Trane seminar evaluates chiller rating solutions

Concludes that accurate energy analysis tools are needed

On September 23, Trane hosted and conducted a seminar, titled ‘A closer look at chiller ratings’, at the Grand Hyatt, Dubai. W Ryan Geister, Global Portfolio Leader, Centrifugal Chillers, Trane, Ingersoll Rand, was the key presenter in the first session, while Mike Thompson, Director of Environmental Affairs, Trane, Ingersoll Rand, was the key presenter in the second session.

Geister’s presentation, in keeping with the theme of the seminar, was called, ‘A closer look at chiller ratings’, and dealt with the right approach to evaluate the performance of central chiller plants. It was based on a seminal review of the topic, written by the keynote speakers, which appeared in the December 2009 issue of the ASHRAE Journal, and was reprinted in the ISHRAE Journal and Climate Control Middle East, in the July and September 2010 issues, respectively.

Thompson’s presentation, called Energy, the Environment and HVAC, dealt with how the growing concerns and pressures of the environment, economy and society would impact the HVAC industry, and how the industry would adapt. The presentation touched upon LEED/green buildings, refrigerants and energy efficiency.

Mike Thompson

In his talk, Geister asked whether chillers were part of the problem or part of the solution, and said that for years, the HVAC industry has struggled to find easier ways to evaluate the performance of central chiller plants, and noted that the urgency had led many to use single number evaluation methods, such as IPLV. He questioned the validity of the approach.

Against this backdrop, Geister stated: “Using less comprehensive evaluations is enticing and may seem logical, as IPLV was created by the AHRI, and is often promoted by some manufacturers as the method to analyse chiller performance. However, as acknowledged by AHRI, IPLV or NPLV (non-standard part load value) does not accurately represent a chiller plant’s operating characteristics.”

Stating that decisions based on incomplete data often resulted in poor predictions of equipment energy use, he emphasised, “So, it is important to use accurate energy analysis tools to ensure optimal economic and environmental solutions.”

Ryan Geister

Thompson, in his talk, summarising the developments in the steadily changing landscape of refrigerants, said that the message was that existing refrigerants would be available for the life of all existing equipment but that new refrigerants were already on the near horizon, and the industry needed to be prepared for change. Thompson believed that such transitions were something that the industry had successfully managed before, and, therefore, he saw no reason why the next evolution would not be achieved just as smoothly and efficiently, as before.

According to Trane, the presentation, which was well-received, was part of a multi-city tour that Thompson will undertake to Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, throughout October and November, to spread this message.