HVAC&R Nation October 2021 by AIRAH

Ripe for a change Fixing the weak links in Australia’s food cold chain

Skills

WORKSHOP

Understanding cooling tower access

TALENT ON TAP The fine art of beer refrigeration

October 2021 / ISSUE 141

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October 2021 / ISSUE 141

Talent on tap 20

HVAC&R Nation is published by the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air conditioning and Heating (Inc). AIRAH – National Office James Harrison Centre 3/1 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia. Tel: 03 8623 3000

Fax: 03 9614 8949

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Magazine team Communications Manager Matthew Dillon matt.dillon@airah.org.au Tel: 03 8623 3000 Editor Mark Vender mark.vender@airah.org.au Tel: 03 8623 3001 Contributing writers Sean McGowan Willow Aliento

Craft brewing has taken the appreciation of beer to new heights – and refrigeration is playing a part in that. Sean McGowan reveals the work that went into Stomping Ground’s new brewpub in Melbourne.

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HVAC&R Nation regulars

Glenn Douglas glenn.douglas@airah.org.au Tel: 0411 839 667

See what’s new in the ‘Shed

John McGrath john.mcgrath@airah.org.au Tel: 0419 556 108

The Toolshed

Skills Workshop

Global Update Industry news from around the world

ISSN 1834-9522

HVAC&R Nation is printed on paper sourced from well manned forests and other controlled sources.

HVAC&R Nation is an official publication of the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating Inc. Statements expressed in HVAC&R Nation do not necessarily reflect the policy or views of AIRAH or its members. No responsibility is accepted by AIRAH, the Editor or HVAC&R Nation’s supply partners for the accuracy of information or for errors or omissions. HVAC&R Nation is distributed without charge to all financial members of AIRAH. The publisher reserves the right to alter or omit any article or advertisement submitted and requires indemnity from advertisers and contributors against damages or liabilities that may arise from material published. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission of the Publisher.

11,510 September 2020

PLEASE CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENT AND RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO KEEP IT.

Exclusive to this issue

Green Wedge This waste-to-energy plant in Denmark doubles as a ski slope

Disclaimer

Understanding cooling tower access

AIRAH News Meet the AIRAH Awards finalists in the Student of the Year – Trade category

Refrigerant Update Plugging the gaps in Australia’s HFC phase-down

Around the Nation Who’s in the news?

Cool Tech

Ripe for a change

At least 7.3 million tonnes of food grown in Australia was wasted in 2016–17 – or almost 290kg per person. Willow Aliento looks at how we can strengthen our cold food chain and reduce the waste.

The drone capital of the world is in Queensland

Smoko with … Q&A with Meg Weckert

Lighter Side The shonkier side of the nation

October 2021

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HVAC&R Nation

Ed’s letter

HOME SWEET HOME I don’t own a home, but my wife and I are saving. Sometimes we see ads for new developments in our neighbourhood – you know the ones with a smartly furnished living room and views across the city, or the happy residents strolling across a lawn. I imagine living there.

How’s the wiring and the plumbing? I didn’t have the heart to ask them if they tested the aircon. From seeing the entries for the Lighter Side, I know the kinds of stunts developers pull. When we run the photos on socials, people often lament the state of the HVAC&R industry. And sure, we have our problems. But it's not only HVAC&R – it runs all the way through building and construction.

A couple of friends recently made the leap, purchasing a stylish two-bedroom apartment off the plan in a great location nearby. Much like my wife and I, they didn’t buy a home early in life, and in the end it took a determined savings effort to scrape together a deposit. The stress was intense when one of them lost their job last year due to COVID-19, and they were in danger of forfeiting the $40,000 they’d put down to secure the apartment. But eventually it worked out.

Put it down to “market failure” I guess. Developers cut costs and corners, and as long as the sales brochure and website looks snazzy, the buyer is none the wiser. It’s upsetting. And, as my wife and I get ready to plonk down our life savings, a little frightening. At the same time, I also know from our readers and AIRAH members that there are a lot of amazing professionals in the industry who take great pride in their work. It's about stopping the cowboys.

We met up with them between lockdowns, just before they moved in. They were telling us about the inspection of the unit, where they had to note down any defects. The story shocked me. Cupboards in the kitchen not closing properly, gaps between the balcony windows and the tiles … Surely any self‑respecting worker should have noticed these problems and fixed them. And if that’s the state of the things you can see, what about those you can’t?

Could better regulation help? Right now, New South Wales and Victoria are bringing in professional registration for engineers, as they’ve had in Queensland since 2002. If it's backed by strong compliance and oversight, sure. Let's see what happens on that front.

Save on space, without sacrificing performance. Slim Modular VRF For more details, visit: hitachiaircon.com.au/business

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October 2021

On a more positive note, we’ve got a couple of awesome features this issue on strengthening Australia’s cold food chain, and the refrigeration smarts that went into one of Melbourne’s newest brewpubs. Hopefully, by the time this magazine hits the counters, we’ll be a little closer to clinking beers in venues like that again. ■ @AIRAHnews

Mark Vender Editor mark.vender@airah.org.au

October 2021

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HVAC&R Nation

Toolshed 1

Virucidal AHU air filters

Pacific Ventilation, and Deltrian, a leading Belgian filter manufacturer, have joined forces to launch a new generation of virucidal filters for air handling units (AHUs).

Go to www.avemquirks.com.au/ ■

Pacific Ventilation says the DELTRI+ filters are Eurovent certified, and contain advanced plasma technology capable of neutralising or destroying 99 per cent of all viruses. This includes SARS-CoV-2, as tested by the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology. “With the DELTRI+, building owners can quickly improve existing units before considering more extensive upgrades to their ventilation systems,” says Pacific Ventilation. “Compared with other methods utilised for virus prevention, the DELTRI+ filters offer a more straightforward solution that is easy to apply and manage.”

The ECO2 vessel is manufactured from stainless steel, cased in Colorbond, and insulated with polyurethane foam to improve heat retention. Go to www.wilsonhotwater.com.au ■

Dwyer’s photohelic focus

Fitter filters with Aeris

Australian company Aeris Environmental has developed a new polymer coating for HVAC filters designed to prevent the spread of airborne viruses, including COVID-19. Aeris Guard Bioactive Filter Treatment contains a readily biodegradable active biocide that the company says kills 99.99 per cent of bacteria and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 on the polymer coating.

Dwyer Instruments has released the Series AT-A3000, an ATEX/ IECEx-approved photohelic pressure switch/gauge. “The flameproof-approved Series AT-A3000 ATEX/IECExapproved photohelic pressure switch/gauge functions as a versatile, highly repeatable pressure switch combined with a precise pressure gauge employing the time-proven Magnehelic gauge design,” says Dwyer.

“A single application helps control and prevent the growth of bacteria and mould for up to 12 months,” says the company. “In addition, the Aeris filter treatment significantly improves the ability of dust filters to remove even finer dust particles than before treatment.”

The device measures and controls positive, negative or differential pressures of air and compatible gases. Two photo‑transistor actuated, DPDT relays are included for low/high limit control. Set-point indicators are controlled by knobs located on the gauge face (accessible opening case after de‑energising instrument). Set-points can be interlocked to provide variable dead band, which Dwyer says is ideal for control of fans, dampers, and the like.

CO2 is increasingly being used as a refrigerant for supermarkets, industrial freezers, cold storage and heat pumps, among other applications. Wilson ECO2 uses specially manufactured heat exchange coils because transcritical CO2 systems can produce high temperatures and pressures. The coils are high finned to provide efficient heat transfer to the heating hot water within the vessels and ultimately to the system. The vessels are available in a range of sizes using multiple heat exchange coils offering bespoke solutions. Wilson says they can also be designed and engineered to project specific requirements and kW ratings.

Go to www.pacificventilation.com/deltri ■

Something new for CO2

Wilson Hot Water has developed the ECO2 range of transcritical CO2 heat recovery vessels, manufactured in Australia.

The filters are available in Australia and New Zealand exclusively from Pacific Ventilation. “Operators do not need to worry about significantly increasing energy costs with this solution,” says Pacific Ventilation managing director Peter Gibson, Affil.AIRAH. “Despite its virucidal functions and being classified ISO16890 ePM1 90 per cent, the filter holds a Eurovent Certified Performance A+ energy class rating.”

do not require expensive safety and monitoring measures. They also feature LED lighting, low noise output of 52dB, and a simple-to-clean condenser.

Aeris Environmental chairman Maurie Stang says the new product could improve air quality on public transport and help ensure safer travel. “Transport authorities should consider solutions that improve indoor air quality, are scientifically proven, and compatible with existing HVAC systems,” Stang says.

“Gauge reading is continuous and unaffected by switch operation, even during loss of electrical power,” says Dwyer. “Flameproof enclosures are available in aluminium, with a glass window, which allows for viewing of set-point needles and process pressure.”

Go to www.aeris.com.au ■

Go to www.dwyer-inst.com.au ■

ABB has launched the new Baldor-Reliance EC Titanium integrated motor drive, which it says delivers up to 16 per cent efficiency gains compared to alternative motor designs.

Avem Quirks offers the works

Australian supplier of refrigerated cabinets Avem Quirks is offering a new model that it says represents a first for energy efficiency. “Pastorfrigor’s Genova Overview model is the first commercial refrigerated wall display unit in the world to achieve Energy Class A, with Class A being the most efficient rating according to the rigorous Energy Efficiency Index (EEI),” says Avem Quirks. “Energy consumption based on a Genova OV 75 H205 GD 2500 unit is a minimal 9.3kW for both M1 and M0 options. This level of performance means that it uses approximately 62 per cent less energy than a standard glass door multideck unit.” According to Avem Quirks, as well as saving energy, the units are easy to maintain and, because of the low refrigerant charge, 6

HVAC&R Nation

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October 2021

ABB’s efficiency drive

The product caters to the growing demand for greater efficiencies as regulations continue to tighten on the total system for fans, pumps and compressors. It is designed to achieve the highest system efficiency possible from wire to air, while using sustainable materials. ABB says the Baldor-Reliance EC Titanium product line utilises Ferrite Assisted Synchronous Reluctance (FASR) technology using non-rare-earth magnet materials to meet and exceed IE5 efficiency. It is suitable for constant and variable torque applications, across a wide speed load range and above base‑speed conditions. “The EC Titanium product line is economic and efficient, even at partial loads where most fans operate,” says the firm’s David Barnard. “The real advantage is that efficiency stays high at any speed … allowing for greater fan design optimisation.” Go to campaign.abb.com/ectitanium ■

Toolshed 7

Remote control with Samsung

Bitzer has released its new compact screw compressor CSW85/95 motor version 4, designed for improved efficiency in water-cooled high-performance liquid chillers.

Samsung Electronics Australia has launched its Building Internet of Things Cloud (b.IoT Cloud), which enables air purifiers to be remotely managed on a large scale from one device. The company says that up to 255 air purifiers can be remotely controlled through the b.IoT Cloud.

“CSW motor version 4 is a combination of the well-known Bitzer CSW screw compressor, with a special selected motor version 4 and special oil charge,” the company says. “This concept has already been successfully implemented for the Chinese market for high reliability and excellent efficiency.”

COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria (CQV) is piloting Samsung’s b.IoT Cloud within its hotel quarantine program, and is remotely monitoring more than a thousand Samsung AX60T5080WD air purifiers.

Due to the requirements of the Ecodesign Directive, the number of water-cooled systems is on the rise in Europe.

According to Samsung, the efficacy of portable air purifiers has been independently verified by University of Melbourne research using the AX60T5080WD air purifier. “Research shows air purifiers can minimise the spread of harmful airborne contaminants, and this is a priority for many businesses,” says Samsung’s Jeremy Senior. “Samsung’s b.IoT Cloud offers a single interface to safely and easily monitor and manage a fleet of units via a secure network. Users can check air quality levels or cumulative hours of filter usage from a remote location.”

New screw from Bitzer

“CSW enables OEM screw chiller manufacturers to design and produce water-cooled air conditioning chillers that fulfil the highest international energy efficiency standards,” Bitzer says. The product range covers nine models, with displacements between 410m³/h and 1,120m³/h at 50Hz as well as 495m³/h and 1,351m³/h at 60Hz.

The application envelope was designed for highly efficient water-cooled air conditioning and process chiller applications, with maximum condensing temperatures up to 46°C.

Go to www.samsung.com.au ■

Go to www.bitzer.de/au/en/about-bitzer/about-us-australia/ ■

DO YOU HAVE A NEW PRODUCT TO GO IN THE TOOLSHED?

Email mark.vender@airah.org.au All submissions received will be considered, though publication cannot be guaranteed.

NEW DATES 16-18 AUGUST 2022

The ongoing implications of COVID-19 has compelled ARBS Exhibitions to move the event, originally scheduled for April 2022, further on to 16-18 August 2022. Our ongoing priority has always been to ensure the safety of everyone at the event. We anticipate by moving ARBS 2022 to August, the situation in Australia will be much improved. We look forward August 2022 with increased confidence that ARBS will continue to provide a dynamic and engaging experience for the entire HVAC&R and building services industry.

16 -1 8 AU GU ST 20 22 | MELBOURNE CONVENTI ON & EX H I BI TI ON CEN TRE

SOURCESHARECONNECT

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October 2021

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HVAC&R Nation

Global Update

USA

IRELAND

REACH FOR THE STARS

HFC-FREE AC?

Led by Purdue University, a team of engineers is collaborating to build an outerspace-ready refrigerator that works in zero gravity – and upside down.

A small Irish company has developed a new type of air conditioning system that could negate the need for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

The team, which includes Whirlpool Corporation, recently ran tests on their fridge design at the Zero Gravity Corporation’s (ZERO-G) weightless research lab. The unique testing centre allows testing in microgravity, onboard a specially designed plane.

Researchers at Exergyn worked in collaboration with another company – thought to be Carrier – for two years on the project. The system uses a shape-memory alloy (SMA) called nitinol, which is a blend of nickel and titanium. SMAs are alloys that can be deformed in low temperatures, but return to their original shape when heated.

Roughly the size of a microwave, the prototype uses vapour compression refrigeration. With longer space travel to destinations such as Mars looking more likely, the capacity to store food for longer onboard spacecraft is becoming more important. “We want to have a refrigeration cycle that is resistant to zero gravity and works to normal specifications,” says Purdue School of Mechanical Engineering’s Eckhard Groll. Current astro-rations last only for a about three years. The project aims to provide astronauts with a supply of food that could last five to six years.

In the original prototype, the company created plates of the alloy with holes to allow heat-carrying liquids or gases through. The plates are assembled into stacks, which are each compressed in sequence by hydraulic rams or electric actuators. Exergyn’s Managing Director Dr Kevin O’Toole says the team operated a 60kW heat pump for two months at its test facility in Dublin without any issues. Plans are afoot for the unit to be shipped to an HVAC&R partner facility for continued testing. Other options where nitinol can be used in the HVAC&R industry, including in refrigeration, air conditioning and district heating, are being explored. ■

Data from the tests suggests the prototype can operate successfully in microgravity. ■

NETHERLANDS

INDIA

DRONING ON

INDIA TO RATIFY KIGALI

Researchers at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have developed a swarm of tiny drones that can autonomously detect and localise gas sources in cluttered indoor environments. The technology has been described as a potential lifesaver in situations where leaking gas is flammable and could put firefighters at risk. It also could have applications for finding refrigerant leaks in large commercial and industrial spaces. The drones use bio-inspired navigation and search strategies. “Drones measure the PPM (parts-per-million) of the gas at their position,” says Professor Guido de Croon of TU Delft. “We use a threshold on the PPM to mark the first detection of the gas, but after that the drones communicate the PPMs to each other. “The swarm copes with this in a ‘wisdom of the crowd’ manner, by locating the gas in a collaborative fashion. When one drone senses a gas, it communicates with the others to help locate the source.” ■

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India has given its approval for the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. The move will provide a considerable boost to the Kigali Amendment, which requires countries to cut production and consumption of HFCs by more than 80 per cent over the next 30 years. Boasting a rapidly growing economy, India, along with the US and China, is one of the world’s biggest HFC emitters. India will complete its phase-down of HFCs in four steps from 2032 onwards. Cumulative reduction of 10 per cent is slated in 2032, 20 per cent in 2037, 30 per cent in 2042, and 80 per cent in 2047. The India Cooling Action Plan, which embodies the Kigali Amendment’s goals to phase down HFCs and reduce cooling demand, has been embraced by the government. Published in 2019, the action plan proposes to reduce refrigerant demand by 25 to 30 per cent by 2037, and to train and certify 100,000 servicing sector technicians by 2022–23. ■

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HVAC&R Nation

Feature

RIPE FOR A CHANGE Deficiencies in our cold chain see millions of tonnes of food go to waste, even before it reaches the shopping bags of consumers. But as Willow Aliento discovers, refrigeration promises some solutions.

We know that refrigeration keeps food fresh and healthy. But did you know it can play a starring role in addressing big-picture problems like hunger and climate change too?

If the total food waste in

According to Mark Mitchell, Managing Director of Supercool and Chair of the Australian Food Cold Chain Council (AFCC), nearly half the food grown in Australia is wasted before it reaches consumers. If the total food waste in Australia was placed in semi-trailers and parked in a line, it would stretch from Sydney to Perth (3,935km).

Australia was placed in semi-trailers and parked in a line, it would stretch

Every year Australia wastes more than 7.6 million tonnes of food at a cost to the economy of $36.6 billion (see infographic). That’s enough to fill the MCG nine times. The natural resources used to grow the food are wasted too. At current rates, we are wasting around 284L of water per person, per day. To make matters worse, this food waste is being generated at a time when many people are going without. In 2019, Foodbank estimated one in five people in Australia had experienced food insecurity in the previous 12 months. In 2020, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on livelihoods led to an average 47 per cent increase in demand for food relief, with an estimated one in three or one in four Australians going hungry. Food waste also contributes to around 3–4 per cent of Australia’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. The warming planet means the cold chain is more essential than ever, but that same cold chain is exacerbating the cause of climate change both through emissions within the chain and the emissions generated as food waste decays in landfills. 10

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from Sydney to Perth Research by the International Institute of Refrigeration estimates an improved global cold chain could reduce its CO2 emissions by 50 per cent, and avoid 55 per cent of the food losses worldwide attributable to the current cold chain. In Australia, the main opportunities for emissions reductions are in preventing waste at each stage of the journey from farm to table. This opportunity is being recognised in policies and programs such as the Victorian government’s Path to Half strategy, which aims to halve food waste by 2030.

CHALLENGES OF THE AUSTRALIAN COLD CHAIN Unlike developing nations, where the problem is a lack of cold chain assets and transport, in Australia, the problem is that the cold chain is not managing its challenges as well as it could. October 2021

To improve it and reduce waste, Mitchell says the structure of the cold chain needs to be the focus. It needs to be clearly understood as a quality management system (QMS). That means the principles of a QMS apply, for example, ensuring there is verification at each step of the cold chain process – known as control points – so that quality can be verified at the end. As food passes through each control point, hygiene, temperature, quality, origin and traceability all need to be verified. The cold chain includes assets where information around temperature and hygiene is easily known, for example a cold room or a fridge. In general, the control points involving refrigeration events include on-farm or manufacturer storage, pre-chilling, freezing cool-down, and when products are within a refrigerated asset. But it is the points in between – what Mitchell terms the “critical control points” – where conditions are unknown or uncertain. The critical control points for most cold chain operations in Australia include loading and unloading, changes of custody, changes of ownership, transport and some storage. “A compliant cold chain can reduce loss and wastage dramatically,” Mitchell says. There are also challenges posed by geography. The cold chain is long and extends for significant distances across our vast continent. In addition, Australia generally has high ambient temperatures, and we have a small population that is being supplied with cross-continental produce. Darwin eats produce from Tasmania, Sydney eats produce from Perth, and Alice Springs eats produce from everywhere.

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Feature Mitchell says part of the solution is “training, training and more training”. He also outlines a best practice process that includes designated temperature verification points. When goods pass through a critical control point and a party hands items over, they also hand over the temperature data. The receiver then checks the temperature is compliant by verifying it. “Verification validates quality,” Mitchell says. “So, we need to put in a process, and that requires the use of technology.”

SMALL DETAILS, BIG IMPACT Loading practices can also be improved. For example, mixing ethylene-sensitive fruit with a high ethylene-emitting fruit like bananas is not ideal. Barthel says it can result in the sensitive produce losing up to half its shelf life, just in transit.

FIAL (2021) National Food Waste Strategy Feasibility Study

Each load of produce shipped from east to west, north to south or vice versa passes through multiple critical control points. While the third-party logistics provider environment serves us well in terms of physically shipping food from A to B, Mitchell insists our transport system needs a QMS. “The whole cold chain from paddock to supermarket is broken in Australia,” Mitchell says. He notes that fixing it starts with ensuring temperatures are verified between receivers within the cold chain and on delivery.

“The more you handle the produce, the more there is propensity for it to incur damage,” Barthel says. He believes the cold chain needs to introduce more accountability, including documenting the chain of custody, and monitoring temperature, humidity and ethylene levels, so there is clear visibility of where problems occur. For temperature monitoring, thermometers must be able to measure core temperature rather than surface temperature.

GETTING IT RIGHT AT THE START Some food is wasted before it even leaves the farm gate; others are well organised. Stop Food Waste Australia CEO Mark Barthel says the dairy industry is one of the most efficient in terms of preserving the quality of its output, largely due to the high on‑farm hygiene standards and a significant amount of on-farm chilling capacity.

The Australian Food Cold Chain Council (AFCCC) is developing a best-practice code and training, and Barthel says this is a step in the right direction. One of the most crucial skills the AFCCC training is supporting is how to measure temperature correctly and how to ensure you have purchased the right thermometer for the job.

For other food products, lack of chilling equipment to bring fresh produce down to an appropriate core temperature can be a major issue.

“You can’t just go out and buy 100 thermometers from Bunnings for this,” Mitchell says.

As well as increasing on-farm infrastructure to reduce waste, Barthel says more work needs to be done on improving the equipment in the seafood sector, particularly the smaller boats. While the big trawlers and factory ships have substantial onboard chilling equipment, many smaller trawlers are still relying on ice or dry ice.

“The basic principles of thermal control and temperature control need to be across the workforce.” That includes ensuring retailers and wholesalers have the appropriate knowledge. Mitchell says many of the managers in supermarkets, warehouses and in logistics have not yet had training in measuring and verifying temperature. There is also a shortage of workers for cold chain storage and cold chain transport, and a need for knowledge transfer about cold chain requirements across to the broader logistics workforce.

There is also a significant amount of “variability” in the cooling capability in the meat sector. Lamb is particularly prone to wastage because it has a high pH and is therefore more subject to microbial growth than beef or veal. |

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“It is similar for citrus,” he says. “They have a really good system.” But when fresh fruit is trucked over long distances, things can go wrong. Mangos from Katherine, for example, travel through an average of 14 different logistics legs before they appear in the baskets of a Melbourne shopper, 3,400km away.

“We need to close the gaps, and we need better recognition of the value of [the cold chain] the QMS. We need more training of staff on the ground, too, on how to handle temperature‑controlled perishables.”

Humidity also plays a role. You may have noticed that Australian apples are available all year round, even though they are only harvested in the cooler months. The industry has invested in appropriate cold storage and, Barthel says, is very proficient at optimising humidity for storing the fruit.

October 2021

Truck width is another consideration. Australian trucks tend to have a 2.5m load width, whereas in Europe and the US the new, low-emissions trucks are 2.6m load width. That extra 10cm allows cold air to circulate more freely around produce on a standard-sized pallet, and circulating cold air means the load stays cooler and temperatures are more consistent across the load. “It is a fine balance between optimal loading space and temperature, humidity and ethylene,” Barthel says. Ideally, the Australian logistics industry will move to the new low-emissions trucks now rolling out in the EU and USA. This could have another benefit in that currently, it is not uncommon for Australian drivers to turn off the refrigeration unit to save on fuel. If the truck is parked for a break during a 40°C day, the load soon heats up. Loading bays need attention too. “I look at a lot of facilities and wonder what they were thinking,” says Mitchell. Loading docks need to be temperature controlled and also ergonomically designed to ensure perishable food products can be moved quickly, safely and efficiently from refrigerated transport to refrigerated cool room. “The National Construction Code sets very rigorous insulation requirements for commercial and retail premises – but there is no regulated requirement for insulation standards for trucks or cool rooms,” Barthel says.

WHAT IS THE COLD CHAIN? The cold chain refers to a temperature-controlled supply chain of separate refrigeration events. The primary goal is to maintain the appropriate temperature for food products in an uninterrupted series of temperature-controlled assets that store and transport perishable products from producers and manufacturers to wholesalers, retailers, hospitality and consumers. “The cold chain in Australia is by default a solution provider to reduce loss and waste of food,” says Mark Mitchell, Chair of the Australian Food Cold Chain Council (AFCCC). ■

Feature If food wastage were a country, it would be the third largest emitting country in the world. Much of the waste is caused by failures in the cold chain.

FOOD LOST IN THE COLD CHAIN In 2018, more than 23 million tonnes of foodstuffs worth $42 billion based on farm gate values passed through the Australian cold chain. According to the report, A Study of Food Waste in the Cold Food Chain and Opportunities for Improvement by the Expert Group, $3.8 billion of fresh food is wasted annually in the cold chain at farm gate values, comprising: ■ 25 per cent (nearly 2 million tonnes) of

annual production of fruit and vegetables, worth $3 billion ■ 3.5 per cent of annual production of meat

(155,000 tonnes) worth $670 million, and seafood (8,500 tonnes) worth $90 million ■ 1 per cent (90,000 tonnes) of annual dairy

production valued at $70 million. ■ Loading docks have no standards in this regard either, although some fresh food vendors have taken the initiative by incorporating a virtual airlock on the back dock that prevents a short, sharp temperature change when produce is unloaded. Others use plastic louvres to slow down the loss of cool air.

HOW FRIDGIES CAN FIGHT FOOD WASTE The key thing a fridgie can do to help reduce loss and waste is to take the initiative to do temperature checks of docks, cool rooms and other parts of the cold chain they work in. Sam Oakden, Voluntary Commitment Manager at Stop Food Waste Australia, says a “good operator” has the ability to have a “significant impact” in fighting food waste. He has seen first‑hand loading docks that were poorly designed, but “incredibly well-managed”. Timing is part of the equation. If a truck door is open for 20 minutes, the goods inside will start to reach ambient temperature. Unloading needs to be efficient. Cool room doors also need to be well managed. Some truck doors and food retail premises have alarms installed that raise an alert if temperature parameters are being exceeded. “But this only works if someone pays attention to them,” Oakden says. ‘If someone switches them off (for example because the noise becomes annoying), all the effort is wasted.” Useful new technology is coming onto the market for the cold chain. Escavox, for example, is an Australian company providing cost-effective, innovative equipment that delivers a real-time data stream via the cloud tracking the location of a load, temperature and humidity. It feeds data to both a GIS and GPS and a unit is about the size of a deck of cards. The units have been trialled with products including mangos, avocados and meat, and resulted in reduced spoilage. It just shows – information is a power to fight food waste!

There also needs to be some consideration to who ends up holding ownership of wasted produce. In the EU, accountability for quality is held by each party that holds produce at each point in the cold chain. In Australia, it is the purchaser who owns the produce the moment it leaves the farm gate. “If we get the cold chain nailed better it would mean producers could be making better income both from the local market and from export,” Barthel says. “The cold chain plays a critical part in delivery of food to Australians and for export. If we can recognise the weaknesses and involve industry in fixing them, and also recognise how the huge distances put pressure on the cold chain, we can reduce waste.” Mitchell says the refrigeration mechanics of the world need to continue to be good tradespeople and keep refrigeration systems running efficiently. Australia’s fridgies generally understand the principles of cold chain well. “But there’s a lot going on before and after the fridge,” he says. Refrigeration systems and control points, whether they are a storage asset or a transport asset, have to work to maintain quality when loading and unloading.

The big obstacle in Australia, he says, is underutilisation of these advances. In Europe and parts of the US these technologies help the cold chain comply with the mandatory requirement for continuous, real-time temperature logging for perishables. “It has been law in Europe for 15 years now,” Mitchell says. “In Australia, by contrast, we are still at the stage of preparing a voluntary code of practice, let alone having regulatory support which other economies have clearly identified as being necessary.” Mitchell says that given the Australian cold chain is so dynamic, long, hot and fast, it would be logical to expect there would be some legislation to ensure continuous temperature monitoring for our valuable perishables. “Maybe we make it compulsory to follow the voluntary code of practice,” Mitchell says. ■

WHERE IS FOOD LOST?

There are also technologies the Australian cold chain could adopt to improve control‑point verification and support a QMS. Mitchell says the latest trucks out of Europe and the US feature intelligent controllers and use data loggers. There are RFID tags that change colour if the temperature parameters are exceeded, and temperature controllers in trucks with sensors that provide real-time alarms when a “temperature abuse event” occurs. There are thermometers that connect to an API so all data is cloud-hosted and the worker can “throw away the clipboard” and use a data logger instead.

51% Consumers

22% Primary producers

17%

– including homes, hospitality and institutions

“A lot of it is turnkey on the asset,” says Mitchell. “There are systems using telematics and data as part of a data ecosystem. Many of these trucks have more data coming from them than was involved in the Apollo 11 moon landing.”

Processing and manufacturing

Distribution

Wholesale and retail October 2021

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Green Wedge

HEDONISTIC SUSTAINABILITY In Denmark, a power plant that converts trash to energy just happens to also be a year-round ski slope. Copenhagen is home to the “cleanest waste-to-energy power plant in the world”, but it’s another aspect of the facility that has really captured people’s imagination. It also operates as a 400m artificial ski slope. CopenHill, as the 90m tall structure is known, is capable of converting 440,000 tonnes of waste into clean energy annually.

Also housed in the structure are a rooftop bar, cross-fit area and a lush garden. There are 10 floors of naturally lit administrative space and an education centre.

Designed by Danish architecture firm BIG, CopenHill doubles as a centre for public recreation. In addition to the ski slope on its roof, it also features tree-lined hiking trails and an 85m high artificial climbing wall – described as the world’s tallest – on its facade. “CopenHill is so clean that we have been able to turn its building mass into the bedrock of the social life of the city,” says BIG founder Bjarke Ingels. “Its facade is climbable, its roof is hikeable and its slopes are skiable.” Copenhill’s blocky facade is constructed from 1.2m and 3.3m wide aluminium bricks.

energy‑production tech capable of incinerating sufficient waste to provide clean electricity and district heating for 150,000 homes annually.

“To me, CopenHill is a perfect example of the world-changing power of architecture,” Ingels says. “We have the power to give form to the future that we want to live in.” Copenhagen is aiming to become the world’s first carbon‑neutral city by 2025. ■

Inside, it contains waste-treatment and

There’s a whole other world of HVAC&R to discover in Ecolibrium magazine.

Get a taste of AIRAH’s official journal at www.airah.org.au/ecolibrium To advertise in ECOLIBRIUM contact — Glenn Douglas 0411 839 667 or John McGrath 0419 556 108

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MODULE

141

UNDERSTANDING COOLING TOWER

ACCESS

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

Skills summary ■ What? A guide to ensuring suitable access to cooling tower equipment.

■ Who? Relevant for HVAC&R technicians and anyone involved in installing, commissioning, and maintaining cooling towers.

Cooling tower design and installation have improved significantly in recent years, with technology such as automated dual biocide dosing and remote monitoring equipment entering the market. Despite this, there remain common issues that arise during commissioning and when the risk management plan (RMP) is under development. A recurrent issue is access, or lack thereof, to cooling tower drift eliminators and related access panels. Good design and installation are the keys to avoiding these problems and averting ongoing safety issues and possible community health concerns in relation to a newly operating cooling tower. In addition to the state-based legislation (e.g., the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008), there are multiple other legislative documents that govern the installation and maintenance of a cooling tower in each jurisdiction. Please confirm the rules in your state or territory.

Easy and safe access AS/NZS 3666 states that easy and safe access for cleaning, inspection and maintenance shall be available to all plant, equipment and components. If access to all parts of the system is not made available at the time of commissioning it will, in all likelihood, compromise this critically important function and/or the safety of maintenance workers. A cooling tower that is not optimised at the time of commissioning may waste water, energy and chemicals, potentially compromising public safety and the safety of those tasked with operating and maintaining it.

One of the main points of contention is access to drift eliminators. AS/NZS 3666 states that drift eliminators shall be provided and installed in a manner that facilitates the ease of inspection, cleaning and maintenance. The drift eliminators should be designed for in situ cleaning or capable of being withdrawn without damage for cleaning. Most manufacturers recommend inspections every three months at a minimum. Drift eliminators are increasingly being identified as impasses in the Risk Management Plan and auditing process or by local and state authorities.

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HVAC&R Skills Workshop The good, the bad and the ugly The following examples highlight best and worst practice when it comes to providing access to different varieties of cooling towers in varying locations.

✗

✓

This is a forced-draught counter-flow cooling tower that has

Purpose-built access ladder and platforms are designed to be

drift eliminators installed at the top of the tower.

site specific and can be made to any size and application.

There is no immediate safe access to these components

The platform shown allows access for the removal

for cleaning and maintenance. The site in question could

of drift eliminators at the top of the cooling towers

also employ a knuckle or boom lift to gain access.

and gives service and maintenance personnel access to spray distribution pipework and nozzles, as well as the top of fill pack or condenser coils.

✓ This is an induced-draught cooling tower with an access panel on the side of the tower. This panel can be removed to allow

✗

access to the internal components, including the drift eliminators.

The installation of this equipment offers little or no access

Due to the elevation involved, this tower has a purpose-built

to the drift eliminators for cleaning and maintenance.

access ladder and platform installed to improve access.

✗

✓

The cooling tower’s positioning restricts access to

Mobile platform ladders can be a very cost-effective way to gain access to side panels and drift eliminators. Careful selection is required to ensure the correct size and height ladder is selected to maintain the safety of workers. 16

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October 2021

the drift eliminators for cleaning and maintenance.

HVAC&R Skills Workshop Cooling towers and Legionella

(ideally this is by means of a range of fixed stairways, ladders and/or walkways) and provide relevant health and safety information and instruction for anyone involved in the operation, maintenance, testing or cleaning of the plant.

Why is cooling tower cleaning important? Cooling towers make an ideal breeding ground for Legionella bacteria to colonise, and as such are commonly investigated as the source of Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks.

Employers Employers of people responsible for the operation, maintenance, cleaning, inspection or testing of cooling towers must ensure the health and safety of those involved. They must provide workers with information, instruction and training to ensure their health and safety and a safe working environment to minimise the risks associated with their tasks.

What is Legionella? Legionella is a naturally occurring bacteria found in soil and water. It can be dangerous, even in low concentrations, but when able to thrive and colonise it becomes a severe health risk. Colonisation typically occurs in temperatures between 35–46°C, in the presence of algae and other organic matter. Legionnaires’ disease (Legionellosis) is a severe form of pneumonia caused by colonisation of the respiratory tract with Legionella bacteria. It is contracted either through the inhalation of water aerosols containing the bacteria or through aspiration (when contaminated water particles are breathed into the lungs while choking during drinking, ingesting or swallowing). A person infected initially presents with various flu-like symptoms, such as headache, muscle pain and illness before moving through more severe ailments such as high fever, chills, vomiting and nausea, diarrhoea, dry cough, chest pains and difficulty breathing.

This may include the forced shut-down of the system until such time as the safe access and safe work procedures are provided by the system owner.

Without appropriate guarding, workers involved in undertaking inspections, cleaning and maintenance of cooling towers are typically exposed to the fall from heights including from rooftops. Once you identify a fall hazard, you must assess the likelihood of a fall occurring. If any of the following factors are present, there is a risk:

Can we prevent outbreaks? Outbreaks are not uncommon, particularly during the warmer months due to the ideal conditions created in warm water systems. An ageing population and enhanced methods of detection have also been linked to the increase in detected cases, but unfortunately testing does little to prevent the infections. The maintenance and health of built water systems is the surest method to reduce the risks of Legionella colonisation. Control measures such as cooling tower registration, regular testing and attentive plant maintenance make a significant impact in the prevention of outbreaks.

The task • • • •

Workers are handling cumbersome or unstable objects The task is lengthy and has lengthy exposure to the risk Workers are using chemicals that may cause dizziness or disorientation New or inexperienced workers involved.

The working environment • • • • • • • •

Duty holder responsibilities Duty holders are responsible for the elimination or, if this is not reasonably practicable, the minimisation of risks to the health and safety of any person associated with the manufacture, installation, operation, maintenance, inspection or testing of cooling towers. These are summarised as follows:

Designers and manufacturers Designers and manufacturers must review the design and eliminate or, where this is not reasonably practicable, minimise risks to health and safety of any person associated with the plant arising from the design, including equipment orientation.

The slope of the raised work surface makes it difficult to maintain balance Slippery (wet, oily, dusty or glazed) work surface Uneven work surface Surface too cramped, impeding free movement Work materials, tools or debris clutters the surface Adverse weather conditions Unprotected edges or penetrations obscured by light or obstructions Materials, large tools or equipment must be manually transported

• Numerous other contractors or trades in the same work area simultaneously.

Building owners Building owners must provide a means of safe access and egress to the plant

POTENTIAL HAZARD

Where safe access is not present or safe work procedures are not implemented that enable an authorised officer or independent inspector to conduct and complete a comprehensive inspection of all necessary components of a cooling tower, the relevant authority may take enforcement action as deemed necessary in the circumstances.

Assessing the risk of a fall

Legionnaires’ disease poses a particular risk to those over 50, people with chronic respiratory conditions or chronic lung disease, heavy drinkers and smokers, diabetics, and people with weakened immune systems or other diseases.

JOB

Non-compliance

AS/NZS 3666.2 gives guidance on the selection of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) during the maintenance of air handling and water systems.

RESPIRATOR AND CLOTHING

Inspection

Aerosol

Half face piece, Class P1 or Class P2 particulate filter, ordinary work clothing

High pressure spraying

Aerosol

Respirator, as above, waterproof overalls, gloves, boots, goggles or face shield

Chemical treatment with medium hypo-chlorite solution ventilated space

Spray mist and very low concentration chlorine

Half face piece, acid gas and particulate respirator, goggles or face shield, overalls, gloves and boots

As above and still air but not confined space

Low concentration chlorine

Full face piece respirator with a Type B AUS or B1 filter, overalls, gloves and boots

As above and confined space

Unknown chlorine concentration, high mist, possible lack of oxygen

Full face piece air line respirator with compressor or compressed air bottles, overalls, gloves and boots

This Skills Workshop was written by Neil Cox from HydroChem. HydroChem is one of Australia’s leading water treatment companies and a proud AIRAH Employee Partner. The company has been an integral part of developing standards, guidelines and state and federal regulations for almost 50 years. October 2021

Note: Respirators should comply to AS/NZS 1715. Guidance on precautions to be observed when working in confined spaces can be found in AS/NZS 2865.

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We manage your risk Australia’s undisputed leader in commercial water treatment A Risk Management Plan (RMP) is an important safeguard in preventing Legionnaires’ disease, documenting best practices to control the growth and transmission of Legionella, and considers all the risks unique to the cooling water systems. Our RMP assessment involves: • In field survey of the cooling water system. • Inspection of the cooling tower and the critical components. • Interviews with those involved in operating and maintaining the system. • Review of existing documentation and procedures.

Our RMP includes: • A risk analysis of the overall risk of Legionella growth & transmission in the cooling water system. • A risk evaluation that summarises the overall risk level for the cooling tower. • A maintenance plan to outline the frequency for different maintenance activities. • An action plan to ensure the risks identified are adequately controlled, within an appropriate timeframe and with control strategies in place. • A certificate of RMP completion to be provided to the local government authority within 7 days (where applicable).

cooling towers

closed loops

boilers

water distribution

Our people care about your water FS 604776

EMS 604775

www.hydrochem.com.au I 1300 558 788

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OHS 604777

AIRAH Awards

THREE ACES The finalists for the 2021 AIRAH Awards have been announced, including a trio of talented techs in the Student of the Year – Trade category. Every year AIRAH celebrates the leading people, projects and products in the HVAC&R industry through its awards program. A team of expert and independent judges works through the nominees, and narrows them down to the finalists. Winners are then announced at a gala dinner at the end of the year. Last year, due to COVID-19, the event was held virtually.

James Errington

This year, AIRAH’s plans for a face-to-face were once again being threatened by the pandemic. With the path to reopening now clearer, the Institute has decided to push back the 2021 ceremony to February next year.

For more information on the AIRAH Awards, including the other finalists and details on the gala dinner, go to www.airah.org.au/awards

That means these three finalists get a little longer to bask in the glory of being selected! ■

Jason Evangeledis

After winning the AIRAH SA Apprentice of the Year Award earlier this year, South Australian fridgie James Errington is looking to add another accolade to the trophy cabinet.

After completing his Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician in 2020, Melbourne-based Jason Evangeledis set his sights on dual-trade status.

Errington recently completed his apprenticeship, working with Copper Coast Refrigeration in Moonta, on the Yorke Peninsula. The rural location has given him the opportunity to work across a wide range of equipment, with a focus on commercial jobs. This includes installation, maintenance and fault-finding with equipment in restaurants and pubs, supermarkets, and commercial premises.

“In the midst of COVID-19 and continuous lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, Jason has pushed through and has been able to complete several modules of his Certificate III in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration,” says Susan Jo from his employer, CFM Air Conditioning.

“James has shown great maturity and aptitude towards his studies, always working efficiently and assisting others with confidence,” says TAFESA lecturer Nick Burston, Affil.AIRAH. “James’ on-the-job experiences have definitely contributed to his successes with his studies, and this has been evident by his strong understanding of the refrigeration and air conditioning vocation.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Jessica Lonsdale

Hailing from Western Australia, Jessica Lonsdale has already completed a Certificate III in Engineering – Refrigeration Trade, and is now undertaking a Certificate IV in HVAC and Diploma of engineering technical (HVAC) at South Metropolitan TAFE. She works for BHP Nickel West, which has given her experience in both residential and mining sites. Her wide range of skills includes service and maintenance of split system and package air conditioners, cool room units, ice machines, supermarket refrigeration, industrial, and domestic evaporative air conditioning units.

“Jason has always shown initiative and a willingness to learn and grow, not only for the benefit of himself, but also for CFM Air Conditioning.”

“Jessica has demonstrated her passion for the HVAC industry and her attitude is one that all her peers at TAFE admire,” says lecturer Dennis Kenworthy, Affil.AIRAH.

His training has given Evangeledis an edge dealing with electrical issues, automated BAS, software packages, digital and wi-fi controls, as well as the latest technology in control systems. He has also been praised for his customer service skills.

“She is a team contributor who learns fast and is not afraid to help others, and to thoroughly research information on products to expand her capabilities.”

AIRAH AWARDS SPONSORS Gala sponsor

Excellence in Innovation sponsor

Future Leader sponsor

Student of the Year – Trade sponsor

October 2021

Product of the Year sponsor

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HVAC&R Nation

Cover Feature

TALENT ON TAP Independent brewer Stomping Ground has opened its second urban brewpub in Melbourne. And as Sean McGowan discovered, there’s more to pouring a great beer than meets the eye.

After establishing a name for itself with its convivial, neighbourhood brewery and beerpub in Collingwood, Stomping Ground has stepped out of the former heartland of Australian brewing to open a second establishment at Morris Moor in south-east Melbourne.

COMMON GROUND

a new beerpub at Moorabbin, Chilled Solutions was keen to be involved.

Responsible for the beer reticulation and refrigeration systems behind the taps are the dynamic team from Chilled Solutions: Lee Nyssen and Bridie O’Brien.

The iconic Moorabbin site is a former cigarette factory that has been transformed into a mixed-use precinct combining premium office spaces, vibrant food, leisure and retail offerings, and an onsite childcare centre.

The two joined forces in 2018, Nyssen bringing his experience as an apprentice and installs team member at Coca Cola Amatil, and O’Brien bringing her knowledge from the hospitality industry where she had worked with, maintained and trained staff on beer systems.

“The boys from Stomping Ground had such a clear vision that incorporated the Collingwood facility but a little more grown-up and polished – so we had a base concept of how it should look," says Nyssen.

Promoting itself as “a place to enjoy a beer brewed in your local neighbourhood”, Stomping Ground has garnered a cult following. It has also earned industry accolades, being named Australia’s number one brewpub by Beer & Brewer magazine four times.

While Stomping Ground pre-dates the formation of Chilled Solutions, the duo had in the years since serviced many of the brewer’s customer venues.

Taking the concept of their Collingwood brewpub to Moorabbin, founders Steve Jeffares, Guy Greenstone and Justin Joiner have aimed to create a welcoming, family-friendly destination. Indoor and outdoor spaces include a beer garden and sun deck, function room, kids play area, and viewing windows from which to watch the brewers in action. But it’s the pull of more than 25 rotating craft beers on tap that has the punters flocking in. 20

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BEHIND THE TAPS Understanding beer refrigeration starts not at the plant but in the pint, because the pouring temperature of each beer is so important. “Beer is a food and very much alive,” says Nyssen, “and in a lot of cases it’s a heavily crafted and honed artisanal product, so needs to be treated as such.”

“And we had certainly drunk a lot of beers there!” says Nyssen.

Like beer, he says beer refrigeration systems come in a lot of different shapes and sizes.

He says providing beer system installs, maintenance and most importantly staff training is what they love to do.

At Stomping Ground, the system consists of a 5kW 180L glycol tank and a three-phase packaged condensing unit with hermetic compressor running on R404A. This system is controlled by a standard electronic microprocessor controller with LED display, and solenoid valve.

“It’s incredibly important for a brewery to have confidence in the system their beer is poured through.” So when Stomping Ground committed to establishing

October 2021

Cover Feature

DARK ARTS Following discussions with the owners and brewer, it was decided that all of Stomping Ground’s darker beers, such as porters and stouts, be poured at a higher temperature than the lagers, pale ales and sours. The final pouring temperature was settled at around 5°C to 6°C, in order to allow the drinker to taste the full flavour profile of the dark beers. With no off-the-shelf options available to Chilled Solutions, they designed and installed a thermostatically-controlled heat exchange plate specifically for the job. ■

The venue offers 25 rotating craft beers on tap – some served at slightly different temperatures!

“The glycol tank system was selected for its low capital cost, and came set up for R404A,” says Nyssen. Although he acknowledges that the refrigerant is part of the current HFC phase‑down, Nyssen notes that the condensing unit is able to be retrofitted to a new, lower-GWP refrigerant if needed in the future.

From the reservoir, a series of pumps propels the negative temperature glycol to the beer taps in a 100m “python” – a bundle of beer lines wrapped with glycol lines, wrapped in insulation.

The glycol tank was sized to ensure it could cope with the large volume of beer being poured, and the potential of high ambient temperatures on the rooftop service platform where the condensing unit is installed.

Beer is pumped from the kegs, stored in the cool room at 5°C, through the beer lines within the “python” to a chiller plate. There it is cooled to a consistent temperature, roughly 1°C, before being poured through the taps into the glass.

It is maintained at -2°C via a heat exchanger – served by the condensing unit – that sits inside the glycol reservoir.

“This allows us to control the pouring temperature of beers right up to the tap,” says Nyssen.

“Beer pouring temperatures can be a pretty contentious issue,” says O’Brien. “You need to pour

most beers below 5°C to avoid ‘break out’.” This concept is governed by an overarching pressure/ temperature scale rule whereby the colder the beer, the more suppressed the CO2 in the beer is. “Too cold and the beer will appear flat,” says O’Brien. “Too warm and the CO2 will be released from the liquid resulting in foaming and a lot of wastage at the tap, effectively pouring profits down the drain.” The importance of maintaining a consistent temperature range is even more critical when the system comes under heavy load. “Stomping Ground can pump through 50 kegs a week,

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Cover Feature so if your system is undersized or can’t deal with that load, the result is you start pouring foam,” says Nyssen. “No one wants to drink a lukewarm glass of that!”

Although beer fonts are usually bought off the shelf, those installed at Stomping Ground’s Morris Moor are bespoke items, also manufactured by Chilled Solutions. “This is the first project where we’ve manufactured the beer fonts ourselves,” says O’Brien.

IN THE PLAYGROUND

“Beer fonts come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, but for one to work well the beer needs to stay cold right up to the tap. If the beer is sitting in the font at ambient temperature, the beer will pour heady and you’ll get a lot of waste.”

As well as the beer refrigeration system, Chilled Solutions was responsible for the systems operating in the brewery. These include a glycol loop for the fermenters, a cool liquor tank, and serving tanks. “The boys found a second-hand chiller that we craned onto the roof, and we fitted off a 1,000L buffer tank with some controls and a couple of pumps located downstairs,” says Nyssen. To deliver beer from the kegs to the 120-person function room at the rear of the building, conduit was installed before the foundations were poured, while galvanised steel duct was used as conduit for the python to run into the main bars. In total, over 100m of beer python was run across the site.

The 10 three-way fonts are designed to match those at Stomping Ground’s Collingwood premises. Unlike the “flooded” or frozen-over fonts seen at many pubs – the result of the heat transfer properties of the stainless-steel font and moisture in the air – the fonts created for Stomping Ground run on a recirculated loop. “For us, it was important that the design was functional and practical,” says Nyssen. “We need to be able to plumb and adequately recirculate loops inside them, and have access in the event of a problem.”

OPEN (AND CLOSED) Work on the beer refrigeration systems at Stomping Ground’s new Morris Moor site was completed ahead of it’s opening in late June. Sadly, repeated lockdowns in Melbourne have resulted in a stop-start first few months, yet when open the newly minted brewpub managed to get through about 50 kegs a week without any hiccups experienced in the refrigeration system. The frustrations of COVID-19 have extended to Chilled Solutions too. “Having a business so closely tied to the hospitality industry has been tough, as we ride the wave of all these lockdowns,” says Nyssen. “But it’s not all doom and gloom. We’ve been lucky to work on exciting projects like Stomping Ground and others, and we love supporting an incredibly versatile and resilient industry that has pivoted and changed business models to stay afloat.” We can all raise a glass to that! ■

LESSONS LEARNT The team at Chilled Solutions offers a few tips on how small business can best approach a big project like that at Stomping Ground’s Morris Moor.

COMMUNICATE “Communication is extremely important when working on a job this size with multiple trades involved. Everyone needs to be clear on what is required from them, and the time frame.”

FOCUS ON THE DETAIL “Having a detailed plan on the system layout and equipment required will save headaches when it comes to ordering and installation. Beer systems have a lot of individual parts and it’s a long way to the suppliers if we forget something.”

The new Stomping Ground brewpub can go through 50 kegs in a week.

HOW COLD DO YOU LIKE YOUR BEER? Chilled Solutions refrigeration mechanic Lee Nyssen shares some insights into the science of pouring beer temperatures. “A lot of it comes down to personal taste,” he says, “which might not always align with what the brewer had in mind.”

to answer for so far as Australian beer styles and drinking habits go!” says Nyssen.

Australians tend to drink their beers on the cold side. This probably has a lot to do with our climate, our preferred beer styles, and the residual influence of the “six o’clock swill” – the last-minute rush to down a few beers before closing time during the days of 6pm closing, which changed to 10pm in 1966. “The era when people knocked off work at 5pm, and pubs were forced to close at 6pm, has a lot

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Chilled Solutions generally aims to have lagers, pale ales and sours pour at a temperature between 1°C and 2°C. Beers with a higher alcohol by volume (ABV) and stouts are generally poured a little warmer. “This is because the esters, or flavour compounds, in these beers are suppressed the colder the beer is,” says Nyssen. “So delivering the beer a little warmer allows the subtle flavours to be appreciated by the human tongue.” ■

October 2021

KNOW THE PRODUCT “Stomping Ground’s Gipps St Pale Ale goes down a treat as a Friday arvo knockoff!” ■ Chilled Solutions' Bridie O’Brien and Lee Nyssen.

Cover Feature PROJECT AT A GLANCE

More than 100m of “python” was run across the site to transport beer from the kegs to the taps.

THE PERSONNEL ▲ Client: Stomping Ground ▲ Refrigeration Contractor: Chilled Solutions

THE EQUIPMENT ▲ Compressor: Tecumseh ▲ Condensing unit: ACPAC (Actrol) ▲ Controls: Carel ▲ Glycol tank: Bracton ▲ Pumps: Grundfos

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| 23 HVAC&R 19/07/2021Nation 3:20:41 PM

Refrigerant Update

CATCH‑UP ON THE PHASE‑DOWN It’s been almost four years since Australia started its HFC phase‑down. So, how are we travelling? Refrigerant management is one of the juiciest low‑hanging fruits when it comes to preventing global warming. Simply by transitioning away from working fluids with a high global warming potential (GWP), we can avoid 0.5°C of global warming. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol has established targets for doing this, and at last count, 124 nations had signed up, including China and India. The US is still to ratify formally, but has signalled its intention to sign, and has already put legislation in place to start the transition.

We started the process at the beginning of 2018, and although many aspects are working well, some parts of the refrigerant bank are not responding as hoped. In response, the government and industry are looking at tweaking the system in three key areas.

R410A

Australia has also signed, and is meeting its obligations via the HFC phase-down, implemented through the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 and associated regulations that establish a quota system for imports of HFCs as bulk gas. This sets out steps over the next 15 years to reduce the overall CO2e value of our refrigerant bank.

Earlier this year, the federal government proposed an import and manufacture ban on small AC using a refrigerant with a GWP over 750 – in practical terms, a ban on units using R410A. The ban would apply to units with up to 2.6kg refrigerant charge. Air conditioners covered would be non-ducted units including split systems, window/wall‑mounted units and portable air conditioners. Equipment already in Australia would not be affected.

The HFC phase-down in Australia will see an 85 per cent reduction in bulk imports of HFCs by 2036.

This step is something of a no-brainer. According to the latest Cold Hard Facts report, nearly all new units now run on R32.This would effectively ban the import and manufacture of small AC using the refrigerant R410A which has a GWP of 2,088. Industry responded positively to the plan, and is now waiting for the government to take the next steps.

R404A A bigger issue, highlighted at the AIRAH Refrigeration Conference earlier this year, is the persistence of R404A. This high-GWP refrigerant is used in low- and medium-temperature refrigeration applications, such as commercial refrigeration, supermarket display cases, cold rooms, transport refrigeration and process cooling. With a huge GWP of 3,922, R404 is considered an outgoing refrigerant. But in his presentation on refrigerant solutions, Kirby HVACR’s Brett Hedge, M.AIRAH, confirmed there are still alarming levels of use. “In 2020 the use of R404A actually grew,” said Hedge. “Alternatives like R448 and R452 have a mere presence of about 5 per cent of the volume.” While Hedge – who chairs AIRAH's Refrigeration special technical group (STG) – applauded the work being done in supermarkets to move away from R404A – often to transcritical CO2 solutions – he warned that smaller jobs were too often going with the lowest‑cost option. “The phase-down is providing little or no incentive for any applications to change,” he said. “R404A is still the cheapest low-temperature refrigerant that is available.” AIRAH, with support and guidance from its Refrigeration STG, has called on the government to introduce a limit on low- and medium-temperature refrigeration equipment that uses R404A, similar to that proposed for small AC using R410A.

R134A Another other area requiring action is mobile air conditioning. In Europe, the ban on new cars with R134A was introduced in 2015 and they have mainly switched to R1234yf, with some CO2. The US is also well into its transition. Australia, in contrast, is lagging. Very few cars are imported with R1234yf, despite it having a GWP of less than one compared to 1,430 for R134A. This outgoing refrigerant still represents 30 per cent of our bulk imports, to service mobile air conditioning. “This is another area where we’ve absolutely needed a government signal,” says Refrigerants Australia Executive Director Greg Picker. “Even more than 404A because it’s simpler. It’s one equipment type: car air conditioners. There are only two or three manufacturers in the world. And it’s already happened around the world in many places. The sooner we can change what’s coming in in new vehicles, the sooner we start to transition our fleet.” ■

WANT TO KNOW MORE? AIRAH’s submissions to government are available at www.airah.org.au/advocacy For more information about AIRAH’s Refrigeration STG and its activities, go to www.airah.org.au/refrigeration 24

HVAC&R Nation

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October 2021

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Around the Nation 1

1 SAM STEPS UP

DAWE compliance officers in conjunction with ABF officers inspected the equipment and found that a significant portion still contained controlled hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant gases.

Mitsubishi Electric Australia has appointed Sam Garside as HVAC Sales Manager for the New South Wales Central market. In his new role, Garside will manage the HVAC business within the Sydney and Central West region.

Contravention of Section 13 of the Act can result in civil penalties of up to $2.22 million. ■

Garside has more than 20 years of industry experience, including positions with mechanical contractors, service-based companies, and several global manufacturers. After a 13-year hiatus, Garside returned to Mitsubishi Electric in 2018 and, according to the company, has been a driving force in the success of the Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) and project business within the Sydney market. Working closely with his counterparts Jason Lucas (Northern NSW) and Craig Fife (Canberra and Southern NSW), the NSW sales management team will focus on the VRF sector, including introducing new technologies such as Hybrid VRF. “We are delighted that Sam will bring his experience and enthusiasm to the position,” says General Manager of Sales Zane Barron. “We are looking forward to ongoing success under his leadership.” Go to www.mitsubishielectric.com.au ■

2 CHILLING CRIMES

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Armcor Air Solutions is a specialist in energy‑efficient fresh air solutions and energy‑recovery systems and will be supported by Beijer Ref’s local and international expertise and continued investment in advancing environmentally friendly solutions across evolving market segments.

Go to www.kirbyhvacr.com.au ■

The equipment was imported with certificates stating that refrigerant gas controlled under Section 13 of the Act had been removed from the equipment, allowing the items to be imported without a licence. HVAC&R Nation

According to Beijer Ref, the acquisition will strengthen its ability to provide a complete suite of HVAC equipment, extending on the residential and light commercial packages currently being offered through its wholesale businesses. It also provides the company with new competencies and access to a segment that they have not been present in until now.

Armcor Air Solutions will continue to operate under its current structure and under the direction of Kirby Sales and Marketing Manager Brett Hedge, M.AIRAH.

ABF officers seized 100 packages in Melbourne in May, after a tip-off that the Victorian-based importer did not have the required licence under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989.

Beijer Ref is further diversifying its portfolio within Australia with the acquisition of Victorian‑based climate and ventilation solutions business Armcor Air Solutions.

The acquisition will see Beijer Ref take on Armcor’s local manufacturing facility and 37 staff based at the company’s main facility in Broadmeadows, Victoria.

A joint operation by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) and the Australian Border Force (ABF) has led to the seizure of more than $200,000 worth of refrigeration equipment imported without a licence.

3 KIRBY ACQUIRES ARMCOR

4 ARBS IN AUGUST Due to the ongoing implications of COVID-19, ARBS Exhibitions has moved the event scheduled for April 2022 to August 16–18, 2022.

October 2021

Exhibition Manager, Sue Falcke says the decision was made to ensure the health and safety of all exhibitors, staff, and attendees. “Given the current COVID-19 situation in Australia combined with the difficulty in predicting the outlook for early 2022, it was felt a short delay would bring about more certainty allowing ARBS to deliver on its full show format,” says Falcke. “Our ongoing priority has always been to ensure the safety of everyone at the event,” says Falcke. “We look forward to August 2022 with increased confidence that ARBS will continue to provide a dynamic and engaging experience for the entire industry.” ARBS is Australia’s largest air conditioning, refrigeration and building services exhibition. The biennial international event hosts more than 300 exhibitors, draws large crowds of over of 7,000 and hosts many social and networking functions including the Industry Awards and Seminar Program. Revised dates for the call for speakers and award nomination entries will be advised in the coming weeks. Go to www.arbs.com.au. ■

5 NEW CODE INCOMING The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) is seeking comment on proposed amendments to energy efficiency and condensation technical provisions, for possible inclusion in the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022. Some of the more significant amendments proposed in this second and final stage of the public comment draft include: • A stringency increase in the thermal performance of homes from the current level, equivalent to 6‑stars NatHERS, to the equivalent of 7 stars • Introducing whole-of-home annual energy use requirements (noting differences between Class 1 and 2 buildings) • A new set of Deemed-to-Satisfy elemental provisions for Class 2 buildings

Around the Nation 5

Image courtesy of A.G. Coombs

• New provisions designed to allow easy retrofit of onsite renewables and electric vehicle-charging equipment for Class 2 to 9 buildings

7 WESTSIDE CELEBRATION

• Enhanced condensation management provisions, including additional ventilation and wall-vapour permeability requirements.

The Air Conditioning & Mechanical Contractors Association Limited (AMCA) is hosting its annual Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Awards on Friday, November 5.

The ABCB has produced a range of resources to help stakeholders provide informed comments. This includes a condensed “summary of changes” document, an infographic, case studies, calculators and reports. Comments can be submitted through the ABCB consultation hub until 11.59pm (AEDT) on Sunday, October 17, 2021. Go to consultation.abcb.gov.au ■

6 FUGITIVE EMISSIONS

The awards, held in conjunction with the Alan Robert Memorial Fund, AIRAH and South Metropolitan TAFE, celebrates the latest achievements in the air conditioning and refrigeration industry. The event was originally scheduled for September 24, but had to be postponed. The 2019 awards attracted more than 350 industry representatives, and the 2021 event promises to be even bigger with more networking opportunities. The night will include a three-course meal with a beverages package, and will be hosted by Fie Cooper.

A new report from Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA), Fugitive Emissions: the Case For Improving Refrigerant Recovery From Split Systems at End-Of-Life, has found alarming volumes of refrigerant are lost when split systems reach end of life in Australia. It estimates that each year, hundreds of tonnes of refrigerant are not being reclaimed.

Go to events.humanitix.com/2021-wa-airconditioning-and-refrigeration-awards ■

The figures are based on a landmark survey of more than 100 contractors who logged data of more than 1,150 decommissioned systems. The majority of these systems contained R22 and R410A, with a smaller number operating on R32. The average charge size was 1.93kg, and systems contained on average 70 per cent of their initial charge. Average operating life was 13.7 years.

A new mining sector education campaign by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) will promote the benefits of regular preventative maintenance and gas leak detention of mobile air conditioning systems in mine vehicles.

Combining this information with the number of split systems imported into Australia annually, RRA estimates that 945.3 tonnes of refrigerant should be available for recovery each year from this equipment class. This is considerably more than 500 tonnes or so that is currently being collected across all equipment types. “We need to find ways of making it easier for technicians to recover,” the RRA’s Michael Bennett says. “We can do this by increasing focus, removing impediments, and providing greater incentives.” Go to bit.ly/3hhgKBa ■

ARC TARGETS MINE MAINTENANCE

Mines around Australia will receive the ARC’s “Save time, money and the environment” packs, which cover a range of topics including safety advice for using alternative refrigerants, common causes of poor performance and refrigerant leakage of air conditioning systems, preventative maintenance, and leak detection processes. “Oversized mine site vehicles weigh hundreds of tonnes and operate in severe conditions where high temperatures, humidity and high dust levels result in mobile units working at high pressures and thermal loads, increasing potential for parts failure and loss of large quantities of refrigerant gases,” says the ARC.

“Air conditioning systems in these challenging situations require regular servicing, maintenance and repairs to avoid breakdowns and minimise gas leakage. “Refrigerant leaks can occur during normal operations, equipment servicing and maintenance or at end‑of‑life. Greenhouse gas emissions from refrigerant leaks cause environmental damage.” Go to www.arctick.org/information/mining ■

9 COVID QUESTIONS ANSWERED Building services specialist A.G. Coombs has created a new web page answering commonly asked questions about COVID-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic, A.G. Coombs has been responding to requests from building owners and managers about restricting the spread of COVID-19 with the help of building services, especially HVAC systems. Over that time, the company has produced a number of advisory notes covering the topic. The COVID-19 resource page has been developed to provide useful and credible building services information to building owners and managers. “A.G. Coombs Group companies are working with our clients, service providers and suppliers to ensure that we continue to deliver our services safely and effectively,” says the company. “We are continually monitoring the situation around COVID-19, have a resilient Business Continuity Plan in place ensuring that we continue to operate effectively, and are closely managing our organisation to assure the wellbeing of our personnel and service providers.” The page provides short answers to common questions, and links to advisory notes that go into more detail. Go to www.agcoombs.com.au/ covid‑19‑building-services-resources ■

October 2021

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HVAC&R Nation

Cool Tech

LOGAN’S (DRONE) RUN Queensland’s City of Logan has been labelled the drone delivery capital of the world. Located in Brisbane’s southern suburbs, the City of Logan (population 300,000) isn’t just one of the fastest growing areas in the country. The good folks of Logan also happen to be early adopters when it comes to ordering drone deliveries.

almost 4,500 deliveries in the first week of August, meaning that a Logan resident on average received a drone delivery nearly once every 30 seconds during our service hours.” The Logan drone service is live, automated, and on‑demand. When an order comes in, software sends the best aircraft to perform a delivery from among multiple operations sites. After analysing changes in weather and terrain, the system creates a custom, optimal path for the aircraft to follow.

In fact, between the bushfires of 2019, and the recent COVID-19 lockdowns, Logan residents have ordered and received more than 50,000 deliveries directly to their homes via Wing delivery drones. “The city has laid a strong claim to be the drone delivery capital of the world,” says Wing, which is using Logan as a trial site. “Logan residents ordered

So, what kinds of things are Logan residents ordering?

Smoko with . . .

Name: Meg Weckert Company: Docair gie Occupation: Apprentice frid ut working in What’s the best thing abo work we do, of pe HVAC&R? The wide sco something new. g rnin lea and that we’re always d in the How long have you worke year. industry? Just turned fourth knife, Favourite tool? My utility day. ry eve es tim le I use it multip ever received: Best on-the-job advice you for yourself, it h wit py If you wouldn’t be hap to be happy? er tom cus the ect how can you exp nt has been What’s the happiest a clie ly‑morning start ear an with your work? After arket’s dairy erm sup a fix and two-hour drive to harged and back room, getting it fixed and re-c two milk trucks down to temp just before the manager was arrived was pretty cool. The chuffed and very thankful.

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e 911. Dream car: A vintage Porsch erica to Dream holiday: Tour of Am s. gue lea g rtin spo watch all major Favourite smoko snack: A banana. What did you listen to on A mix of the way to work today? Triple J and Triple M. Sporting hero: Close call between Tiger Woods or Tom Brady. When I’m not working I’m Usually playing golf.

October 2021

…

“This technology has enabled our customers in Logan to start their days with more than 10,000 cups of fresh barista-made coffee in the last year, delivered right to their homes,” Wing says. “As their kids transitioned to remote learning, parents have ordered more than 1,700 snack packs to keep break times interesting. And we’ve made more than 1,200 hot chooks … fly just in time for dinner.” Wing promotes its services as one that helps reduce carbon emissions. Every drone flight, it says, is one less car trip to the local shops. ■

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October 2021

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| pm 31/8/21 12:07 HVAC&R Nation 29

The Lighter Side This month’s Lighter Side brought to you by:

1 WINNER

5 1 LEAKY GLAND Eddie in Queensland came across this gem while carrying out scheduled maintenance on a site he usually doesn’t attend. “Nothing a few cable ties, electrical box and corro won’t fix!” he says. According to the primary tech, the customer was not interested in doing the repair, hence the temporary fix. Graham says: Nothing like a bit of innovation, better than nothing!

2 STAND-UP JOB Daniel spotted this one on his morning coffee walk in Sydney. “Looks like the installer has never heard of roof brackets for sloped roofs before and has just turned a set of wall brackets inside out to mount this unit,” he says. “Propped up on pavers at the back to level it out!” Graham says: Whatever happened to pride in the quality of an installation?

4 DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION “Apprentice having a bad day?” wonders Nick, who snapped this on the Gold Coast. Graham says: Sometimes the biggest frustration in service work is finding a park close enough to the job, and a loaded-up service vehicle doesn’t always have great vision for reversing!

5 SHORT CUTS

3 MANIFOLD DUTIES “This liquid line solenoid is an incredibly stupid and pointless thing on the discharge line of a belt-drive,” says funny guy Frank. “It serves absolutely no purpose at all and will probably kill the compressor if it goes open circuit.” Graham says: A solenoid valve in the discharge line is unusual unless it is part of a “hot gas” defrost, in which case it would control a bypass line. It’s hard to tell from the single image. I assume the gauge lines have been fitted by whoever is servicing the unit and have not been left as a semi-permanent fixture?

“Found this split system in a hair salon,” says Nigel. “Needless to say, it wasn’t working particularly well.” He recommended to the tenant that they cut out the ceiling, remove the head unit and reinstall it correctly. The landlord refused, arguing it was in “working condition”. Graham says: There was once a construction camp with room air conditioners all installed upside down by the builder, but with a split system the licensed installer should know better. I wonder about condensate drainage.

Additional comments and observations provided by Graham Boyle, F.AIRAH, portfolio manager, heavy automotive and refrigeration at South Metropolitan TAFE. Please note that the comments are provided on the basis of the photos only and should be read with this in mind – not all issues or solutions are apparent from a 2D image.

HAVE YOU COME ACROSS SOMETHING SCARY, UGLY OR JUST PLAIN FUNNY? If your entry is deemed the monthly winner, a 700ml bottle of Jim Beam will be on its way to your door. Please include a postal address with your entry. Entrants must be 18 or over. Send your hi-res (>500KB) photos to Editor, Mark Vender at mark.vender@airah.org.au

HVAC&R Nation

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October 2021

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October 2021

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HVAC&R Nation

Daikin AirHub Ultimate air control for homes

WIRED SENSOR

Daikin’s new AirHub Touch Zone Controller with its contemporary design, intuitive controls and innovative features will give you the flexibility to deliver precise temperature control and ultimate comfort to where it is needed in your home.

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AVAILABLE IN TWO VERSIONS ON/OFF ZONE CONTROL*

LINEAR ZONE CONTROL**

› Allows users to air-condition occupied zones and switch off unoccupied zones

› Enables users to switch zones on and off as well as set the zone temperature to within ±2°C

› Features Airside Control that automatically reduces the indoor unit fan speed when zones are off to meet the airflow requirements of the remaining open zones › Provides quieter operation and greater energy savings *Airside Control is not available on R410A (FDYQN) Inverter Ducted series

› Flush mounted 11mm off the wall for a clean, minimalistic look. › Optional wireless remote temperature sensors, ideal for homes with internal brick walls.

Zone 2 ON

› Features OptiZone Control that automatically regulates the individual zone dampers to deliver precise airflow to meet the temperature settings and heat load of each zone › Delivers superior comfort and greater energy savings **R32 (FDYA) Premium Inverter Ducted 71-160 Class and R32 (FDYAN) Inverter Ducted 50-160 Class

For Linear Control, a remote temperature sensor is required for each zone, wired or wireless options available.

24°C

Zone 3 ON

› Eco settings such as Setpoint Range Limit, Setpoint Auto Reset and Auto Off Timer for easy monitoring and optimisation of the ducted system’s energy consumption.

20°C

Zone 1 ON

22°C

21°C

22°C

Zone 4 OFF

Example: Temperature set point @ 22°C in all ON zones

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WIRELESS SENSOR

Example: Main temperature set point @ 22°C with a ±2°C range

23°C

Design the best solution for your next project with our comprehensive product line-up. Visit daikin.com.au or call 1300 368 300

HVAC&R Nation October 2021

Articles inside

Green Wedge

Refrigerant Update

Lighter Side

Around the Nation

AIRAH News

Global Update

The Toolshed

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