HVACR News Dec-Jan 2022

EXCITED BY EFFICIENCY?

As I’ve mentioned before in this column, my partner and I are looking to buy an apartment. So, a lot of my Saturdays lately have been spent going to open houses and inspections. We’re talking apartments in suburban Melbourne, and as for price, let’s just say we are not mixing with the high rollers. It’s been an interesting process because I can’t help but look at the places from a heating and cooling perspective.

Most of the places we’ve inspected have simple split systems. You won’t be shocked to hear that about half of the outdoor units have been hidden out of sight. Some are situated in a box, others have plants or a little screen in front of them. One very new building actually had a hidey hole for the condenser built into the balcony wall.

Then there’s the passive stuff – the orientation, sunlight, insulation, shading and glazing. That doesn’t seem to get much attention.

I was surprised when we went to one building and the agent only mentioned the double glazing when someone asked. I thought it was a great feature, but it wasn’t in the blurb. And although a search of the developer’s website indicated they

had aimed for a seven-star rating, the brochure just said it had “eco-friendly design features”. That seemed to refer mostly to the leafy views and wooden façade.

I’m not questioning the agents. They know what sells. People get excited about glistening stone benchtops, about shiny chrome bathroom fittings, about the balcony views and the location, location, location. The energy efficiency? Not so much.

In Victoria there is a thing called the Residential Efficiency Scorecard that allows you to compare a home’s energy use with similar homes. But when I’ve asked the agents, they’ve always responded with a blank look. It’s just not on the radar yet.

Industry groups like AIRAH and ASBEC are working with the government on the widespread adoption of these scorecards, not just in Victoria but across Australia. And with energy prices rising and more extreme weather coming, heating and cooling is bound to become a bigger conversation.

This issue’s cover story is about HVAC contractors who are getting involved in that conversation – and reaping the benefits. Nate Adams, aka the House Whisperer, has developed a business model in the US where HVAC contractors are much more than just people who install a piece of equipment. They take a holistic view of the efficiency, comfort and health of a house. It’s called HVAC 2.0, and he tells us all about it, starting on page 19.

mark.vender@airah.org.au

@AIRAHnews Mark Vender Editor

1

Sixth-generation Daikin VRV

Daikin Australia has launched the newest addition to its VRV range – the VRV R Series (REYQ-BYM).

Daikin says the sixth-generation model enables simultaneous cooling and heating operation in a single VRV system, and boasts considerable improvement over previous generations.

“Daikin VRV systems have continually set the standard for energy efficiency, reliability and comfort for 40 years,” says Daikin National Commercial Manager Simon Langstaff, Affil.AIRAH.

“The new VRV R is no exception, offering a range of unique new functions for increased design flexibility and optimum performance.”

According to Daikin, the new system was designed to be used in both single- and multi-module combinations. This helps to reduce the overall space required for mechanical equipment and the number of electrical and piping connections.

Single modules starting at 8HP capacity are now available in three sizes thanks to the addition of a large-capacity XL chassis with 22 and 24HP (67.0kW) capacity that sits at 1,750mm wide x 765mm deep x 1,660mm tall.

“The patented High Efficiency P-Type Compressor is optimised for part-load performance and delivers a part load EER (at 50 per cent load) of up to 7.82,” says Daikin. “This delivers an efficiency improvement of up to 25 per cent compared to Daikin’s fifth-generation model.” ■

2 Which tech? Distech

Regulator Automation is now stocking Distech Controls’ Allure Unitouch touchscreen sensors, designed for a range of HVAC, lighting and sunblind applications.

Distech Controls says its sensor features an “intuitive interface for a modernised occupant experience”.

“Elegant and compact design provides a modern appearance when installed in any environment,” says the company. “[This] distinctive solution offers advanced technologies within a single product: Bluetooth low-energy, glass-front panel, capacitive touchscreen, LCD colour display, sensors and more.”

The Allure Unitouch device is compatible with the “my Personify” mobile app, allowing users to control comfort settings from anywhere within an office or hotel room. Distech says the device has multi-sensing capabilities for temperature, humidity, and CO 2, all using one wire and one connection. Both power and communication pass through a single Cat 5e cable.

The Allure Unitouch is part of Distech’s Eclypse Sky Ecosystem, a controls solution embedding wireless technology to manage connected spaces. The Eclypse Connected Thermostat is also available now through Regulator Automation.

Designed for use in new or existing commercial offices, educational facilities or hospitality buildings, the thermostat is available in a range of models for a variety of applications, leveraging ECgfxProgram to customise control sequences for specific applications. ■

3 RectorSeal deals double

HVAC&R and plumbing accessories manufacturer RectorSeal has added two new product lines to its offering.

The two new products are Cover Guard lineset covers and AC Guard HVAC condenser protection cages. Both will be covered by RectorSeal’s three-year limited warranty, with no registration required.

Designed for residential and commercial HVAC installations of ductless and ducted systems, Cover Guard lineset covers provide adjustable support from two to four inches, with snap on covers to accommodate multiple linesets and condensate drains.

“When properly installed, Cover Guard lineset and condensate covers exceed many HVAC code requirements,” says the company. “Convenient pre installed sliding zip tie clips provide ease of mounting. Cover Guard lineset covers are constructed of durable material that is UV-protected, paintable, and protected with a factory-provided peel-off film.”

RectorSeal says its second product addition, the AC Guard cages, are built for long-term performance. Constructed of 16-gauge steel, powder coated and adjustable, they provide a physical and visual deterrent for residential and commercial condensing units.

“AC Guard cages are attractive, easy to install, and easy to remove for condensing unit service and maintenance,” says the company. “For larger units, two cages can be placed back-to-back. Expanded metal kits are available for installation to provide additional condensing unit protection.” ■

4 Fujitsu offers Comfort

Fujitsu General Australia has launched its new wall mounted reverse-cycle Comfort range, featuring six models from 2.5kW to 7.1kW cooling capacity.

“It is important that Australians have complete control of their indoor climate when outdoor conditions are unpredictable,” says Fujitsu General’s Head of Product ANZ, Kyle Rafter. “Everyone should feel like their home is the most comfortable place to be, and the new Comfort range can help deliver that feeling.

“This range provides an optimal performance in hotter climates, with an increased cooling operation range up to 50°C ambient temperature while remaining energy efficient and visually appealing.”

The Comfort range uses R32 refrigerant, which Fujitsu General says improves heat transfer compared to the commonly used R410A refrigerant. R32 has a 67 per cent lower global warming potential (GWP) factor while still maintaining performance.

Comfort range units display the Zoned Energy Rating Label (ZERL) and have a hot climate energy performance of up to five stars in a hot climate in cooling mode. They are Demand Enabled Response (DRED) compatible.

“Powerful operation mode allows the system to reach the setting temperature quickly,” says the company. “And precise temperature control enables the temperature setting to be adjusted by 0.5°C increments using the wireless remote control.” ■

5 High five for Honeywell

Honeywell has released a new smoke detector that incorporates indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring, in what the company says is a first-of-its-kind solution designed to create safer and healthier buildings.

The VESDA Air combines a five-in-one IAQ sensor within a single box. According to the company, the technology actively samples air – rather than passively waiting for smoke to reach traditional spot sensors – to identify trace amounts of smoke and enable early intervention before it disrupts operations.

Honeywell says its engineers integrated a sensor that measures critical IAQ parameters, including volatile organic compounds (total VOCs) listed by ASHRAE as “contaminants of concern”, fine particulate matter of 1.0 micron (PM1.0) and PM2.5 or larger, CO and CO 2 concentration, temperature and humidity.

The VESDA Air is designed for use in premium commercial buildings, healthcare facilities, hospitality, manufacturing and schools.

“We challenged our engineering teams to find a way to complement the capabilities of our aspirating smoke detection systems with highly sensitive IAQ monitoring,” says the firm’s Udaya Shrivastava. “The system identifies not only the minute presence of smoke, but also the presence of air quality contaminants of concern, allowing building operators to react and respond to out-of-bounds parameters quickly, before they escalate into unsafe situations.” ■

6 Smarten your senses

Thermo Controls has announced an exclusive agreement to distribute the SmartSense temperature monitoring system. SmartSense is designed to offer a fully independent real time monitoring system that provides critical temperature monitoring for a wide range of applications including pharmacies, labs, restaurants, clinics, hospitals, fridges, freezers, and IT server rooms.

“If you have critical assets that are temperature sensitive,” says Thermo Controls, “SmartSense should be your first choice.”

The SmartSense system allows users to set up alerts for conditions such as high/low threshold for temperature and humidity, missed reports from a sensor, and power loss. It also has a wide range of daily/weekly/monthly reporting for compliance purposes, and can send SMS, email and app notifications alerts.

“The system is completely independent of any existing IT infrastructure,” says Thermo Controls. “It uses the Telstra 4G network and can be accessed wirelessly from any internet connection including the SmartSense NEXT app, which allows you to see the current status of all your equipment assets. You can also view and manage alarms generated from your assets.”

Go to thermocontrols.com.au ■

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

INVISIBLE CLIMATE CULPRIT

Fluorocarbon emissions equivalent to 90 billion tonnes of CO2 could be avoided through minimising refrigerant leaks and maximising recovery and reclamation, according to a new report from US agencies.

The report, The 90 Billion Ton Opportunity: Lifecycle Refrigerant Management, estimates that better life-cycle management can prevent fluorocarbon emissions equal to nearly three full years of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.

Report co-author Christina Theodoridi says refrigerant releases are “an invisible climate culprit”.

“Life-cycle refrigerant management provides clear and tangible interventions that can prevent the release of billions of tonnes of CO2e emissions across the refrigerant value chain to help us stave off the worst impacts of climate change,” she says.

The report proposes six “pillars” of life-cycle refrigerant management: enhance product stewardship; increase refrigerant recovery, reclaim and reuse; reduce leaks; better reporting and enforcement; workforce development; and installation and servicing.

To read the report go to us.eia.org ■

UK

GERMANY

SKILLS THAT THRILL AND CHILL

The WorldSkills international competition for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning has been run and won in Nuremberg, Germany, as part of the giant Chillventa HVAC&R trade exhibition.

Sixteen young technicians from around the world competed in the event as part of the WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition. The event was organised after the international competition planned for Shanghai earlier in the year was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Representing Australia was Tom Clancy from Western Australia, who was supported by WorldSkills international training manager and expert Carl Balke, Affil.AIRAH.

“Tom proudly represented Australia on the world stage after nearly three years of dedicated training and commitment,” says Australian Skill Competition Manager Noel Munkman, M.AIRAH. He added that Clancy performed well despite not claiming a medal.

The gold medal was awarded to Chia-Cheng Tien of Chinese Taipei. The next competition is slated for Lyon, France, in 2024. ■

JAPAN

HYDROGEN HOPES DASHED

A review of independent studies on the use of hydrogen for heating has delivered a damning verdict for the idea that we may one day replace our existing gas network with a hydrogen network.

Completed by energy influencer Dr Jan Rosenow, the evidence review looked at 32 independent studies.

The review excluded reports carried out by or on behalf of a specific industry, because the results might reflect vested interests.

“The evidence assessment shows that the widespread use of hydrogen for heating is not supported by any of the 32 studies identified in this review,” says Rosenow. “Instead, existing independent research so far suggests that, compared to other alternatives such as heat pumps, solar thermal, and district heating, hydrogen use for domestic heating is less economic, less efficient, more resource intensive, and associated with larger environmental impacts.” ■

IN THE MOOD … FOR AC

Air conditioning that automatically adjusts to suit your mood? Now that is what could be called intelligent tech.

Introduced by Mitsubishi Electric and set to be launched in February 2023, the new addition to the firm’s Kirigamine Z series splits are said to be able to remotely measure someone’s pulse wave without contact.

The Kirigamine Z are designed to analyse the state of the central nervous system (i.e., brain activity) and autonomic nervous system, and then determine human emotions from the data.

Using this information, it automatically adjusts room temperature, sensible temperature and airflow, and attempts to create as comfortable an indoor environment as possible.

According to The Cooling Post, which ran the story about the new system, the emotion sensor will be incorporated into Kirigamine Z series splits from 2023. ■

PEA-M

Two-Piece Ducted Unit

HAA The PEA-M HAA Ducted has a two-piece construction*1, which allows for the separation of the indoor unit heat exchanger and the fan deck assembly. This is beneficial for installation into the roof space, for greater room capacities and increased variation in airflow; ensuring operation that suits most room layouts.

Ideal for Remodeling of Existing Houses

» The unit can be installed in roof trusses thanks to the two piece structure.

Two-Way Maintenance Access

» Two-way access to the fan desk assembly and to the drain pan*2 » Even when the unit is installed near the ceiling and inaccessible from the bottom, the unit is accessible from another side. Easier Installation

THE PRICE OF NEGLECT

For some time now, the Australian government has understood that the HVAC&R sector offers big opportunities for reducing CO2 emissions and costs for end-users.

The review of the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Program in 2014–2016 recommended working with industry to develop information to better inform equipment owners of the benefits of proper installation of equipment and regular equipment maintenance. This would hopefully lead to reductions in both refrigerant leaks and energy use.

Key to the initiative was quantifying the benefits of HVAC&R maintenance. The major task was broken down into three distinct projects.

FAULT FINDING

The first, conducted by the Expert Group, was a global desk study that identified the most common and preventable faults found in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. It also looked to quantify the energy penalties of these faults.

The resulting report, Leaks, maintenance and emissions, was published in early 2021. It found that the most common faults in HVAC equipment were incorrect refrigerant charge (over or under due to leakage); dirty condensers and associated mechanical issues; and dirty evaporators and associated mechanical issues.

Following the release of this report, real-world Australian data relating to faults and energy penalties was sought.

“When undertaking research for the maintenance study we uncovered one of the largest, centralised databases of air conditioning maintenance work orders, developed and maintained by Grosvenor Engineering Group (GEG),” says Peter Brodribb, M.AIRAH, Managing Director at Expert Group.

The extensive database, established and run by GEG since 2000, contained millions of assets across tens of thousands of buildings involving in excess of 1,300,000 work orders.

“We realised that this invaluable data would shine light on the prevalence of HVAC faults in Australia,” Brodribb says. “So we approached the key stakeholders and negotiated access to the data and funds to undertake the research.”

To ensure customer, building and employee confidentiality was protected at all times, the dataset was cleansed of all customerand employee specific information before being accessed by Expert Group. All building locations were also removed, other than identifying the state in which the building was located.

Once refined, the dataset used for analysis contained more than 260,000 repair work orders, reflecting more than $250 million in repairs on over 100 air conditioning asset types.

From this data, the maintenance study created an “encyclopedia” of commonly encountered faults or fault groups.

Air Conditioning Faults – An Australian Analysis was published in late 2021 and confirmed the prevalence of a number of the frequently occurring faults that result in energy penalties to equipment owners.

The report also provides good insight into the prevalence of faults that do not cause energy penalties but do cause interruptions to service and costs to repair.

“Around a third of the faults do not result in an energy penalty, only a cost to the end-user,” says Brodribb.

Importantly, the report also revealed the need for the development of standard terminology and application of fault trees in fault reporting.

We realised that this invaluable data would shine light on the prevalence of HVAC faults in Australia

How much does poor HVAC&R installation and maintenance cost? A study based on real-world

revealed the most common equipment faults, as well as the energy penalties associated with them.

THE COMMON FAULTS

Using the GEG dataset, Expert Group determined the most commonly encountered faults or fault groups for all asset types.

Electrical faults (power loss to system or component) represented 16 per cent of service calls, as did controls faults (faulty sensors, actuators, algorithms or settings). Airflow faults (fan faults, ductwork blockage, duct leakage, poor air distribution) followed, representing 14 per cent of service calls.

Thermal comfort complaints (with no fault identified) represented 8 per cent of service calls.

Other faults of significance (resulting in service calls) included dirty air filters (7 per cent), fan or pump faults (5 per cent), refrigerant faults (5 per cent), issues with condensate drainage (5 per cent), mechanical component fault or failure (4 per cent), dirty equipment (3 per cent), fault on pipework system (3 per cent), miscellaneous faults (3 per cent) and waterflow faults (3 per cent).

To find the faults that incurred the largest energy penalties, some fault groups were disaggregated and/or combined into others. Some were removed completely, given the focus of the research was on air conditioning repairs.

This review left a top 10 of fault areas that impact energy consumed and energy productivity that can be addressed by maintenance.

THE SQUEAKY WHEELS

Remarkably, the top five energy penalty faults account for nearly 90 per cent of all work order/repair activity, with HVAC hygiene accounting for almost 35 per cent of faults that result in an energy penalty.

Control faults represent over 20 per cent of faults resulting in an energy penalty, followed by airflow, refrigerant and waterflow.

The “other” group of faults, including chiller, compressor, boiler and insulation faults, accounted for approximately 15 per cent of faults resulting in an energy penalty.

BY EQUIPMENT TYPE

A more detailed examination of data was able to identify the six main equipment types that make up the vast majority of installed air conditioning equipment: chillers; ducted air conditioning (split); ducted air conditioning (packaged); VRV/ VRF systems; close control (CRAC) systems; and single split non ducted systems.

Chillers – The most common chiller faults were associated with waterflow (23 per cent), controls (22 per cent), electrical (16 per cent), line/pressure (12 per cent) and refrigerant (9 per cent).

Fact: 80 per cent of all chiller faults were energy penalty faults. Figure 2 shows the top energy penalty faults in descending order.

35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

Water ow

ControlsLine/pressureRefrigerantfaultCoilblockageMechanical Air ow Design,install,docs

Figure 2: Top chiller energy penalty faults.

Single split ducted systems – The most prevalent faults were associated with airflow (19 per cent), electrical (17 per cent), filter (15 per cent) and controls (14 per cent).

70 per cent of all split ducted system faults were energy penalty faults. Figure 3 shows the top energy penalty faults in descending order. 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

Airrow FilterControlsRefrigerantfaultMechanicalLine/pressureCoilblockage Other Design,installation…

HVAChygiene Controls Air owRefrigerantfault Water

ow Others

Figure 1: Most frequent faults that result in an energy penalty.

The refrigerant fault group contains three problem sources: refrigerant leaks, refrigerant charge level low (no leak detected), and refrigerant charge level high.

The most common fault reported in this group is refrigerant leak (85 per cent), followed by refrigerant low (12 per cent), and refrigerant high (3 per cent).

“Without examining individual work orders in detail, it is not possible to determine what proportion of the leak faults discovered were catastrophic leaks and which were slow or partial leaks,” says the report.

“Similarly, without examining work orders in detail, it is not possible to determine the charge level for the 12 per cent refrigerant low (no leak detected) faults discovered. As such it is impossible at this time to determine what portion of the reported leaks incurred long and accumulating energy penalties.”

Figure 3: Top single split ducted system energy penalty faults.

Packaged ducted systems – The most common faults were associated with electrical (19 per cent), airflow (14 per cent), filter (13 per cent), controls (13 per cent) and refrigerant (8 per cent).

69 per cent of all packaged ducted system faults were energy penalty faults. Figure 4 shows the top energy penalty faults in descending order. 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

Air ow FilterControlsRefrigerantfaultLine/pressureMechanicalWater ow Coilblockage OtInsulation her Design,installation…

Figure 4: Top packaged ducted system energy penalty faults.

VRV/VRF systems – The most prevalent faults were associated with electrical (26 per cent), controls (17 per cent), refrigerant (13 per cent) and airflow (8 per cent).

63 per cent of all VRV/VRF system faults were energy penalty faults. Figure 5 shows the top energy penalty faults in descending order.

35%

Air ow Filter Controls Refrigerantfault Line/pressure Mechanical Water ow Coilblockage Other Designandinstallation

Figure 5: Top VRV/VRF system energy penalty faults. Close control air conditioner (CRAC) systems –The most prevalent faults were associated with airflow (21 per cent), electrical (18 per cent), controls (11 per cent) and refrigerant (11 per cent).

69 per cent of all CRAC system faults were energy penalty faults. Figure 6 shows the top energy penalty faults in descending order.

35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

Air ow Filter Controls Refrigerantfault Line/pressure Mechanical Water ow OtCoilblockage her Designandinstallation

Figure 6: Top CRAC system energy penalty faults. Single split non-ducted systems – The most prevalent faults were associated with electrical (18 per cent), condensate/drain (15 per cent), airflow (15 per cent) and coil blockage (9 per cent).

61 per cent of all single split non-ducted system faults were energy penalty faults. Figure 7 shows the top energy penalty faults in descending order.

35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

Air ow Filter ControlsRefrigerantfaultLine/pressureMechanical Insulation Coilblockage Other Designandinstallation

Figure 7: Top single split non-ducted system energy penalty faults.

Airflow was also found to be in the top three faults for all equipment types, except for chillers where waterflow (the equivalent of airflow) was the most common fault.

“Airflow and waterflow faults impact the heat transfer and heat distribution within these systems, directly impacting energy productivity,” says the report. “Proactive maintenance that routinely inspects and cleans airflow and waterflow components of air conditioning systems (and refrigeration systems) would almost certainly avoid energy waste attributed to these faults.”

Controls were also found to be in the top three faults for all equipment types, impacting the feedback and outputs from the system control elements.

“These faults tend to cloud or disable the system intelligence and its sensors, reducing a system’s ability to react correctly to the environment being controlled,” says the report.

Some controls faults, such as simultaneous heating and cooling, can be intensely energy wasteful.

Refrigerant was found to be in the top five faults for all equipment types.

“Most refrigerant faults (over 85 per cent) relate to refrigerant leakage and either operation on low charges or catastrophic loss of all refrigerants,” says the report.

AT FAULT

Unfortunately, Brodribb believes only a small part of the HVAC industry has a clear understanding of the impact of the maintenance practices on energy penalties and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

“These faults can result in compounding emissions, escalating operating costs and increasing total cost of ownership,” says Brodribb.

As an example, he says refrigerant faults can account for around 12 per cent of all work orders/repairs that result in an energy penalty.

“We were surprised by the impact an annual leak rate of 5 per cent per annum, left unrepaired on a ducted split system, can have – resulting in an additional 200 per cent energy consumption over the lifespan of the equipment.”

One of the challenges the industry faces in addressing such issues is that building owners and operators generally seek the lowest cost solution –influencing the predominant maintenance model and creating a lowest cost paradigm.

INCREASING AWARENESS

“It is generally accepted that poor installation and lack of regular maintenance can have lifelong negative impacts on the efficient operation of HVAC&R equipment,” says Patrick McInerney, Director of International Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Section at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

“However, there does not appear to be more than anecdotal evidence available in the public sphere to support this understanding.”

McInerney says both industry and governments support the approach to increase the awareness and evidence around the benefits of routine maintenance practices on HVAC&R equipment.

At the recent ARBS 2022 conference, a joint panel with industry leaders and the Australian Government presented on quantifying the benefits of routine maintenance of HVAC&R equipment.

A bench testing project undertaken by the Australian government to measure the

“Air conditioning maintenance service delivery is a highly competitive business in Australia,” says Brodribb.

“The vast majority of clients adopt a reactive-only approach to maintenance – fix it when it breaks.”

Although acknowledging that some clients adopt a scheduled approach to inspections and minor maintenance work, he says very few adopt a truly proactive approach to maintenance.

Analysis by Grosvenor Engineering Group has shown that for specific sites and specific portfolio owners that move to a proactive and automated approach

impact of four identified common faults found average energy losses were between 14 to 20 per cent across most tests.

The findings are now available on the DCCEEW website.

“In terms of proactive maintenance outcomes related to this project, the Australian government will work with the HVAC&R industry and the community – households and businesses –to better inform and increase the awareness of the benefits of proper installation and routine maintenance,” says McInerney.

“The results from the work undertaken to date will help provide reliable and accessible information to target the different audiences.

“It is important to note that there is no one solution to address this issue and working together with businesses, technicians and facility managers, contractors and retailers, governments and the industry as a whole, would provide the best outcome –including behaviour change, which is key.” ■

to maintenance, they will – in the medium term –reduce the overall costs of ownership of the system.

Due to the low number of clients that actually adopt such an approach, however, the research was unable to test this hypothesis for a significantly large representative group of buildings within a typology or of system types. Thus, it remains unproven.

“Industry contends that significant improvements can be made in the performance of the installed bank of equipment by focussing on correct sizing, installation, service and repair of equipment,” says Brodribb. “Undertaking these tasks will lead to cost effective energy reductions and greenhouse gas abatement.”

SELLING EFFICIENCY

Instead of lowest cost driving the maintenance model, Air Conditioning Faults – An Australian Analysis reveals that the “selling of efficiency” must become core to the maintenance business model if change is to occur.

Other changes to the status quo could also drive improvements in system reliability, efficiency and energy outcomes, including industry education and mandatory maintenance.

“Even a half-day online training course to assist contractors or provide them with the data and tools on how to do this would help industry undertake this in a consistent and professional way,” says Brodribb.

As far as mandatory maintenance goes, Expert Group believes there is merit in introducing mandatory maintenance for commercial applications above certain capacities.

This could include routine leak checks for certain classes and sizes of HVAC&R equipment to reduce emissions, like those mandated under the European Union F-Gas Regulations.

“These requirements could be a framework to include other maintenance practices that target high frequency faults that result in an energy penalty,” says Brodribb. ■

Airflow was found to be in the top three faults for all equipment types.

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HVAC&R’S LEADING LIGHTS

The 2022 AIRAH Award gala dinner, held on November 24 at Luna Park in Sydney, paid tribute to the top people, projects and products of Australia’s HVAC&R sector.

Most agree that our industry is chronically underappreciated by the general public. Despite providing critical services and making modern life possible, HVAC&R is rarely noticed.

Will that ever change?

It’s a long-term challenge, but through its annual awards event, AIRAH has been working to raise the profile of HVAC&R.

“For more than a decade, even when we had to go virtual because of the pandemic, AIRAH has held our annual awards,” says Chief Executive Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH.

“We are committed to shining a light on the critical and innovative work being done in our industry.”

And Gleeson believes more attention is coming to the HVAC&R industry, whether we like it or not.

“As the world begins to comprehend just how much effort is required to rein in our greenhouse gas emissions and prevent more extreme climate change, people are looking for sectors that can make a difference,” he says. “HVAC&R is one of those.”

Gleeson notes the 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction, released recently at COP27, shows the buildings and construction sector is not on track to achieve decarbonisation by 2050. And the gap between the actual climate performance of the sector and the decarbonisation pathway is widening.

“It’s a daunting challenge,” he says. “But looking at the winners and finalists of the 2022 AIRAH Awards, I believe the HVAC&R industry has what it takes.”

WINNERS’ CIRCLE

For more information about the finalists and winners of this year’s AIRAH Awards, go to www.airah.org.au/awards

BEST HVAC RETROFIT OR UPGRADE

McClintock Engineering Group

Otto Hirschfeld Dissection Laboratory

AHU upgrade

EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Cundall

EXCELLENCE IN HVAC&R RESEARCH

Conserve It

Real-time model predictive control with digital twins and edge computing technologies

EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION

AMP Capital Quay Quarter Tower

EXCELLENCE IN SUSTAINABILITY

Benmax

The University of Newcastle’s Q Building

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR Smartair Diffusion Smartemp Helical Vari-Swirl Diffuser

FUTURE LEADER Mark Elliott, M.AIRAH

INNOVATIVE USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN HVAC&R Conserve It

Optimal scheduling of air conditioning systems with renewable energy resource and thermal storage

STUDENT OF THE YEAR –HIGHER EDUCATION OR RESEARCH Jason Jarvinen, Stud.AIRAH

STUDENT OF THE YEAR –TRADE Renzo Antonio Munster, Stud.AIRAH

WR AHERN AWARD

“Best-practice energy performance benchmarked for refrigerated warehouses” by Stefan Jensen, F.AIRAH – August/September 2021

JAMES HARRISON MEDAL Dr Stephen White, L.AIRAH

Skills summary

■ What?

A guide to the correct design of suction lines for refrigeration systems.

■ Who?

Relevant for anyone involved in designing, installing, commissioning or maintaining refrigeration systems.

REFRIGERATION PIPING – SUCTION LINES

Since many of the operational problems encountered in refrigeration applications can be traced directly to improper design and/or installation of the refrigerant piping and accessories, the importance of proper design and installation procedures cannot be over emphasised.

In general, refrigerant piping should be so designed and installed as to:

■ Ensure an adequate supply of refrigerant to all evaporators

■ Ensure positive and continuous return of oil to the compressor crankcase

■ Avoid excessive refrigerant pressure losses, which would unnecessarily reduce the capacity and efficiency of the system

■ Prevent liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor during either the running or off cycles, or during compressor start up

■ Avoid the trapping of oil in the evaporator or suction line, from where it might subsequently return to the compressor in the form of a large “slug” with possible damage to the compressor.

This Skills Workshop looks specifically at suction lines.

The suction line is the most critical line in the piping system. It must be carefully designed to ensure a uniform return of dry refrigerant vapour and entrained oil to the compressor. If slugs of liquid refrigerant or oil, or both, reach the compressor, serious compressor damage can result.

Study Figure 1. Starting at the evaporator, the stub of pipe at the evaporator outlet must be of sufficient length to permit the attachment of the remote bulb of the expansion valve and the insertion of the external equaliser line. The equaliser line is inserted downstream from the remote bulb. This location prevents any small leakage of liquid refrigerant through the equaliser line from influencing the temperature sensed by the bulb. The suction line is dropped vertically downwards from the evaporator to provide free drainage of the tubes.

equaliser line

remote bulb

Figure 1 – Suction piping for evaporators connected in parallel

Note that the downstream, or lower, section of this horizontally split coil is connected to the common suction line using a double elbow arrangement. The double elbow not only drains the tubes but it also isolates the remote bulb and equaliser line connection from the suction pressure and temperature of the upper coil section. This prevents the upper section from influencing the operation of the expansion valve of the lower coil section.

Figure 2 shows how, if the evaporator is located above the compressor, the horizontal section of suction line is pitched towards the compressor at least 12mm for each three metres of run. This promotes the movement of oil in the direction of refrigerant flow.

Figure 2 – Piping where evaporator is above compressor

Figure 3 shows the design of a suction line riser where the evaporator is below a non-unloading compressor.

pitch

Figure 3 – Use of suction riser where evaporator is below non-loading compressor

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Note: In Figure 3, the suction line is brought down to form a trap. The trap not only drains the riser but it drains the coil as well. This single trap will drain up to a 7.5m length of riser. If the riser exceeds 7.5m in vertical height, one additional trap is required for each 7.5 m of rise, as shown in Figure 4. pitch

The second trap allows the upper and lower sections of the riser to be drained separately. This divides between the two traps the oil drained from the riser and coil during the ‘off cycle’. When the compressor is restarted, the oil will leave the traps at a rate and in quantities that will not harm the compressor.

Compressor suction connection

The suction line is joined to the compressor using an anchored, 45-degree canted loop. As with the discharge line, this loop absorbs compressor vibration.

pitch more than 7.5m

Figure 4 – Suction riser with double trap

Suction line velocities

As for the discharge line, suction line minimum vapour velocities are 2.5m/ sec in horizontal runs and 5m/sec in vertical risers, with the same 20m/sec maximum velocity.

However, compared to the discharge line, the pressure drop is limited to a lesser 21kPa when R22 is used (14kPa for R134a).

As discussed previously, excessive pressure drops within either the suction or discharge lines, or both, increase the compressor compression ratio.

As the compression ratio rises, the volumetric efficiency, or the ability of the compressor to pump refrigerant, falls.

Therefore, to preserve compressor efficiency, suction line pressure drops in excess of normal limits should be avoided.

Double risers

The construction of the suction line double riser is the same as that of the discharge double riser system. A suction line double riser is needed with unloading compressors where the compressor’s minimum capacity stage causes vapour velocity within the riser to fall below the minimum 5m/s. At the compressor’s minimum capacity stage, the reduced vapour velocity causes oil to drain from both risers, filling the base trap. This diverts the refrigerant flow into the small riser, which is sized to maintain adequate vapour velocity for oil movement at the minimum compressor capacity stage.

When, due to increased system load, the compressor returns to a higher stage of loading, the increased vapour flow clears the trap of oil. Once the trap is clear, refrigerant flow returns to the larger riser.

As in a discharge double riser system, a vertical rise in excess of 7.5m requires one additional trap for each 7.5m of rise, as shown in Figure 5.

pitch

Figure 5 – Suction double riser system exceeding 7.5m in height

pitch

pitch

Figure 6 – Compressor suction connection

Note that the suction line is pitched towards the compressor and the loop is canted downwards to provide free drainage into the suction connection. Unlike the discharge side of the compressor, where oil entry can cause a slugging problem, oil entering the suction side is broken up by the suction strainer screen and simply returns to the crankcase.

Multiple compressor systems

The suction connections to multiple compressors should be made through a manifold arrangement to equalise the pressures at each machine. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Figure 7. In this particular application, the suction line approaches the compressors from an evaporator located at a higher level.

Note that the manifold is as short as possible and installed level to prevent oil from collecting at one side of it, causing an unequal return to the compressors. The individual suction lines leave the manifold at the top. These lines have ends cut at a 45-degree angle and are inserted into the manifold with the points of the pipe resting on the bottom, as shown in Figure 7. This is done to draw oil from the base of the manifold. The inverted loop formed by the compressor suction connections should be at least 350mm in height. The horizontal runs of suction line are pitched towards the compressor as much as possible.

Since the common suction line drains freely towards the compressors, this piping arrangement is suitable for use with both unloading and non-unloading machines.

pipe anchor

pitch

Figure 7

When the suction line approaches the compressors from an evaporator located at a lower level, the piping arrangement illustrated in Figure 8 is recommended. The common suction line is pitched downwards as far as the fittings permit. The line is turned downwards and divided in such a way that two traps, approximately 350mm in height, are formed. The vertical lines to the compressors are sized to

produce 5m/sec minimum vapour velocity. The maximum height of the vertical risers to the compressors is 7.5m. This piping scheme is suitable for use with non-unloading compressors.

suction line

pitch 350mm min.

common suction

compressor

crankcase equaliser line

pitch shut-off valve

compressor

Figure 8

A similar piping design for use with unloading compressors is illustrated in Figure 9. To accommodate the unloading feature, double risers are used. As before, the common suction line is turned downwards into a manifold. The individual suction lines are taken from the bottom of the manifold into the traps of the double riser systems. The trap formed by the downward turn of the common suction line should measure approximately 350mm from the bottom of this line to the base of the traps of the double risers.

suction line suction line

350mm min.

compressor compressor pitch 7.5m max.

350mm approx.

Figure 9

Suction line accumulators

suction line manifold

In many situations, a suction line accumulator is used to protect the compressor from damaging slugs of liquid refrigerant. In particular, reverse-cycle units and systems on ‘hot gas’ defrost may require this kind of protection. Manufacturers of small split air-conditioning systems often use accumulators to protect equipment against the many variables that may occur during installation and operation.

Figure 10 – Section through a suction accumulator –with its location close to the compressor also shown. Note the very small hole in the suction pipe to draw oil (and a little liquid) back to the compressor.

Suction line insulation

Refrigerant changes state in the evaporator at its saturation temperature – which is sometimes referred to as saturated suction temperature (SST) or suction temperature. Because of its low temperature, the refrigerant vapour continues to gain heat (superheat) as it returns to the compressor. The amount of superheat gained should be kept to a minimum. Higher than optimum return vapour temperature will result in excessive discharge terminal temperature, higher than necessary condensing temperature, greater heat of compression, increased bearing loads, poor lubrication effect, possible coking from overheated oil and poor cycle efficiency.

It should also be noted that the greater the degree of superheat (higher return vapour temperature), the greater will be the specific volume of the vapour entering the compressor, thus reducing the refrigerant flow rate. This is contrary to best economy in system performance, which requires maximum practical refrigerant flow in order to obtain maximum benefits from evaporator cooling within the refrigerated fixture.

In order to maintain a minimum superheat in the suction line, it is good practice to insulate all suction lines. Suction line insulation may be selected from various types, but the most common, and easiest to use, is flexible foam rubber insulation. For large installations,and thickness of insulation is specified and is usually installed by expert pipe laggers.

Insulation thickness

Several points must be considered when selecting insulation thickness: (a) length of suction line (the longer the line, the thicker the insulation required)

(b) location of suction line (For example, if the line is in the sun, thicker insulation and a reflective sun shade will be required.) (c) saturated suction temperature (For example, freezers require thicker insulation to prevent moisture from condensing on the outside of the insulation and also due to the higher temperature difference between the refrigerant and the ambient temperature surrounding the pipe, which could increase the rate of heat flow.)

Suggested insulation thicknesses are:

• low-temperature systems – 25mm for short lines, 40mm for long lines

• medium-temperature systems – 13mm for short lines, 19mm for long lines air-conditioners – 13mm for short lines, 25mm for long lines.

Note: Many split air-conditioners locate the refrigerant control within the outdoor unit. In this situation, the line that we normally would think of as the liquid line becomes part of the evaporator during the cooling cycle and, therefore, needs to be insulated. ■ This skills workshop is taken from Australian Refrigeration and Air‑conditioning, Volume 2, authored by Graham Boyle, L.AIRAH.

Next month: Selecting indoor design conditions for thermal comfort

line

manifold

double risers

SECRETS OF A HOUSE WHISPERER

Widely regarded as the guru of creating comfortable and healthy homes in the US, Nate Adams has established a vast following of HVAC contractors who apply building science in their work. Louise Belfield reports.

In the view of Nate Adams, aka “the house whisperer”, building science is sexy. And he has built his consulting business and resulting sales process software as a service for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) contractors on that premise.

The founder of Energy Smart Home Performance in Cleveland, Ohio (energysmartohio.com) and author of The Home Comfort Book, Adams has developed a new business model and way of looking at homes for HVAC contractors. He’s called it HVAC 2.0 and it’s based on designing and executing whole house projects that bring a home into balance using both insulation and HVAC.

“Homes are complex systems of interconnected systems,” he explains. “Understanding how one thing may affect the performance of other things is really important in avoiding expensive mistakes.”

Although he fell into HVAC “by accident”, Adams has runs on the board.

“I came from the insulation and air sealing side,” he says. “I worked in outside sales for a fibreglass insulation manufacturer and became an insulation retrofit contractor.”

After losing his job during COVID-19, Adams set himself the task of learning more about building science and then became a building analyst.

“I had several frustrating projects where I couldn’t solve problems for clients and it turned out that HVAC was the key.”

Not just HVAC, in fact, but smaller/right-sized HVAC and balance. Enter HVAC 2.0, which Adams describes as “a software-backed sales process, a guild and an ethos”.

“HVAC 2.0 is a new business model for HVAC

contractors that helps them solve client problems predictably and profitably, regardless of complexity. It’s strongly grounded in building science but is still fairly easy to learn,” he says.

It came about when his business partner noticed patterns in how home energy levels were testing and what issues his clients were trying to solve.

“So he had a basic process mapped out as a result of that and he taught it to me,” says Adams. “We then tweaked it and perfected it to create HVAC 2.0.”

The Home Comfort Book, designed to help both contractors and homeowners to design the perfectly comfortable home, also came out of that breakthrough. It is essentially a book about pattern recognition – the basis of HVAC 2.0

Creating new things requires figuring out patterns and how to solve for them, Adams explains.

“No one has successfully combined HVAC and building performance before,” he says. “We’ve gradually peeled the onion from figuring out a replicable process for the toughest projects all the way down to a free quote process that fits with the ethos of HVAC 2.0 and keeps contractors out of trouble.

“We’ve had to constantly look for patterns and adjust to be able to find this new path. It’s extremely narrow, so it has been difficult to find and can be difficult to stay on, hence the tight process we’ve developed.”

A QUESTION OF BALANCE

Balancing a home starts with an understanding of how a building works, then good diagnosis, planning, careful execution and, finally, testing to ensure it all functions properly, Adams discovered.

“When uncomfortable and/or unhealthy homes are out of balance, HVAC alone often isn’t enough to solve

those problems,” he explains. “This is where HVAC 2.0 comes into its own, providing a process to triage homes into the simple and the difficult problems with separate processes for different complications.”

Importantly for contractors Adams says, the system also leads to substantial increases in sales, running 60–70 per cent closing ratios within a month and 80–90 per cent within a year. These are typical, not atypical numbers, he says.

“Our network is seeing a 50–120 per cent increases in sales with the same volume of leads, in addition to large increases in closing ratios.

“Perhaps most importantly, the system helps contractors ‘responsibly avoid responsibility’ by offering options to clients and apprising them of both risks and costs, then letting them decide,” he adds.

“This avoids a lot of messy call-backs if clients choose a cheaper option only to find out it doesn’t deliver the results they wanted. We’re seeing warranty reserve expenditures get slashed to almost nothing.”

BEGINNING AT THE BEGINNING

It was over a decade ago that Adams and his partners set out to be able to help people achieve a truly comfortable and healthy home.

“We started out doing advanced retrofits combining insulation and HVAC and built a process for diagnosing, selling, and executing those jobs,” he says. “But then we realised that only 1–3 per cent of homes are likely to get those advanced projects, so we set out to find a better path.

“We were surprised that most homes aren’t as screwed up as we thought and also that the right HVAC can substantially reduce or even solve most comfort and health issues in homes.

“Until now [the business has] attracted super geeks who really like to solve problems and are technically excellent in their work; however, we found that a sales process was also needed from phone call/ email all the way through the advanced projects. So we’re designing a process for free quotes that allows all replacement leads to go through so more contractors will be able to benefit from HVAC 2.0.”

SO, WHAT’S THE SYSTEM?

HVAC 2.0 is a comprehensive planning process, designed by Adams and his partners, that glues the interconnected systems together.

“You can fix anything with that process,” he says.

He maintains that that if a house is properly sealed, has adequate insulation and the right HVAC system installed it will provide comfort, health and safety, durability, and efficiency.

In his view, these are the four basic principles of home performance:

• A consistently even temperature (comfort)

Eliminating possibilities of high humidity and the leaking of carbon monoxide, particulate matter and nitrous oxides from heaters, stoves, and basements (health and safety)

• Managing moisture issues to prevent mould, termite infestation and asthma (durability)

• Good building design (efficiency).

In other words, good building design is about adequately controlling the air, heat and moisture flow in a home.

“When you do this, magic happens,” says Adams. “Airflow is the most important because heat and moisture often travel in air, so air sealing is essential to make insulation work properly.”

This is when the size of an existing HVAC system comes into play. Once a home is properly sealed and insulated, Adams says, an existing system can often then be too large for the home, and uneconomical.

GET PHYSICAL!

Keen to learn more about building physics? Check out AIRAH’s Building Physics Forum: www.airah.org.au/buildingphysics

Airtightness is major factor in how a building – and its HVAC system – performs. According to Adams, blower doors are arguably the most important tool for making a home more comfortable and efficient.

He adds another five principles for creating comfortable, efficient homes:

• Air sealing

More air sealing

• Keep air sealing

• Install appropriate insulation

• Install an HVAC system suited to the improved air sealing.

CAN HVAC 2.0 WORK IN AUSTRALIA?

Sean Maxwell, AM.AIRAH, Australia New Zealand Scheme Manager for the Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association (ATTMA) says the HVAC 2.0 system is highly relatable in an Australian context.

“[Nate Adams’] priorities make so much sense,” says Maxwell. “Control the loads first. Concentrate on quality. Then you can be more confident in your HVAC sizing.

EFFICIENT AND HEALTHY

The authors of a new Australian study hope their work will act as a catalyst for industry change as we move to net zero carbon housing. As well as providing in-depth technical information on moisture management and airtightness, it recommends how construction practices need to change to achieve highly energy efficient, durable and healthy buildings.

An Australian Based Study On Airtightness and Moisture Management is published by Pro Clima, and authored by Jesse Clarke, M.AIRAH, and Lothar Moll, with input and review from international experts.

“The relationship between energy efficiency and health is not a trade-off,” Clarke says.

“When done correctly, a more airtight and well-insulated building is actually a healthier, more durable and more energy-efficient building. This is what the study is about –how to do it correctly.”

The study can be downloaded for free from proclima.com.au/pro-clima-australia-study/ ■

This two-storey house in Hinckley, Ohio, is one of the case studies on the energysmartohio.com website.

“The reason the US and Europe have become champions for airtightness is that it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to save energy. Compared to investments in solar power, HVAC and high performance windows are a winner, especially when you consider where Australia is starting.”

And the basic measures for airtightness?

“These include a water-resistive barrier (WRB) wrap, effective flashing, and better quality windows,” Maxwell says. “Sealing penetrations and HVAC components also helps. We’re not talking about crazy new things here. They’re basic measures to keep out rain, bugs, and humid air. They help keep a building dry and durable, and they make it more comfortable. What’s not to like?”

ATTMA are experts in Australia when it comes to airtightness testing (ATT), a basic way of assessing building enclosure integrity for air leakage.

Maxwell explains that this is mostly done with a blower door, which uses a fan to pressurise the building.

“By analysing the airflow through the fan over a range of pressures, you can establish a relationship and compare the result to a standard,” he says.

He adds that ATTMA’s testing is used around the world to enforce codes and standards because of its efficiency.

“The simple pass/fail certificate is easy to verify and reduces costs for everyone,” he says.

Maxwell supports the ideas behind the HVAC 2.0 concept.

“A comfortable home is one that is well-built,” he says. “No amount of HVAC is going to take a damp, leaky house and make it comfortable and healthy, at least not without using a great deal of energy. Controlling loads with air sealing, insulation, and attention to thermal bridges will make it more thermally efficient.

“Controlling humidity with simple and effective ventilation is critical but not difficult. Even a simple system like a low-flow continuous exhaust is a basic solution for most of Australia.”

HELPING THEM TO HELP THEMSELVES

Back in the US, this time in North Carolina, HVAC 2.0 member Reedie Ward saw his lead volume cut in half during the pandemic. This could have been disastrous for him as a contractor, Adams says, but thanks to HVAC 2.0, Ward didn’t see any drop in income because his closing ratio and average job increased significantly.

“[Ward] now sells almost entirely top-of-the-line equipment with good margins. And the HVAC 2.0 network in general is seeing their work move from 80–90 per cent basic equipment to 80–90 per cent inverter/high-end equipment.”

Because part of the approach is to educate customers so that they can help themselves, Adams says the customers of HVAC 2.0 contractors are much happier and take great pride in being able to solve problems that others can’t.

“The biggest challenge has been figuring out how to teach the ‘guide’ mindset to contractors,” he says.

“It’s natural for us as ‘the experts’ to play the hero, but it will get you in trouble if you are going to truly solve problems.”

By this, Adams means there usually exists a hero versus guide conundrum, where contractors feel they need to “rescue” clients and clients often want to be rescued. This puts contractors in what he calls the “hero” position. The other characters are the villain, the victim, and the guide.

It’s a concept he’s borrowed from Building a Story Brand by Don Miller and the Sandler Selling System.

“The hero ends up with a ton of responsibility, often unfairly,” says Adams. “Clients often expect perfection

and can extract promises of perfection from us even though they are making less than ideal decisions. We call that irresponsibly taking responsibility.

“If you aren’t getting paid to take responsibility and don’t have control over outcomes, do not take it.

“Don’t play the hero,” Adams advises. “Instead, play the guide and offer your clients solid education and multiple paths forward while apprising them of risks and costs, then let them make the decision. This way they own a great deal of the responsibility for outcomes and become partners in the projects rather than acting like the victim. We make clients the heroes in their own stories with HVAC 2.0.”

CHANGE YOUR MINDSET

Ultimately, Adams says, fixing a house the HVAC 2.0 way does not require a huge amount of building science understanding, but you do need a trained eye to look for problems, and a well-designed and executed solution.

“You don’t necessarily need a killer education in building science to get this,” he says. “We teach people as they need to know. We’re genuinely surprised at how many issues can be blunted/solved with HVAC alone, but you can only give guidance on how much will be solved if you know what the shell of a house is like.”

For contractors, it “requires fundamentally changing your mindset from being a hero to being a guide” he says. “Our solutions are not gimmicks, because we have the projects to prove it, but it’s not for the faint hearted!” ■

CASE STUDIES

For in-depth case studies, check out the comprehensive Energy Smart Home Performance website: https://energysmartohio.com/case-studies/

The biggest challenge has been figuring out how to teach the ‘guide’ mindset to contractors

Thermal imaging is another vital tool when understanding the impact of insulation and sealing on heating and cooling.

FIRE AND ICE

This year’s WA Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Awards saw Mark Law walk away with the state’s Apprentice of the Year gong. He tells us about his successful switch from hospitality to HVAC&R.

In October, AIRAH, South Metropolitan TAFE and RACIAWA hosted the WA Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Awards. Almost 100 people gathered to celebrate the achievements of the 10 award winners.

The winner of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Apprentice of the Year Award was A.J Baker & Sons apprentice Mark Law.

SECOND BITE

Law came to the HVAC&R industry a little later than some. On finishing school, he studied hospitality at TAFE and spent several years working in that industry, specialising in pastry and baking and rising to the position of chef de partie. But at the age of 32, he was ready for a change.

BEST OF THE WEST

“I was looking up jobs,” says Law. “We always had the fridge blokes out, always playing around with the controls. I used to talk to them about it, and found out that refrigeration was actually really big.”

When he returned to Perth, Law signed up for a pre apprenticeship and did a six-month work placement at an HVAC company. Although he enjoyed most parts of the job, there was one major problem.

The WA Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Awards were presented in 10 categories to the best and brightest HVAC&R talents in Western Australia.

Award Award sponsor Winner

Best Performance in Pre-Apprentice Studies

Most Deserving Student in the First year of Apprentice Training

Best Performance in the First year of Apprentice Training

Most Deserving Student in the Second Year of Apprentice Training

Best Performance in the Second Year of Apprentice Studies

Most Deserving Student in Third Year of Apprentice Training

Best Performance in the Third Year of Apprentice Training

Best Performance in Diploma Studies

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Apprentice of the Year

Airefrig Australia Scholarship Award

RACIAWA

RACIAWA

RACIAWA

RACIAWA

AJ Baker & Sons

BK James/AIRAH

RACIAWA

AIRAH Jose Luis Rivera Bayer, Stud.AIRAH

RACIAWA

Airefrig

Jacob Cairns

Sajjad Zafari

Benjamin Entwistle

Luke Evans

Chan Nam Tang

Michael Sharman

Boon Guey Ang

Jacob Hinton

Mark Law

Mark Law accepting the Apprentice of the Year Award from AIRAH National President Paul Jackson, F.AIRAH.

“I was afraid of heights,” says Law. “So I was terrified of being in these high-rise buildings.”

The solution came at the start of his full apprenticeship when a friend who had a placement lined up with refrigeration specialists A.J Baker & Sons decided to go elsewhere. Law took the bull by the horns.

“I said, ‘I’m going to go down there, drop my resume off and see how it goes’,” Law remembers. “I got a chance to meet with (Managing Director) Mike Baker, and gave him the whole spiel. The rest was history really. Mike told me ‘You can start next week Monday’!”

CHALK IT UP TO EXPERIENCE

Although Law says he felt the pressure of being a mature-age apprentice, it also offered some advantages.

“It definitely builds people skills and relations with customers,” he says. “I’m not socially challenged, I’m extroverted, so I do relate to the people I’m working with.

“Also, I was a leader in the kitchen, so I’ve dealt with a lot of apprentices myself and know what’s expected of them. I wanted to show these people that I have drive, that I can do things, even if it puts me out of my comfort zone.”

Law has certainly done that. During his apprenticeship, he’s worked on both HVAC and refrigeration, doing everything from residential and small commercial jobs to large supermarket fitouts

Winners were grinners at the WA Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Awards.

using the latest transcritical CO2 technology.

“It’s a great company,” says Law. “To get the experience of what they’ve given me can’t be bought. South Metro TAFE went above and beyond for me as well.

I had great lecturers, people who definitely gave me their time, even during lunch breaks.”

Law says the award was unexpected, but very much appreciated.

“Being a 32-year-old entering the industry, I thought it was going to be really difficult. But coming from the

hospitality world I was giving these guys 110 per cent every single day just for the chance to do another trade. It was fantastic.” ■

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

AIRAH thanks the major event sponsor Ford & Doonan, as well as event sponsors

AJ Baker & Sons, Seeley International, Turner Engineering, Systemaire and Polyaire.

The foremost resource

Australian Refrigeration andAir-conditioning Volumes 1 and 2

AIRAHisdelighted to bringone of Australia’sforemost resourcesfor trainin gin therefrigeration andair conditioningindustr y to theeducation sector: Australian Refrigeration andAir-conditioning, Volumes 1and 2, authored by Graham Boyle, L. AIRAH.

The completelyrevised f th editions have brought a new dimension to this highlyregardedresource, with a new full-colour format, hundreds of updated andupgradedimagesand improved text, whichmake for easier reading and understanding.

For more information, go to ww w. airah.org.au/ARAC

Fujitsu Applied Business Manager Frank Spiropoulos

1 LICENCE ALERT IN NSW

The New South Wales government is implementing a new licensing class for mechanical services and medical gases.

On October 1, the medical gases component of this system commenced. The broader mechanical services licence is due to begin on March 1, 2023.

AIRAH and other HVAC&R industry bodies have been calling for meetings with the government to clarify the scope of the new licence and confirm how it will work alongside the existing air conditioning and refrigeration licence.

At time of going to print, Fair Trading’s position was that the selection, installation, maintenance and alteration of pipework on chilled water, hot water and condenser water air conditioning systems can only be done by the holder of a mechanical services licence.

According to the amendments made to the Home Building Act, a Certificate III in Plumbing (Mechanical Services) will be required to obtain a mechanical services licence.

AIRAH and other industry bodies have flagged the issues with this approach, and the impact it would have on the HVAC&R industry.

All holders of air conditioning and refrigeration licences are advised to check the NSW Fair Trading website for the latest information on the new mechanical services licence and how it will affect them.

Go to www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au ■

2 FRANK STATEMENT

FROM FUJITSU

Fujitsu General Australia has welcomed Frank Spiropoulos to the role of Applied Business Manager.

Fujitsu General says Spiropoulos is a seasoned HVAC professional with experience in a range of roles valuable to the business: from chiller technician to authorised dealer and product support manager. Before joining the company, his most recent role was as solutions engineer for Trane Technologies.

“As Fujitsu General’s applied business continues to grow and engage with new customers working on commercial and industrial projects, it is important that we have the best people in the team to provide the most valuable and up-todate insight and experience,” says Peter Cashel, Head of Sales, Fujitsu General Australia.

“Frank’s extensive practical experience in the HVAC industry, and his impressive knowledge of commercial products and service is a great fit for Fujitsu. We are excited about the future of the applied range with a growing and dedicated team driving it.”

Go to www.fujitsugeneral.com.au ■

3 NO MORE DODGY COURSES

The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) says it has put an end to dodgy RTOs that issue spurious qualifications typically based on inadequate two-day courses and inappropriate reliance on recognition of prior learning (RPL) processes.

“Over the years, ARC has worked in partnership with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to shut down these courses,” says ARC CEO Glenn Evans.

“Significantly, this means you can no longer get a Certificate II RAC qualification by attending a quickie weekend course and going through a meaningless tick-and-flick RPL process.

“Even accounting for RPL, these courses should typically involve a minimum of 360 hours.”

Evans says RPL is a rigorous process to verify the skills people already have. It assesses an individual’s competencies in great detail – competencies which may have been acquired through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning.

“The learner must submit a great deal of evidence,” says Evans, “including referee reports, resumes, photographic and documentary evidence and interviews for every competency required.”

Evans says the ARC will continue checking for any signs of dodgy training returning.

“We welcome industry reports of any new short courses so that we can investigate and take action,” he says. ■

4

RETROFITS

REAP REWARDS

A comprehensive study conducted through the Victorian Healthy Homes Program has measured the impact of an energy efficiency and thermal comfort home upgrade on temperature, energy use, health and quality of life. It found that for every dollar saved in energy, more than $10 is saved in health.

From 2018–20, Sustainability Victoria oversaw the roll out of upgrades to 1,000 homes of low income Victorians with a health or social care need. The Australian Energy Foundation was engaged as delivery partner, and University of Technology of Sydney managed the research and evaluation elements.

According to researchers, the Victorian Healthy Homes Program showed that a relatively minor thermal comfort and energy efficiency upgrade – with an average cost $2,809 – delivered multiple benefits. These include increased indoor temperature (real and subjective), reduced condensation, and lower gas use, leading to lower energy bills and emissions.

Researchers also found that those in upgraded homes used fewer healthcare services and had lower health costs – savings over the three-month winter period were $887, dwarfing the $85 energy cost savings.

Go to bit.ly/3OnhzYP ■

5 PERFECT FIT FOR APS AND SIEMENS

APS Industrial has been confirmed as an Australian national distribution partner for Siemens building technology products.

The latest agreement adds the Siemens building technology product portfolios to the partnership. These include building automation and associated HVAC field devices (valves and actuators, damper actuators, sensors, metering products and room thermostats), variable speed drives, and Siemens’ GAMMA instabus range of KNX lighting controls.

“The highlight of the portfolio is Desigo FIT, customised for the Australian building products industry,” APS Industrial says. “Desigo FIT applications for heating, cooling and ventilation

are the perfect fit for small to medium-sized buildings. They enable you to create sustainable and efficient buildings such as schools, small offices, residential buildings, and small hotels.

“Desigo FIT applications include field devices, room and primary automation, operations and building management.”

Go to apsindustrial.com.au ■

6 STILL ON THE BOIL

In October, Simons Boilers celebrated 90 years of business at a special event at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.

“The products that we build are the ‘unsung heroes’ of industry,” said CEO and owner Derek Simons. “They are tucked away in the corner of plantrooms, quietly powering the more glamourous machines, that make many of the products used in our daily lives.”

Simons also quoted a statistic that 30 per cent of family businesses make it through the second generation, 10 per cent through the third, and only 3 per cent through the fourth.

“Well, I stand here tonight, midway through succession of our fourth generation of engineers at the helm, and still punching on,” said Simons. “If any of my three kids decide to take on the next round, I hope that they too will prove the pundits wrong!”

Go to simonsboiler.com.au ■

7 PICKING FAULTS

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has published the complete results of its refrigeration and air conditioning bench-testing project.

The project is the next stage of a much larger project to quantify the benefits of better installation and regular equipment maintenance practices.

For refrigerated display cabinets, a 40 per cent blocked condenser reduced the system performance and increased its energy consumption by around 16 per cent.

For walk-in cool rooms, contaminated refrigerant had the greatest negative impact on system performance, with the energy consumption increasing by almost 70 per cent over the reference run.

For non-ducted split systems running at 70 per cent refrigerant charge, there was a drop in unit capacity by 17 per cent in the cooling cycle and 19 per cent in the heating cycle compared to the reference run.

For ducted rooftop packages, at 100 per cent refrigerant charge with 51g of a non condensable added (at T1 temperature zone), there was a drop in unit capacity of almost 18 per cent in the cooling cycle, and with 70 per cent refrigerant charge a drop in unit capacity of 55 per cent in the heating cycle, compared to the reference run. Go to bit.ly/3tI0D5J ■

8 EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A RIESLING

With the help of Cold Logic, Jim Barry Wines recently upgraded its refrigeration plant to improve both the quality of its riesling and its environmental performance.

Temperature control is a critical parameter in quality wine production and is especially important operation in South Australian wineries, given the warm climate. Refrigeration addresses this need, but at a cost: it typically accounts for 50–70 per cent of total electricity use.

Cold Logic was the refrigeration provider on the project, designing and assembling an ammonia plant at its Port Adelaide factory. The equipment was sized to accommodate growth, with the ability to service a 4,000-tonne crush and whole bunch pressing of 15 tonnes of riesling a day.

Jim Barry Wines General Manager Tom Barry says that as well as preparing for the future, the project was heavily focused on sustainability.

“We estimate that we have achieved around 30 per cent in energy savings in just the first year of operation,” he says. ■

9 NEW PLAYER IN VENTILATION

GJ Walker Air Handling Systems has announced its new industrial fan division, Walker Industrial Systems (WIS), as part of the company’s new focus on the industrial ventilation market.

The GJ Walker Group says WIS will add a range of industrial fans and blowers to its portfolio of products, bringing a new market with different ventilation requirements that complements its existing successful air handling systems business.

Servicing clients nationally, WIS will be headed up by two experienced fan engineers in Steve McGuire, with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, and Sudevan Nallathamby, extending his current position as GJ Walker General Manager to also include WIS Director. Go to www.gjwalker.com.au ■

10 GLEESON

CALLS

TIME AT AIRAH

AIRAH has announced its Chief Executive Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, will be stepping down in early 2023.

Appointed to the position of CEO in 2016, Gleeson has overseen a number of major achievements including the expansion and digitisation of AIRAH’s knowledge assets such as the Design Application (DA) manual series, successful advocacy for the compulsory registration of engineers, promoting women in STEM, establishing AIRAH’s membership of Standards Australia, establishing and chairing the $18M Innovation Hub for Affordable Heating and Cooling (i-Hub), and being a leading voice on indoor air quality, particularly during the pandemic period.

“Tony is leaving AIRAH in a position of great strength,” says AIRAH President Paul Jackson, F.AIRAH.

“Although the board and his team will miss him enormously, we know Tony will continue to be a part of AIRAH’s community and a leading voice across all facets of the profession.”

AIRAH has begun the process of recruiting a new CEO. ■

Name: Luke Allen

Company: DualTECH Airconditioning & Electrical

Occupation: Refrigeration mechanic/ electrician

What’s the best thing about working in HVAC&R? Probably owning my own business and the freedom of being on the road.

How long have you worked in the industry? 18 years.

What is the biggest thing that has changed about the industry since you started working in it? WHS standards.

If someone wanted to find you on a worksite, they should look for the person who is … Looking for the tools he’s lost five minutes earlier.

Favourite tool: Robend battery pipe benders/Appion speed kit.

Best on-the-job advice you ever received: It’s not about whether you make a mistake, but how you can fix it without anyone knowing.

What’s the happiest a client has been with your work? The time when I carried out a couple of installs on a Sunday with an offsider and the client was so happy he forgot he had to pay for it!

Dream car: Audi R8.

Dream holiday: Ibiza. What did you listen to on the way to work today? Joe Rogan

Sporting hero: Eric Cantona.

LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW

If you prefer your illumination with audio, the IKEA Symfonisk may be for you.

Let’s face it: sometimes the last thing you want to do when the workday concludes is shove earbuds into those cavities on the side of your head. But at the same time, the idea of catching up on a podcast or listening to your favourite music might certainly appeal.

Far better then, to have your tunes of choice trilling mellifluously from wi-fi-connected speakers throughout your abode. Enter the IKEA Symfonisk, which combines a cool looking lamp base and connected speaker, providing 180-degree audio.

Sound blends into the home like an audio installation.

“Love that I could change the shades to match the decor, looking forward to seeing more shade designs,” wrote one online reviewer. “I’ve paired mine with a smart bulb, as this

speaker isn’t ‘smart’ in that way; it’s definitely worth it. The sound quality is decent.”

Not only can the speaker be controlled from your smartphone, but various speakers can play different music in different parts of the house. You can have Krautrock in the kitchen and lounge music in the, er, lounge room. Smooth jazz in the bedroom and hip-hop in the home office.

Choose between a white or black speaker, and complement with a glass or textile lamp shade.

A collaboration between IKEA and high-end audio manufacturer Sonos, the Symfonisk is a product whose time has come for those who care how things looks as well as sound, and don’t might a little light being shed on the subject while they’re at it.

RRP is $279. ■

1 TOUGH DAY AT THE ORIFICE

“Rocked up to ducted system that’s been pumping itself down and going out on LP reclaim,” says Cameron. “I removed the outdoor orifice to find this ‘extra filtration orifice’.”

Graham says: One of the first things any budding RAC technician should be taught is “how to keep the system clean during installation and servicing”! This sort of thing should never happen, but unfortunately it sometimes does.

2 VANISHING ACT

No prizes for guessing where the refrigerant in this system went. Thanks to Chris for the photo.

Graham says: No matter how much silicone or mastic we use it just won’t stop a refrigerant leak!

3 THE DOMINO EFFECT

“Another example of how not to install condensing units,” says David, “and at a government facility no less.”

Graham says: At least the security cage is well ventilated! But seriously, who trained the person who installed and commissioned this?

4 CABLE TIE TECHNICIAN

Lisa reports that her company attended to a new client who “thought the installer may have cut corners as her new AC wasn’t draining correctly”.

The whole underfloor area was tied up with cable ties.

Graham says: Cable ties are extremely versatile, obviously! Note that they are not UV resistant, so will harden and break if exposed to sunlight. In this case, correct bracketing should have been used –but “out of sight, out of mind”. The installer should have at least made sure it drained properly.

5 BEEFING UP YOUR SYSTEM

Steven found this set up at a bottle shop in Toowoomba. “The heater element in the burn-off tray stopped working,” he says, “so the drain was diverted to a 5L Maggi rich gravy mix bucket. The discharge pipe was extended to run through the bucket. In case that didn’t work, an overflow was installed back to the original burn off-tray, which then overflowed to the floor.”

Graham says: In theory, using the discharge line to boil off the condensate from the evaporator offers the advantage of assisting the condensing process by de-superheating the discharge gas. However, just dangling the discharge pipe in a plastic bucket loses the potential of a secondary heat transfer area, which could have been possible if a metal drip tray had been utilised and the discharge line fixed to the metal drip tray to form a secondary heat transfer surface.

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Daikin