1. Stefan Thie, EPEE Technical Expert
Examples of RACHP efficiency opportunities through improved operation and maintenance
Stefan Thie, EPEE Technical Expert
9 July 2018
Vienna

2. Who is EPEE? European – Global - Representative
Founded in 2000, headquartered in Brussels
Currently 48 members from three continents:
OEMs : heat pumps, a/c, refrigeration
Component manufacturers
Gas producers
Installers
National & international associations
Member of leading European & international initiatives:
ICARHMA
Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)
International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR)
Refrigerants Driving Licence (RDL)
Global Refrigerant Management Initiative (GRMI)
Coalition for Energy Savings, etc.
Partnering UNEP:
Development of “HFC Outlook”, a modelling tool to support developing countries in view of achieving the HFC phase-down under the Kigali Amendment

3. What can be done in existing equipment?
Maintain
Regular maintenance: low hanging fruit to save energy
Meter
Meters to increase awareness and measure consumption
Monitor & Control
Building Management Systems & Technical Building Systems to allow for continuous monitoring & control

4. Impact on Efficiency: Temperature lift
DT increased
Temperature lift DT
Thot
Thot
Tcold
Tcold
Design:
Tcold should be high
Thot should be low
energy usage up
Refrigerant
cycle

5. Increased energy usage
Additional temperature lift leads to increased energy usage!
e.g. 20°C DT  +34% energy used vs. design point

6. Avoid additonal temperature lift
Clean surfaces of heat exchangers cold and hot side
Air or water flow should not be hindered (clean filters)
Refrigerant charge must be right
too low and too high charge have severe impact
Cooling temperature setting close to outdoor temperature
(ex. -6°C air conditioning human comfort)

7. Necessity of maintenance
maintained
Heat exchanger surface dirty
Filter dirty
Fan dirty

8. Some examples: No rocket science – low payback - huge savings!
No refrigerant leaks
Clean condensor & evaporator coils
Clean or replace filters regularly
Check operation and setting of controler
Check condensor pressure controls
30% 8%
25%
97% 4%
Source: IEE Harmonac Project & iSERVcmb Project

9. Some examples: Action Explanation Impact No refrigerant leaks
Too low refrigerant charge increases compressor running time and eventual loss of capacity. Motor/compressors could eventually fail.
+30% energy consumption
Clean condensor & evaporator coils
Every 10K rise in condensing temperature may reduce evaporator capacity by 1.35% & increase power consumption. A dirty evaporator coil would result in reduced system duty without a reduction in motor/compressor running current.
+8% energy consumption
Clean or replace filters regularly
Dirty filters would result in reduced system duty (2 - 4% for every 1K reduction in evaporating temperature) without a reduction of compressor running current. Filters with a too low filtration rate result in dirty cooling coils and fans.
Av. savings 25%
Check operations and settings of controller
Ensure that appropriate mode is being used, the temperature is set correctly (generally between 19 & 23°C), a suitable fan speed is selected, the time schedule is correct and that each function operates correctly
Av. savings 97%
Check condensor pressure controls
Condenser fan cycling/speed controllers and dampers, not set correctly could cause over or under condensing. Both conditions would result in poor efficiency, and therefore longer compressor running time, and under condensing would mean higher running currents also.
Av. savings 4%
Source: IEE Harmonac Project & iSERVcmb Project

10. Finally What do you do, when your product is not working well?
Visual check, maybe there is an obvious explanation

11. Thank you for your attention – Questions?
Contact:
EPEE
46 Avenue des Arts
1000 Brussels, Belgium
@EPEESecretariat