GREEN MATTERS
System efficiency leads the way
A highly efficient replacement chilled water solution using ultra-low GWP R1234ze refrigerant earned Fujitsu the Air Conditioning Project of the Year title at the 2021 ACR News Awards. Here, Martyn Ives, recently appointed as distribution sales and technical director at Fujitsu General Air Conditioning UK, explains why the project highlights the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
T
he project was for Fujitsu Services in Warrington, which provides IT and software solutions. The previous system, using R407c refrigerant, had
been in operation for 15 years. It featured 152 recessed hydronic fan coils above the ceilings, with ducted supply and extract grilles controlling the climate for employees. The decision to replace the system came after a dilapidation report revealed reduced performance due to heat exchanger wear. The system operated with a power consumption of 129kW and a starting current of 494 amperes. This excessive starting current had become an issue due to the overall energy demand of the building increasing after the initial installation. The customer reported that the lights of the building would dim when the compressors started up, due to the excessive starting current.
The requirement Corporate responsibility was a primary driving factor. The customer wanted a solution that was functional and efficient, with a low-GWP refrigerant option. It also needed to be flexible enough to deal with significant fluctuations in building capacity, with step-less capacity control with a low compressor turn down. Customers are becoming much more aware of the wider impact their building have and we are seeing more requests for low environmental impact through refrigerant choice.
The solution After reassessing and revising the building's cooling load, a liquid chiller of 490kW was required, operating on a flow and return temperature of 7°C/12°C at 35°C ambient conditions. It was required to have a starting current of
34 June 2021
www.acr-news.com
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