support a passion for engineering the company also currently sponsors a previous year in industry student through his studies. The student is currently taking a masters in Mechanical Engineering at Exeter University. Every holiday he has a paid placement working in the business and the company also pays for his university books. “The work he does here is project-related. At the end of the holidays he writes it up and we sign it off for part of his professional membership,” says Martin.

GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAMME Torin-Sifan’s commitment to engaging young people continues with its own members of staff. The company runs a three-year graduate training programme developed by Martin Page. The company currently has eight

graduate engineers enrolled on the programme. The programme is a combination of self-study and practical goals. To complete the training programme the graduates must demonstrate competence and commitment against the five core elements: Knowledge and Understanding; Application to Practice; Leadership and Personal Responsibility; Interpersonal Skill; and Professional Conduct.

Torin-Sifan Production Line

APPRENTICES Graduate entry is not the only way to join Torin-Sifan as an engineer. The company also has a successful apprenticeship programme. It recently had two apprentices, one an electronic engineer and one mechanical engineer, both completed a four-year advanced apprenticeship and have now been taken on as employees. Torin-Sifan now plans to take on some further engineering apprenticeships.

PROMOTE FROM WITHIN Torin-Sifan employees can be assured that there are also opportunities to develop their roles internally. “There is no glass ceiling here,” says Martin. So if employees have the aspiration to develop their role they are encouraged to do so, following a policy of promoting from within. So with engineering booming, Torin-Sifan is actively engaging the next generation of engineers today. It is this type of employer engagement which will ensure we have the engineers required in the future.

02/07/2015 10:44

AWARDS

July/August 2015

Winning an Award Makes a Massive Difference

L to R: Jay Sheffield, Paul Singh, Dom Holland

Paul Singh on Winning at the National ACR Awards 2015

was not expecting to win at the National ACR Awards. I was totally gobsmacked when I did pick up the Training Company of the Year Award.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO SUDDENLY FIND YOURSELF ON THE STAGE? I say gobsmacked. Deep down I was hoping that when they read out the list of ﬁnalists, I was crossing almost everything in the hope that ChillAir Training would be up there. I was really made up about winning. I nearly tripped over myself I was so pleased. What was also pleasing was that I was up against a college, at the awards, who are renowned in the industry. I was again really pleased to win. I am small ﬁsh in a big pond. What could be better than that?

WHAT SORT OF IMPACT HAS WINNING AWARDS HAD ON YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS? First and foremost, I have to say that is the ﬁrst time I have won, ever. I was really chuﬀed with that. Because I have been training for a long time now in air conditioning and refrigeration, it was testament to where we are as a business. It was my testimonials that got me the award. I was really pleased and humbled that my clients think that highly of me, I will be honest with you. On a personal note, it was a big achievement. To be on the receiving end of something I am not used to makes it even more impactful. I can’t explain. If I could bottle that feeling I would do. My whole family, even my kids were pleased, which is really nice.

20 Paul Singh.indd 20

I AM SURPRISED THAT YOU HAVE NOT WON MORE AWARDS BEFORE. I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY THAT THIS WAS GOING TO ADD TO THE SHELF. I have never considered entering for the awards. I am always so passionate about rewarding my clients and my students. I thought about it and decided to go for it. As for the impact on the business, it has actually put me on a higher level within myself and also with my clients. I need to have a high proﬁle. My business depends on it. I get a lot of business by recommendation too. We do our training uniquely. All my engineers, all my trainees, even the assessment is done uniquely. And that is testament to the number of people that use our services. As regards promoting the business, the emails I send out now have the ‘winner logo’ on them.

WOULD YOU SAY THAT PUTTING YOURSELF FORWARD FOR THE AWARD HAS GIVEN YOU A NEW LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE? I am passionate about rewarding my engineers and putting them forward for awards. To ﬁnd myself up there was out of this world. It reinforced the way we train people which is individualised, ﬂexible learning programs over weekends and bank holidays, if necessary. I have always spent time setting up individual training and assessment packages which meet their requirements. For instance, I am in Hull now running a level 2 and 3 course to help a company up here. While here, I run courses for those who cannot attend a normal daytime training package. I am doing one to one tuition with them.

WITH THE ACR TRAINEE OF THE YEAR AWARDS, WHAT SORT OF FEEDBACK HAVE YOU GOT FROM THE STUDENTS AND TRAINEES THAT YOU PUT FORWARD FOR THOSE AWARDS? First of all, it starts way before getting up on the stage. It starts with looking at the type of engineers that I have. Then I make a personal judgement with my team of assessors about which lads (unfortunately, there are very few females) should we put forward. Once we have made our selection, we discuss with the people how they feel about being put forward. We explain what they have to do to go into the awards. I tell them how it is and that it is not easy. However, I recommend they go for it because I think that you have achieved a lot in your training and career so far. To be nominated is an accolade which you can put onto your CV. To get into the top three or highly commended is very nice. It is not necessarily about the person with the highest grade. We put forward people who have been persistent, for example.

“I don’t just see myself as a trainer. I see myself as a coach that wants to support the development, and the communication skills of their trainees.”

07/07/2015 09:25

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03/07/2015 09:41:49 10:11:55 08/06/2015

TRAINING

July/August 2015

Chris Bailie Selected to Represent

UK at WorldSkills Competition in Brazil BL Refrigeration’s Chris Bailie is named as the UK competitor going forward to compete at the Worlds Skills finals in Brazil in August.

hris, 22, is from Belfast will compete to become the best young Refrigeration & Air Conditioning apprentice in the world. Winning the gold medal would be a boost for him, his company and the UK team. Chris excelled in the recent UK selection finals at the Skills Show and the WorldSkills UK National Skills Competitions. He will join around 1,000 young people at the finals in São Paulo, Brazil between 11th and 16th August. They will compete for medals across a number of different

skills including electrical installation, welding, web design, cooking and bricklaying, as well as refrigeration and air conditioning. The competition aims to raise skills and expertise across the world for 18 to 25 years old people. Carole Stott, Chair, Find a Future, which manages the UK’s entry into the WorldSkills Competition said: “I offer my congratulations to every young person that has earned a place in Team UK. “Skills competitions showcase the levels of performance that can be achieved by individuals and organisations through high quality further education, skills training and apprenticeships in the UK.” She continued: “Through skills

competitions and the wider work of Find a Future we want to provide every young person with the chance to unlock their potential and get excited about the world of work.” Chris Bailie said: “It is a huge honour to have been selected to represent the UK at WorldSkills São Paulo 2015. It still really hasn’t sunk in! I hope I can use this opportunity to inspire the next generation of the UK’s workforce and showcase how apprenticeships and training can lead to successful employment opportunities.”

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AIR CONDITIONING

July/August 2015

Daikin R32

First Air Conditioning System Installed in the UK May this year was poignant in the air conditioning market. Worcestershire’s Young Air Conditioning installed the first Daikin air conditioning system using R32 refrigerant.

oung Air Conditioning installed the Daikin Emura climate control system into a modern rural barn conversion in Malvern. The unit was installed to oﬀset the solar gain in the centre of building. As well as reducing the carbon footprint of the refurbished barn, the Daikin Emura R32 also contains a lower refrigerant base charge for the pre-charge 10m pipe run.

Owner of Daikin D1 approved installer, Young Air Conditioning. Wayne Young after the installation said: “We choose to use R32 refrigerant gas for the installation as we believe that its environmental and high energy efficiency properties are the way forward for the industry. With no real difference to the R410a installation process, installing the Daikin Emura with R32 gas was simple and straightforward, providing only benefits for the end user.” European legislation is bringing down the ability to obtain hydro-

25 Daikin.indd 25

fluorocarbons, refrigerant gases with higher global warming potentials (GWP). The new rules aim to lower global warming, and Daikin is making the move towards using R32 in its smaller split units. R32 has a GWP (675) which is a third of R410a, and it is more energy efficient. With a seasonal energy efficiency ratio of 4.60 and a seasonal coefficient of performance of 7.19, the 3.5kW Daikin Emura produces a high-energy performance in all weathers and climates. Graham Wright, Legislation Specialist at Daikin UK said: “Combining the innovative and intelligent Daikin Emura with the environmentally friendly and energy efficient qualities of R32 reflects the evolution of the air conditioning industry.” Daikin is offering R32 installation training to its installers which can be booked online here: www.daikintraining.co.uk

“...we believe that its environmental and high energy efficiency properties are the way forward for the industry.”

03/07/2015 13:58

TOOLS

July/August 2015

Javac UK Launches

NewJ Interactive Website avac has a new interactive website to help customers find air conditioning, refrigeration and automotive engineers find information quickly.

The new website is mobile responsive so visitors can easily view on their smartphones and tablet PCs. The site has sections for automotive air conditioning and laboratory customers. The main ACR section of the business offers customers the chance to view every Javac and Refco product in high definition images and full product descriptions.

Visitors can find products within two clicks. Each product range has its own sub section featuring the full range, part numbers and descriptions. Every product has a link to a full PDF product datasheet featuring full technical data and specifications. The website has made it even easier to send repairs and calibration items back to Javac, with a section specifically designed to offer all the calibration options. This ranges from leak detection, vacuum gauges, manifolds, nitrogen pressure test equipment and scales. Full product catalogues are now available to download and

print. This section features the Javac refrigeration and air conditioning catalogue, the REFCO manufacturing full catalogue and the Javac automotive catalogue. The rolling banner on the front page will feature the latest product releases as soon as they are available. Javac will update it on a monthly basis offering up to date information on products, legislation and events at which Javac will be attending over the coming months. Their â&#x20AC;&#x153;where to buyâ&#x20AC;? feature will also put the customer in direct contact with their sales team to offer instant updates on where products are available across the country. To gain instant access to the Javac and Refco products please visit www.javac.co.uk

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03/07/2015 14:00 03/07/2015 10:29:37

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COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION

July/August 2015

etails:

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installed at Dartmoor pub J & E Hall’s new ambient beer cooler is helping an historic Dartmoor pub to cut costs by making full use of the abundant chilled air in one of the remotest parts of Britain.

T Richard Edlmann

he ambient beer cooler, launched this year, has been installed in the cellar of the Ring of Bells, a thatched 13th Century inn and restaurant at North Bovey, a picture-postcard village 14 miles from the Devon town of Newton Abbot.

Pub owner Richard Edlmann had read about the cash and energy saving qualities of ambient beer coolers and decided to install one in his cellar after a Christmas crisis at the inn. He said: “It’s nice to know that we are now using around 40 per cent less electricity than we would usually use. On Dartmoor

the temperature is usually cooler than 12°C, so the J & E Hall ambient beer cooler works well with the cellar system.” The equipment was installed by John Todd Refrigeration of Exeter. They sprang into action when the Ring of Bells cellar equipment failed during a spell of freakish warm, winter weather and the real ale started losing condition.

A FESTIVE SOLUTION JTR technical sales manager Steve Milum recalled: “We went to them on Christmas Eve. Usually in the winter months it wouldn’t be too much of a problem but it was unseasonably mild and when you have real ales they cannot get too warm, otherwise you end up losing them and that costs a lot of money these days. Basically, the old cellar cooling system had had its day – it was dead and the compressor

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03/07/2015 14:13

COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION

29 acrjournal.uk

had gone – but we managed to help keep the pub running over Christmas with a unit which we connected to the evaporator.” At Richard’s request JTR returned in the New Year to install a permanent solution – a J & E Hall ambient beer cooler and a J & E Hall JCC2 40e cellar cooler. The equipment was supplied by FSW of Bristol.

CUTTING COOLING COSTS Energy costs are a major issue for the pub and restaurant trade and it is estimated that up to a quarter of a pub’s energy bill is accounted for by its refrigeration requirements. Publicans, breweries and restaurant managers are always looking for more costeffective ways to cool their cellars. J & E Hall ambient beer coolers draw in cold air from outside and, as they contain no refrigerants, employ a greener method of cooling. This also helps to reduce servicing costs and extends the life of the main cellar cooling system. The ambient beer cooler fits with any make or model of cellar cooling system on the market. When the outside temperature drops below 8°C, the ambient beer cooler takes over from the main cellar cooler, drawing in fresh air from outside via a fan and ducting kit.

The installation at the Ring of Bells was described as straightforward but at the customer’s request a slight wiring modification was made to cut off the main unit fan when the ambient beer cooler is in action. The modification, which enhances energy saving even further, was considered appropriate given the small size of the cellar. Steve Milum says the J & E Hall ambient beer cooler has a big future: “We believe it is the first unit to be installed in the south west. It’s such a clever idea and makes you wonder why more people don’t have one installed. It’s a simple concept but the best things in the world are pretty straightforward. Considering the climate in this country, I can see it taking off. Energy, and the way people can save energy, is incredibly topical at the moment.”

NEW LIFESTYLE, NEW INFRASTRUCTURE Richard Edlmann, a former London-based management accountant with a catering industry background, bought the Ring of Bells in 2012. He had opted for a career and lifestyle change after his wife, a neurosurgeon, secured a job at a Plymouth hospital.

He said: “I had always wanted to run a business, a restaurant, pub or bar. Parts of the Ring of Bells are very old. We spent money trying to bring things up to date and replaced a lot of the infrastructure. We are mainly food led and we have good local support too.” The pub’s small cellar is situated close to the bar and the fact that the ambient beer cooler is very quiet was another plus point for Richard. “I am impressed with it. We put the whole system on a standard timer. It comes on at 10 in the morning and goes off at 10 at night. At night-time here you don’t need to keep producing cool air because it’s cold enough.”

03/07/2015 10:35:13

28_JEHall.indd 29

03/07/2015 14:22

BRAZING

July/August 2015

WHY oxy-acetylene is the ideal brazing GAS A-Gas Managing Director John Ormerod on high temperature work and how the regulations have changed surrounding this.

razing pipes is an integral part of the job for fridge and air conditioning engineers. Oxy-acetylene provides the highest temperature for this line of work which makes it a popular choice for installers. This mixture delivers a temperature of approximately 3500°C which is ideal for work with larger copper pipes. As engineers know, the heat input rate for brazing is important for proper penetration of the filler materials around the joint. With the growing use of high pressure gases like R410A and CO2 this is becoming particularly relevant.

30_agas.indd 30

Copper is an excellent conductor but takes away heat from the area being worked on. Larger pipe sizes need more heat to get the filler material to flow adequately in the joint and to provide a very strong leak-proof weld. So having a high temperature oxy-acetylene gas is a key requirement to ensure a first class job. Cheaper alternatives, like Methylacetylenepropadiene propane, are suitable for smaller pipe sizes up to and around 5/8th of an inch. Propane and Propylene gases also fail to reach high temperature levels. Oxyacetylene has the edge here because it can be used for pipes in excess of 2/8th of an inch. Without doubt high temperature oxy-acetylene gases are crucial if you want your work to be of safe and of good quality. The Braze-AGas® range of oxy-acetylene gases from A-Gas meets the demands of high temperature jobs by delivering around 3500°C. They can also be used with a range of metals including copper and steel. High temperature oxy-acetylene gases are very flexible. You can put in a very small amount of heat – or large amount – depending on the size of the job. This means you get more efficient brazing and less heat waste.

REGULATION CHANGES

There have been changes in the law affecting the use of oxy-acetylene units. The new Acetylene Safety Regulations have simplified the regulations but have done so without reducing protection for the user. This is good news for installers whatever industry they are working in. But a key part of the new regulations, and one which engineers in the fridge and air conditioning industries should know about, is the use of flashback arrestors in oxy-acetylene work. The use of flashback arrestors was formerly covered by best practice – to my mind not always a good yardstick – but it is now a legal requirement. Flashback arrestors are mandatory when using portable cylinder equipment – the type favoured by fridge and air conditioning engineers – and this is a very sensible move. It always seemed bizarre to me that flashback arrestors were not compulsory. They are a key feature when tackling any job, whatever the size. The route to a flashback can begin if there is a problem with the brazing torch or regulator; or the engineer may have closed off one valve and not the other or possibly there has been a failure of the nonreturn valve. In these circumstances it is possible to get a flammable mixture forming in the tube. If ignited this could, in extreme circumstances, find its way back out of the cylinder, causing a fire or explosion.

02/07/2015 09:48

BRAZING

acrjournal.uk

The flashback arrestor is a very important last line of defence – ensuring that the installer is not at risk – and that’s why one should always be in place and used. There are no short cuts here. This is not regulation for the sake of regulation but a change in the law which could save your life. Most fridge engineers will probably be aware of the need to use flashback arresters. They are supplied with all reputable brazing equipment, so there is now no excuse not to use them.

SAFETY EMPHASIS

As for the industry generally, there is now a greater emphasis on safety in brazing work. There is also an increased focus on getting better joints, driven to some extent by the F-Gas Regulations. This means we are moving in the right direction. Oxy-acetylene is easily available these days; as a supplier we focus

on small, portable cylinders. We’ve listened to the industry and know that fridge and air conditioning engineers find this more useful than using large cylinder packs. These pack sizes are available through A-Gas national wholesalers. The bulk of acetylene production goes to large cutting applications. The fridge engineer is never going to be tackling jobs on this kind of

industrial scale, so small, portable packs really are ideal. If you are working on a roof or in the tight confines of a cellar, the size and weight of the cylinder is going to make a difference. It could save you time and money. A fridge engineer’s job is demanding enough, so anything to make it easier has got to be welcomed. www.agas.com

Why oxy-acetylene is best for brazing

30_agas.indd 31

03/07/2015 14:54

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

July/August 2015

Fit EC when replacing fans and gain more than just ENERGY saving Geoff Lockwood, Technical Director at ebm-papst, explains the wider benefits of EC technology beyond energy saving

Schematic of Fan Coil monitoring and control – arrangement per floor

recent replacement of old failing fans in Fan Coil Units with high efficiency EC fans has shown that the return on investment is beyond just the energy saving. The simple control and monitoring offered by EC fan technology is an easy win on the back of the financial benefit of upgrading to EC. Until ten years ago all fans in Fan Coil Units were driven by AC induction motors. The fan speed was set by using a transformer to reduce the applied voltage to lower the speed. This method of speed control is not efficient and also limited to a few different voltage tapings on the transformer. Ten years ago ebm-papst

Ventilation

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WHAT OF THE ENERGY SAVING? The second floor of the east wing was changed first to prove the energy savings and benefits of the monitoring and control. Fans in 49 Fan Coil Units were upgraded to EC fans and the end result is a 75 per cent reduction in power consumption, some 24,000 kWh per year saved.

If you are in the HVACR industry

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without disrupting the office staff or working out of hours. The solution was simple; use the speed control and monitoring features of the EC fans. If the return on investment is accepted to upgrade to EC fans then why not also fit simple monitoring and control using ModBus communication. When the fans were upgraded on the first of the ten floors the control and monitoring arrangement was also fitted, as shown by the diagram. This included a control unit on each FCU to monitor the operation and control the speed of each fan. If a fault occurs then this is communicated by BMS to facilitate a controlled maintenance before the occupants notice a change.

introduced EC motor technology to Fan Coil Units. It was already used by refrigeration companies in Food Display Cases and other industries such as Clean Rooms. Ten years later EC technology is now an established technology and since the introduction of the 2013 building regulations is the main way to meet the more demanding specific fan power limit. ebm-papst is still promoting EC in Fan Coil Units, not in new build but to replace failed and ailing AC fans in old installed fan coil units. A recent upgrade in the headquarters of a leading accountancy and auditing firm has shown that the benefit of EC technology is not just the energy reduction. When ebm-papst visited to discuss the potential savings versus the investment to change, the facility management company realised that there were other benefits too. The facility management company commented that they never knew when a fan had failed in a Fan Coil Unit (FCU) until they had complaints. Also they could not adjust the speed of the unit due to changes in occupancy

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03/07/2015 14:23 19/05/2015 11:38:44

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03/07/2015 10:40:19

CHILLERS

July/August 2015

European application of NEW HIGH efficiency chillers

In a landmark project, two new prestigious office developments at 1 and 2 New Ludgate in the heart of London have been equipped with high efficiency AquaForce chillers with Greenspeed intelligence from Carrier Air Conditioning.

New Ludgate

he installation is the first European application of Carrier’s new 30XAV 950 AquaForce chiller, equipped with variable speed drive (VSD) inverter-driven screw compressors. The state-of-the-art chiller delivers excellent part-load efficiency and offers high performance cooling with a compact design, enabling the chillers to be located within restricted space on the rooftop. Carrier worked closely with the client, consultant and contractor SRW engineering services, to design and build a solution to meet stringent efficiency and noise requirements for the new Land Securities buildings. Air conditioning for the buildings is supplied by six Carrier 30XAV 950 AquaForce chillers with VSD-controlled screw compressors, alongside three updated Carrier RBM 520 and three Carrier 30RBM 420 AquaSnap chillers with scroll compressors.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

New Ludgate – external

Carrier experts overcame a

number of site-specific challenges, including a strict noise specification due to the premium nature of the development and its close proximity to residential apartments. Carrier designed and built a custom package to totally enclose the chillers, further reducing the already low noise performance of the new AquaForce chiller. This was tested in Carrier’s laboratory at Montluel near Lyon, France, to ensure it met the client’s requirements. The original design proposed locating the water-cooled chillers in the basement. However, as a result of the compact footprint of the AquaForce chiller, Carrier presented an alternative design that accommodated the chillers on the roof, making basement space available for alternative uses.

A SOFTWARE SOLUTION The project included a bespoke pump, control and chiller sequencing package. “The software was programmed in-house and designed to maximise energy efficiency and air conditioning performance, as well as extend the working life of chillers by careful runtime sequencing,” said Danny Lear,

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specification and solutions manager, Carrier UK. “We were able to carry out full witness testing of working chillers at Carrier’s facility in France, ensuring the solution fully met the specification.” Following installation, Carrier’s service team will ensure the chillers are maintained at peak performance level under a full maintenance contract. Lee Pegram, project lead at Land Securities, said: “The exceptional quality developments at 1 and 2 New Ludgate had an equally challenging building services brief. We worked closely with Carrier throughout the process to ensure a successful result. It provides a compelling example of the effectiveness of teamwork and partnership approach in action.” Andy Farmer, who led delivery of the SRW engineering services contract, said: “Carrier Air Conditioning were advocates of the collaborative approach. They were keen to understand how they could adapt their chillers and software to meet the client’s needs and deliver an even better result. Carrier worked with other contractors to deliver a solution that exceeded expectations by minimising noise levels.”

02/07/2015 15:40

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07/07/2015 11:58

CHILLERS

July/August 2015

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Mitsubishi Electric Enters the UK Chiller Market You often hear that the people to pay attention to are the quiet ones. The noisy, brash and ‘larger-than-life’ characters usually get the attention. But, the quiet ones are usually the most interesting to know.

itsubishi Electric entered the UK chiller market recently with the announcement of its new ‘e-series’ chiller range. Its chillers are tall, slim and quiet. Perhaps, they are the chillers to watch in the UK market?

CHILLER EXPERIENCE

Jason Tinley from Mitsubishi Electric with the e-chiller

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Mitsubishi Electric has made chillers since the 1970s and shipped them into Europe too. The e-chiller is not new to the market. It has been available and installed in application in Japan for three years already. However, Mitsubishi Electric’s chillers have never made it across the English Channel. Their competitors have had this market pretty much to themselves in the UK. That has now changed with the introduction of its new inverterdriven chillers.

The company is hoping to challenge how heating and cooling is traditionally delivered with its new chillers. Mitsubishi’s challenges are laid out in a number of ways with the new chillers.

WHAT’S NEW ABOUT THE E-SERIES? Firstly, the Mitsubishi Electric chillers are modular. To start with, you might only need one of its 90kW units for your heating and cooling requirements. But, should you need more capacity, you add extra 90kW units to your system, up to a maximum of six units (540kW) in one system. This ‘modularity’ has been designed on purpose. Between 70% and 75% of the UK market is suitable for the modular Mitsubishi Electric chillers. The ‘cooling-only’ market is the most popular for chillers (around 90%). Air cooling chillers make up around 90% of the market and it a stable market The next, striking difference is the size and shape of the chillers. Simply put, they are tall and slim. This, of course, ensures they have a smaller footprint than many other chillers with the same capacity. Space is often a major concern for consultants and contractors. Each 90kW unit needs only 2m2 of floor space. There is only a 900mm gap between each unit so they can densely packed into a smaller space than many chiller units. Each unit is connected with an internal header pipe. As one of the Mitsubishi Electric team said, ‘It’s like Lego. It is easy to keep adding on new units’.

The next striking detail about the e-series chiller is how quiet it is. Standing next to the unit outside the Mitsubishi Electric offices in Hatfield, you could hardly hear it operating. In fact, the noise levels per unit are typically 62 dBa. That’s about 33% quieter than most electric lawnmowers and 10dBa less than their nearest competitor. Being so quiet also means that the unit needs no special attenuation.

THAT IS ALL VERY WELL. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE EFFICIENCY? Jason Tinsley, Mitsubishi Electric’s Central Plant Product Manager said the e-series units have an EER over 3, and an ESEER of 5.6. In the UK, with a 40% load at ambient temperature and with 15% part load the system will deliver an EER around 9. That is high for the UK. Getting hold of them should be easier than with some chillers, which have to be made to order. Being modular makes it possible for Mitsubishi Electric to stock them locally. This could prove to be an advantage for the company’s installer and contractor network when they need to be flexible with delivering projects. The ‘e-series’ also has an advantage with skills. According to Mitsubishi Electric, installers and contractors should not need any extra skills to install the units. The ‘e-series’ is available in the UK from August 2015. It will be interesting to see how much attention they get.

02/07/2015 11:53

The

There’s only one winner… The iManifold won a clean sweep of major UK awards, but there’s really only one winner… you. This remarkable innovation saves engineers’ time and managers’ money and is changing the way every ACR engineer works. Watch the multi-award winning iManifold in action on the Advanced Engineering website: advancedengineering.co.uk.

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03/07/2015 10:41:14 27/05/2015 09:55

MANIFOLDS

July/August 2015

One GIANT leap for manifolds Refrigeration manifolds are changing, with old school twin gauge sets being slowly replaced by more flexible digital manifolds; but an entirely new type of “smart” manifold has appeared and is winning awards on both sides of the Atlantic…

ver the last five years, refrigeration engineers have slowly begun to move away from their traditional twin gauge analogue manifolds to the more flexible digital manifolds. But this trend now looks set to take a completely different turn

with the development of an entirely new “intelligent” manifold capable of doing far more for the service engineer than either the analogue or digital manifolds that preceded it.

MOBILE MANIFOLD Imperial Tool’s new “iManifold” is the world’s ﬁrst refrigeration manifold that connects wirelessly and remotely via Bluetooth to an engineers’ mobile phone or tablet. Distributed exclusively in the UK by Advanced Engineering, the iManifold is a major technical leap forward for service engineers and has garnered praise in both the US and UK for

innovation and product design. In a single year, the iManifold scooped two Product of the Year Awards, one at The National ACR Awards, as well as two Innovation of the Year Awards at other industry events.

FREE MOVEMENT Although it physically connects to an ACR system in the usual way, the iManifold displays real-time pressures and temperatures on the smart phone or tablet in the hands of the engineer – rather than on a fixed screen that can’t be moved. This sounds simple, but it marks an important new development for engineers; for the first time ever the engineer is free to move and take their display wherever s/ he goes – with the manifold still in position – and be able to constantly observe live readings. So now an engineer can monitor the pressure and temperature readings of a system while simultaneously examining the pipework for leaks in a completely different area.

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07/07/2015 09:28

MANIFOLDS

acrjournal.uk

troubleshoot a system and find faults for you, and even produce a wide range of instant technical reports on the system’s efficiency and performance which can be immediately emailed to customers from the field as a permanent record of the work accomplished. The system essentially has two elements: the iManifold and the iManifold app. The iManifold is a deep draw, diaphragm valve manifold built around a rugged aluminium frame. The app features a full colour graphical display that mirrors a traditional gauge set to make the layout and readings familiar to an experienced ACR engineer, and comes preloaded to work alongside over 45 commonly used industry refrigerants.

CALCULATIONS AND TROUBLESHOOTING The free app itself is the clever brain of the device: capable of executing performance calculations that relate to the system’s pressures, temperatures, airflow, capacity, evaporator performance, system electrical efficiency, dehumidification, etc, etc. From these calculations the app can calculate superheat and subcooling,

ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS In terms of accuracy, the iManifold features two Cooper Atkins pressure sensors, an on-board barometric pressure sensor and four highly accurate NTC thermistors to measure temperatures. Pressure can be measured in psi, bar, kPa, Mpa or feet of head; temperature in Celsius, Fahrenheit or Kelvin and vacuum can be measured in inHg, inH20, mbar, hPa and Torr. The iManifold’s temperature readings are accurate to +/-0.2 degrees Celsius or 0.5% of the reading. Pressure measurements are accurate to <0.5%. Measurements are taken every half a second,

but this can be adjusted by the engineer. Pressure can be measured within the range -14.5 to 580 psig, and temperatures can be measured within the range -40 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. The iManifold has more wired temperature ports (four) than any other manifold currently on the market. This allows for temperature inputs from the liquid line, suction line, discharge line and outdoor air providing better quality diagnostics for engineers in the ﬁeld. If you would like more information on the new iManifold, visit the Advanced Engineering website at www. advancedengineering.co.uk/.

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07/07/2015 09:28

CONTROLS

July/August 2015

The troubleshooting library in your pocket The Fujitsu Mobile Technician free mobile app is now available for Android 4.0 or later, as well as i Phones.

he app supplies vital information and helps with troubleshooting on all the latest Fujitsu splits and VRF equipment.

Its functions include sensor checking, error code explanations, indoor and outdoor LED flash count definitions, thermistor value conversion, pressure sensor value conversion and even a handy flashlight straight from the app.

THERMISTOR READINGS The Utility section enables the engineer to select the correct thermistor reading and then gain the correct resistance for a speciﬁc temperature. Engineers can also check the pressure/Voltage relationship on both the suction and discharge pressure sensor, and also check the pressure temperature chart for the speciﬁc refrigerant that he is working with, for the saturation temperature and saturation

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pressure. The settings page enables contractors to tailor the app to their requirements. Temperature can be set to Celsius or Fahrenheit, pressure can be in psi, Bar kPa or M= MPa. The engineer can also select the language to work in, store a technical telephone number and email address.

FAULT FINDING The heart of the app is the troubleshooting section, where engineers will be guided to what a speciﬁc fault code means for the exact unit he is working on. This gives them an overall picture of what the fault is and whether they need to work on the indoor or outdoor units. This saves time on the phone to technical support and running back and forth from the roof. Says Fujitsu technical service manager Martyn Ives: “All of the

above not only helps navigate around Fujitsu equipment but it can also help navigate around any specific site, so engineers know where they need to be; on the roof, inside or next to the controller. “One of our main aims as a manufacturer is to make life as simple as possible for already busy contractors. So, instead of having to carry around a whole library of Fujitsu manuals, they can just select the error code and follow the simple 1-2-3 instructions. “At head-office, we noticed that our technical enquiries have continued to fall since we launched the app. Feedback of first users has been positive, with engineers being able to identify and rectify faults without having to call technical support.” To download the app go to either the Apple App Store or Google Play.

07/07/2015 09:34

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03/07/2015 14:56

WOMEN IN ACR

July/August 2015

together successful MDs, CEOs, executives and business owners to encourage better leadership.

Tell us about your membership of industry associations and the benefits from being part of them for you.

This month’s ‘Women in ACR’ interviewee is Joanna Robinson from Mansfield Pollard. Where did you study and what course/diploma/degree did you gain? I attended Park Lane College, Leeds where I completed my GCSE’s and a BTEC National Diploma in Business and Finance. I excelled in the accountancy module of the course, decided on a career as an accountancy and became a trainee accountant. Whilst working full time I undertook an intensive home study programme which resulted in me being awarded two accountancy qualifications and I became a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants at the age of 24. Continuing personal development is very important to me. Today my development continues via a personal mentoring program, leadership courses and my participation in a group which aims to improve the effectiveness of business leaders. The group brings

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In October 2013 I was invited to sit on the executive committee of the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES) Ductwork Group, breaking new ground by becoming the ﬁrst woman ever to do so. I’ve relished the opportunities that this has created for me to contribute to the development of the industry and I’m proud that I shall become Vice Chair in May 2015.

Details of current employer (or own business), including location Based in Bradford, Mansﬁeld Pollard is the UK leader in the design, manufacture, installation and commissioning of bespoke industrial air management and acoustic control solutions. By utilising its technical capabilities and experience the business is able to develop bespoke solutions for the most complex and challenging air management applications. These are delivered to a wide range of UK and international customers working in sectors as diverse as health care, pharmaceutical production, leisure, retail and education. The business is proud of its focus on innovation as demonstrated by the technical capabilities of its products and its relentless approach to creating value for its customers.

Mansﬁeld Pollard has a clear vision for its future and strategies in place which are underpinning its delivery. These include the development of its own capabilities through investment in learning and development with every employee having the opportunity to beneﬁt from personalised training initiatives.

What attracted you to the industry? Prior to joining Mansﬁeld Pollard my understanding of the HVAC and manufacturing industries was nearly non-existent, so it is safe to say that it was a stroke of good luck that I had an opportunity to develop my career within it! As soon as I started at Mansﬁeld Pollard my eyes were opened to a diverse and creative industry which impacts the majority of people’s lives through the creation of safe and comfortable environments. The technical capabilities and experience that our employees possess allows them to develop bespoke solutions for the most complex and challenging air management applications. From conception through to realisation, it is immensely satisfying to see one of our products designed, manufactured, prototyped and then installed in iconic buildings around the world.

What do you specialise in now? Or, what type of projects do you work on? Uniquely the business manages projects from design through

02/07/2015 16:26

WOMEN IN ACR

acrjournal.uk

to commissioning and creates solutions based on packages of air handling, refrigeration and vibration and acoustic control capabilities. Providing package solutions removes complexity, risk and cost from our customer’s projects and this is a key source of competitive advantage. The bespoke nature of the solutions which we create means that we work on a diverse range of projects. One of core areas of strength is in the healthcare sector where, as you might expect, standards are extremely high and where there is a robust regulatory environment. We’ve also delivered projects for global pharmaceutical brands, luxury car makers and the aerospace industry as well as major retail, leisure and commercial developments

What do you know now about the industry which you wished you had known before? Amongst most members of the public and most acutely amongst young people there is a real lack of awareness about industry and manufacturing. Too often people imagine a picture of a factory floor and a man in overalls. We are taking a new approach and Mansfield Pollard is growing using strategies which innovate in the areas of product development and customer management. In an industry traditionally typified by adversarial buyer / seller relationships we focus on working with our customers to develop class leading solutions and create real value. To raise awareness we continue to promote the industry in schools and to young people more generally. We work together to explain that our profession works with cutting edge technologies and has excellent career prospects in an expanding market, for men and women alike. Manufacturing offers a long

42_Women in ACR.indd 43

term career path and exciting and challenging work on a diverse range of projects. We need to highlight the opportunities available to young people as engineers are desperately needed to ﬁll the skills gap.

What excites/interests you about the industry and your part in it now? The diversity of the industry is very exciting. You never know what kind of project you can be working on. Our bespoke products are delivered to a wide range of UK and international customers working in sectors as diverse as health care, pharmaceutical production, leisure, retail and education. Being a women in what has traditionally been a male dominated environment has proved that detailed engineering knowledge is not essential to succeed as a business leader. A major part of my role is to educate and inspire and I enjoy giving motivational speeches, especially to the next generation of engineers. The most recent was for a ‘Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) event which showcased opportunities available to young women in these industries.

What would you say to other women who are considering coming into the ACR industry? We need you! The industry can provide a long term career in a diverse and exciting sector where you will be welcomed and encouraged to succeed. Research shows that only 7 per cent of the engineering sector work force is female. I want to promote the fact that through hard work and determination you can progress through the ranks and make a diﬀerence in business. Diversity within a workplace is essential for the wellbeing of a business and the diﬀerent ways women approach

issues adds to the ﬂexibility and resourcefulness of an organisation.

Where do you see your career developing?

I see my role developing with the business and I will relentlessly continue to improve eﬃciencies, improve customer service and innovate to ensure our suite of products, services and solutions allows us to capitalise on our recent growth. Setting long terms goals and strategies for the progression and further development of the Company will stretch me and my team. My recent priority was to select and bring together a high performing leadership team where each member delivers signiﬁcant improvements across all areas of the business. Moving forward I want to support and nurture my team to build a strong and inclusive culture that breed’s success.

What are the benefits of being in your role (e.g. travelling, variety, monetary?) Firstly I’m very fortunate to have a job I love and great people with whom I enjoy working. I also enjoy having the ability to shape the direction of the business and make a real diﬀerence for our customers and my colleagues. I am in position where I can heavily invest in my team and promote lifelong learning and development which enables them to be successful and feel valued and appreciated. We have built a culture based on customer focus, quality, integrity, innovation and a fun environment. Strong friendships have been forged and everyone is supportive of one another when the pressure is on. As one of the few women in my industry, I believe that I have a responsibility to promote career opportunities for both sexes and in particular I hope that my example inspires other women to choose to pursue careers within the HVAC industry.

02/07/2015 16:26

NEWS

July/August 2015

JUNE WINNERS Congratulations to S Foreman, Medial Aircon Acc Ltd, who won a 3 Course Meal and Cocktail For Two at Marco Pierre White Restaurant and to runner-up Stuart Lowe, Fred Shaw Ventilation Ltd, who won a Vineyard Tour and Tasting with Lunch for Two.

Welcome to our new Retreat competition, sponsored by Refcom. The law now requires stationary RAC companies to have obtained full F-Gas Certiﬁcation. If you’ve missed the deadline don’t risk prosecution, get registered now at www.refcom.com To demonstrate your commitment to best practice, you can also join voluntary registration scheme Refcom Elite. There are some BRILLIANT competition prizes this month from Refcom, the UK’s leading F-Gas register.

Simply find the 12 words we’ve hidden in the word search for your chance to win. E

ACR

CERTIFICATE

GAS

HFC

MEMBERSHIP

REFCOM

The winner of this month’s competition will win: Spa Selection for 2 at Bannatyne’s Health

DEFRA ENFORCED ENGINEER

JOURNAL LEAKAGE MANAGEMENT

One runner-up will win: Winning Raceday Package. Prizes may vary from that pictured.

CLOSING DATE IS FRIDAY 7TH AUGUST 2015 Send your entry to: Competitions Department, ACR Journal, Warners Group Publications, The Maltings, West Street Bourne, Lincs, PE10 9PH Name ...................................................................................................................................... Company .......................................................................................................................... Job Title .................................................................................................................................. Business Address ........................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................ Post code ...................................... Tel ...................................................... Daytime/evening (please circle) .............................................................................. Company email address ..................................................................................................................................................................... Please sign here if you wish to receive or continue to receive a regular

FREE copy of The ACR Journal

FREE e-newsletter

Signed ........................................................................... Date ................................................................... In relation to air conditioning and refrigeration products, please tick the most relevant box below. Purchase Specify Use Install Maintain Manufacture None of these Do you: Warners Group Publications plc will automatically provide you with relevant direct mail and/or telephone information. If you do not want to receive this information tick here . We may also e-mail you with information about relevant products/services. If you do want to receive e-mail please tick here . Warners Group Publications plc will occasionally allow selected third parties to contact you about their products/services. If you do not want to receive relevant direct mail and/or telephone information from third parties please tick here . If you do want to receive relevant email from third parties please tick here . All prizes are subject to availability and may change.

44_REFCOM COMP.indd 44

02/07/2015 14:44

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03/07/2015 10:19:56

OUT AND ABOUT

July/August 2015

Out and About with Will Hawkins

The Quantum Group

ACR Journal Editor, Will Hawkins, went to see Chris Gonella, Owner of the Quantum Group, in Rainham, Essex to learn more about how the company is developing.

hris Gonella’s business has a long history in ‘beer cellar refrigeration systems’. In fact, he has been in the business for over 20 years, and started The Quantum Group in 1997. In that time, Chris moved deeper into refrigeration solutions to diversify his business.

NEW SKILLS NEEDED

Chris Gonella

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That said, the Quantum Group has contracts with some of the big players in the brewing industry. Much of his business comes from the fact that brewery businesses are now ‘drinks brand owners’ and the drinks brands often change in the pubs in central London. This keeps a part of his operation very busy as his team installs new refrigeration kit for the new beers on sale at the bar. Chris is responsible for a number of pubs within the centre of London and provides technical support for his customers, as well as running an internal sales team to keep business ﬂowing in this competitive market. The business also manages his customers’ stock.

When the Quantum Group diversified into refrigeration, Chris decided he needed to go back to college to get more skills and qualifications. He gained his BTEC in air conditioning and refrigeration, and gained skills in installing and commissioning heat pumps too. Skills and qualifications were not enough for Chris. He needed practical experience so he went back ‘on the tools’ to put what he had learned into practice. The business worked with an

increasingly diverse range of clients, including hotels, which worked well for the Quantum Group. After a spell getting ‘reallife’ experience in the ACR (air conditioning and refrigeration) industry, Chris went back into his own business to continue its diversiﬁcation.

A NEW HVAC SOLUTION However, Chris happened upon a new heating and cooling system when he visited Ecobuild in London some years ago. It was the Unico system, which is an alternative to ducted fan coil products. It is a ‘small duct, high velocity system’ that is very quiet and ideal as an HVAC solution for domestic and light commercial properties. The Unico ducting system

07/07/2015 09:40

OUT AND ABOUT

acrjournal.uk

The insulated Unico ductwork makes it very quiet

The system grabbed Chris’ interest. The presenter at the time was the then managing director of Unico’s former main distributor. This company’s main route to market was through a distributor channel and the Quantum Group signed up to be an approved installer. One of the main advantages of the Unico system is its unobtrusiveness. Unlike many air conditioning systems that need a wall unit or cassette to deliver the air conditioning, the Unico system delivers the conditioned air through subtle vents. In other words, it does get in the way or disturb the design and architectural flow of a property. The Unico system blends in perfectly within a room. Additionally, because of the small size of the ductwork, it is easier to retrofit or include in a new-build. And, with the ability to disperse vents more easily throughout each room, you get a more even spread of ventilation, according to Chris, unlike more traditional AC systems. Although the system suits the domestic market perfectly, Chris has seen Unico used in light commercial properties too. For instance, the Quantum Group installed Unico into the South East Coast Ambulance Service’s call centre. The previous system pumped fumes into the office space after a fan burn out. The staff sued the service and it needed a quiet, reliable and effective

Out & About.indd 47

alternative in the busy call centre. Unico was perfect. They connected it with Mitsubishi Electric heat recovery units as part of the solution.

SO QUIET I asked Chris about the noise levels of the Unico system. He demonstrated it by asking me to hold one end of an insulated pipe to my ear. At the other end, about two metres away, Chris blasted an air horn down the tube. My ears were not ringing at all. I could hardly hear a thing, in fact. Unico has been in the UK since 2003 when its US owners set up in Wales. Sales started well and the business reached around £2m in sales before the financial crisis struck in 2008 and affected the business. It turned out that the main distributor went bust, and halfway through a major Unico installation project. Chris had to scour the country to find the necessary Unico components to finish the job. But, finish it he did.

with ambitious plans to market a relatively new system. Nevertheless, business is good for Chris and the Quantum Group. Diversifying into being a distributor and into the wider air conditioning and refrigeration marker has proven to be a wise strategy. Chris and his team are very knowledgeable and experienced in both small duct, high velocity system. They also have the depth of knowledge gained through their refrigeration and air conditioning expertise. The support the Quantum Group gives to its installer partners is a vital part of its future development, and Chris is the right man to develop this innovative solution’s future in the UK.

Chris Gonella

UK UNICO DISTRIBUTOR This resourcefulness, and his existing HVAC solutions business, obviously impressed Unico. Seven months later, the main UK sales agent approached Chris to ask him to become the company’s main distributor. He got the contract in 2009, a tough time for any business to start out

02/07/2015 11:15

CONTRACTORS CONTRACTORS SIGNPOST CORNER CORNER

July/August 2015

The Ice Men are back with our latest AdvICE Men column, offering professional guidance on a wide range of common air conditioning issues.

his month, we’re looking at technical support and the options that are available to make life a bit easier for engineers on the job. Lewis Jones, Technical Services Engineer at TF Solutions discusses some of the best choices available on the market.

Fujitsu’s M Technician app

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There’s nothing more frustrating than being called out in the evening or at weekend to fix a faulty system, and a story that we often hear from engineers is that it can be difficult to find technical assistance and support when you really need it (and even harder to find the product manual!) Luckily, help is at hand with the Fujitsu’s “M-Technician” App, a handy little download that is available from all major app stores. Available for both Android and iPhone platforms, the App offers a fantastic troubleshooting solution to the most common product queries. The App works with all the recent Fujitsu air conditioners and helps to check the overall condition of the system while offering a step-by-step guide to finding the fault. It works with RAC / PAC and VRF systems and offers an error code check as well as a utility section with a handy thermistor value conversion table so that sensors can be checked for calibration or failure.

With a pressure sensor conversion and pressure temperature (PT) chart that’s compatible with R32, R32, R410A and R407C refrigerants, it’s a fantastic easy to use App that can be downloaded quickly to provide around-the-clock technical assistance. There are a number of useful tools to help service or call out engineers on site but one that we would highly recommend is the Panasonic CZ-RTC2 controller - a handy piece of kit that can be used as a service tool as well as a remote controller and in our opinion, it’s an essential product that every engineer should have in their tool bag. It’s straightforward to use, from setting up addresses to set maximum and minimum temperature range points to mode prohibition, to programming new PCB’s in the case of replacement. For units that are positioned high up where it’s hard to obtain air on and air oﬀ and pipe temperatures and so on, this controller will give you the information you may require saving time and the need to interrupt the environment.

Panasonic CZ-RTC2 controller

The controller can also be connected to the condensing unit again at set up, especially when systems are used in R22 renewal where the pressure can be changed to a maximum of 33 bar without loss of capacity. It will also give you fault codes should there be any issues with the condenser and again, will provide an update of the readings of the condenser which minimises the need for temperature probes and other testing equipment. In short, it’s a clever addition to any engineer’s tool kit, cutting down the time spent on investigating faulty systems and getting to the cause of the problem quickly and easily. We’d love to hear your feedback on your experience of using Fujitsu’s App or the Panasonic CZ-RTC2 controller. If you have any questions for the Ice Men on these products or any other ACR, please email us at sales@tfsolutions.co.uk.

02/07/2015 16:29

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03/07/2015 10:45:28

HEAT PUMPS

July/August 2015

X E L P DIM ps Integral to m u P t a He

of beautiful Scottish s re ac 0 00 2, in ts si house umfries House. The D nt ce fi ni s in the 18th Century. ag rt m po e d th an ts si es re in hi m rs al Ay ned co Deep in the heart of ealthy family that ow w a on d se ba s in ig or co-founder, Mark Henderson countryside with its

he main house contains 10% of the world’s Chippendale furniture, some of which is worth millions of pounds. The original family made a lot of money in the industrial revolution and invested in its estate.

Dumfries House

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However, in more recent times, like many others across the UK, the estate’s fortunes changed. Dumfries House had to be rescued from falling into disrepair and its furniture collection being sold oﬀ. In fact, Prince Charles stepped in to inject £22 million from his own foundation towards the £45 million needed to save Dumfries House. The estate is going through a transformation from a private estate into a resource for the local community. East Ayrshire has relatively high unemployment

compared the rest of Scotland and the UK. The region suﬀered badly when its local industries collapsed in the 1980s. Part of the estate’s ethos now is to help local people get new, useful skills to enable them to ﬁnd work and start businesses.

REVITALISING WITH RENEWABLE HEATING Across the estate are a number of buildings which include a sports hall, a training centre and an engineering building. Part of the transformation on the estate includes moving it away from a reliance on oil-ﬁred heating to renewable heating. Some of the buildings carry their sponsor’s brand names, a number of which are brands owned by Glen Dimplex, the heating and renewable energy systems manufacturer. The company’s founder, Martin Naughton, sits on the board. Integral to the philosophy at Dumfries House is sustainability. Central to the design and installation of the eﬃcient systems are the renewable energy experts from Ecoliving. The company’s

explained the phased approach the team took to installing suitable renewable heating.

THE HEAT PROJECTS The first project to benefit from a renewable heating solution was the ‘Royal Drawing School Dimplex Artist Studios’. Ecoliving installed a ground source heat pump which combines with Dimplex’s emitters to keep the artist in residence and students comfortable. Next came the Belling Hospitality Training centre which has heat and hot water from another ground source heat pump. The Morphy Richards Engineering Centre benefits from a Dimplex air source heat pump. Further away from the main, the estate has its Pierburg Garden, a walled garden where the education centre in which children learn gardening skills is kept warm by a Dimplex SI18TU ground source heat pump taking heat from three boreholes in a nearby field. Scout groups and cadets use the Outdoor Centre which is a large building which gets its heat from an aquifer via two Dimplex ground source heat pumps and an open loop system. One for heating, the other for hot water. Inside, the centre uses Dimplex’s innovative ‘SmartRads’ which efficiently emit the heat into the bedrooms and shared areas.

02/07/2015 12:02

HEAT PUMPS

acrjournal.uk

l a w e n e R e s u o H s e i r f Dum It took some time to find the right geology in the field for the loops. The first hole it a fissure which would have created water management problems from the aquifer. There was just too much of it. Now, the education centre benefits from six SmartRads which have a 45°C flow temperature and produce 2kW of heat. Each fan in the SmartRads uses 15 watts, and needs a low volume of water. The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy project is part funded by the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The Sports Hall, or so-called ‘Drill Hall’ was originally planned to be heated by a ground source heat pump system. Challenges with the local geology made that impractical. Instead, Ecoliving installed a 60kW Dimplex air source heat pump, which now provides a steady temperature via underfloor heating throughout the building. The Visitor Centre is also heated with a small Dimplex SIH9ME ground source heat pump via underfloor heating. To keep the Queen Elizabeth Garden’s greenhouses at a steady 10°C over the winter, Ecoliving installed an ETA 60kW biomass boiler providing high temperature heat. The boiler gets its fuel from the plentiful supply of logs from the estate. Via a mini district heating system, the biomass boiler also heats nearby cottages.

ECOLIVING ELSEWHERE And yet, this is not a one-oﬀ installation for Ecoliving and Dimplex. Mark Henderson, from Ecoliving, cited a project his

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business is working on with Dimplex, namely the National Museum of Flight in Scotland. Ecoliving is heating its hangars with a 74kW Dimplex ground source heat pump through underfloor heating. With the RHI, Mark anticipates the museum will save £10,000 a year on its current oil fuel costs for heating. Furthermore, the museum will receive an annual payback of £38,000 from the RHI, which means the solution will pay for itself within seven years. The total benefit will be around £500,000. Dimplex can provide capital expenditure free installation. The customer gets 12 year warrantied use for a fixed fee. After which, ownership of the system passes to the client. The client benefits from the final eight years of RHI payments. It works well for commercial buildings.

solutions. Scotland benefits from more legislation driving renewable heat, as well as incentives and loans to encourage it. Manufacturers’ products are improving rapidly and installer companies are becoming increasingly experienced in deploying renewable heating solutions. Project by project heat pumps are being seen for what they can offer, namely a sustainable, affordable and viable alternative to fossil fuels.

The 60kW Dimplex Air Source Heat Pump at the Sports Hall

MOVING AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS IN SCOTLAND Overall, the renewable heating systems installed on the Dumfries House estate provides an impressive range of solutions using heat pumps and biomass boilers. The range of applications from heating large spaces to greenhouses to homes on the estate with sustainable solutions demonstrates the capabilities of both Ecoliving as a contractor and Dimplex’s ability to provide large scale and small scale heat pump solutions. At Dumfries House, Ecoliving encompasses what is happening more broadly across Scotland. There is a distinct shift away from centralised fossil fuel energy solutions to decentralised, distributed renewable heat

02/07/2015 12:03

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07/07/2015 09:43