Cold Link Africa Jul/Aug 2016 Vol 1 No 6 | Página 31

FEATURE
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN

Validation of performance
efficiency will reduce power bill
By John Ackermann

Klas Berglöf of ClimaCheck, Sweden, recently delivered presentations
around the country to demonstrate the difference between efficiency and
performance in HVAC&R systems.

H

#ClimaCheck

igh electricity bills are of growing

consumption (efficiency) of HVAC&R

annum can be achieved without any

concern to all operators of HVAC&R

systems, while maintaining the desired

major modifications being done to the

installed but not correctly set up, and

installations.

air or chilled water temperature. The

plant,” says Berglöf. He claims that in

in some cases not needed at all.

HVAC&R systems can be found

•

Variable frequency drive (VFD)

temperature is accepted as being within

supermarkets, savings are between 20%

anywhere from supermarkets and

the range, but just how much electricity is

and 30%; ice rinks between 20% and 40%;

Most of the problems mentioned by Berglöf

hospitals, to breweries and fruit farms,

being consumed?

and in industrial applications, heat pumps

appear to be obvious and yet are allowed

and air conditioning between 10% and

to continue. He gave his views as to why
plant performance inefficiency persists.

wineries, food processing factories and

After many years of research, the

ice rinks, distribution centres, and even

ClimaCheck system has been developed

30%. “Even an annual saving of only 10%

pharmaceutical production plants — in

to assess the actual energy efficiency

has a major impact on the bottom line

fact, HVAC&R is everywhere. Globally,

(coefficient of performance) at any

of any business; at 30% — as we have

cause,” he says. “Some of the plants that

HVAC&R utilises about 20% of all electricity

particular time based on measured

found in many supermarkets — the savings

we have checked have operated for 10

consumption and many plants consume

operating parameters. With his years of

are even more significant. Any saving in

or 20 years at low performance efficiency

far more electricity than needed.

experience, Berglöf can diagnose the

electricity is also a reduction in carbon

because of not being commissioned

“Poor commissioning is a common

assessment and recommend remedial action

emission and will impact on the carbon

correctly. Plants are checked against

supermarket fridge or office is checked

to improve coefficient of performance (COP)

footprint.”

specification and no attention given to

just as the chilled water temperature in a

and reduce power usage.

The air temperature in a cold store,

optimisation. Another common problem

processing plant is tested, and if incorrect,

Commissioning of plant sets the pace

is not fixing something that isn’t broken

a service contractor is called in to attend

Berglöf named the most commonly found

when it comes to the compressors, pumps

to the problem. But a contractor is never

problems that result in a loss of energy

and fans. A compressor may need valve

performance (in no particular order of

replacement to regain performance

importance) as:

efficiency, but is allowed to operate until it

•

Refrigerant shortage or over charge;

fails completely. This ‘run to fail’ approach

•

Compressor damage or wear;

is quite common and dramatically

•

Control problems;

increases the total life cycle cost of a

•

Polluting of heat exchangers;

given system.”

•

Flow problems in secondary media

requested or a complaint lodged with the
service department when the electricity
consumption is excessive. Most plant
operators and many service contractors
accept the electricity consumption as
a given, and direct all their attention
to attaining the required temperature.
The difference between efficiency and

The fundamental issue in
the HVAC&R industry is that
system efficiency is no‑one’s
responsibility; but not only
that, until now it was nearly
impossible to measure.

performance is often misunderstood.

(too much or too little air/water/brine);
•

Fan or pump under performance;

“With our ClimaCheck system, we have

•

Incorrectly set control sensors;

Not just about temperature

assessed many plants in different countries

•

System components changed or

Berglöf’s presentations pointed to the

from the east to the west. We found

upgraded without a full system

many factors that influence the electricity

that energy savings from 10% to 40% per

review; and

1

1. The presentation at SAIRAC Cape Town
was well supported.
2. From left: Danie van Zyl, Klas Berglöf,
and Kevin Schlemmer at the Cape
Town premises of CoolCheck.

2

COLD LINK AFRICA • July | August 2016

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