Condenser coils - a source of dirty energy

Now that I have your attention were you aware of the true cost (££££££££'s) of clogged fin coils on your cooling plant?

Outdoor condenser fans draw a large quantity of air and the flow through a 3 ton condenser coil is 2,400 Cubic Feet per Minute. (1.16m³/sec).

If you calculate the volume over a typical cooling season of 2000 hours, then this equates to 288 Million Cubic Feet (8million cubic metres).

Unfortunately, AC condenser coils have never been designed for the real world. As Jim Mazies, HVAC/R Building Engineer for the University of Chicago states:

“I’ve been in the HVACR business for over 40 years now and never understood why manufacturers of condenser coils for commercial a/c units can never build a coil that is made for planet Earth and not for outer space.  

Condenser coil fin spacing should be made just like they did on the older refrigeration units — anywhere between 8-12 fins per inch (FPI). 

 

Any more than this and servicemen have to lug either the power washer on roofs or lift the heavy, bulky tanks of CO2 just to clean these coils, only to hope that they will stay clean for the rest of the summer, with dirt and cottonwood only making things worse”.

To say it simply, “If you can’t see through the coils when they are clean, they shouldn’t be built”!

Unfortunately Jim, the only thing that drives coil design is maximum heat rejection efficiency under clean conditions. This means that you must create the greatest surface area to ensure maximum cooling and the only way to do that is to increase the FPI.

A manufacturer recently admitted that all cooling coils are specified with a built in factor for dirty fins.

According to EPA research, 0.042 inch (1.06mm) of dirt on an air conditioning coil can reduce its cooling efficiency by 21%.

Debris clogged condenser fins and dirty coils reduce air flow, and add more heat to the system causing the compressor to work harder with higher system temperature and pressure. 

Dirty coils reduce the AC system cooling capacity and increase electricity consumption. This means decreased equipment life with increased maintenance, repair and operating costs. Hence the slight play on words statement - Condenser coils - a source of dirty energy.

Preventing Equipment Damage is Easy!

The PreVent Air Filter Screen is designed to keep any outdoor air conditioning unit from clogging up with debris caused by construction dust, lint, insects, seeds, leaves or grass clippings that get could get sucked into the coil.

The screens are manufactured using:

BHA Media for anything over 1.5m wide & up to 6.3m long

Black Pvc Coated High Abrasion Media is a 9x9 1000 Denier Multi Polymer Coated Polyester Mesh. The air flow resistance of a clean fabric single layer is as follows:

0.50m/s                1.25pa

2.03m/s                8.75pa

3.05m/s                17.pa

BHC Media for anything up to 1.5m wide & up to 6.3 long

Black Polypropylene HoneyComb Weave is a 3 Dimensional Polypropylene Honey Comb Weave which has a lower air flow resistance whilst the electrostatic charge attracts dust from the air.

The air flow resistance of a clean fabric single layer is as follows:

0.50m/s                                1.25pa

2.03m/s                                12.45pa

3.05m/s                                22.42pa

It is a simple and cost effective solution. 

Fit protective screening around your cooling coils and keep the contamination away from the fins. 

Remember the trade name for a genuine air intake screen product.

 

PreVent Air Intake Screens and Permatron - the factory

It is difficult to get excited about a factory but the writer has done just that.

During a recent trip to the Permatron facility in Elk Grove Village it was surprising to learn that the PreVent Equipment Protection range is made right there in Chicago.

Not knowing the history of air intake screens it was also surprising to realise that Permatron are the only factory based manufacturer of this product. Others have tried but only one company has been providing this air solution since 1957.

It was time for a little photo record of the factory so that you can see the difference it makes when you want something slightly different.

As Plant Manager, Hector, stated "If you can draw it, we can make it" and Company President, Leslye Sandberg, also commented that "Every standard product that we produce started life as an idea from a staff member or a customer. It was a special, became an adopted air solution and resulted in orders from stockists and distributors around the USA".

She went on to say that "Permatron can produce any quantity due to our unique manufacturing processes. This allows us to satisfy the one off special or the 10,000 stock order on a JIT basis". 

The writer was slotted in on one part of the production line to produce a sample for a coffee store chain in the UK. There were 9 other parts of the process in this distribution of labour set up.

Quality of product is the driving force behind the Permatron success story with every part of the process requiring inspection and sign off before moving to the next stage.

Hazel Tyson, Export Sales Desk, is one of the reasons that this business is a success. Just like Leslye Sandberg she has worked every single factory process and machine to ensure a total understanding of the product both technically and structurally.

This is why RAB support Permatron and the PreVent Equipment Protection System. Simply the best air intake screens from the USA.

Division of labour - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_labour‎

Division of Labour is the specialisation of cooperating individuals who perform specific tasks and roles.

Enclosure Air Filtration

Air Solutions since 1957

Equipment enclosures come in all shapes and sizes.  They are designed to house, operate and securely protect the vital components needed to run a multitude of systems.  From intricate computer data server racks and cell phone tower base stations to static or portable refrigeration systems, industrial production process equipment and critical medical diagnostic equipment, the ultimate location where the equipment enclosure will end up is often unforeseen.  Reliability is a critical aspect to ensure sufficient power, cooling and airflow capacity.  Dust contaminants, high temperatures and humid/corrosive atmospheres reek havoc on electronic component enclosures.

Process equipment generates significant amounts of heat on a continuous operating basis.  If the interior gets too hot, often components are damaged, causing early failures and malfunctions.  Additionally, condensation from excessive humidity in warm/damp climates can cause component corrosion.  Most equipment can function by utilizing outside ambient air if it's cool enough.    To accommodate adequate air movement within the enclosure, units contain multiple air intakes, depending on their size.  Air movement can be passive or designed with mechanical air flowing fans and blowers.  Unfortunately for the critical system components, air intake fins are often located at foot traffic level and are prone to pull in air contaminated with dust and debris along with fresh air.  In cases containing refrigeration components, debris clogged condenser coils will restrict airflow and make the system work harder and consume more electricity to maintain its temperature.    Air management can be particularly problematic without proper filtration to provide clean air which is circulated throughout the enclosure keeping the equipment running clean and cool.

Permatron's rigid framed PreVent® filter contains washable electrostatic media capable of collecting high dirt loads before it is drawn into the enclosure, no matter what the application throws at it. A patented magnetic design allows the filter to stick to the outside of metal air intake louvers meaning they are accessible from the outside with no need to dismantle the case to retrieve filters for cleaning.  Maintenance or machine operators can easily remove, rinse and reinstall the eco-friendly filters within minutes without using tools or quickly clean in place with a shop vac. PreVent air intake filters are also UV protected polypropylene and stand up to extreme outdoor or indoor exposure, corrosive environments, and high velocity air flow.

Any place that air flows across an air intake is an opportunity to install filtration products for optimum equipment efficiency.   A PreVent® air intake filter preventative maintenance solution is a very cost effective way for you to keep any type of equipment running smoothly in  busy retail, industrial or institutional environments.

For further information call RAB Specialist Engineers on 01635 282297 or email richard@rabse.com.

See also airintakescreen.co.uk