CCN Dec 2017 - Jan 2018

COOL BOOK

Trends in cooling DECEMBER/JANUARY 2018 Cooling tower feature Stadium adopts R448A

Climate Control News

Mechanical services licence

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Wholesalers in 2018

Your HVAC&R Business Partner

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Contents

33

Cool Book 2017

CCN brings together the industry's best to examine the hottest trends and technologies shaping HVACR. For example, market leader Daikin Australia shares insights on the changing air conditioning market.

24 CCN BRINGS TOGETHER THE MARKET LEADERS FROM ALL SEGMENTS OF THE CLIMATE CONTROL INDUSTRY TO EXAMINE THE TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGIES SHAPING HVACR.

20

Climate Control News December-January 2018

Mid-tier opportunities

A new report identifies untapped opportunities for mid-tier buildings.

Design leadership

Capital Square in Perth is a 6 Green Star rated leader in building design.

Power savings

A new air conditioning company has launched in Australia promising to reduce power bills by 85 per cent.

HFC phasedown

6

8

8

A new study shows great energy efficiency results for cascade systems.

COOL BOOK

Trends in cooling DECEMBER/JANUARY 2018 Cooling tower feature

New licence

14

Industry remains divided over Queensland’s new mechanical services licence.

Through our people, wholesale network, product portfolio and industry-leading brands we’re focussed on delighting you – our customers. That is why we are your first choice HVAC&R Business Partner.

In Focus

10

Enter the robots

12

Climate Control News www.climatecontrolnews.com.au

Wholesalers in 2018 Mechanical services licence

Your HVAC&R Business Partner

18 Over 70 outlets across AU & NZ with 24/7 access to the most comprehensive range of refrigeration and hvac equipment, parts and gas.

New era

20

CCN talks exclusively to the new leadership team at Heatcraft.

Actrol expansion

Stadium adopts R448A

16

How the Plumbing and Drainage Bill 2017 impacts RAC technicians.

Would you clone your best employees?

Australia has become one of the first 10 countries to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

Refrigeration study

This month

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In the news

Actrol continues to upgrade its branch network, opening four new stores in the last financial year with more plans being developed for 2018.

24

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heatcraft.com.au

We’re committed to partnering with you to help you grow your business

Cover Heatcraft is your leading manufacturing and wholesale distribution business. Our business offers the broadest and most complete range of Refrigeration & HVAC Equipment, Refrigerant and Parts and our customers are supported technically and logistically by a nationwide wholesale network that continues to grow. We’re committed to working with you to help you grow your business.

CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS DECEMBER-JANUARY 2018

3

Editorial

Climate Control News EDITOR Sandra Van Dijk Ph: (02) 9213 8277 sandravandijk@yaffa.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Michael Northcott Ph: 0420 403 044 michaelnorthcott@yaffa.com.au ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Michelle Carneiro Ph: (02) 9213 8219 michellecarneiro@yaffa.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS GREATMAGAZINES.COM.AU CALL 1800 807 760 SUBSCRIPTIONS@YAFFA.COM.AU

Brave new world without flaws

SUBSCRIPTION RATES 1 year $99.00 Overseas 1 year NZ A$110

ASIA A$125

ROW A$170 PUBLISHER Helen Davies

FORGET SWIPING YOUR MOBILE PHONE TO ENTER A BUSINESS CONFERENCE, DELEGATES ATTENDING AN EVENT IN MELBOURNE HAVE BEEN INJECTED UNDER THE SKIN WITH A MICROCHIP.

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Martin Phillpott MARKETING MANAGER Sabarinah Elijah Sandra Van Dijk – Editor

OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS a Near Field Communication (NFC) microchip, it will be used as a three-day conference pass at the Pause Festival early next year.

After the event the chip can be reprogrammed to pull up a website, open an app or recall details of business contacts.

Injectable technology is still in its infancy but this is a very clear sign that we are entering a brave new world where robotics and humans are beginning to merge.

If your not convinced, check out our story on page 18 which presents the world's first Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered data centre operator.

Known as Dac, the AI tool identifies electrical problems or server failures.

Apparently, the ultimate goal is to eventually clone your best employees.

Will robots be the next untapped resource to drive the next wave of world economic growth? We all know robotics are already used extensively in manufacturing and I have to admit I am excited by the idea of a robot mate.

Imagine a companion that cooks, cleans, keeps secrets, is never judgemental or critical – sounds like the perfect husband to me.

But seriously, technology that is making air conditioners smarter is around IoT systems.

Bosch Research in Singapore has provided staff

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

with IoT sensors to control the temperature in the canteen in a bid to make it more comfortable.

Engineers set up a system which allows workers to have the air conditioning set to individual tastes. The sensor device has two buttons – red for hot, blue for cold.

Energy efficient fans connected to the cloud can be remotely adjusted to direct air flow. When diners press a button, it changes the fan speed and temperature settings. This is done via a telemetry message to the Bosch IoT Suit running on the Bosch IoT Cloud.

Of course, the system collects plenty of data to calculate optimum set points for both the fan and air conditioning.

So far the trial has halved cooling demands and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by eight tonnes.

While the use of sensors and IoT devices is something we expect to see more of in future, I am not so sure about being injected with a chip.

Even worse, imagine being forced to compete with your very own clone at work. We all know the human condition is inherently flawed so really, I don't stand a chance competing with my cloned self who has all the skills, but none of the failings. Brave new world indeed! ✺

MARKETING EXECUTIVE Jasmine Gale PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Matthew Gunn ART DIRECTOR Ana Heraud STUDIO MANAGER Lauren Esdaile DESIGNER Bree Edgar YAFFA CUSTOM CONTENT DIRECTOR Matt Porter Ph: (02) 9213 8209 mattporter@yaffa.com.au CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS is published by Yaffa Media Pty Ltd ABN 54 002 699 354, 17-21 Bellevue Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.

Ph: (02) 9281 2333 Fax: (02) 9281 2750 ALL MAIL TO: GPO Box 606, Sydney NSW 2001

ISSN 1446-6937.

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News

THE HVACR INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO QUESTION LICENSING ARRANGEMENTS INTRODUCED TO THE QUEENSLAND PARLIAMENT UNDER THE PLUMBING AND DRAINAGE BILL 2017.

Technician inspecting a gas furnace

Queensland licensing reforms introduced to parliament THE BILL WAS introduced to parliament by the Minister for Housing and Public Works, Mick de Brenni, as part of the Queensland Building Plan.

The legislation, which supports the creation of a mechanical services licence, has led to serious concerns about plumbers carrying out work that should be undertaken by the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) trade.

Under the Bill, RAC technicans fall under plumbing as the industry base which is similar to the licensing model used in Victoria.

It is this emphasis on plumbing which has forced industry groups to question broad sections of the Bill.

As the Air Conditioning and Mechanical

Contractors Association (AMCA) points out in its submission to government: "AMCA supports the licensing of mechanical services plumbers at an occupational level but they are not qualified to ensure the safe installation, commissioning and decomissioning of refrigerated air conditioning systems".

AMCA said mechanical services is among the most important work undertaken during the course of construction and the size and scale of these systems is vast and complex.

When introducing the Bill to parliament, the Minister focused on the need for licensing to raise standards. He said the new Bill would help ensure Queensland maintains the high-

est plumbing and gas fitting standards.

"By introducing formal qualifications and licencing requirements for this safety critical work we can better protect Queenslanders from some of the tragedies that have occurred in other parts of the world," the Minister said.

"The Palaszczuk Government is also improving regulation of mechanical services work in public buildings such as hospitals, shopping centres and apartment blocks to further protect Queenslanders from dangerous conditions such as Legionella."

Turn to CCN's special two-page report on how industry has responded to the reforms on page 14.

Report identifies 80,000 opportunities for mid-tier buildings AUSTRALIA’S CITIES ARE built on untapped opportunities. In fact, up to 80,000 untapped opportunities that need government support to meet their potential.

This is the message from a broad coalition of industry associations and local governments that have developed a new policy framework to realise new sources of enLEFT: GBCA's head of public affairs, Jonathan Cartledge.

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

ergy efficiency and reliability for Australia's midtier building stock, using existing policy levers.

"Opportunity Knocks: Accelerating energy efficiency for mid-tier buildings" is supported by a broad coalition of industry associations and leading local governments, including the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), Property Council of Australia, Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH), Energy Efficiency Council, Facility Management Association of Australia, City of Sydney, City of Melbourne and CitySwitch.

The report finds that up to 80,000 buildings in Australia are classified as 'mid-tier' – that is non-

A Grade or non Premium Grade – and that these buildings are a powerful mechanism to help better manage the nation's increasing demand for new energy.

"Mid-tier buildings account for around 80 per cent of Australia's office buildings and 50 per cent of floor space,"according to Jonathan Cartledge, GBCA head of public affairs.

"We know that high performing buildings in Australia consume around a third less electricity and produce a third fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the average mid-tier building – so we are talking about a massive opportunity to improve efficiency and cut emissions."

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News

Affordable Aussie innovation A NEW AIR conditioning company has launched in Australia promising to reduce power bills by 85 per cent.

Called Close Comfort, the unit provides cooling at just 295 watts – less than four incandescent light bulbs. The expected cost per night of usage is only 0.75c on average.

Australian engineer and inventor of Close Comfort, Professor James Trevelyan, wanted to create a solution that not only saves money but is a more environmentally conscious option.

He trialled the refrigerant cooling unit in Pakistan between 2007 and 2014 and it is now available in Australia for the first time.

"At 17Kg, the lightweight unit has no pipes, enabling instant use and portability from room to room. It uses refrigerant cooling and there is no ice or water to fiddle with," Trevelyan said.

"My vision is that everyone living in hot and uncomfortable climates can enjoy personal air conditioning without having to expand electricity production and power networks. In the long-term, we can store enough solar energy to provide all the cooling we need at night and transform the lives of billions of people."

The purchase price starts at $649 at www.closecomfort.com.au.

ABOVE: The 17kg unit has no pipes for greater portability.

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

THE FORMER SITE OF EMU BREWERY IN PERTH HAS BEEN AWARDED A 6 STAR GREEN STAR RATING FOR OFFICE DESIGN FROM THE GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA (GBCA).

Green Star building scores a perfect 10 for innovation the owners, architects and builders to create THE NEW GLOBAL headquarters for Woodside tailored solutions for this unique project," Petroleum, Tower 1 Capital Square has achieved a Bradbury said.

6 Star Green Star Office Design v3 rating which "Being engaged for the mechanical, electrical, represents world leadership in building design. fire, hydraulics and vertical transportation serNDY associate and senior sustainability convices, together with specialised Green Star, sussultant, Peta Earley, said the 54,000sqm tower on tainability, acoustics and fire engineering conMounts Bay Road is one of the most significant sultancy, has allowed NDY to take a holistic view commercial projects underway in Perth. of the tower – and the broader precinct – and ac"This is the only project in Perth to have commodate innovative, cost-effective and susachieved a 6 Star Green Star rating for Office v3 tainable long term designs."

Design and demonstrates the commitment, In a bid to make it one of the most energy effidrive and appetite from a client that undercient and highly rated buildings in Western Ausstands the long term benefits of Green Star-rated tralia, Tower 1 is also targeting a 5 Star Green projects," Earley said.

Star – Office As Built v3 rating and a 5 Star NAGBCA CEO, Romilly Madew, said the project BERS Energy rating. was awarded 10 Innovation points for pioneering approaches to acoustics, lifecycle assessment and end-of-trip facilities, and has challenged the ABOVE: New global headquarters for Woodside Petroleum in Perth. industry to meet higher benchmarks for sustainable design.

The sustainability team achieved a perfect 10 out of 10 score for 'innovation', and KEY FEATURES 12 out of a possible 12 for 'management'.

The 'unseen' achievement of re-orientat• Increased fresh air, excellent air-change ing from a focus on 5 Star to a 6 Star rating effectiveness, outstanding thermal comfort design was a remarkable feat, according to NDY • Abundant natural daylight accompanied with glare sustainability consultant Leigh Gibb. control devices "It was only late in the design phase – • Stringent targets set for energy efficiency: dictated having been originally designed to achieve requirement for high performance glazing a 5 Star Green Star rating – that we real• Highly efficient air conditioning ised a 6 Star rating was obtainable so NDY • Occupancy and daylight monitoring with reduced worked with the base building and tenant reliance on artificial lighting team to make this a reality," Gibb said.

• Rainwater harvesting system for toilet flushing and Project leader and NDY senior associate, landscape irrigation Paul Bradbury, said collaboration has been • Re-use of fire protection system test water and integral to the project's rating success. sprinkler system isolation valves "We have collaborated closely with

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News

Australia ratifies Kigali Amendment to reduce HFCs AUSTRALIA HAS BECOME ONE OF THE FIRST 10 COUNTRIES TO RATIFY THE KIGALI AMENDMENT TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL, A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT TO REDUCE GLOBAL PRODUCTION AND USE OF HYDROFLUOROCARBONS (HFCS) WHICH ARE HIGHLY POTENT SYNTHETIC GREENHOUSE GASES.

RATIFICATION OF THE amendment was confirmed in a joint statement released by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, and Minister for the Environment and Energy, Josh Frydenberg.

This early ratification cements the leading role Australia played in reaching this agreement, including as the co-chair of the negotiations which concluded in October 2016, the Ministers said.

Under the Kigali Amendment, Australia and other developed countries will reduce the use of HFCs by 85 per cent by 2036.

Action to phasedown HFCs will contribute towards meeting Australia's Paris Agreement target of reducing emissions by 26 to 28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030.

The Federal Government has already passed legislation to implement the phasedown in Australia. Imports of HFCs will start reducing in 2018 over a gradual step-down path until 2036.

"The long phasedown period means that consumers can continue to use equipment with HFCs until the end of its useful life. There are already new technologies on the market which use fewer HFCs or different technologies altogether," the Ministers said.

"The Kigali Amendment replicates the successful approach taken under the Montreal Protocol to phaseout ozone depleting substances, 99 per cent of which have been phased out to date.

"This has seen a significant reduction of those substances in the atmosphere and predictions that the ozone layer will be repaired by the middle of this century in the mid-latitudes and about 20 years later in Antarctica.

"Australia has long been a strong supporter and leader of action on the ozone layer under the Montreal Protocol. With universal acceptance, it is widely considered the world's most successful environmental protection agreement."

LEFT: Foreign Affairs Minister, Julie Bishop.

INFORMATION SESSIONS The Federal Government hosted information sessions on the upcoming hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phasedown which begins on January 1, 2018.

The information sessions were held in November and December with more events planned for early 2018.

As well as explaining what the phasedown means for users, equipment owners and technicians, the sessions also covered changes to the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management (OPSGGM) Program.

For event updates and coverage go to www.climatecontrolnews.com.au.

ARC’s annual summer campaign AUSTRALIAN REFRIGERATION COUNCIL (ARC) CEO, Glenn Evans, outlines plans to promote the RAC industry over summer.

Last year, ARC's annual summer advertising campaign drove over 250,000 people to the RTA business directory website www.lookforthetick.com.au.

Connecting refrigeration and air conditioning businesses with customers has been a big part of its operations for many years.

Businesses and technicians that do the right thing and get themselves qualified, licensed and authorised, deserve to be

LEFT: ARC CEO, Glenn Evans.

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

held up on a pedestal as the highest standard of professionalism in the industry.

For over eight years, ARC has invested in advertising the benefits of using ARC-licensed businesses and technicians – both in the stationary and automotive sectors – to the Australian community, promoting the refrigeration and air conditioning industry and driving consumers to use appropriately licensed tradespeople.

Last year alone, over 250,000 people visited our ARClicensed business directory website, looking to connect with licensed businesses in their area.

ARC's 2017-18 summer advertising campaign will use a variety of cost-effective marketing strategies including: search engine marketing, online advertising, regional paper advertising, Google AdWords and Facebook advertising.

In doing this, ARC looks to educate consumers on:

• The importance of using qualified and licensed ARC technicians for refrigeration and air conditioning work (both stationary and automotive); • The differences between ARC licences, and ensuring consumers use the right person for the job; The professionalism and skill of ARC licence holders and the RAC industry; Non-licenced technicians have not demonstrated their willingness to adhere to their legal obligations and this may reflect in their services.

This means consumers run the risk of sub-par servicing or installation, product warranties becoming null and void, and refrigerant leaking into the atmosphere.

Improving consumer knowledge and providing pathways to connect consumers with ARClicensed businesses is good for the environment and good for businesses. ✺

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World News

Top results for cascade refrigeration study SHOWCASING ONGOING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF CO2-BASED REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS, A NEW STUDY HAS FOUND THAT CO2-CO2 CASCADE SYSTEMS BEAT TRADITIONAL R404A SYSTEMS IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY BY 15 PER CENT.

ABOVE: In the study, the system was connected to actual showcase units in a simulated convenience store environment.

THE STUDY, CO-AUTHORED by Yukio Yamaguchi of Sanden Environmental Products Corporation and Kenji Amagai of Gunma University in Japan, was published in the MedCrave scientific journal.

One of the main challenges the researchers faced was the use of CO2 in the high temperature cycle of the cascade system.

Typical cascade refrigeration systems use HFCs on the high temperature side as CO2's low critical temperature makes it more suited to low-temperature applications.

To overcome this, the researchers optimised the operating pressures of the system to achieve better efficiency.

"Controlling the discharge pressure of the CO2 refrigeration system can significantly improve

the coefficient of performance," the study states.

Additionally, the configuration and use of internal heat exchangers in the system was optimised to suit ambient temperature conditions and improve energy efficiency.

In the study, an experimental CO2-CO2 cascade system was connected to actual showcase units in a simulated convenience store environment.

The researchers found that the CO2-CO2 cascade system achieved 15 per cent better energy efficiency than a traditional R404A system.

CO2 has not traditionally been used in the high temperature cycle of cascade systems because of its low critical temperature.

However, the report states that there is very little research done on CO2 use in the high temperature side of cascade systems.

"CO2-CO2 cascade systems, which use CO2 for both high-temperature cycles and low-temperature cycles have not been studied in the past, because of the general acceptance of CO2's lower efficiency in high ambient temperature conditions due to lower critical temperature," the study stated.

The use of CO2 in both the high- and low-temperature cycles of a cascade system not only eliminates the need for HFCs, but also achieves significant energy improvements over a standard R404A system, offering more options for end users interested in saving on energy costs.

The option of CO2-CO2 cascade systems adds to other CO2-based options available for commercial users such as booster systems and outdoor condensing units.

The research article is available for free online at http://www.medcrave.com/articles/det/10591/Improvement-of-Energy-Efficiency-by-Cascade-System-with-Co2-Refrigerant.Source: r744.com

Anti-trust investigation ends THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION has closed an antitrust investigation over cooperation between Honeywell and DuPont to produce the refrigerant R1234yf for use in vehicles.

A 'Statement of Objections' was adopted by the EC in October 2014 against Honeywell and DuPont, which now operates under the Chemours brand, over concerns that the availability and development of the refrigerant may be limited by any collaboration.

The commission argued at the time that both companies, which were the sole producers of the refrigerant, had entered into a series of agreements from 2010 around producing and

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

developing R1234yf. The refrigerant was deemed as important due to its status as the only commercially available product of its kind with a sufficiently low global warming potential (GWP) to meet the EU's MAC Directive that sets out standards for air conditioning systems in vehicles.

A decision to close the antitrust investigation was taken by the commission based on what it said was careful assessment of evidence and feedback from both claimants and interested third parties.

"Furthermore, on April 12, April 18 and July 6, 2017 respectively, the three complainants in

The Commission said the complaint was formally withdrawn.

this case, Arkema, Mexichem and the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), withdrew their complaints," the EC said. “The Commission will continue to monitor closely the chemicals market, including for the R1234yf refrigerant.” ✺

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In Focus

Industry warns of substandard outcomes WHILE THE PLUMBING AND DRAINAGE BILL 2017 WILL STRENGTHEN PLUMBING LAWS, IT WILL NOT HAVE SUCH A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE RAC TRADE.

IN ITS SUBMISSION, the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) warned of substandard outcomes.

ARC also questioned the duplication of licensing types and training misalignment with the scope of works of the licence.

The scope of works for the proposed mechanical services licence is already covered by ARCtick, the submission said.

"A plumbing apprenticeship will not deliver the outcomes consistent with the scope of works of the licence. The skill sets are incongruous and are likely to deliver substandard outcomes," ARC warned.

"The proposal represents a fundamental shift from RAC to plumbing in a manner which is inconsistent with how the industry currently operates, resulting in massive likely burden of both indirect and direct costs."

However, Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni, said the new Bill would enable savings for homeowners by streamlining the plumbing approvals process for new homes.

"Faster approvals mean faster construction and under the new laws most homeowners will be able to fast track their applications and obtain a permit to start work in

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two business days, reduced from the current 20 business days," he said.

"For Queensland homeowners that could mean a saving of $640 in holding costs, for a $255,000 block, by being able to get going more than two weeks earlier.

“SAFETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT RELY ON GOVERNMENTS ACKNOWLEDGING HVACR AS A SPECIALISED TRADE.” - ARMA CEO, Kim Limburg.

"No longer will the wait for a plumbing approval hold up the construction of a new home."

The Plumbing and Drainage Bill 2017 is the third major Bill introduced in a suite of reforms under the Queensland Building Plan .

One of the strongest submissions submitted to the Queensland government on the impact of the Bill came from the Australian Refrigeration Mechanics Association (ARMA) which pointed out that only one of the classes covered under the mechanical services licence deals with HVACR, everything else covers plumbing competencies.

It points out that plumbers should not be undertaking work that takes a technician working in HVACR four years to attain.

"The scope of work associated within the mechanical services licence should only be undertaken by a fully qualified HVACR tradesperson who has undertaken a full four-year apprenticeship," ARMA said.

"The parameters currently within the mechanical services Victorian licensing model is fundamentally flawed since the inclusion of Cert II and ARCtick has allowed plumbers to work outside their scope purely from a tick on the back of a licence card.

"Safety and the environment rely on governments acknowledging HVACR as a specialised trade and must ensure only technically competent HVACR tradespeople undertake this scope of work." ✺

ABOVE: Faster approvals mean faster construction under the new laws.

BELOW LEFT TO RIGHT: Plumbers should not be undertaking work that takes a technician working in HVACR four years to attain.

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In Focus

FOLLOWING IS AN EDITED TRANSCRIPT OF THE STATE MINISTER FOR HOUSING AND PUBLIC WORKS, MICK DE BRENNI'S, SPEECH INTRODUCING THE PLUMBING AND DRAINAGE BILL 2017 TO THE QUEENSLAND PARLIAMENT.

New mechanical services licence to lift safety standards INTRODUCING THE BILL, de Brenni said it will deliver a contemporary suite of laws that will meet industry and community expectations over the next decade and provide for the establishment of a mechanical services licence.

"As we move around our cities, going in and out of the buildings found in our urban areas, Queenslanders expect air-conditioning services simply to keep them comfortable and never to pose a threat to their safety. They have that expectation because of professional standards achieved by our air-conditioning industry.

"The bill also amends the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991 to establish a new mechanical services licence.

"The Palaszczuk Government, a consultative government, went to industry and asked them what they wanted and we listened. We listened when industry told us the laws, regulations and codes that they were using were cumbersome and out of date.

"Most homeowners will be able to fast-track

LEFT: Queensland Minister for Public Works, Mick de Brenni.

MAIN: Parliament House, Brisbane.

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their applications and obtain a permit to start work in just two business days, reduced from the current 20 business days. The time frames for more complex projects, such as multi-unit residential and commercial buildings, will be halved from 20 business days down to 10 business days.

Faster approvals mean faster construction.

"Over the past 15 years, the act has been amended by 33 separate bills, causing the act to grow increasingly in size and complexity. Therefore, it is little wonder that industry supported taking a good hard look at the current laws. Mechanical services work includes the construction, installation, replacement, repair, alteration, maintenance, testing or commissioning of a mechanical heating or cooling system in a building.

It includes work associated with a medical gas system and incidental design work.

"The licence will regulate mechanical services work in large or public buildings used by the general public and community such as hospitals, shopping centres, office blocks and other commercial buildings, residential apartment blocks and entertainment complexes, including aquaria.

"It will not cover Class 1a buildings, meaning a single dwelling, for example, a detached house, townhouse or villa or Class 10 buildings meaning a non-habitable building or structure, for example, a garage or shed. This includes the installation of a single-head split system, gas work regulated under the Petroleum and Gas

(Production and Safety Act) 2004 or the manufacture of pipe or ducting.

"Poorly performed mechanical services work has the potential to cause significant health and safety issues in the community. Members of this place are well aware of the danger posed by Legionella in commercial air conditioning systems.

"In addition to dealing with public health risks such as Legionnaire's disease in air conditioning systems, the new mechanical services licence will address the serious risks posed by non-compliant medical gas installations. Members will recall the tragic incidents in 2016 at a New South Wales hospital, where one infant died and another tragically suffered permanent brain damage after being mistakenly administered nitrous oxide.

"It was later discovered that the medical gas system had been incorrectly installed.

The loss suffered by those families is unimaginable and unfathomable.

"The changes will introduce formal qualifications and licensing requirements for medical gas work in Queensland to ensure that this work is performed by individuals who are suitability qualified. The new mechanical services licence will be administered by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission as part of its ordinary business as Queensland's building industry regulator.

"There will be a period of transition before the new mechanical services licence commences." âœş

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Data Centres

Clone your best employees ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AND BLOCKCHAIN ARE AMONG NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE DRIVING A NEED FOR INCREASED DATA CENTRE CAPACITY, ACCORDING TO CHINA TELECOM. IN A PRESS release, the telco said these “rapidly maturing” technologies, such as machine learning and adaptive security, will propel investment in data centres.

Interestingly, though, data centers themselves may end up using this new tech as heavily as the customers.

San Jose, California-based Litbit said in a recent blog post that it has developed the first AIpowered data center operator.

Dac, as the AI tool is called, promises to find loose electrical hook-ups and leaking water, among other potential data centre disasters. It uses machine learning.

Infrared vision is among Dac’s skills, according to CEO Scott Noteboom.

He said that “superhuman” insight helps identify electrical arc flashes and alert managers to failing power supplies which can be a precursor to server failure.

Litbit uses a human-to-machine learning interface that combines what existing human employees know and can tell the machines to look out for, along with real-time data. Vision, acoustics and touch combined with algorithms are used to detect anomalies.

“Clone your best employees,” the company’s marketing proclaims. In this case, the AI computer is taught about data centres by the incumbents. A manager oversees it, but Dac can process “thousands of data centre specific thoughts per second.”

Vibrations in server racks, for example, indicate hard drive issues—the drives exhibit acoustics that aren’t normal. Those anomaly sounds are compared to normal ones captured ultrasonically at varying load levels.

Environmental controls are ripe for AI management. HVAC, for example, can be adjusted based on weather.

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

Environmental controls are another feature ripe for AI management and are used by Dac—HVAC, for example, can be adjusted based on weather.

Noteboom qualifies the obvious human jobloss element of his product by saying his AI tool has been created to let data centre workers “focus on more interesting and new things.”

Noteboom said the Dac product would be great for data centre installs in remote locations, where highly skilled workers would usually be imported.

ENTER THE ROBOTS Robots are another entrant in the data centre employment pool, according to another company Wave2Wave, which can provide a rackmounted robot for making physical optical connections. The idea is to let data centres rapidly provision circuits.

LEFT: Unlike humans, “Dac” can process thousands of data centre specific thoughts per second.

Its tool, called ROME (Robotic Optical Switch for Data Centres) performs connections in a few seconds. The robot manages the cable connections, plucking components mechanically, almost like an old-school telecommunications switchboard where the panel-inserted electrical cords established voice connections.

It’s faster than software-defined networking (SDN) orchestration software, according to the company's CEO, David Wang.

Advantages to both Litbit and Wave2Wave’s products are also found in security. Omitting humans from the data centre can potentially be more secure.

“It’s a game changer in the physical connectivity space that’s overdue for innovation,” Wang said when explaining the benefits of the company's ROME connection-making robot. ✺

COOLING IS BOOMING The data centre cooling market is booming and will grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14.95 per cent through to 2021.

Research and Markets said the market will grow in value from $US7.12 billion in 2016 to $US14.28 billion by 2021.

The report is segmented by solution including air conditioning, cooling towers and liquid cooling. It is also divided by region.

The research firm said solutions are becoming more innovative, environmently friendly and energy efficient. For example, Nortek Air Solutions, has decades of experience and has adopted strategies such as new product launches and acquisitions.

Other vendors covered in the report include Airedale International Air Conditioning Ltd. (U.K.), STULZ GmbH (Germany) and Vertiv Co. (US).

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Wholesalers Feature

New era

of leadership and excellence

HEATCRAFT AUSTRALIA IS EMBARKING ON A NEW ERA OF EXCELLENCE. THEY UNVEIL THEIR PLANS IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CCN.

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

W

ITH A NEW leadership team now firmly in place, the wholesaler is ready to move ahead with its bold new plans for 2018.

For the first time in more than a decade Heatcraft has an Australian managing director. The previous two managing directors were both from the United States. Having an Aussie at the helm really does make a difference, according to current managing director, Damian Mackey, who has been in the role since the beginning of 2017. “It is much easier to relate to an Australian,” he said. And Mackey should know, he has run companies in 10 countries.

“I know how a local can make a difference.

We have a more specific understanding of the

market and we have this understanding much earlier because we are more in tune with the environment,” he said. With a background in industrial products, Mackey’s track record is all about leading and inspiring strong teams that deliver results and that is exactly what Heatcraft customers can expect in 2018.

Mackey admitted the company has always been customer focused. “But now we have a laser focus,” he said. “You’re only as good as your relationship with customers which is why our goal now is to delight the customer.”

That’s an ambitious goal but as Mackey points out – good business is built on service.

“We have to identify how to make our customers succeed in a highly competitive market,” he said. “The leadership team has been busy travelling across the country visiting branch-

Wholesalers Feature

ABOVE: Heatcraft’s gas facility in south west Sydney.

LEFT: Heatcraft’s John Morgan talks to CCN. MAIN: L to R: Stuart Crabb, Damian Mackey, Susan Milne, Roger Pecnik and Michael Carr.

es, empowering staff and gaining plenty of customer insights.” Forget customer satisfaction surveys, all of the interactions have been face to face. “It is important for us to be out there interacting with local teams because we need them to be engaged so they can really connect with customers,” Mackey said. “We are only as good as our people, we need to give them every possible tool to succeed. Heatcraft is very integrated, it is very much a part of HVACR in Australia. I have noticed when I meet people that everyone seems to know someone who works at Heatcraft or has worked here. The company has a great tradition in Australia.

“We are drawing on all of these great attributes from our tailored, customised solutions to our great Kirby heritage. We are innovators but

we also acknowledge the Heatcraft traditions that have made us successful.”

Mackey said the company is planning to launch a number of new products in the new year which will be on show during the ARBS Exhibition in May, 2018. The new members of the team along with the existing team of Paul Campbell, operations director and Colleen Osborne, finance director (not pictured) have created a great mix of energy and experience.

Roger Pecnik, Heatcraft’s marketing director, has seen the renewed customer focus across the business.

“Although customers have always been at the centre of Heatcraft’s success, we now have the right leadership team in place to deliver,” he said. “This is the most aligned I have seen the business in the past two years. Effec-

tive alignment starts at the top and I have seen how it has been spreading through the entire organisation. This is because we have a team that is invested in our plans, we are all heading in the same direction.” Pecnik said Heatcraft is also leveraging its technical superiority – a feature that has always set the company apart from the rest of the market.

“We are doing this at a local level by upskilling local teams to ensure they have greater technical expertise,” he said.

Pecnik also commented on the importance of Heatcraft guiding its customers through the regulatory and technological changes across the industry, “We need to ensure that our customers get the advice and information they need to future proof their capital for the years ahead,” he said. “We are only successful if our

CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS DECEMBER-JANUARY 2018

21

Wholesalers Feature

branches and local teams are successful. That is why we are working so hard to ensure they are highly skilled and well positioned to deliver on the ground.” Supporting this goal is the company’s new supply chain director, Michael Carr, who has been in the role for six months. Carr has spent 27 years in the fast moving consumer goods industry.

“The supply chain in HVACR is similar with the same kind of issues,” he said. “These are areas that require a strong customer focus.

To ensure the supply chain is world class, we are leveraging connections with suppliers, customers and branches. This includes ensuring we have stock availability at all times.”

Carr describes the supply chain as the glue that holds everything together. “This glue works when there is the right depth of inventory in branches, our suppliers have the right products and products are getting to customers on time,” he said. “To make it work we need our sales staff talking to customers and passing on that feedback.” Heatcraft’s director of human resources, Susan Milne, joined the company 10 months ago and in that short period of time has been impressed by the long tenure of most people in the industry. “Long tenure equals credibility and it is our job to build on that capability,” Milne said.

Milne has been at the centre of staff development initiatives and the upskilling of our teams. It isn’t just about technical skills, we are also placing an emphasis on developing the softer skills to enable our staff to better delight our customers,” she said. “Heatcraft’s deep heritage in HVACR is evident in the qual-

The new leadership team at Heatcraft Australia are on a mission – to connect, lead, inspire and, most importantly, they are on a mission to delight

ity of its people. The staff are our champions and I really want to make the most of this great asset.”

For Heatcraft sales director, Stuart Crabb, it is about powering up branch communication and creating branch communities.

“We are encouraging staff to interact more, engage with customers, be more proactive,” he said. “In this industry we can get to know our customers individually so when a customer walks into a branch we know that customer’s name. It is fundamental but it is absolutely fundamental to success.” After only four months in the job, Crabb said he did notice that employees were already customer focused.

“But it needs to be harnessed so we can unlock the customer potential and ensure it is fully realised,” he said. “The key is providing

customers with the right solution but to do that we need to know the customer well and we need to know the customer’s business. For our staff to deliver they need to be trained in every product we have, every application and to have the expertise to help their customers succeed. There is a lot of old equipment out there and not a lot of big capital investment, it is a breakdown mentality,” Crabb said.

“That’s why we need to interact with the customer base as much as possible, to find out what equipment they need, how we can help their business grow and to use our experience and heritage in this business to really add value.” Clearly the new leadership team at Heatcraft Australia are on a mission – to connect, lead, inspire and, most importantly, to delight.✺

RAMPING UP RESIDENTIAL HVAC RANGE FOR SUMMER Heatcraft has expanded its range of residential Hi-Wall Splits in readiness for the summer season.

A new range of Lennox Ducted Split Systems and Multi Head Split systems, together with newly introduced Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Hi-Wall, Ducted and Floor Console lines, significantly expands the portfolio for the company, according to Heatcraft marketing director, Roger Pecnik.

“These new ranges have hit the ground running and our branches are

well stocked, which is fantastic, coming into our peak season,” he said.

“The new releases from Lennox, coupled with the addition of a solid MHI offer, give our customers extra choice when they come into a Heatcraft branch.”

The expansion of the Ducted Split System range means it now meets 7kW through to 26.5kW capacity requirements. The 7kW and 10kW units offer a 248mm low-profile design, ideal for tight roof/ceiling spaces.

The Lennox Multi Split Systems range features a new look indoor unit – contemporary, yet classic to suit most interiors.

The Lennox Ducted Split and Multi-Split Systems include advanced inverter technology, five-year warranty and all units are Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) compliant.

Both ranges also feature ‘Follow Me’ technology, ideal for improving comfort wherever you are in the room. Users simply press the ‘Follow Me’ button and the remote controller acts as your secondary thermostat. This is ideal for minimising hot or cold spaces in larger rooms.

Contact Heatcraft on 13 23 50.

22

CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

Wholesalers Feature

Setting the standard for service, expertise SETTING THE STANDARD FOR SERVICE AND EXPERTISE IN THE INDUSTRY, ACTROL HAS GROWN TO BECOME A LEADING WHOLESALER IN AUSTRALIA’S HVACR INDUSTRY.

REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE and deep product knowledge has seen the business forge a reputation for meeting and exceeding customer requirements.

In 2014, Actrol was acquired by Reece Australia and has since settled into The Reece Group. With business units from plumbing, civil and irrigation to heating, cooling, and refrigeration, customers can shop with consistency all over the Australian network which exceeds more than 500 stores.

This network continues to expand with Actrol alone opening four new stores in the last financial year, including Toowoomba, Port Melbourne, Tamworth and Coffs Harbour.

Upgrades were also undertaken in Cairns, Dubbo, Padstow and Vermont. Customers who have stepped inside one of these new Actrol stores already know from TV size alone, that every detail was considered with the customer front of mind.

Now backed by Reece Group's supply chain and distribution centres (equating to over seven MCGs in space), Actrol's product and engineering advice along with its vast stock holdings truly sets it apart from the rest of the market.

Matching quality products and service ensure its large customer base always has access to the parts and equipment they need every day. Committed to building long-term rela-

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

tionships with major brands and key suppliers, Actrol continues to cement its position as a true market leader.

Rich in knowledge, Actrol has staff with over 40 years' experience and has several members on an array of industry boards. This depth of talent, together with their highly qualified branch staff and engineers, provides the best customer service throughout the country. The finger is always on the pulse and their transparent view on wholesaling guarantees that customers are kept up to date with industry trends, product innovations and new legislation.

Due to its strong connection with world-renowned brands, Actrol is in a position to bring

innovative products to market that save their customers time and money.

Just recently Actrol expanded its capital portfolio by extending the APS ACPAC series to a massive 64.2kW. This and the introduction of Cabero Pro, a CH series evaporator with a factory fitted expansion valve and EVD Ice control, are just a few examples of how Actrol showcases the best products and brands available.

Innovation in the industry doesn't stop there, with Actrol and The Reece Group introducing a complete online business management solution, maX, which offers a multitude of tools to cont. on page 28 ➤ MAIN: Inside the Bendigo showroom.

ABOVE: The new Cabero Pro, a CH series evaporator.

LEFT: Customers are kept up to date with industry trends, product innovations and new legislation.

Our wide product range ensures we have the missing piece for many situations.

When it comes to air conditioning we know that every environment is unique, with its own specific requirements and challenges.

That’s why our award-winning product range is so extensive, spanning from 2.6kW wall hung splits to 196kW packaged units and everything in between, which makes selecting the right choice easy.

And whenever you do choose an ActronAir product, you can rest assured it comes with our well-earned reputation for energy efficient and reliable performance, backed up by the best service and support in the industry.

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That’s better. That’s Actron.

Wholesalers Feature

Committed to strong supplier partnerships BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS WITH MAJOR SUPPLIERS WERE STRENGTHENED IN 2017 WITH AIREFRIG AUSTRALIA FOCUSING ON NEW PRODUCTS AND EXTENDING ITS REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT, CONTROLS AND REFRIGERANT RANGE. THE COMPANY IS COMMITTED TO A STRONG FUTURE WITH GENERAL MANAGER, STEPHEN CROSS, TALKING EXCLUSIVELY TO CCN ABOUT PLANS FOR 2018.

GOING INTO THE new year, Cross said one of the most important decisions made in 2017 was to engage more highly trained people throughout Australia to provide a greater level of support for customers.

“This allowed us to help customers learn about changes across the industry and introduce them to new technologies and products about to be released moving forward,” he said.

One of the most notable in new products is the introduction of low GWP refrigerants. In partnership with A-Gas Australia, Airefrig has been planning ahead to account for the 2018 HFC refrigerant quotas being imposed in Australia.

“Airefrig is ready, experienced and future proof with unitary. We have included R449a and R513a to our existing refrigerant stock and are carrying out presentations and training to assist our customers with a quick and simple transition,” he said.

The latest TD Enthalpy units in 49kW and 55kW will be released to the market in early

ABOVE: New TD Enthalpy units will be released to the market in early 2018.

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

2018. These new units maintain the many standard features of the Enthalpy range with the added benefit of ebmpapst EC fans, compressor capacity control and digital displays of unit suction and discharge pressures - all managed by a Carel controller.

A high efficiency coalescent oil separator is a new addition to the 25HP and 30HP units.

“These new TD units have been specifically designed and assembled in Australia so as to maintain the quality that the market has come to expect from the Enthalpy range,” Cross said.

“Airefrig continues to expand its assembly factory in Australia to meet the increased demand for these high-quality refrigeration units.”

Cross said Airefrig has a partnership with Danfoss that gets stronger every year.

“Our latest release to the Australian market is small, compact refrigeration units up to 7.5HP manufactured by Danfoss and only available through Airefrig,” he said.

“The Optyma™ Slim Pack units are ideal for medium and low temperature refrigeration applications. Featuring a micro channel heat exchanger, the refrigerant charge is reduced by up to 35 per cent, plus the unit also offers significant energy savings. We have worked closely with Danfoss to bring these lightweight units to market here.

“We also distribute variable speed drives from Danfoss.”

Another high quality company that has a long-standing partnership with Airefrig is Bitzer Australia.

“We have distributed Bitzer and Buffalo products for over 40 years,” Cross said.

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Wholesalers Feature

“This partnership has been extended further with Bitzer’s new Green Point initiative.”

Cross said there are always Bitzer compressors and spares in stock at Airefrig branches nationwide.

He said Airefrig stock Bitzer’s semi-reciprocating compressors up to 60HP, C02 compressors and HSN and HSK screw compressors to support both refrigeration and air conditioning customers.

"AIREFRIG'S ENGINEERING STAFF ARE ON HAND TO PROVIDE FULL PRODUCT SUPPORT."

“The stock is supported by engineering staff fully trained and qualified to quote and offer transcritical and subcritical C02 projects,” Cross said.

“The introduction of the Buffalo PS Evaporators with EVD-Ice in 2017 to the local market generated a lot of positive interest from customers. We have the factory fitted electronic TX valve option, readily available in the new year.”

Airefrig has also partnered with ebm-papst undertaking EC upgrade projects across Australia.

“We will continue to offer this service in 2018 ensuring the latest in EC fan technology is available to the local market,” Cross said.

LEFT: Airefrig Australia general manager, Stephen Cross, said the entire engineering team underwent training with suppliers during 2017.

TOP: Airefrig branches are always well-stocked.

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

“The industry is looking for high efficiency options to meet their customer’s expectations of cost reductions and energy efficiency.

“Airefrig is committed to sourcing these products to meet the needs of contractors and their customers.”

The Airefrig team of sales engineers will continue to focus on assisting with equipment selection especially customers working on new projects or refrigeration equipment upgrades. Cross said the entire engineering team underwent intensive training with suppliers to get an in-depth understanding of the newest and best equipment available on the market.

“We are utilising the best engineering software and are on hand to assist customers that want to improve energy efficiency or need help with chiller and freezer heat loads or matching refrigerant selection with the right application,” he said.

“We also spent the better part of 2017 implementing new accounts and inventory software that is specific to the Airefrig business model.

“It was an intense process customising this software but the result is greater efficiency for customers.”

Cross said customers will also benefit from an upgrade to Airefrig’s online business services in 2018.

“The time critical components of sourcing stock and product information is a huge part of the HVACR industry and the goal is to offer customers not only the best customer service in person but to support that with professional online services,” he said.

Another major project for 2018 is preparing for the upcoming ARBS Exhibition to be held in May. “Planning and preparation is well underway for the 2018 ARBS Exhibition. Customers will have the opportunity to see the latest and the best of what Airefrig is offering in 2018,” Cross said.

“As well as maintaining stock levels and providing the latest and greatest products, Airefrig prides itself on providing the best customer support in the marketplace.” ✺

cont. from page 24. save their customers time and effort every day.

Users can search products and prices, generate quotes, order online and view and pay invoices all in one simple to use online/app platform.

The recent feature addition of stock check to Actrol's maX platform has added even more transparency and reassurance to the tradesmen, purchase officers and admin staff. Customers can now see the stock levels at their home branch or by searching via postcode, as well as the ability to see if products are pending deletion.

Actrol was also part of an Australian first with the integration of maX and online accounting software Xero. This integration allows customers to push invoices and credit notes from maX to Xero automatically, saving countless hours of manual input.

NATIONAL FOOTPRINT So, what can we expect from Actrol this year?

They certainly aren't showing any signs of slowing down. With the largest footprint in the industry by far, they are continuing to expand with several more branches set to open in the new year.

With the latest refrigerant phaseout coming into stride, Actrol are pioneering the change as one of the first wholesalers to stock new HFO blends. Of course there are still plenty of HFCs on stock for customers wanting to transition at their own pace.

In fact, Actrol has the broadest range of refrigerant available as well as the expertise to guide customers in the right direction.

Personalised customer service and tailoring solutions for your specific needs is the Actrol mantra. Through this approach and the continual strengthening of relationships with respected global brands, Actrol is only going to become a bigger giant in the HVACR industry. ✺

ABOVE; Actrol stocks new HFO blends.

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In fact, Specialized systems are a perfect replacement for APAC units as they use exactly the same footprint, duct work, mains power and controls, so there are no expensive modification costs.

Find out more at specializedengineering.com.au

T H E

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SPE CI AL I STS

Cooling Towers

Environmental performance trends

COOLING TOWERS ARE NOT NEW BUT THEY ARE AN EFFICIENT AND RELIABLE SYSTEM THAT HAS UNDERGONE RECENT IMPROVEMENTS TO MEET ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS. WATER TREATMENT AND chemical use, water management, noise control and construction are all areas that have been addressed by owners to improve cooling tower performance.

For example, noise control can be managed with the addition of low noise fans with specially designed airfoils. Or owners can use two-speed motors operating the cooling tower fans at reduced speed or variable speed drives can control the speed of tower fans.

Cooling towers are extremely effective air washers. As a result, the quality of water circulated through a tower quickly reflects that of the surrounding air.

The added impact of evaporation coupled with increased restrictions on the use of chemicals in blowdown makeup water can lead to water quality challenges.

Water treatment is being addressed through the use of chemical free processes such as ozona-

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

tion to maintain water quality and control biological growth.

Another environmental issue industry has overcome is ensuring the right construction materials and fill materials are used.

For field-erected towers, the choice in materials of construction has evolved to requiring less wood units and more fibreglass (FRP) structures.

In smaller-sized factory-assembled units, longevity and durability make fibreglass towers a popular choice. However, a noticeable trend in factory-assembled towers is toward the use of stainless steel instead of galvanised steel.

The more durable stainless steel is better equipped to withstand the attack of water treatment chemicals. Moreover, corrosion has become more of a problem and the need to protect galvanised steel has grown.

In addition, stainless steel towers are now more economical and thus a more viable product.

Fill materials (heat transfer surfaces) are still most commonly composed of PVC, although some use is still made of treated wood lath.

Splash-type bars, which break up the water by interrupting its vertical progress, typically are extruded shapes of PVC. Film-type fill causes the tower water to spread into a thin film and flow over large vertical areas to promote maximum exposure to the airflow. It is vacuum-formed or thermoformed from flat sheets of PVC into complicated shapes that are bundled into fill packs.

Many types of film fill have integral drift eliminators to reduce the probability of icing during winter.

Like other areas of the HVACR industry, controls are taking cooling towers to the next level of performance.

Self-contained control products typically include single-speed, two-speed, or variable-speed motor controls plus controls for collection basin heaters and water makeup systems in a single panel. Large towers are frequently monitored from a remote control centre.

In some cases, tower controls may be tied to the building automation system (BAS). With today's emphasis on monitoring and data collection, the most important issue with cooling tower controls remains to be compatibility. The motor and the controls need to match, especially when two-speed motors are used.  âœş ABOVE: Like other areas of the HVACR industry, controls are taking cooling towers to the next level of performance.

Cooling Towers

Cooling Water Filtration Systems

Tower size and selection

MultiCyclone Centrifugal Filters

COOLING TOWERS VARY in size, model and type with selection often influenced by application and heat load.

Although cooling tower technology has remained stable, there are a myriad of factors that can impact cooling tower selection and performance.

Cooling tower design is shaped by calculating parameters such as wet-bulb temperature, dry-bulb temperature and/or relative humidity, heat load, flow, range, and other factors.

For example field erected towers are primarily constructed at the site. Prefabricated pieces are shipped to the site for final assembly.

Large towers are usually field-erected while small towers are shipped intact.

Atmospheric towers use no mechanical device to create airflow.

Small, natural induction units are inexpensive but have limited use.

The most common are mechanical draft towers. In these units, single or multiple fans provide airflow. In forced draft structures (Fig. 1), air is blown through the tower by a fan located in the ambient airstream entering the tower.

In induced draft units the fan is located in the exiting airstream and draws air through the tower. Hybrid towers combine the features of natural and mechanical units, often giving the appearance of natural draft towers, but being equipped with mechanical draft fans to augment airflow.

Towers are also determined by the flow relationship of air and water.

In counterflow towers, air moves vertically upward through the fill, counter to the downward fall of water. The enclosed nature of a counterflow tower restricts exposure of the water to direct sunlight, thereby retarding the growth of algae. In crossflow towers, air flows horizontally through the fill configuration across the downward fall of water. Hot water is delivered to inlet basins atop the fill areas and is distributed to the fill by gravity through metering orifices in the floor of the basins. ✺

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ABOVE: Towers are also determined by the flow relationship of air and water.

CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS DECEMBER-JANUARY 2018

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the cool book 2017

Contents

Contents AIR CONDITIONING Setting the pace in technology and design, Daikin Australia has been first to market to meet the changing demands of the air conditioning industry.

CONTROLS The HVAC controls market is undergoing rapid technological change which is why only the best innovators like Regulator Systems can succeed in this market.

COOLING TOWERS Baltimore Aircoil’s technical capability has made it the market leader in closed circuit cooling tower configurations.

FANS The creators of bionic profiling, Ziehl-Abegg is renowned for its ability to inspire the biggest trends in fan development.

MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION It takes a smart company like testo to create smart tools to ensure technicians can deliver greater energy efficiency and better performing buildings.

REFRIGERANTS To cope with changing regulations, organisations need a solid gas partner like Heatcraft with a long standing heritage in refrigeration, to provide certainty.

Sponsored by

DAIKIN VRV AHU AN INDUSTRY FIRST VRV AHU DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED BY DAIKIN, CREATES NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR APPLYING VRV INTO RETAIL, OFFICES, CINEMAS AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS WITH LARGE OPEN SPACESV IV Heat Pump offers greater design flexibility, improved energy with Variable Refrigerant Temperature -performance Available in two types, Standard Series or Outdoor Air Series control, superior comfort and reliability of - Daikin’s VRV AHU are paired with VRV IV Heat Pump operations, outdoor and with a &wide of product offerings to unitscomes for superior EER COP range performance the all needs ofofthe commercial building.

-meet Harnesses features VRVmodern IV Heat Pump including Variable Refrigerant Technology (VRT)*, Daikin’s Inverter Technology and connection to BM systems

NEW Available Now

STANDARD SERIES CAPACITY RANGE

AIRFLOW RANGE

- TO -

- TO -

15.4kW 900L/S

167.6kW 7,800L/S

- Optional EC Plug Fan for improved energy efficiency and precise airflow control

OUTDOOR AIR SERIES

- ESP of up to 500Pa enables flexible ductwork design and the use of bag filters where appropriate

25.7kW 566L/S

- Ultimate installation flexibility

202.6kW 4,550L/S

› Single skin or Double skin with either 25mm or 50mm thick PU insulated panels and Thermal Break options. It is also possible to enable outdoor installation of the VRV AHU

CAPACITY RANGE

AIRFLOW RANGE

- TO -

- TO -

› Long pipe runs of up to 165m › Custom configurations possible to suit site constraints

Visit commercial.daikin.com.au or call us on 1300 368 300

*Applies only to Standard Series models

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the cool book 2017

Air Conditioning

Market leader sets the pace

in technology and design WHEN IT COMES TO MARKET LEADERSHIP IN THE AUSTRALIAN AIR CONDITIONING INDUSTRY, DAIKIN HAS SET THE PACE.

D

AIKIN BOASTS MORE than 90 years of history and experience in the market. It is the only company in the world to make both air conditioners and refrigerants which enables them to deliver the best air conditioning solutions that are world leading in performance, quality, and reliability.

With over 80 production bases in each region around the world, Daikin designs and quickly delivers products to match the specific needs of local markets, earning a reputation for prompt and reliable service that provides comprehensive support to its global air conditioning business.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Daikin Australia head office (Chipping Norton, NSW); Daikin Technology and Innovation Centre (Osaka, Japan).

Sponsored by

Daikin’s philosophy is about moving HVAC forward and, in doing so, invests heavily in research and development to deliver effective climate control solutions to their customers in both the domestic and commercial markets.

Located in Osaka Japan, Daikin's Technology and Innovation Centre serves as the hub for technological innovations for the Daikin Group.

This purpose-built centre assembles the best and brightest from around the world, both inside and outside the Daikin group, and provides the latest in research and testing facilities.

By converging diverse technologies and knowledge in one place, Daikin has created an environment that gives birth to new value for the HVACR industry allowing it to be a company that is first to market to meet the latest trends in technology and design.

100%

100% Cooling load and capacity

DAIKIN VRVIVIVSYSTEMS SYSTEMS NOW FEATURES DAIKIN VRV NOW FEATURES VARIABLE REFRIGERANT TEMPERATURE VARIABLE REFRIGERANT TEMPERATURE TECHNOLOGY. TECHNOLOGY.

EXA

EXAMPLE DUR

Cooling load and capacity

25% 25% Outdoor Temp. Outdoor 20°C Temp.

VRT automatically automatically adjusts refrigerant temperature to individual VRT adjusts refrigerant temperature to individual buildings and further improving annualannual buildings andclimate climaterequirements, requirements, further improving energy efficiency and maintaining occupant comfort. energy efficiency and maintaining occupant comfort.

Low Outdoor Temp.

20°C

High

- Reduced energy consumption

- -Reduced Improved energy occupantconsumption comfort - -Improved Faster pull occupant down timecomfort - Faster pull down time

Evaporating temp. / Te(°C)

Benefits achieved with VRT:

Benefits achieved with VRT:

High

Cooling ca

Outdoor Temp. c Automatic

HOW DOES VRT WORK?

HOW DOES VRT WORK? In Cooling mode operations, the VRT technology adjusts the

High

In Cooling mode operations, evaporation temperature of the the VRTtotechnology adjusts system rise to 16 degrees orthe fall to 6 degrees as the load on the evaporation temperature of the system changes. low system to rise toFor 16 example, degrees in orafall load situation,as thethe ability raise to 6 degrees loadtoon thethe evaporation temperature to 16 degrees reduces the risk of cold draughts system changes. For example, in a low and improves the energy efficiency of the system. load situation, the ability to raise the evaporation temperature to 16 degrees reduces the risk of cold draughts Note:and VRT is improves only applicable tothe VRV IV Heat Pump,efficiency VRV IV Cooling Only, VRV IVsystem.

Heat Recovery and VRV IV Water Cooled energy of the

High

In its most recent research report on Australia's heating and cooling industry, IBISWorld said the ability to offer the most up-to-date, stateof-the-art products is the basis of competition in today's industry.

"Technical requirements are becoming increasingly important in the industry due to the amount of focus put on energy efficiency and noise pollution in the past few years," IBISWorld said.

STATE-OF-THE-ART "A prime example of this trend is market leader, Daikin Australia.

ENERGY SAVING TECHNOLOGY This is a company that is outperforming the wider industry and can attribute this success to technological advances that have set a new standard in performance."

In its report, IBISWorld refers to the introduction of Daikin's Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) systems, which are delivering higher efficiencies in building performance, lower cost, and a smaller carbon footprint.

"VRV systems are more flexible as they can be used in new or refurbished buildings of any size," the IBISWorld report said.

Daikin Australia's VRV manager, Simon Langstaff, said the company's VRV 4 systems are better able to adapt to a wide range of varying conditions compared to conventional systems.

And while its VRV systems have given the company a technical advantage in the marketplace, the introduction of Variable Refrigerant Temperature (VRT) technology in its VRV 4 range has taken building performance to a whole new level.

He said VRT technology, which is available in both the VRV 4 Heat Pump and Heat Recovery series, can continuously monitor the load on the system and adjusts capacity output according to occupant requirements.

"This automatic adjustment means the system only uses the power required to meet the load resulting in greater energy efficiency, and less pressure on the compressor," Langstaff said.

VARIABLE VARIABLE REFRIGERANT REFRIGERANT TEMPERATURE TEMPERATURE ‘VRT’ TECHNOLOGY ‘VRT’ TECHNOLOGY

Evaporating temp. / Te(°C)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

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the cool book 2017

Low

Air Conditioning

Low

VARIABLE REFRIGERANT TEMPERATURE ‘VRT’ TECHNOLOGY Visit commercial.daikin.com.au or call us on 1300 368 Note: VRT is only applicable to VRV IV Heat Pump, VRV IV Cooling Only, VRV IV Heat Recovery and VRV IV Water Cooled

20°C

Energy efficien Low

Outdoor Temp.

Outdoor Temp.

Visit commercial.daikin.com.au or call us on 1300 368 300 EXAMPLE DURING COOLING OPERATIONS

DAIKIN VRV IV SYSTEMS NOW FEATURES VARIABLE REFRIGERANT TEMPERATURE TECHNOLOGY.

Cooling load and capacity

100%

Capacity changes to match heat load

25% Outdoor Temp.

VRT automatically adjusts refrigerant temperature to individual buildings and climate requirements, further improving annual energy efficiency and maintaining occupant comfort.

30°C

High

VRT

Low

Evaporating temp. / Te(°C)

Outdoor Temp.

35°C

Automatic control to adjust temperature

Without VRT 20°C

25°C

30°C

35°C

Automatic control adjusts evaporating temperature to heat load change

VRT

High

HOW DOES VRT WORK?

Without VRT

Low

In Cooling mode operations, the VRT technology adjusts the evaporation temperature of the system to rise to 16 degrees or fall to 6 degrees as the load on the system changes. For example, in a low load situation, the ability to raise the evaporation temperature to 16 degrees reduces the risk of cold draughts and improves the energy efficiency of the system.

25°C

Cooling capacity changes in relation to heat load

Benefits achieved with VRT: - Reduced energy consumption - Improved occupant comfort - Faster pull down time

20°C

Outdoor Temp.

20°C

25°C

30°C

35°C

Energy efficiency is improved without sacrificing comfort

Note: VRT is only applicable to VRV IV Heat Pump, VRV IV Cooling Only, VRV IV Heat Recovery and VRV IV Water Cooled

Visit commercial.daikin.com.au or call us on 1300 368 300

Sponsored by

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the cool book 2017

Air Conditioning

CAPACITY RANGE

16.0kW* - TO -

168kW

THE NEXT

GENERATION VRV IV SYSTEM

VRV IV IS DAIKIN’S ANSWER TOCAPACITY THE RANGE NEXT GENERATION OF VARIABLE REFRIGERANT 16.0kW* VOLUME AIR CONDITIONING - TO -

168kW

Daikin VRV IV Systems offer greater design flexibility, improved energy performance with Variable Refrigerant Temperature control, superior comfort and reliability of operations, and comes with a wide range of product offerings to meet the needs of the modern commercial building. *Heat Recovery series available from 22.4kW to 168kW, Space Saving type not available.

M

proved e

e

- Standard, High COP or Space Saving type available to suit design priority - Refrigerant cooled inverter PCB for greater operational reliability - Variable Refrigerant Temperature “VRT” feature for improved energy efficiency and comfort - Heat Recovery Link technology for precise and efficient capacity control (only applicable to heat recovery series)

Visit commercial.daikin.com.au or call us on 1300SHRINKING 368 300 BLOCKS

N

XT ANT

AVAILABLE IN HEAT PUMP, COOLING ONLY AND HEAT RECOVERY

AVAILABLE IN HEAT PUMP, COOLING ONLY AND HEAT RECOVERY - Standard, High COP or Space Saving type available to suit design priority - Refrigerant cooled inverter PCB for greater operational reliability - Variable Refrigerant Temperature “VRT” feature for improved energy efficiency and comfort - Heat Recovery Link technology for precise and efficient capacity control (only applicable to heat recovery series)

Sponsored by

on 1300 368 300

The air conditioning industry is not immune to Australia’s housing affordability crisis. It’s a problem that has reached all areas of Australian life, from government policy to business investment decisions, right through to everyday life choices.

The average house price in Sydney is above the magic milliondollar mark which explains why the Australian home today is very different to what it was a decade ago.

Housing has diversified considerably with a much bigger mix of smaller dwellings such as high-rise apartments and town houses.

It is all about medium density developments, even with large homes out in the suburbs being built on much smaller blocks.

Homeowners are also moving away from single dwellings to making the switch to apartment living. The number of people living in medium and high-density housing has increased by 32 per cent since 2011.

As an early adapter, Daikin has developed new design features to accommodate these trends.

Daikin Australia's national product manager, Raj Singh, notes that "the reduction of block sizes has resulted in a space less than one metre width on either side of neighbouring homes to install the condenser".

To resolve this, Daikin's VRV IV S, designed in a trunk style casing with a depth of 320mm, enables it to be comfortably located in these tight spaces while delivering capacities from 9kW right up to 24kW. For apartments and inner city living, Daikin's Compact Series bulkhead indoor units have a depth of 450mm and height of 200mm, making them ideal for drop ceilings and wardrobes.

Air Conditioning

Singh said that the housing affordability issue goes beyond the price of a house as there are a host of other factors that need to be considered including rising energy costs, home maintenance, and noise pollution.

"The proximity of houses being built on smaller block sizes means that noise will definitely be a major concern. The VRV IV S can be set to operate in a night quiet mode that can reduce the condenser noise levels right down to 43dBA* and minimise the impact of noise to your neighbours. They are also designed to deliver superior energy performance and hence lower the operating costs for homeowners."

INDOOR AIR QUALITY Australian standards and certification programs continue to drive massive improvements in indoor air quality (IAQ), especially in commercial buildings. For office buildings, IAQ can have a direct impact on bottom line profits and productivity.

According to the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), good ventilation and plenty of natural light can boost profits for developers and building owners, and improve productivity for tenants.

The CSIRO estimates that poor IAQ is costing Australian business $12 billion in lost productivity

the cool book 2017

per annum. The prevalence of asthma in Australia is higher than international standards with between 1,000 and 3,000 new cases of the respiratory condition diagnosed annually.

A study undertaken by Perth's Curtin University found there are 227 substances commonly found in the Australian workplace that can contribute to the onset of adult asthma. The primary standard used to ensure the right level of ventilation or outside air in every occupied building is AS1688.2 which has been adopted by the National Construction Code and the Building Code of Australia.

A company that is serious about IAQ is Daikin. It is the only company in Australia today ratified to feature a Sensitive Choice logo on its range of split systems. Approved by the National Asthma Council Australia, the logo of a blue butterf ly is used to help consumers identify products that can assist in relieving asthma and allergy triggers.

Daikin Australia's national product manager, Raj Singh, said regulations and standards such as AS1668.2 have directly contributed to the development of its VRV Air Handling Unit (VRV AHU).

Available either as a Standard or an Outside Air series, the new models can condition large volumes of outside air. "Conditions like Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) are a very real concern with occupants suffering a range of symptoms from headaches to throat irritations, fatigue and nausea," Singh said. "This is why a wide range of air flow options is so important when creating products for large commercial environments. The VRV AHU Standard series can deliver airflows from 900-7,800L/s while the Outside Air series can deliver between 566-4,550L/s and both can provide ESP of up to 500Pa." * Applies to 11.2kw model, noise levels for other models may vary.

Sponsored by

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the cool book 2017

Air Conditioning

Available in nine models for each series, Daikin's air handling units are tailor made for optimising air conditions throughout multiple spaces.

An industry first, the VRV AHU is a DX system paired with Daikin's highly efficient VRV IV Heat Pump outdoor machines, equipped with Variable Refrigerant Temperature (VRT) Technology and constructed of either a 25mm or 50mm thick PU insulated panels, single or double skin with a thermal break option.

"It can also be customised to your building as the unique modular AN INDUSTRY FIRST VRV AHU DESIGNED design can be sized to a customer's exact requirements, and pipe runs AND ENGINEERED BY DAIKIN, CREATES NEW of up to 165m provide for even greater design flexibility," Singh said.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR APPLYING VRV INTO "The VRV AHU was created for conditioning large open areas including cinemas, shopping centres, auditoriums and office buildRETAIL, OFFICES, CINEMAS AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS WITH LARGE OPEN SPACESV IV Heat ings. It also has free cooling options and is available with an EC plug fan to provide greater control over air flow."

DAIKIN VRV AHU

Pump offers greater design flexibility, improved energy with Variable Refrigerant Temperature -performance Available in two types, Standard Series or Outdoor Air Series SERIES R32 STANDARD LEADERSHIP control, superior comfort and reliability of operations, CAPACITY RANGE AIRFLOW RANGE Mindful of the environmental and climate impact of its products, Daikin - Daikin’s VRV AHU are paired with VRV IV Heat Pump outdoor and with a &wide of product offerings to has also taken the lead when it comes to next generation refrigerants. unitscomes for superior EER COP range performance Daikin became to succeed in applying - TO - the world’s first - TOcompany the all needs ofofthe commercial building.

-meet Harnesses features VRVmodern IV Heat Pump including Variable

15.4kW 900L/S

Refrigerant Technology (VRT)*, Daikin’s Inverter Technology and connection to BM systems

- Optional EC Plug Fan for improved energy efficiency and precise airflow control - ESP of up to 500Pa enables flexible ductwork design and the use of bag filters where appropriate

KIN V AHU

- Ultimate installation flexibility › Single skin or Double skin with either 25mm or 50mm thick PU insulated panels and Thermal Break options. It is also possible to enable outdoor installation of the VRV AHU

› Long pipe runs of up to 165m

Custom configurations possible to suit site constraints IRST VRV AHU› DESIGNED ED BY DAIKIN, CREATES NEW S FOR APPLYING VRV INTO S, CINEMAS AND COMMERCIAL WITH LARGE OPEN SPACESV IV Heat ater design flexibility, improved energy Visit commercial.daikin.com.au hs, Variable Refrigerant Temperature Standard Series or Outdoor Air Series STANDARD SERIES Wcomfort and reliability of operations, CAPACITY RANGE AIRFLOW RANGE callPump us outdoor on 1300 368 300 e paired with VRVor IV Heat a &wide of product offerings to R COP range performance IAL - TO - TO ofofthe commercial building. es VRVmodern IV Heat Pump including Variable * IV(VRT) Heat gy , Daikin’s Inverter Technology and 167 .6kW 7 ,800L/S ystems energy nure for improved energy efficiencySERIES and OUTDOOR AIR SERIES STANDARD ol tions, AIRFLOW RANGE CAPACITY RANGE AIRFLOW RANGE CAPACITY RANGE enables gs to flexible ductwork design and the ere appropriate - TO - TO - TO - TO ding. e

15.4kW 900L/S

15.4kW 900L/S 25.7kW 566L/S

167.6kW 7,800L/S 202.6kW 4,550L/S

flexibility d ble skin with either 25mm or 50mm thick ls and Thermal Break options. It is also OUTDOOR SERIES outdoor installation of the VRVAIR AHU

CAPACITY RANGE AIRFLOW RANGE eup to 165m tions possible to suit site constraints

k

25.7kW 566L/S Sponsored by - TO - TO -

202.6kW 4,550L/S

167.6kW 7,800L/S

R32 to air conditioners by leveraging its expertise as the only manufacturer that develops and manufactures both air conditioners and refrigerants.

OUTDOOR AIR SERIES Although the mainstream refrigerant R410A has an ozone depleCAPACITY RANGE AIRFLOW RANGE tion potential (ODP) of zero, its global warming potential (GWP) still remains an issue.

- has an ozone - depletion TO While R32- TO also potential of zero, the refrigerant has only approximately one third of the GWP of R410A. Consequently, investigation of this promising next generation refrigerant has increased.

Aiming for widespread use throughout the world, Daikin not only manufactures and sells R32, but it also provides technical assistance in emerging countries in cooperation with governments and international organisations.

To reduce the environmental impact of a refrigerant throughout its lifecycle, Daikin evaluates various aspects comprehensively to select the appropriate refrigerant for each application. Daikin also continues to move proactively to refrigerants with lower GWP, and fully supports the historic agreement reached by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol inSeries Kigali in 2016 for a global phase down of HFCs *Applies only to Standard models in total GWP volume.

The company’s championing of next-generation refrigerants, which it manufactures itself, is part of Daikin’s sustainability story. As Daikin Australia's national marketing manager, Dan Tosh, explains.

“Solving our environmental challenges requires innovation. We were the first air conditioning company to appropriate the use of R32 into air conditioning equipment. The technology was patented but the business decided to release the patents to the industry for free to enable a broad adoption of R32 for the betterment of the environment and the industry.” ✺

25.7kW 566L/S

202.6kW 4,550L/S

Controls

the cool book 2017

Head xxxxxx INTRO XXXX XXXX XXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX

HVAC controls improve building performance, efficiency ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMIC AND FAST MOVING SEGMENTS OF TODAY'S HEATING AND COOLING MARKET IS HVAC CONTROLS WHICH IS UNDERGOING RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE.

I

T IS IMPACTING all areas of HVACR by improving energy efficiency and building performance.

In 2016 Techanvio research valued the market for advanced HVAC controls at $8.24 billion. It is set to top $11.05 billion by 2021.

The fastest growing region for HVAC controls is the Asia Pacific which will be worth $5.69 billion by 2021, Technavio said.

A major driver for this market is increased energy consumption with global energy demand set to rise 35 per cent by 2035.

Another driver is an increased focus on integrated Building Management Systems (BMS) and building automation technology to reduce operational and maintenance costs.

One of Australia's leading HVAC distributors, Regulator Australia, provides an extensive range of sensors and transducers, controllers, remote setpoints, valves and actuators, thermostats, hydrostats, pressure switches, soft starters, variable air volume controllers and servomotors.

With over 40 years experience in design, development and local manufacturing Regulator Australia has the technical expertise to assist customers with specification and design.

As well as their own Regulator branded products, the company are distributors for Leasam, TAC Pacific and Belimo.

While Regulator Australia Pty Ltd began operations in 1974, the company began manufacturing its own range of control products in 1977.

Since then Regulator has developed an extensive range of control products with many innovative design features ranging from sensors, set points, package unit controllers, domestic temperature controllers, digital indicating controllers for temperature, humidity, pressure and flow as well as fan coil unit controllers with and without communications, servomotors for both damper and valves, to direct digital controllers (DDC) including VAV controllers and velocity sensors.

When it comes to building automation, Regulator is continually looking to the future, developing new products and systems.

Regulator Automation has the answer for the Niagara and JACE BMS systems.

The focus is also on developing interoperability with other control systems, by standardised communications protocol ANSI/ASHRAE 135-1995 standard, BACnet, to ensure products are of world-class quality. Regulator can also customise solutions.

All Regulator products boast a two-year warranty. âœş

Sponsored by

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the cool book 2017

Cooling Towers

Closing the loop on

evaporative cooling THIS SPECIAL REPORT EXAMINES THE LATEST IN BAC CLOSED CIRCUIT COOLING TOWERS AND THE BENEFITS OF THIS TYPE OF EVAPORATIVE COOLING FOR HVAC SYSTEMS. CLOSED LOOP COOLING systems deliver many benefits compared to traditional open loop systems for HVAC in commercial buildings. The benefits include reduction in fouling, less risk of fluid contamination and increased system reliability and uptime.

Several methods can be used to “close the loop”, including the use of an open circuit cooling tower coupled with a plate and frame heat exchanger or the use of a closed circuit cooling tower, also called a fluid cooler.

Each option has contrasting maintenance and operational implications and differences in total installed cost, including equipment, ma terial and labour.

Closed circuit cooling towers provide evaporative cooling for many Combined Flow: Parallel Flow of Air and Water Over the coil types of systems, and the specific application will largely determine which BAC Closed Circuit Cooling Tower is best suited for a project.

Combined Flow: Parallel flow of air and water over the coil.

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION Closed circuit cooling towers operate in a manner similar to open cooling towers, except that the heat load to be rejected is transferred from

the process fluid (the fluid being cooled) to the ambient air through a Combined Flow: Parallel Flow of Air and Water Over the coil Combined Flow: Parallel Flow of Air and Water Over the coil heat exchange coil. The coil serves to isolate the process fluid from the Combined Flow: Crossflow configuration over the fill. outside air, keeping it clean and contaminate free in a closed loop. This creates two separate fluid circuits: (1) an external circuit, in which spray water circulates over the coil and mixes with the outside air and (2) an internal circuit, in which the process fluid circulates inside the coil. During operation, heat is transferred from the internal circuit, through the coil to the spray water, and then to the atmosphere as a Combined Flow: Crossflow Configuration Over the Fill portion of the water evaporates.

Counterflow

CONFIGURATION

In a counterflow closed circuit cooling tower design, the flow of the air is in the opposite direction of BAC manufactures two types of closed circuit cooling towers: comthe spray water. In BAC’s counterflow closed circuit cooling towers, air travels vertically up through bined flow and counterflow.

the unit while the spray water travels vertically down over the coil. The process fluid flows from top COMBINED FLOW Combined Flow: Crossflow Configuration Over the Fill to bottom through the coil and is in thermal counterflow to the air.

Counterflow configuration. use of both a heat exchange coil and fill for heat Combined flow is the Counterflow transfer in a closed circuit cooling tower. The addition of fill to the traCombined Flow: Crossflow Configuration Over the Fill ditional closed circuit cooling tower design reduces evaporation in the In a counterflow closed circuit cooling tower design, the flow of the air is in the opposite direction of coil section, reducing the potential for scaling and fouling. BAC’s comthe spray water. In BAC’s counterflow closed circuit cooling towers, air travels vertically up through Counterflow bined flow closed circuit cooling towers utilise parallel flow of air and the unit while the spray water travels vertically down over the coil. The process fluid flows from top spray water over the coil, and crossflow air/water flow through the fill. to bottom through the coil and is in thermal counterflow to the air.

In a counterflow closed circuit cooling tower design, the flow of the air is in the opposite direction of In parallel flow, air and water flow over the coil in the same direction.

The process fluid travels from the bottom to the top of the coil, increasthe spray water. In BAC’s counterflow closed circuit cooling towers, air travels vertically up through ing efficiency by bringing the coldest spray water and air in contact the unit while the spray water travels vertically down over the coil. The process fluid flows from top with the process fluid at its coldest temperature. to bottom through the coil and is in thermal counterflow to the air.

In the fill of BAC’s combined flow closed circuit cooling towers, air and water interact in a crossflow configuration: water flows vertically

down the fill as air flows horizontally across it.

Counterflow Configuration

Sponsored by

Counterflow Configuration

Fan System

Cooling Towers

The flow of air through most factory assembled closed circuit cooling t the cool book 2017 43 Fan System more mechanically driven fans. The fan(s) may be axial or centrifugal, e distinct advantages.

The flow of air through most factory assembled closed circuit cooling

more mechanically driven fans. The fan(s) may be axial or centrifuga Axial fan units require approximately half the fan motor horsepower o distinct advantages. fan units, offering significant lifecycle cost savings.

Axial fan units require approximately half the fan motor horsepower Centrifugal fan units are capable of overcoming reasonable amounts o fan units, offering significant lifecycle cost savings.

12.7mm of H2O, making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor in also inherently quieter than axial fans, although the difference is minim Centrifugal fan units are capable of overcoming reasonable amounts overcome through the application of optional low sound fans and/or s 12.7mm of H2O, making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor units. also inherently quieter than axial fans, although the difference is min overcome through the application of optional low sound fans and/or units.

COUNTERFLOW

LEFT: Centrifugal fan.

In a counterflow closed circuit cooling tower design, the flow of the air is in the opposite direction of the spray water. In BAC’s counterflow closed circuit cooling towers, air travels vertically up through the unit while the spray water travels vertically down over the coil.

The process fluid flows from top to bottom through the coil and is in thermal counterflow to the air.

BELOW: Axial fan.

FAN SYSTEM The f low of air through most factory assembled closed circuit cooling towers is provided by one or more mechanically driven fans. The fan(s) may be axial or centrifugal, each type having its own distinct advantages.

Axial fan units require approximately half the fan motor horsepower of comparably sized centrifugal fan units, offering significant lifecycle cost savings.

Centrifugal fan units are capable of overcoming reasonable amounts of external static pressure 12.7mm of H2O, making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor installations. Centrifugal fans are also inherently quieter than axial fans, although the difference is minimal and can often be overcome through the application of optional low sound fans and/or sound attenuation on axial fan units.

Centrifugal Fan

Centrifugal Fan

INDUCED DRAFT Fans can be applied in an induced draft or a forced draft configuration. The rotating air handling components of induced draft equipment are mounted in the top deck of the unit, minimising the impact of fan noise on nearby neighbours and providing maximum protection from fan icing if units operate in sub-freezing conditions. The use of corrosion resistant materials ensures long life and minimises maintenance requirements for the air handling components.

FORCED DRAFT Rotating air handling components are located on the air intake face at the base of forced draft towers, facilitating easy access for routine maintenance and service. Additionally, locating these components in the dry entering air stream extends component life by isolating them from the saturated discharge air.

CAPACITY RANGE Product capacities are called out in terms of a flow rate at 95ºF/85ºF/78ºF. This refers to the flow rate of water that the unit can cool from a 95ºF (35.0ºC) entering water temperature to an 85ºF (29.4ºC) leaving water temperature at a 78ºF (25.6ºC) entering wetbulb temperature. BAC offers selection software to evaluate the performance of a closed circuit cooling tower at any conditions.

All capacities shown are for a single cell. Multiple cell units can be applied to achieve larger capacities.

Axial Fan

MAXIMUM ENTERING WATER TEMPERATURE

AllInduced Draft BAC Closed Circuit Cooling Towers are capable of withstanding entering f luid temperatures as high as 180ºF (82.2ºC), and the Fans can be applied in an induced draft or a forced draft configuration HXV is capable of withstanding even higher temperatures due to Axial Fan the added dry coil technology. components of induced draft equipment are mounted in the top deck

impact of fan noise on near‐by neighbours and providing maximum pr

Induced Draft CHILLER LOOP WITH A COOLING TOWER operate in sub‐freezing conditions. The use of corrosion resistant mate

Open cooling towers expose process cooling water to the atmosminimizes maintenance requirements for the air handling components Fans can be applied in an induced draft or a forced draft configuratio phere, typically as part of a chiller system loop. Open towers use an components of induced draft equipment are mounted in the top dec efficient, simple, and economical design. All components in an open

system must be compatible with the oxygen introduced via the coolimpact of fan noise on near‐by neighbours and providing maximum p ing tower. (See figure 1.)

operate in sub‐freezing conditions. The use of corrosion resistant ma minimizes maintenance requirements for the air handling componen CHILLER LOOP WITH A CLOSED CIRCUIT

COOLING TOWER

Closed circuit cooling towers completely isolate the process cooling fluid from the atmosphere. This is accomplished by combining the

heat rejection equipment with a heat exchanger in a closed circuit tower. A closed loop system protects the quality of the process fluid, reduces system maintenance and provides operational flexibility at a slightly higher initial cost.

When deciding which system is best for an application, several factors should be considered. (See figure 2.)

Sponsored by

Capacity Range

44

Product capacities are called out in terms of a flow rate at 95ºF/85ºF/78ºF. This refers to the flow the cool book 2017 Cooling Towers rate of water that the unit can cool from a 95ºF (35.0ºC) entering water temperature to an 85ºF (29.4ºC) leaving water temperature at a 78ºF (25.6ºC) entering wet‐bulb temperature. BAC offers selection software to evaluate the performance of a closed circuit cooling tower at any conditions.

All capacities shown are for a single cell; multiple cell units can be applied to achieve larger capacities.

Maximum Entering Water Temperature All BAC Closed Circuit Cooling Towers are capable of withstanding entering fluid temperatures as high as 180ºF (82.2ºC), and the HXV is capable of withstanding even higher temperatures due to the added dry coil technology.

Comparison Table

COMPARISON TABLE

Advantages of Closed Circuit Cooling Towers

Figure 1: Advantages of Closed Circuit Cooling Towers

Chiller Loop with a Cooling Tower Open cooling towers expose process cooling water to the atmosphere, typically as part of a chiller system loop. Open towers use an efficient, simple, and economical design. All components in an open system must be compatible with the oxygen introduced via the cooling tower.

Figure 2: Chiller Loop with a Closed Circuit Cooling Tower

Chiller Loop with a Closed Circuit Cooling Tower

Sponsored by Closed circuit cooling towers completely isolate the process cooling fluid from the atmosphere. This is accomplished by combining the heat rejection equipment with a heat exchanger in a closed circuit tower. A closed loop system protects the quality of the process fluid, reduces system maintenance,

Lower volume of recirculating water to treat

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theProcess loop requires minimal treatment cool book 2017

Cooling Towers

During periods of dry operation, the need for make‐up water is eliminated Operational Flexibility Closed circuit towers allow for the following modes of operation not possible with open towers: Free cooling operation without the need for an intermediate heat exchanger: Chiller turned off Dry operation: Conserve water and treatment chemicals, prevent icing and plume Variable pumping: Closed condenser water loop allows for variable speed pumping to conserve energy Closed Circuit Tower vs. Open Tower / Heat Exchanger

Figure 3: Chiller loop with cooling tower/heat exchanger combination.

Figure 3: Chiller Loop With Cooling Tower/Heat Exchanger Combination PERFORMANCE A Sometimes, an open cooling tower is paired with a heat exchanger to capture some of the benefits PROUD, AUSSIE MANUFACTURER If an application must produce full capacity throughout the year,

BAC Australia is proud to produce a majority of its products of closed loop cooling. Choosing closed circuit cooling towers over this open tower/heat exchanger maintaining a clean, reliable system loop is critical. Isolating the within Australia. process fluid in a closed loop system prevents airborne contamicombination may still be a better choice for the following reasons: A wholly owned subsidiary of the Baltimore Aircoil Company, nants from entering and fouling the system. Sustaining optimum Baltimore Aircoil Australia Pty Ltd has manufacturing facilities on performance in an open loop system will require regular maintetheTotal cost: Addition of a heat exchanger (pump, piping, etc.) to the open tower loop brings the initial Central Coast of NSW. nance to assure similar efficiency. High efficiency chillers and heat BAC operates from a modern 16,000m² head office and cost much closer to that of the closed circuit tower system exchangers rely on clean process water to function properly and are manufacturing plant employing some 150 staff. significantly impacted by even small amounts of fouling.

Vision Blue is BAC Australia's initiative to create a carbon neutral manufacturing process at its plant in Somersby (NSW) by 2020.

EXPENSE Internationally, the Baltimore Aircoil Company is a worldwide The initial equipment cost of an open loop system will be less than a manufacturer of cooling towers, closed circuit coolers, evapiorative comparably sized closed loop system, since the open system does not condensers, hybrid wet/dry and ice thermal storage products. include the intermediate heat exchanger component. However, the The company has a proud 80 year history and is committed higher first cost of a closed loop system will be paid back during years to sustainability. of operation through the following savings:

• Cleaner process fluid results in a cleaner internal surface area, and higher efficiency components in the system (e.g. chiller); • Reduced system maintenance costs.

• Reduced water treatment costs for evaporative equipment • Operating in ‘free cooling’ mode during the winter to save energy consumption

MAINTENANCE Since the process fluid of a closed loop system is completely isolated from the environment, routine maintenance is only required on the heat rejec-

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Cooling Towers

tion equipment itself. The need to shut down the system periodically to clean the heat exchanger is dramatically reduced, if not entirely eliminated. Providing clean process fluid to the system will extend the life of other components in the system (condenser bundles, compressors, etc.).

WATER TREATMENT Maintaining proper process fluid quality in a system may involve several steps, such as chemical treatment, filtration equipment and the addition of clean make-up water. A closed circuit cooling tower can provide the following advantages over an open cooling tower: • Lower volume of recirculating water to treat • Process loop requires minimal treatment • During periods of dry operation, the need for make-up water is eliminated

OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY Closed circuit towers allow for the following modes of operation not possible with open towers: • Free cooling operation without the need for an intermediate heat exchanger: Chiller turned off • Dry operation: Conserve water and treatment chemicals, prevent icing and plume • Variable pumping: Closed condenser water loop allows for variable speed pumping to conserve energy • Closed Circuit Tower vs. Open Tower/Heat Exchanger. (See Figure 3.)

Sometimes, an open cooling tower is paired with a heat exchanger to capture some of the benefits of closed loop cooling. Choosing closed circuit cooling towers over this open tower/heat exchanger combination may still be a better choice for the following reasons: • Total cost: Addition of a heat exchanger (pump, piping, etc.) to the open tower loop brings the initial cost much closer to that of the closed circuit tower system.

• Single piece of equipment: Compact design of the closed circuit tower conserves space in a self-contained package, compared to multiple locations for the tower/heat exchanger arrangement.

the cool book 2017

• Maintenance: Narrow spacing in the heat exchanger (e.g., plate and frame) may trap solids introduced by the open tower, requiring frequent, time consuming cleaning to assure optimum performance.

• Dry operation: Open tower/heat exchanger system cannot be run dry in the winter.

These guidelines provide some general information to help decide whether a closed circuit cooling tower is better suited for a particular application than an open tower, with or without a heat exchanger. For additional assistance with a project, please contact your local BAC Representative.

SUMMARY Closed circuit cooling towers or fluid coolers operate just like the open type, but dissipate the process fluid heat load into the ambient air via a heat exchange coil. This isolates the process fluid from the outside air, keeping it clean and free of contamination in a closed loop and creating two separate fluid circuits; an external circuit, in which spray water circulates over the coil and mixes with the outside air and an internal circuit, in which the process fluid circulates inside the coil.

During the evaporative cooling operation, heat goes from the internal circuit, via the coil to the spray water, and then to the open air as a portion of the evaporating water.

The key benefits of fluid coolers are: • Contaminant-free cooling circuit • Potential dry operation in winter • Reduced system maintenance • Lower overall system costs thanks to year-round savings on maintenance, water, energy and water treatment.

Baltimore Aircoil offers various closed circuit cooling tower configurations, each of which offers you thermal integrity, best of class hygiene and great value for money. ✺ Don’t hesitate to contact your local BAC Heat Transfer Specialist on: Australia: 1300 134 622 / New Zealand: 0800 225 842 Email: priority@baltimoreaircoil.com www.baltimoreaircoil.com

PRODUCT FOCUS: S15E SERIES CROSS-FLOW TOWERS Baltimore Aircoil Company is pleased to introduce a new range of S15E Cross-Flow Cooling Towers.

BAC's new S15E Towers deliver a CTI Certified, high quality, highly configurable heat rejection solution for the Australian market.

S15E CTI Certified, Cross-Flow Cooling Towers are perfect for small plan areas with big expectations.

The product has a single side air entry with vertical discharge allowing it to be installed in corners or against walls, while still providing industry best internal and external access.

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Fans

the cool book 2017

Bionic

fan technology THE BIGGEST TREND TO EMERGE IN FAN DEVELOPMENT IN RECENT YEARS IS THE EMERGENCE OF BIONIC PROFILING. THE TECHNOLOGY HAS been inspired by the physical structure and characteristics of the humpback whale.

Evolution has optimised the animal’s body for movement through the water so they are capable of undertaking journeys covering several thousand kilometers with a minimal expenditure of energy.

This is what development engineers replicated in the radial impeller ZAbluefin.

The leading edge of the fan blade has an undulating profile – this is modelled on the golf-ball sized bumps (technical term: tubercle) on the whale’s fins.

This avoids excessive turbulence, reducing both flow losses and noise. The flow engineers have also taken a close look at the whale’s rear fin, the “fluke”.

The v-shaped contour of the rear section of the wing delays potential flow breaks – enabling the fan to be used for numerous different pressure ranges. The latest generation of radial fans at Ziehl-Abegg in sizes from 710mm are now benefitting from this knowledge which has been gained in the field of bionics. The product name ZAbluefin comes from the English word for flipper.

The new radial impeller not only possesses bionic features of the whale, the innovative fan combines knowledge gained from hydrodynamics (marine biology) as well as aerodynamics (ornithology). It also incorporates bionic elements of the owl. Several years ago the designers

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of Ziehl-Abegg have been observing many creatures whose bodies are optimised for water- or air flow. The engineers were struck by the quietest of the birds of prey - the owl.

Just why is the owl so quiet? The owl hunts at night when visibility is very poor. Owls therefore locate their prey by hearing. And this only works if they can fly extremely quietly.

How do they do that? A barn owl, for instance, weighs around the same as a pigeon. Their wings, however, are several times larger and more arched. This gives the bird much more uplift at lower speeds. Pigeons, on the other hand, have to flap their wings hard, which makes them audible from afar.

The tips of the owl’s wings are also fringed. This causes the air flowing over and underneath the wings to meet at the rear edge of the wings more gently and therefore more quietly. The rear edge of the fan blade is serrated for the same reason.

However, the Ziehl-Abegg designers did not scrutinise owls only.

Vultures, eagles and storks raise individual feathers, creating small border-vortices at their tips, further reducing the resistance of the wing. This can also be seen in aeroplanes whose wings now have a small nick (or winglet) at their tip. Ziehl-Abegg owlet fan-blades have long had this feature.

The combination of several bionic features in a single fan also reduces the energy consumption in operation. ✺

Measurement and Instrumentation

the cool book 2017

Smart HVACR

innovators WHEN IT COMES TO INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASURING AND MONITORING, TESTO ARE THE MARKET INNOVATORS AND LEADERS.

WITH MANY ORGANISATIONS placing a greater focus on energy efficiency, preventative maintenance strategies and smart building technologies, technicians can begin to feel outmatched by the traditional tools they use.

Facility managers are regaining the advantage by integrating certain devices into their daily routines, like the testo 420 air flow hood.

Three features that your next volume flow hood should have in order to keep pace with HVAC innovation are: Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, volume flow straightener and seamless interchangeability.

Smart building technology aims to connect thermostats with computers and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in a way that lets them talk to one another and transmit data.

In the modern era, AC technicians can’t rely on outdated maintenance methods and hope to achieve the same results.

Testing refrigerant profiles and servicing the equipment isn’t a new concept but the way in which the tasks are being approached certainly is. The daily job just got a whole lot easier with the testo smart tools refrigeration set and the testo 557 refrigeration gauge.

The smart refrigeration set eschews clamps with wires and pressure transducer that allow for hose-free installation on refrigeration systems that allow for leak-free service/commissioning with accurate readings, saving yourself and the customer time and money. Its flexibility and 15 metre wireless distance offers streamlined testing for separate measurement locations.

PRODUCT FOCUS: TESTO 160 A monitoring system for the monitoring of temperature, humidity, light intensity, UV radiation and CO2 concentration.

Testing for UV light in a laboratory can be a tedious manual process.

With the testo 160 THL, continuous readings of UV light, temperature and humidity can all be taken in the background, with alerts sent once a threshold is crossed.

The testo 160 monitors ambient conditions in display cases, exhibition rooms and depots. The loggers transfer measurement values by wireless LAN to the online store (Testo Cloud).

Data can be accessed at any time with the testo Saveris 2 app or by PC/tablet/smartphone and a normal browser.

If limit values are exceeded, an alarm is immediately provided by SMS and/or e-mail.

For light intensity, an alarm can also be triggered if the accumulated light quantity within a day, a week or a month exceeds a limit value. Thanks to the optional, individually designable deco-cover, the loggers can be integrated inconspicuously in exhibitions and display cabinets.

The temperature and humidity probe with wall bushing is ideal for monitoring small display cabinets in which a data logger cannot be placed.

The testo 160 is ideal for indoor climate monitoring which has made it a favourite for facility managers.

It allows managers to have full control of all relevant ambient conditions – no matter where they are.

The testo 160 Cloud is the central operating element of the testo 160 monitoring system.

Managers can configure WiFi data loggers, set limit value alarms and analyse measurement data. ✺

Sponsored by

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Refrigerants

R448A

kicking goals at Perth stadium HAVING ALREADY SECURED THE DISTRIBUTION OF R448A TO THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND MARKET, HEATCRAFT AUSTRALIA IS NOW LOOKING TO SPECIFY THE NEW REFRIGERANT AS AN APPLICATION OPTION ACROSS ITS KIRBY CONDENSING UNIT AND REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT RANGE. THE NEW REFRIGERANT is already kicking goals, with WA contractor Goff’s Refrigeration working with Heatcraft Australia to design, install and commission R448A refrigeration systems for the prestigious new Perth Stadium project.

The low temperature applications including special -40°C blast freezers are serviced by custom designed and built water-cooled basic condensing units, air-cooled condensing units and Kirby 9000 Series Evaporators - all operating on R448A. It is little wonder the relatively new to market HFO blend is gaining traction, given the impressive energy efficiency and energy savings being experienced, when compared to R404A. In low and medium temperature applications, manufacturer Honeywell reports R448A has been achieving gains of up to 7.5 per cent in refrigeration capacity and can achieve power consumption reductions of 3-4 per cent – a significant impact on carbon footprint and running costs for any business owner, large or small.

Heatcraft Australia is currently conducting field trials with one of its major customers in a commercial refrigeration application. The customer has reported preliminary performance results are exceeding expectations, providing further verification of equivalent system performance and suitability.

R448A has been designed to be easily retrofitted into existing R404A systems, requiring minimal component changes. No oil change (POE) is required or tube work changes. Minor adjustment of the TX valves is all that may be required.

R448A is safety classified A1: non-toxic and non-flammable. With around 25 per cent HFO content, the GWP has been lowered to 1387. This represents 2/3 reduction in comparison to R404A and gives R448A the lowest GWP of any A1 retrofit refrigerant for low temperature applications.

The refrigerant has been tested and endorsed by major compressor manufacturers and approved for use with Dorin H Series and Copeland compressors. It is also suitable to be used with leading control brands, including Danfoss, Emerson and Dixell. ✺ Customers interested in a Kirby customised refrigeration solution, suited to R448A should speak to their Heatcraft consultant on 13 23 50.

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COST EFFECTIVE R22 REPLACEMENT Heatcraft has commenced distribution of R422D – developed to replace R22 as a near ‘drop in’ solution. Ideal for users who wish to retain their existing equipment, it offers a distinct financial advantage over the alternate ‘drop in’ R438A, with up to a 40 per cent lower list price.

R422D is suited to low and medium temperature refrigeration systems and can be used with mineral oil (MO) or alkyl benzene (AB) in most commercial systems. However, changing to polyester lubricants (POE) is highly recommended and POE must be used for scroll compressors.

Worthy of noting is that the capacity and energy efficiency at low and medium temperature tends to be lower than R22.

Heatcraft suggest that if the R22 system was running at maximum capacity, additional capacity may need to be achieved by upsizing the compressor.

The R422D mass flow is also higher than R22. Existing TX valves may be acceptable in many cases. However, if the existing valve was near capacity for the R22 system, a larger valve may be needed when retrofitting the R422D. R422D is non-ozone depleting, A1 ASHRAE classified: low toxicity, non-flammable and with its lower discharge temperature than R22, may assist in extending compressor longevity.

Applications include; supermarket display cases, food preservation and food processing, ice machines, unitary air conditioning and chillers without flooded heat exchangers.

Heatcraft Australia offer cylinders in 12kg and 60kg sizes.

Through our people, wholesale network, product portfolio and industry-leading brands we’re focussed on delighting you – our customers. That is why we are your first choice HVAC&R Business Partner.

Over 70 outlets across AU & NZ with 24/7 access to the most comprehensive range of refrigeration and hvac equipment, parts and gas.