Cold Link Africa Jul/Aug 2016 Vol 1 No 6 | Page 32

FEATURE
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN

Performance optimisation is seldom

measurements, followed by continuous

box’ of the ClimaCheck, monitoring starts

by leading cooling and heating system

reported on or documented and

monitoring and analysis of the data.

without any input of manufacturer’s data.

manufacturers. Internationally, 20 training

responsibilities for checking performance

Currently ClimaCheck systems are in

All ClimaCheck reports are unbiased

centres have had the performance

are often unclear. Service contractors are

operation and the data is analysed online.”

of any manufacturer’s data, and are

of their training plant validated by

used internationally in a wide range of

ClimaCheck. The performance of the

genera lly hired to maintain temperatures

Typically it takes 30 minutes to connect

and not to optimise performance. It is

the sensors of the ClimaCheck to a system:

applications, for example, troubleshooting

HVAC&R systems installed by contestants

acknowledged that cooling has a cost,

two pressure sensors, seven temperature

to minimise energy consumption

in the Swedish skills competition was

but how much should that cost be?

sensors and one sensor to measure the

costs, preventative maintenance to

validated by ClimaCheck. Manufacturers

power input. The sensors are basic and do

alert possible imminent breakdowns,

of new synthetic refrigerants have also

Who is accountable for efficiency?

not require the plant to be stopped. Once

validation of plant performance after

used ClimaCheck to validate cooling

The design engineer is required to meet

the sensors are connected to the ‘black

commissioning and quality assurance

performance at different conditions.

the specification and the contractor
to attain the required temperature.
The plant owner is only familiar with
temperature and needs to pay the
bills. No party is given the responsibility
for validating plant performance. 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.

It is acknowledged
that cooling has a cost,
but how much should
that cost be?
The actual performance of a plant
differs from the technical specifications
of the different components, and is
influenced by many variable operating
parameters. “The ClimaCheck can be
considered as the electrocardiogram
(ECG) of HVAC&R installations,” says
Berglöf. “The process starts with field

know
what’s
happening
when it’s
happening
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN

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COLD LINK AFRICA • July | August 2016