BSEE WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY
Advertising: 01622 699116 Editorial: 01354 461430
MAKING WAVES WITH WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY
How to reduce engineering time and project costs
Sandy Damm, Managing Director at Sontay, explains how wireless technology is now taking centre stage within building control systems.
O
nly 2% of the UK’s existing buildings are less than five years old, offering a massive opportunity for energy savings
through controls installation. The cost and complexity of installation, however, can be seen as a barrier to wider adoption. Retrofitting a wired HVAC control system is by necessity a disruptive and expensive business.
And, once the controls have been wired into place, what happens when the internal layout changes because of office churn? Sensors must invariably be moved to accommodate the new requirements. In many cases, the cost and disruption that this process involves means that sensor re-location just does not happen. As a result, the
performance of the control system, and efficiency of the building services themselves risk being compromised. Thanks to the latest wireless sensor technology it doesn’t have to be this way anymore.
By eliminating the need for structural cabling during sensor installation, wireless devices can greatly reduce engineering time and installed project cost. This enables faster and easier installation on new buildings and also opens up the opportunity for control specialists to retrofit energy efficient HVAC controls into existing commercial and public buildings.
In projects which feature our SonNet family of wireless sensors, we are typically finding total installed cost savings of 30% and more over comparable wired sensor installations. At a time, when reducing costs are a priority on many projects, proven wireless technology can bring significant benefit.
Reliability is an important factor for specifiers and installers when they are considering a wireless system. No one wants a system that drops in and out and that cannot be relied upon to give accurate and continual measures. SonNet comprises battery powered sensor together with permanently powered network receivers and routers all built on a robust 2.4 GHz, 802.15.4 self-healing, wireless tree topology. This topology is significant because it eliminates concerns with reception and reliability often associated with existing ‘point-to-point’ wireless systems. If a sensor detects a problem with the signal, it will automatically re-route to find the strongest available path to the receiver.
Interference with other radio devices in the same frequency spectrum has also been addressed through a proprietary algorithm which continually adapts to site conditions. Seamless integration of wireless technology is essential and making sensors compatible with current building control systems aids this process. For example, our RF-IOM-4A-4U input/output module works in conjunction with SonNet sensors and routers and acts as a local I/O with connectivity to typical HVAC equipment, such as fan coil units or variable air volume boxes. The module can take any 0-10Vdc, 4-20mA, resistive or VFC signal from wired devices in the field and transmit them to one of SonNet RF-RX receivers which in turn communicate the information to controller.
The strategy within the controller uses this information to calculate control values, which are then passed back through the I/O module to alter damper positions and other output connections in the field.
In the early years, SonNet receivers collected data from the network and communicated them in 0-10Vdc output to the controller. Over time a receiver compatible with a JACE controller through a Niagara framework was developed and shortly after a gateway called SIP was launched making SonNet network compatible with Trend systems. This year, Sontay launched the new RF-RX-B SonNet receiver, which allows easy integration to BACnet controllers.
The new generation of ‘smart’ buildings can also benefit from wireless technology as it can be easily connected to internet based communication protocols. For instance, Sontay’s new RF-RX-B Network Radio receiver automatically maps data from SonNet devices into BACnet objects, which are transmitted via BACnet IP communication protocol, using a simple web browser interface. As a result, with this new network receiver, a SonNet network can now easily be integrated a BMS via BACnet IP.
sales@sontay.com
CASE STUDY: Wireless technology in action N
ewham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre in East London is reaping the rewards of a sophisticated Building Management System (BMS) that incorporates the SonNet Powered by SIP wireless sensing system from Sontay. Built in 1905 to house a technical college and then used by municipal departments, the Grade II listed building is now able to lower energy usage and make cost savings.
uNewham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre is making cost and energy savings thanks to Sontay wireless technology.
16 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER MARCH 2017
Installed by Uxbridge-based system installer, TRI Controls Systems Ltd, the BMS system allows the college to monitor space temperatures for the purpose of controlling the underfloor heating manifolds. The new college was built by BAM Construction and its internal M&E services provider BAM Services Engineering.
For this project, TRI needed a
flexible solution that could work within the historic site. The company opted for seven wireless SonNet sensors from Sontay, alongside the new SIP interfaces, allowing SonNet to work alongside a Trend BMS.
The £multi-million project features nine new science laboratories, including a particle physics lab, a biomedical science lab and a bio- diversity lab. A student and tutorial centre has also been installed, which includes a newly equipped library and learning resource centre, a student social centre and café. The SonNet sensors have been installed in six of the labs and in the lobby area.
The SIP gateway easily interfaces between the Sontay SonNet Wireless Receiver and the Trend BMS. The product developed by the Sontay and Synapsys partnership, used in conjunction
with a Trend or BACnet BMS, helps ensure that a building complies with latest Part L2 Building regulations.
Suitable for a range of
applications and protocols, SonNet powered by SIP provides system integrators, contractors and consultants with more flexibility on their projects.
“SIP technology is tried and tested in the UK BMS industry,” says Neville Cockburn, Sales Director at TRI Control Systems Limited. “This coupled with the simplicity of the SonNet site survey equipment and its subsequent results, we felt the solution was ideal for the application. The building is Grade II listed, so the use of wireless technology came into its own due to the usual difficulties involved in installing electrical cables and
containment in such buildings.” VISIT OUR WEBSITE:
www.bsee.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48