AERMEC CONTINUES TO CHAMPION THE WAY IN COMBATTING CLIMATE CHANGE

Last year’s COP 26 highlighted once again the need to collectively combat climate change and for every industry to commit towards reducing the earth’s temperature to 1.5⁰C. This requires a 45% reduction in global emissions by 2030. The UK government has set out proposals for decarbonising all sectors to meet our net zero target by 2050. All industries face many challenges to achieve their goal but COP 26 also presents many opportunities. HVAC manufacturers are helping the data centre industry to deliver more energy efficient cooing solutions, using less power, less refrigerant as well as reductions in water usage in data centres.

Aermec is helping its data centre customers to work smarter and more sustainably with minimal environmental impact. Luigi Rossettini, the company’s International Sales Director outlines why he is optimistic that the strides being made in air handling chiller and heat pump innovations is not only good for business, but also the plant.

Last year’s COP 26 saw delegates from across the globe come together in a bid to keep the temperature goal of 1.5⁰C on track, but what does this mean for the HVAC industry and can we do more?

The HVAC industry has been proactive and innovative, and industries across the whole spectrum from farming to commercial buildings and the data centre industry have benefitted. Our innovations have been recognised and showcased at industry awards, year after year, with tangible energy savings and reductions in emissions. But the industry and our customers cannot afford to be complacent, more can be achieved.

Barack Obama commented at COP 26 that tackling climate change will help businesses win customers and “companies are starting to figure out that becoming energy efficient is better for their bottom line.”

The COP 26 Product Efficiency Call to Action by the international Energy Agency called for the doubling of efficiencies for four key products by 2030, air conditioners being one of them.

The key message for our industry is to act now. We need to be able to stand up to scrutiny. Only by being innovative and using all the tools at our disposal can the HVAC industry play a key part in carbon reduction and we have plenty of levers at our disposal to help curb emissions.

From its inception, Aermec has been proactive. We took the decision not to manufacture inefficient units but continually innovate delivering the best technologies and solutions that would in turn help our customers make choices that had less of an environmental impact.

We are aware that cost is all too frequently a key driver, so we work collaboratively with our customers and help them make informed choices because being more energy efficient is good for business and a key differentiator.

For example, part of our approach is to invest in providing consultants with the information needed to improve the energy efficiency of hydronic systems made of more than one unit in parallel connection and with the combination of production of cooling and heating.

The energy performance of a chiller or heat pump system, which consists of several units connected together, is not related to the technical characteristics of each unit only, but to the management system of all the units, that have to follow the continuously changing load demand of the building and produce water at different temperatures in relation to the need.

The first issue is to define which type of units are most suitable to the particular characteristics of the installation as there is no single technology that offers the best efficiencies for all types of central system.

We address many parameters; the design of the installation, required cooling and heating load, climatic profile and the use of the facilities. We also take a detailed look at the profile of the load demand, the objectives of energy rating/efficiency, investment plans, whether it is possible to use renewable energy (geothermal/solar), the space available for the units’ installation as well as noise levels, redundancy and maintenance. All of these parameters are necessary so that we can provide a customised and optimised proposal that meets the customer’s requirements.

Selecting the products technology system is also key, and subject to a comprehensive analysis which takes into account the behavior of the performances of the unit when integrating with other units and with all components of the system. So, we developed ACES (Aermec Chiller Efficiency Simulation) which is used to generate a comprehensive report.

Insufficient Industry Standards

Aermec invests heavily, pushing the boundaries to achieve greater efficiencies with minimal environmental impact. But we believe that industry standards have a part to play and can drive more innovation.

Currently the most widely used criterion for assessing the technical performances / efficiency of a chiller or heat pump unit is the SEER or SCOP data (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). This represents what would be the seasonal energy efficiency of a specific chiller or Heat Pump if it is installed in an area with a specific environmental profile as defined by the European Standard EN14825 (2018) and in use by Eurovent and if the nominal load required by the building coincides with the nominal capacity of the considered units.

However, these values are not a true representation of the value of the average annual efficiency of the units (or System). They only give a common reference that compares the efficiencies between different brands of chillers and heat pumps that work in a common annual duty cycle and with modulation levels as defined by the European Standard.

It could be argued that SEER and SCOP are not good mechanisms for comparing two or more unit groups, because the loads each unit has to provide to meet the actual demand of the building, may differ significantly from the assumptions determined by the European Standard. The European Standard does not consider the real climatic profile, nor does it take into account an oversized installed capacity, the number of start and stop cycles which impacts efficiencies.

When we try to analyse the performance of several units connected together, the SEER or SCOP values do not represent the global performance of the system, unless all units are working at the same conditions and at the same part load and temperatures.

It can be more realistic to define a sequence of start / stop of the units, taking into account water volumes in order to meet the load demand of the building, with a number of units in operation at a specific part load to meet the best individual efficiency.

Aermec’s Multichiller EVO management system assesses the instantaneous load demand of buildings and determines how many units should work in cooling or heating mode at the best efficiency, being the instantaneous efficiency in relation to the water outlet temperature and the ambient temperature.

The activation / deactivation of each chiller results in a variation of the primary water flows, which in turn affects the pump energy consumption and has an influence on the bypass flows that is consequently affecting the mixed water temperature of the secondary circuit of the system.

The Multichiller EVO activation/deactivation sequence provides important analysis using all the key parameters, providing the correct rotation of units based on their running hours with priority given to certain particular units (for example units with heat recovery).

Aermec’s philosophy is that we don’t just care about the products we manufacture, we take an holistic approach. This includes analysing how our products are used in a system and the needs of a building, which can make a significant difference. We have many tools and technologies available right now that will help us deliver greater efficiencies and a faster return on investments, now is the time to deploy them.

 

ABOUT AERMEC

Aermec is a leading global brand and an award-winning provider of innovative and energy efficient HVAC solutions and services, that can maximise efficiencies whilst reducing costs, emissions and lower total cost of ownership.

We can provide dedicated witness testing facilities at our factory in Italy, which offers Europe’s largest air conditioning testing chamber and allows single units up to 2MW to be tested at full load. Our facilities are accredited to perform Eurovent and AHRI certified testing and allow accurate witness testing with precision levels of +/- 0.2°C and ambient temperatures ranging from -20°C to +55°C. (Due to current Covid-19 travel restrictions, customers can also take advantage of our remote real-time witness testing).

HVAC systems of any kind need a well-planned maintenance programme to ensure peak performance. From the smallest air conditioning split system to multi-site, multi-chiller installations, Aermec offers year-round 24/7 carefully planned preventative maintenance programmes, ensuring you receive the best service solution that suits your facilities requirements.

Telephone: 0203 008 5940
Email: uksales@aermec.co.uk
Website: www.aermec.co.uk

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