ENERGY SAVING EQUIPMENT
This happens automatically, come rain or shine, and is managed by the integrated onboard controller.
As well as providing constant load-matching and saving energy, variable-speed fans can reduce maintenance and extend the operational life of equipment, again saving cost. Another benefit is that variable speed fans
reduce noise levels at part-load, increasingly important in applications near residential areas or sensitive locations, such as hospitals. Heat exchange is another key area of plant
operation that is vital to optimise for maximum efficiency. To ensure this, heat exchangers on Bitzer condensing packages are precisely matched to each unit, taking into account size, capacity, performance envelop and refrigerant. Recovering heat from refrigeration systems that would otherwise be wasted also presents
further opportunities to enhance efficiency. Following successful field tests, Bitzer recently added a new heat recovery option to Ecolite, which further boosts efficiency. The design (see picture below) enables end users to harness heat from the condenser that would otherwise be wasted to air, to produce hot water. Heat recovery connections are installed on the condenser during manufacturing at the factory, and operate in combination with an oil separator and check valve. The outlets enable the unit to be connected to an external plate heat exchanger and/or water tank, to extract and store the recovered energy in the form of hot water. This can then be used for process applications, heating or domestic hot water. High energy prices are clearly unwelcome, adding pressure to businesses and further fuelling the monster of inflation. However, if
there is an upside it is that they force us to consider again what we can do to improve energy efficiency, which is in the interests of all, not least the planet. It is also a sobering reminder, if one were needed, that when it comes to investing in equipment, 'cheap isn't always cheerful'. A well designed and built system costing, say, 10 per cent more than a bargain-basement alternative, can save this small premium many times over during its lifetime through better efficiency and more reliable operation. It has always been true that by far the
greatest cost of owning refrigeration plant is the energy consumed during its lifetime. The recent price rises have tilted the equation even further in this direction.
Investing a little more in better equipment at the outset makes even more sense today.
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www.acr-news.com • January 2023 17
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