A white paper from Rockwell Automation details how facility managers and owners can reduce energy consumption and maximise savings with HVAC control upgrade technology. The paper outlines a new option to help convert constant-volume HVAC systems to variable-air-volume (VAV) control, while avoiding the cost and complexity associated with changing mechanical or building automation-control systems.The white paper, 'Leveraging the Power of Intelligent Motor Control to Maximize HVAC System Efficiency', describes the technology behind this upgrade option, outlines the cost-saving benefits and breaks down a food manufacturer's payback as an example. By adjusting fan speeds, the upgrade option helps facility managers reduce energy consumption and building owners reap payback in a relatively short time - often less than a year.
The upgrade option helps building owners avoid redesign and capital investments associated with new systems. Designed as a self-contained unit for easy installation, the integrated control solution is said to deliver more energy savings at a fraction of the cost of a traditional hardware retrofit. The unit includes temperature and carbon-dioxide sensors, a microcontroller, a high-performance variable-frequency drive and a touch-screen operator interface.
Rather than cycling between constant speed and off, HVAC fans controlled by the variable-frequency drive automatically adjust in response to heating or cooling needs. Jenalea Howell, market analyst, IMS Research, said: 'HVAC systems typically constitute a large amount of a building's operating costs, so it makes business sense to upgrade HVAC systems as efficiently as possible, without being forced to reconfigure an existing system.
