http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/RSS.ashxRefrigeration and Air Conditioning PagesTue, 02 Nov 2010 20:14:22 +0100http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=1http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=1maKIng modern lIVIng possIBle SolutionS t r e n d s a n d t o p I c s t h a t I m p a c t I n d u s t r y EnVisioneering SM EnVisioneering a Systems Approach to a net Zero energy Infrastructure Special RepoRt Volume 9 / Issue 3 / 2010 engIneerIng + energy effIcIency + enVIronment = enVIsIoneerIng2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=2http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=2Vlt® HVac Drive for Green Buildings optimize performance. Minimize investment 20million MWh saved on energy globally each year by using VLT® frequency converters. This is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 5 million houses. This energy saving has an impact on the annual CO₂ emissions – a reduction of 12 million tons! www.danfoss.us2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=3http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=3Volume 9 / Issue 3 Dear Readers, In the last issue of EnVisioneering Solutions, we looked at the future of energy on a global scale, as well as here at home in the united states—and the conversation was timely. now, after one of the biggest environmental disasters in our nation’s history and on the eve of the sixteenth conference of the parties (cop16) under the united nations framework convention on climate change conference, we’ve positioned this “special issue” of EnVisioneering Solutions to investigate the new energy dialogue that is emerging— one that is causing industry leaders and policymakers alike to re-evaluate and redefine the way we develop and implement technology. With energy demands continuously on the rise, especially in the commercial building sector, equipment and component manufacturers are seeking new solutions to efficiency. the participants of the 13th enVisioneering symposium held in our nation’s capital in may addressed that challenge and evaluated the true likelihood of a net zero energy future. the report on this conversation leads off this issue on page 2. also in this special issue, we showcase three projects that prove, with a little innovation, that existing approaches can be redefined to achieve even greater successes in efficiency and effective design: a project with JBt aerotech that helped them meet the extreme specifications of the u.s. department of defense; the leed gold noho III office in north hollywood; and noble energy’s use of salt pump technology to cut its electric consumption while significantly increasing oil and gas production. While the dialogue will continue to evolve, we hope this issue will give you something new to consider as you think about the way we, as an industry, develop products, implement technologies and further advance efficiency. as always, we welcome your suggestions and feedback on this issue. participants at the enVisioneering symposium discuss the path to net Zero. story on page 2. Contents / 2 / FRoM tHe coVeR 2 / enVisioneering a systems approach to a net Zero energy Infrastructure / 12 / caSe StuDieS 12 / danfoss compressor technology helps secure department of defense contract 15 / danfoss turbocor compressors contribute to leed gold rating for north hollywood Building 18 / danfoss salt pump technology Improves reliability & efficiency for oil and gas producers product hIghlIght thIs Issue danfoss Brazed plate heat exchangers lisa tryson, editor solutions@danfoss.com information contained in Danfoss EnVisioneering Solutions may be republished only with permission of Danfoss and always with credit to Danfoss EnVisioneering Solutions. comments, suggestions and contributions are always welcome. this publication should not take the place of appropriate technical or legal advice related to company-specific circumstances. Danfoss EnVisioneering Solutions does not assume any liability of any kind whatsoever for the use or reliance upon the information contained in this publication.2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=4http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=4SYSteMS ap t o a n e t Z e r o ENVISIONEERING a2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=5http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=5appRoacH e n e r g y I n f r a s t r u c t u r e the tension between energy efficiency technology and the “first cost” orientation of the commercial building marketplace has long challenged energy efficiency advocates who know that progress will be slow unless the cost problem is solved. more recently, however, new factors have entered the equation, with the demand for efficiency boiling up just as the technical limits of many building component technologies to achieve higher efficiencies seem to get perilously close. W i t H t H e p u B l i c p o l i c Y a R e n a newly refocused on energy but still unsettled on specifics, industry leaders need to take a fresh look at energy efficiency strategy and how more could be done with less. To assist in that effort, Danfoss convened an EnVisioneering Symposium entitled Rx: A Systems Approach to Net Zero in Washington, D.C., on May 13 for leaders in the HVAC&R and related industries, which explored the basics of the building delivery system and new paths to high efficiency buildings. The event provided an opportunity for industry executives to examine ways to break through the limits that threatened progress on energy efficiency and new opportunities that might be gained by focusing on not only component improvements, but on relations between components through a whole building systems approach as well. »2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=6http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=6coVer story contInued Developments in manufacturing reinforced the component focus. Little was known of complex building systems, and few tools existed for thinking about them. turning point in Building Delivery The discussion of a systems approach to building efficiency was launched with a presentation by Drake Erbe of Airxchange Inc. that opened the exploration of the commercial building delivery industry by peeling back its assumptions and traditions. The American commercial building circa 1900, Erbe explained, was a comparatively simple affair, and the industries that fed into its construction were managed in traditional “silos” defined mainly by products or the function they performed. But the 1902 invention of the electrically powered air-conditioning unit opened novel possibilities. Buildings could serve their primary function and also provide a comfortable work environment—which meant vast improvements in productivity and quality of life. The new possibilities were derailed when two world wars and a global depression swept attention elsewhere. But in post-WWII America, new buildings were needed fast and on a large scale to house rapidly growing industry that needed a highly productive workforce. Replicability was important to rapid construction and helped to contain costs. A new era in building delivery had arrived. Simultaneously, Erbe suggested, engineering found itself driven by ever narrower functions, which fostered concentration on components. Since few components were needed to produce revolutionary building technologies, manufacturing and construction acquired a simplicity that seemed natural. Developments in manufacturing reinforced the component focus. Little was known of complex building systems, and few tools existed for thinking about them. As components were susceptible to steady incremental improvements, a corresponding engineering culture of research and development emerged. Managerial silos encouraged concentration on components and their refinement, and the new engineering culture welcomed it. Cheaply available energy initially made energy efficiency a low priority. Later, when oil shocks made efficiency more urgent, it was easily absorbed into the prevailing culture and treated as a new arena for the incremental improvement of components that was already successfully underway. Design-Bid-Build v. Master Builder For the next sixty years, the creation of a high quality working environment in commercial buildings would require a component-driven process that spawned and was reinforced by a specific building delivery strategy. Design-Bid-Build or Plan & Spec, both names for the same approach, became the DNA of a building industry that produced by far the most rapid expansion of commercial building stock the world had ever witnessed. But, as Erbe explained, the new strategy largely separated architecture and design from building engineering and construction. The core design of commercial buildings became remarkably static and uniform, and components were specified without much attention to the dynamics of their relation to building design. Moreover, the move toward the automated Plan & Spec meant a move away from the historic building delivery system—the DesignBuild or Master Builder system. Master builders had dominated the building industry since the Egyptian era and, even today, remain dominant in the rest of the world. In the U.S., however, they were now superseded. The main features of the Master Builder system included, first and foremost, an integration of the design and engineering function. Hence, an adaptive design process Design-BidBuild or Plan & Spec Both names for the same approach, this became the Dna of a building industry that produced by far the most rapid expansion of commercial building stock the world had ever witnessed. 4 enVIsIoneerIng solutIons2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=7http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=7In short, questions needed to be raised about the entire culture of the building industry and regulatory regime— including the dominant definitions of the efficiency of buildings, written into professional standards and codes that assumed component-based metrics. was central to building delivery and the elements of the building; its systems were treated as integrated parts of a “whole” building. Viewed from a master builder standpoint, then, Design-Bid-Build involved an unspoken bias in favor of a component’s orientation precisely because it largely ignored whole building dynamics. A Master Builder delivery system may well have fallen short in facilitating rapid expansion of available commercial square footage, but it retained overarching command and control of the building delivery system and a whole building systems orientation. Thus, when energy efficiency emerged as a priority, perhaps it would more likely have been treated as a systems issue. As Erbe underscored, the shift to Plan & Spec precluded such treatment and fortified a component-focused orientation. the present Situation emerges The first energy shock of the 1970s ratcheted up the demand for energy efficiency, Erbe observed, but not so much as to shake the pre-existing framework. Efficiency was absorbed into a component-focused industrial culture. However, as U.S. energy efficiency requirements turned up sharply in more recent years—especially in the wake of concern for climate change, energy security, and the difficulty of investment in new power generation capacity, the capacity of the primary components of building systems to provide the needed energy savings began to plateau. The term “Max-Tech” emerged in recent years to express the fact that many component technologies were nearing the limit of their range of possible efficiency improvement, crystallizing the ultimate dilemma faced by U.S. industry in meeting dramatically higher efficiency standards. The contemporary American building industry was beginning to entertain the thought that movement from a component and incremental orientation would soon be necessary to ensure meeting new efficiency expectations, and, furthermore, that standards, tools, metrics and measurement would all need rethinking. In such a context, Erbe maintained, only additional concentration on the relationships between components could be expected to generate the new levels of energy efficiency sought. Though adoption of the Design/ Spec delivery system, a comparatively recent step, had obscured the importance of those relationships as a source of significant energy efficiencies, the future would see expensive power and enlarged risk—to the economy, climate, and national security. Incremental efficiency improvements would fall short of new targets. Engineering would see multiple competing, concurrent values and objectives, and risk becoming incoherent in the absence of a building delivery strategy that focused on the whole building and designed integration of the building’s systems. Command-driven and silo-housed industrial management would not meet the new challenges of systems integration. In short, questions needed to be raised about the entire culture of the building industry and regulatory regime— including the dominant definitions of the efficiency of buildings, written into professional standards and codes that assumed component-based metrics. Looking ahead, Erbe contended, the industry would need very different criteria to guide its development. It would need to define efficiency in ways that encouraged creative leveraging of relations between systems. It would need correspondingly new metrics rooted in building systems to calculate whole building efficiency. It would need “marketplace enforcement” of higher efficiency through labeling and maintenance programs taking the value of energy savings to the market value of the building. And it would need an analytic matrix to facilitate concrete evaluation of “targets of opportunit2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=8http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=8coVer story contInued enVisioning a “Systems” Building engineering industry Carrier Fellow Richard Lord took the discussion to the next level by outlining what a transformed building delivery strategy would involve. The path to efficiency, as Lord outlined it, had produced an extraordinarily complex landscape of new standards like the ASHRAE 90.1 and International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) energy efficiency initiatives. A market regulation matrix of multiple tiers, regional requirements, differing (and competing) rating systems, and state, city, and locally generated and modified standards had also emerged. Attention was focused on new applications but with too little attention to maintaining operational excellence, while standards had become both complex and difficult to enforce. He sketched a schema of the U.S. regulatory landscape that included four tiers and a blizzard of standards and guidelines for buildings, rebates and codes, with over a half dozen either recently revised or undergoing revision. Overshadowing the regulatory maze was a forceful aspiration for improved efficiency. The draft American Clean Energy and Security Act, for example, included mandates for new national energy reduction targets ranging from 30 percent below baseline energy code in 2010, 50 percent below in 2014–15 and additional five percent reductions every three years until 2029–30. With residential and commercial buildings accounting for 39 percent of total U.S. energy consumption, policy makers hoped to make a transformative shift by achieving “net zero” for buildings by 2030. Lord’s assessment, however, was that while the 2010 target might be achieved, there is little chance of meeting the further targets without some new approach to energy efficiency. Lord noted that certain rigidities in the current approach to standards offered, by implication, something of a light on a possible new direction. For example, while the current approach to standards defines efficiency levels at full load based on a component-focused assessment, all actual operations are at part load and under reduced ambient conditions. Examination of a typical large hospital building load profile revealed a substantial ambient temperature range within which various parts of the building are being heated and cooled simultaneously. Finally, while industry is in possession of tools for building system analysis (such as DOE2, EnergyPlus, Energy-10, EQUEST and others), studies show that less than 20 percent of buildings are actually modeled with advanced system analysis tools—and then, typically only the very large buildings are modeled. The conclusion looms that a meaningful disconnect is occurring between the assumptions of the prevailing approach to efficiency analysis and the realities of building systems and building operations. lord agreed with erbe that “the most logical approach is to attack the building at the system level.” concretely, such an approach would include integration of efforts on such items as: » designs to reduce heating » » » » and cooling loads high efficiency and low leakage envelopes reduction of internal loads use of renewable resources energy recovery » » » » » natural lighting natural ventilation advanced controls diagnostics and prognostics high annualized efficiency equipment » hybrid equipment More broadly, the approach would attempt to leverage the interrelationships between the range of energy consumption driving factors, activities, and forces operative in a building. Similarly, building system analysis could be brought much closer to operational realities. Currently, many rebate and other incentive programs employ prescriptive component requirements instead of supporting use of a whole system model. Modeling tools are complex and require significant effort by trained modelers, which contributes to the high cost of modeling—a serious disincentive in an economic slowdown. The resulting gap between expectation and performance further dampens2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=9http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=9American Clean Energy and Security Act a bill to create clean energy jobs, achieve energy independence, reduce global warming pollution and transition to a clean energy economy. mandates for new national energy reduction targets: 30% 50% 5% below baseline energy code in 2010 below baseline energy code 2014–15 additional reductions every 3 years until 2029–30 these considerations led lord to outline a series of specific recommendations for change within the building delivery industry: 1. efficiency regulations should move from prescriptive to rewarding innovative designs. 2. technologies should concentrate on interdependencies in building energy use (i.e., heat reclamation, thermal storage and the like), and better incorporate varied loads and operating conditions. 3. easier to operate, less expensive modeling tools that can be used quickly by the typical design professional. 4. tools should be validated on real buildings to improve modeling assumptions. 5. Innovative energy efficient building designs should be incentivized. 6. energy saving technology development initiatives should be funded. 7. a new emphasis should be established and tools and methods developed to facilitate maintaining the as designed performance of buildings. But paralleling focus on a new metric is a new approach to achieving whole building energy performance: integrated design. And central to the shift in building delivery strategy is a reconception of the way the industry does its day-to-day work. Instead of concentrating on component improvement and selection, the industry would need to focus on key points of access to the overall performance of the building as a total system. High energy intensity requirements and sources should be reduced. Energy recovery within the building should be expanded. Steps should be taken to prevent overheating and overcooling, with greater emphasis on advanced controls and control logic. Green energy sources should be integrated into the building’s energy profile, and hybrid systems developed and deployed to take advantage of changes in building load and ambient temperatures. Additionally, designers should add conservation of resources, such as water and materials, to the criteria of sound building design. Still, Lord suggested modeling would need much improved tools for the overall shift in strategy to be effective, and was quite specific. Tools that allow for quick transition from the design to the model and for testing sub-system interactions to optimizing design are required. The tools need to be usable by the average design professional, and key components in the building (e.g., HVAC, envelope, lighting and power) need to be electronically linked into the models using standardized protocols. Those steps further suggested the need for building CAD drawings to be electronically linked to the building modeling tools, new rating methods for key components and new approaches to certification. Central to the revolution in building modeling is that the models must be able to link technology solutions Taken together, these recommendations constitute a redefinition of the building delivery strategy operative in the United States, and they point toward a redefinition of critical metrics for evaluating efficiency. Lord suggested that the goal should be to establish an effective measurement of building energy intensity—a rating of the total energy consumed by the entire building matched to building size—as the key indicator as efforts are made to move whole building performance to net zero. » Volume 9 / Issue 3 / 2010 72010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=10http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=10the challenge of BuIldIng modelIng the degree of uncertainty in modeling does not disqualify the modeling process, nor render its results useless. the key to the challenge, as augenbroe sees it, is to provide instrumentation for the distinct phases of the delivery process: early, mid and then final implementation. and evaluate the interdependencies of the technologies. To bring greater realism to the process, modeling assumptions would need to better reflect real building measurements. And finally, regulations would need to encourage the use of modeling and refrain from excessive pre-definition of the systems to be used in buildings. The detailed vision that Lord outlined elaborated Erbe’s historical and implied deep changes in the DNA of U.S. building delivery, with R&D focusing on systems technology innovation, industry seeking novel workforce capacities and new modeling and diagnostic tools joining more systematic enforcement of codes, building commissioning, re-commissioning and continuous commissioning. With such radical change on the horizon, questions inevitably emerge about the feasibility of bridging the gap between the vision and the contemporary point of departure—and of the steps and risks to be taken in bridging that gap. engineering would likely be frustrated. Critical energy savings remain beyond reach, component manufacturers are thwarted by the laws of physics and the building industry is caught between risks, uncertainties, pressure for improvements and untimely costs. In that context, Professor Godfried Augenbroe of the Georgia Institute of Technology College of Architecture spoke to the symposium of the challenge of modeling and creating the instruments that can lead to a net zero era in buildings. Augenbroe took the systems approach as his point of departure, taking in building dimensions from façade treatments to PV panels, integrated wind power and hybrid ventilation strategies to total light management. But a review of the more dramatic recent work in systems buildings revealed some “extreme challenges”— in scalability, confirming correctness, verifying design idealizations, defining systems within systems, modeling the building occupant, supporting evolution of the design and knowing the level of model fidelity required for the project. To his first maxim “Don’t over-engineer the model,” Augenbroe added a second, “Think about uncertainties in your assumptions,” and perhaps a third, “Make the uncertainties explicit in order to perform intelligent risk analysis, which can then be linked to cost analysis.” The degree of uncertainty in modeling does not disqualify the modeling process, nor render its results useless. The building industry deals mainly with routine cases that have knowable opportunities for systems integration. The overarching trend in energy simulation tools, however, is toward ever increasing levels of sophistication, so that novices produce highly varied results from the same the challenge of Building Modeling Private sector driven progress toward net zero buildings is dependent on an array of factors. High among them: industry’s capacity to model energy performance, especially at the whole building systems level. Only modeling can provide the experience and data essential to rational, confident and responsible decision making. Yet as Richard Lord had underscored, modeling to be functional needs to meet specifications it has not yet widely achieved, including low-cost, ease of use, in touch with the reality of buildings and the like. And until the challenge of modeling is better penetrated, hope for a shift to whole building systems 8 enVIsIoneerIng solutIons2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=11http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=111 2 3 Stage One Stage Two “normative Model” – a simple model that can be applied to any building based on first order principles, and good enough to provide sufficient accuracy for normative energy assessment. all the physical phenomena would be represented, including location, orientation, weather details, shape, material properties and other specifics of building design. Stage Three emphasis would be on revealing risks and finding problems and anomalies in building behavior. design. Or to say the same thing another way, a skilled tool user is not the same as a good energy modeler. Becoming a good energy modeler requires a significant body of training and experience, and, in the end, the exercise of a mature judgment and acceptance of the prospect of deviations between predicted and monitored performance. But risk and cost analysis techniques have long dealt with the levels of uncertainty coincident with the work of a seasoned energy modeler, especially when working with a reasonably routine building concept. What is certain, Augenbroe reminded, is that maintaining separate systems will produce failing buildings from an energy standpoint. The question, therefore, cannot be formulated in terms of need for certainty, but rather how to deal rationally with identifiable levels of uncertainty. The key challenge, as Augenbroe sees it, is to provide instrumentation for the distinct phases of the delivery process: early, mid and then final implementation. For the first stage, he proposed use of a “Normative Model”—a simple model that can be applied to any building based on first order principles, and good enough to provide sufficient accuracy for normative energy assessment. Such a tool would avoid the need for elaborate and costly building simulation and could be used for performance benchmarking. Second stage simulation would be able to draw on the current tool base. All the physical phenomena would be represented, including location, orientation, weather details, shape, material properties and other specifics of building design. The third stage would represent the “next generation” of energy modeling: integrated simulation. Acknowledging that physical integration cannot be equated with design integration, the emphasis would be on revealing risks and finding problems and anomalies in building behavior. By staging the modeling effort, a degree of precision appropriate to the immediate need could be achieved, and greater emphasis can be given to highlighting uncertainties that can then be calibrated into the value of the building and building operation and maintenance strategies. But most broadly, the models of the future, Augenbroe suggested, need to draw on multidisciplinary analysis in order to capture at the modeling level the comprehensive perspective of a whole building systems approach, and be linked realistically to the genuine operation of the building. looking to the Future The revolution in building delivery as outlined by Erbe and detailed by Lord would require a nuanced strategy to manage the complex interface between advanced technology and operational realities. Such a strategy would need to recognize the logic for a shift to systemsbased building delivery and management, the logic of such a shift, and the practical limits and demands of the technologies required for its implementation. The history of building delivery was arriving at a turning point—one with intricacies altogether new but intrinsic to an era when the promise of buildings collides with a world of unintended consequences and limited resources. It remains to be seen how an industry so decentralized and driven by market pressures of the moment will manage that transition in the face of the powerful dynamics of advanced development. Volume 9 / Issue 3 / 2010 92010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=12http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=12u.s. polIcy facing a new tHe u.S. DepaRtMent oF eneRGY HaS lonG Been at tHe centeR oF tHe eFFoRt to tRanSFoRM eneRGY uSe in BuilDinGS, and James Rannels, team leader for commercial buildings integration and deployment in the department’s Bureau of energy efficiency and Renewable energy, saw the shift to a rigorous whole building systems strategy as necessary, but likely to be a longer term effort. the distance between today’s situation and tomorrow’s vision was the focus of the department’s efforts to enable high performance commercial buildings. Broadly, rannels viewed efficiency as the fastest, lowest risk and most economical way to address the challenges posed by the energy-climate nexus—challenges that promised to grow more severe in the coming decades. the dominant fact is that carbon dioxide emissions are projected to increase markedly between now and 2030, with commercial buildings as the leading source, reflecting a projected 47 percent growth in total commercial load, and commercial and residential together dwarfing other sources. though existing building stock was expected to fall in the coming decade, it would remain nearly four times the size of new stock built in the same period. so addressing building efficiency today can mean looking ahead to new and innovative designs, but it must also mean improvements in existing buildings—challenges that may overlap but are not identical. fortunately, however, there are substantial forces driving improved performance. market demand for tangible ways to increase energy efficiency in commercial buildings is tremendous. strategies and technologies for enhanced energy performance are advancing, even as economic and environmental drivers gain strength. and policy and legislation are seeking a larger role. 2007 legislation established the net Zero energy commercial Building Initiative and required existing federal buildings to use 50 percent less energy by 2015. the 2009 american recovery and reinvestment act set aside $16.8 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy, with $2.5 billion of that allocated to applied research, development, demonstration and deployment. the recent executive executive order 13514 required federal buildings to meet sustainability targets. Legislation being considered would: • Adopt ASHRAE 90.1 now • Look for 50 percent improvements by 2016 • Establish an incentivebased retrofit program order 13514 required federal buildings to meet sustainability targets, and legislation was being considered that would adopt aSHRae 90.1 now, look for 50 percent improvements by 2016 and establish an incentive-based retrofit program. rannels underscored the operational significance of the “net-zero” concept for doe strategy on buildings—that net zero for the department means that the building produces as much energy as it uses annually, when the energy is accounted for at the site. the net zero building stands at the intersection of energy efficiency improvements that reduce energy consumption—by 60–70 percent over today’s standards—and dependence on renewable energy sources to supply the remainder of the building’s energy needs. While it may well 10 enVIsIoneerIng solutIons2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=13http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=13energy era be difficult to meet such demanding standards for energy consumption reduction without a rigorously defined whole building approach, there are many steps on the path to such an approach that can pay substantial dividends in energy savings and progress toward net zero buildings. to illustrate the point, rannels mapped a range of potential improvements already available for commercial buildings, observing that simply bringing all buildings into conformity with current codes and deploying existing technologies would take the united states more than halfway to net zero, while available renewables would narrow the remaining gap substantially. several examples were provided of successful net zero projects, but the barriers to such progress on a broad scale are admittedly formidable. energy efficient technologies remain subject to inhibitingly high first costs, and consumers harbor doubts about the quality and reliability of such energy efficient technologies. a compelling business case for investment in commercial building energy efficiency has not yet been developed in sufficient detail to generate broad acceptance. steering even closer to concerns given voice by erbe and lord, rannels observed the dearth of customizable strategies for design, installation, control and commissioning, and the need for improvements in workforce capabilities and awareness of the latest technologies among a&e firms, construction crews, and o&m teams. even if Doe has partnered with an impressive group of companies that have agreed to build at least one building at 50 percent less energy than 90.1 standards and retrofit a building for 30 percent reduction against the commercial Building energy consumption Survey’s (cBecS) baseline of the mean of their building portfolio. doe labs are providing technical assistance to the projects, the recovery act provided funding for a second solicitation, and funding should allow for selection of 50–75 new partners. the department has also moved to establish informal associations among building owners and operators who want to reduce energy consumption. these alliances have taken steps to target 50 percent energy savings at the systems level, established “supplier summits” to strengthen the dialogue between owners, operators and suppliers, and sought to identify proven high potential technologies and enhanced technology specifications. and the technologies and strategies at their disposal are an impressive array, from daylight management to electro-, photo-, and thermo-chromic windows, and from “super envelopes” and new lighting solutions to advanced controls and fuel cells, microturbines and photovoltaic power sources. the department has also worked to upgrade the tools offered to the industry for driving building efficiency, such as its energyplus simulation program, which even with the need for better reality checks, helps to evaluate options, assess predicted performance and broadly inform energy decisions from the earliest phases of design through construction and into operation. rannels’ survey of the energy savings landscape was realistic: the shift to a rigorous whole building approach would be a long term affair. But on the path lay genuine and important improvements in energy savings. thirty percent or more in energy savings can be gained almost immediately and costeffectively. design guides can be created today that will produce immediate savings, as well as technology packages that will drive even further savings tomorrow. perhaps most elemental, components are approaching “Max-tech,” there is a great deal that can be accomplished with current technologies that is not being achieved by lack of necessary expertise. doe’s commercial Building Initiative is an effort to address some of these challenges, and can enable significant improvement in energy performance by building public-private partnerships to accelerate widespread adoption of advanced technologies and best practices through both market o2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=14http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=14case study one proJect hIghlIghts » specifications for the 130 unit order were industry- and technology-leading » the new compressor technology the company designed and developed contributed to the unit’s ability to meet precise temperature and humidity demands » the solution provided very accurate, very stable temperature control SoaRinG to Meet tHE UnUSUAL SpEcificAtionS of An extReMe application Danfoss compressor technology helps secure Department of Defense contract W h at d o y o u d o W h e n the U.S. Department of Defense issues specifications for equipment whose operating parameters far exceed anything ever developed? If you are JBT AeroTech, a world leader in the supply of airport equipment and services, you enlist the help of Danfoss to meet a set of unusual specifications for an extreme application. Earlier this year JBT AeroTech announced it was awarded production options for the U. S. Navy Land-based Air Conditioner (LBAC) program. The order for 130 units and support equipment valued at $21.4 million came through the company’s Jetway business unit in Ogden, Utah, which invested two years developing and testing the LBAC. 12 enVIsIoneerIng solutIons2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=15http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=15Jetway Systems® represents a complete line of aircraft ground support equipment, including preconditioned Jetaire® units that are designed to keep aircraft interiors comfortable and cool onboard electronic equipment during ground operations and maintenance. “These air-conditioning units have been part of our product offering for more than 17 years,” remarked Steve Nestel, military program manager with JBT AeroTech. “What was unusual about the 130 units that recently went into production were the specifications that came with them—specifications that were above and beyond anything we had met in the past and, quite frankly, specifications that were industry- and technology-leading. When the specifications were issued, the technology to meet them had not been fully developed.” the Heat is on According to Nestel, the single biggest challenge in the specifications was to design a unit that could operate at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, a requirement that no mobile piece of equipment had ever achieved. Previously, units were designed to operate at 125 degrees Fahrenheit. In environments where daytime temperatures exceed 125 degrees, use of these units was often limited to off-peak hours when temperatures dropped below 125 degrees. To meet the challenge before them, Nestel and his team turned to Danfoss, relying on the company’s advanced compressor technology to help them design a unit that would satisfy the unusual temperature specification. “We enlisted the help of Danfoss, because Danfoss is a technology driven company,” explained Nestel. “They’re constantly upgrading and updating technologies and providing new products that address problems we’ve encountered in the past, offering us new ways to do things. From a technical perspective, Danfoss provides a great deal of support during the design and development of products. If we have questions, we know we have access to people who can work well with us and answer our questions. In this particular scenario, where we were starting with a blank sheet of paper and working from the ground up, that support and technical expertise was extremely important to us.” In fact, Danfoss worked with JBT AeroTech from the design phase through prototype development and testing to production. The new compressor technology the company designed and developed contributed to the unit’s ability to meet precise temperature and humidity demands, so important in the hot, arid environment in which the equipment will eventually be deployed. “The technology that Danfoss supplied gave us very accurate, very stable temperature control,” said Nestel. “To operate at 140 degrees, the ground cooling equipment needed to discharge air as cold as 45 degrees, which requires dropping the temperature of the outside air by 95 degrees, and doing it in a single pass without recirculating. That’s an amazing accomplishment—one that Danfoss was instrumental in helping us achieve.” The new compressor technology contributed to the unit’s ability to meet precise temperature and humidity demands, so important in the hot, arid environment in which the equipment will eventually be deployed. 140 0 degrees farenheit that the newly designed unit was to withstand, 15 degrees higher than any existing unit Size presents another challenge Specifications for the equipment also included size constraints. According to Nestel, size constraints are not unusual in a commercial setting, where air conditioning units must fit under the boarding bridge. However, in a military setting, the mobile units must also » Volume 9 / Issue 3 / 2010 132010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=16http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=16case study one contInued In test after test, the prototype met the strict specifications of the Department of Defense, helping JBT AeroTech win the production contract for 130 units that will cool U.S. navy and Marine Corps fleets of military aircraft. be transportable—able to fit inside cargo aircraft so they can be moved to a new site—further restricting the outside dimensions of the ground support equipment and impacting the size of everything that needs to fit inside the unit. Again, Danfoss worked closely with JBT AeroTech to provide technology that would meet the tight space constraints of the unit. As he discussed the collaboration between the two companies, Nestel remarked that it was important to remember that the companies were designing and building prototypes. “Although we were very confident in our approach to the project, at the end of the day, we had no guarantee that we would ultimately satisfy the specifications set before us, pass the required testing and be awarded a production contract. That’s why the relationship between Danfoss and us was so important. We had a significant investment in this project and placed a great deal of faith in Danfoss people, technology and the ability of their equipment to successfully move us beyond the prototype phase and into production. Our past experience with the company told us that if they said their product was going to perform in a certain way, it ultimately did.” laboratory can recreate nearly every weather condition that exists on Earth, with temperatures ranging from minus 70 to plus 180 degrees Fahrenheit. “The most important test conducted at McKinley was one that examined high temperature operation,” said Nestel. “The unit had to operate at 140 degrees for eight hours without tripping, which it did successfully. Danfoss was present for that test as well as many others, demonstrating their continued commitment to the success of the project and to the relationship between our two companies.” Additional tests of the ground support equipment included high temperature storage, low temperature storage, low temperature operation, blowing sand, blowing dust and salt fog. In test after test, the prototype met the strict specifications of the Department of Defense, helping JBT AeroTech win the production contract for 130 units that will cool U.S. Navy and Marine Corps fleets of military aircraft. The production contract is a feather in the cap of JBT AeroTech. But according to Nestel, much of the credit for the contract goes to Danfoss. “Danfoss was able to look at a complex specification and consider more than just the basic information before them. They examined the deeper meaning of the specification and the interlocking dependency of one part of the spec on another—how it all fits together and has to function as one system. That was critical to our success. “Had Danfoss not invested in the development of new compressor technology and helped us to integrate that technology into our product, we may not have succeeded in this program,” Nestel continued. “In fact, the success of the Danfoss product line directly contributed to our success and in the process, helped enhance the relationship we have with our customer, the Department of Defense.” Multiple tests Demonstrate prototype capabilities To secure a production contract, JBT AeroTech had to first prove the ability of its prototypes to meet the Department of Defense’s specifications in the most extreme operating conditions. To do so, the company subjected its prototypes to a series of tests over an 18-month period, many of them conducted at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Conceived during World War II and completed in 1947, the site provides facilities for all-weather testing of weapons and ancillary equipment to ensure their function regardless of climatic conditions. The 14 enVIsIoneerIng solutIons2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=17http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=17case study t Wo proJect hIghlIghts » the system exceeded california’s title 24 energy efficiency standards by 20 percent » compressors run at variable speeds ranging from 18,000 rpm to more than 30,000 rpm » the total roof load of the refrigeration plant is approximately 2,400 pounds GolD iS DiScoVeReD in caliFoRnia. . .Again Danfoss Turbocor contributes to LEED Gold rating for north Hollywood building m o r e t h a n 1 6 0 y e a r s a f t e r its discovery at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, Calif., gold is again making headlines in the state, this time at the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold NoHo III Office in North Hollywood. As the third and final phase of NoHo Commons, a live-work-play development located adjacent to the North Hollywood Red Line subway station and the entrance to the NoHo Arts District, the nine-story Class-A building boasts a number of innovative systems and technologies that contributed to the LEED Gold rating awarded by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Included among them is a builtup direct expansion cooling system that features eight Danfoss Turbocor two-stage, direct-drive, oil-free refrigerant compressors. Designed as an extension of the NoHo Arts District by Los Angeles-based architecture and urban planning firm Jerde Partnership, the NoHo III Office, or 5250 Lankershim Plaza, is a 215,000-square-foot, glass-clad structure that includes 182,000 square » Volume 9 / Issue 3 / 2010 152010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=18http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=18case study t Wo contInued feet of office space as well as retail and restaurant locations, a double-height, seven-theater cinema complex, a rooftop helipad and a parking structure. The building also enhances the pedestrian experience throughout the district, linking the adjacent metro station, Academy of Arts and Sciences and the larger surrounding area. During the design phase, the building’s architectural firm and ownership tasked consulting engineers Levine/Seegel Associates (LSA), Santa Monica, Calif., with developing a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system that could meet the demanding requirements for a LEED Gold building and exceed California’s Title 24 energy efficiency standards by 20 percent. Based on the size and scope of the building, the initial HVAC design called for a central station chilled water system located in a rooftop mechanical room. The central plant would consist of a variable-frequency-drive (VFD) centrifugal chiller, a cooling tower with VFD fans, chilled water and condenser water pumps with VFDs on the chilled water side of the equation. The air handler was to be a central station chilled water variable volume fan system that would supply air to terminal direct digital controls/variable air volume (DDC/ VAV) zone boxes located throughout the occupied spaces, with hot water reheat along the building’s perimeter. Although the initial system configuration established the basis for meeting LEED Gold standards, the construction costs carried a premium that could not be sustained throughout 2009 in the midst of what became the worst economic downturn since the Depression of the 1930s. In an effort to conserve both construction costs and energy, LSA teamed with design/build mechanical contractors ACCO Engineered Systems, Glendale, Calif., for a collaborative approach to a new cooling system. The discussion soon focused on the possibility of moving from a chilled water to a central station built-up, direct expansion (BU-DX) cooling system made popular by ACCO and others throughout California in the late 1970s through the late 1980s. This approach would eliminate both the chilled water and condenser water pumps central to the operation of the original chilled water design. “Eliminating chilled and condenser water pumping represents a huge energy savings,” said Jacob Coble, ACCO project manager. “At the same time, the system eliminated the transfer of heat from the refrigerant to the water and then the air. Instead, the heat transfers from the refrigerant directly to the air, which dramatically improves system efficiency.” Most industry experts acknowledge BU-DX as potentially the most efficient cooling system. However, its application has traditionally been limited to buildings much smaller than NoHo III. In addition, compressor technology available in the past limited the true energy savings potential of the system. “The reason we were able to apply a BU-DX system to a building as large as this one is because Danfoss Turbocor offers compressor technology that is far more efficient than the reciprocating compressors typically used in older direct expansion systems,” Coble explained. “They’re small with good capacity for their size, giving you the ability to gang them together and build a larger capacity system to meet the demands of a building as large as NoHo III.” LEED gold rating: the highest rating awarded by the united States Green Building council (uSGBc) for a building’s energy efficiency 24 to “the Danfoss turbocor compressor was 24 to 28 percent more efficient than any other positive displacement compressor that we evaluated.” — anil Shenoy, lSa president 28% 16 enVIsIoneerIng solutIons2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=19http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=19Intrigued by the Danfoss Turbocor-based BU/DX approach, LSA completed a performance assessment that, according to Anil Shenoy, LSA president, revealed, “The Danfoss Turbocor compressor was 24 to 28 percent more efficient than any other positive displacement compressor that we evaluated.” The Danfoss Turbocor compressor has one major moving component—the shaft—which is suspended as it rotates within a pair of electro-magnetic bearings in a nearly frictionless condition. “As a result, the compressor does not require any oil for lubrication, so you don’t need to include oil design in your mechanical system,” said Coble. The compressors run at variable speeds ranging from 18,000 rpm to more than 30,000 rpm while adjusting the position of the shaft six million times per minute to keep it operating at the magnetic center. Available in capacities ranging from 60 to 150 tons, each of the eight 60-ton compressors in the NoHo III application, along with its mounting stand, weighs barely 300 pounds. “Structurally, these compressors offer another important advantage,” Coble noted. “Eight compressors were used to take full advantage of the part-load efficiency of this remarkable technology, and the total roof load of the refrigeration plant is approximately 2,400 pounds. That may sound like a lot, until you compare it to a conventional centrifugal chiller which can weigh as much as 15,000 pounds.” Coble estimated the reduced roof load to be as much 30,000 to 40,000 pounds compared to the original chilled water system. “And the lighter roof load associated with the Danfoss Turbocor compressors means the building requires less structural support in the form of reinforced concrete and steel, which reduced construction costs.” According to Chuck Richter, ACCO senior vice president, “The first discovery yielded by the move from chilled water to built-up direct expansion was an installed system cost savings of nearly 10 percent.” This reduction was achieved while retaining the LEED Gold rating, breaking the conventional paradigm that the pursuit of a LEED rating adds to construction costs. Coble highlighted a number of additional benefits that can be tied to the compressors and the BU-DX system, “It just makes sense.” “The system offers cost savings, energy savings, less weight, less structural elements, no oil and better interfacing with today’s technology. it’s definitely a 21st century approach to energy efficiency and all the savings that go with it.” — Jacob coble, acco project manager including: quiet, vibration free operation; low-cost maintenance requirements; built-in system redundancy with multiple compressors; the potential to offer low-cost off-hours operation to tenants; no parts within the compressor that are subject to frictional wear; and mitigated downtime risk and costs with multiple compressors. In addition to the LEED Gold rating awarded by USGBC, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power recognized the superior performance of NoHo III Office by rewarding the building’s owners with a significant rebate. According to Shenoy, Danfoss Turbocor technology has opened the door to several other innovative air-conditioning options that LSA is considering for future projects. Coble is not surprised. “I have to think you’re going to see more built-up direct expansion systems in the future,” he predicted. “It just makes sense. The system offers cost savings, energy savings, less weight, less structural elements, no oil and better interfacing with today’s technology. It’s definitely a 21st century approach to energy efficiency and all the savings that go with it.” Volume 9 / Issue 3 / 2010 172010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=20http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=20case study three proJect hIghlIghts » uses an integrated interface and a powerful algorithm that reduces the pump speed » responds to changes in torque, speed, viscosity flow, the affects of downhole temperature and pressure changes » increases efficiency and productivity DanFoSS Salt puMp tecHnoloGY improves Reliability & Efficiency for oil and Gas producers at a t I m e W h e n o I l a n d g a s W e l l s are making headlines, it’s reassuring to know that an advanced variablefrequency drive (VFD) pump solution from Danfoss is making oil and gas production more efficient and reliable. To anyone driving in the western U.S. and Canada, beam or rod-lift pumps are a familiar sight—with their unmistakable horse-head weights, counter-weights, and rods rocking up and down on the horizon. The pumps are a necessity of life for hydrocarbon producers, because inside most established wells the pressure is too weak to lift the crude oil to the surface. Even when the pressure is high enough to bring fluids to the surface naturally, pump technologies known as “artificial lifts” are used to boost production. Efficient production is critical to David Ellis of Noble Energy. This independent, Houston, Texas-based energy company is engaged in worldwide oil and gas production and prides itself on innovation. Ellis was happy to hear that Danfoss had an innovative idea that could improve the productivity for the artificial lifts used in his Oklahoma fields. “We’re interested in anything that produces more oil using less electricity,” says Ellis. “Plus, anything that keeps our equipment running longer and more reliably is an idea we’ll consider.” 18 enVIsIoneerIng solutIons2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=21http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=21Ellis heard about the Danfoss solution from his distributor, Randy Butler from Wilson, an industry leading provider of pipe, valve and valve automation, fittings, and artificial lift systems. “We supply a lot of equipment to Noble Energy,” says Butler. “So we know what works and doesn’t work when it comes to increasing production and reducing mechanical failures.” He knew Ellis would be interested in the Danfoss VLT® Sensorless Artificial Lift Technology (SALT). “The efficiency of an artificial lift is a factor of the volume of oil that it actually pumps divided by the volume it can theoretically pump,” says Butler. “But in most artificial lift systems, you don’t come close to the theoretical efficiency. That’s because as the pump reduces the fluid level, the pump-off controller shuts the unit down. You don’t want the pump running when fluids are low. Otherwise, shock loads, known as ‘fluid pound,’ will damage the rod string. And when shutdown occurs, the pump stays off until fluid builds up in the well bore. Then you can restart the pump. But that on-off cycle hurts productivity. Plus it consumes a lot of electricity to restart the motor and get those heavy weights back in motion.” The typical beam pump is driven by an electric motor with fixed frequency and voltage—so they are either on or off. To avoid starts and stops, variable-frequencydrive solutions (VFD) are sometimes applied to slow the pump down to match the well’s low productivity. But most VFDs have to be configured in a panel with an interface and pump-off controller board connected to an array of pressure and temperature sensors—a complex approach that still doesn’t respond adequately to pump conditions. Butler realized Danfoss had a better solution. The Danfoss VLT SALT drive is designed specifically for oil field applications. Unlike standard pump-off controllers, SALT uses an integrated interface and a powerful algorithm that reduces the pump speed, maintaining and maximizing production while reducing energy consumption and mechanical stress. The VLT SALT system also provides warnings for pump off, paraffin buildup, gas pockets and other serious conditions. “The VLT SALT controller does not normally stop the pump—it slows it down until the fluid levels have recovered,” notes Ellis. “Because we can avoid the heavy amperage draw during restarts, we’ve been able to cut electric consumption about 20 percent. And we’ve increased oil production as much as 226 percent, because the SALT system optimizes the pump.” On beam pumps, the VLT SALT drive varies the pump speed with each stroke to maximize efficiency. It goes a little slower on the down stroke to avoid bending the rod, then makes up the lost time by going faster on the upstroke. “The Danfoss VLT SALT uses a patented algorithm designed especially for artificial lift systems,” says Butler. “In hundredths of milliseconds, the drive responds to changes in torque, speed, viscosity flow, the affects of downhole temperature and pressure changes. But it doesn’t need any sensors to monitor those conditions. It just looks » 20% electRic conSuMption oil pRoDuction 226% avoiding the heavy amperage draw during restarts has allowed noble energy to cut electric consumption about 20 percent and increase oil production as much as 226 percent. “In hundredths of milliseconds, the drive responds to changes in torque, speed, viscosity flow, the affects of downhole temperature and pressure changes.” — Randy Butler, Danfoss Distributor Volume 9 / Issue 3 / 2010 192010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=22http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=22case study three contInued types 3 the Danfoss Vlt Salt applies to all three types of pumps being used by ellis, namely: 1 tHe BeaM/RoD puMpS 2 electRic SuBMeRSiBle puMpS 3 pRoGReSSiVe caVitY puMpS (pcp) at the motor’s load characteristics and understands the conditions the pump is facing. Then the SALT algorithm makes the appropriate adjustments automatically.” The Danfoss VLT SALT applies to all three types of pumps being used by Ellis, namely: the beam/rod pumps, which use a barrel, valves and plunger that fit inside the well to gather fluids and lift them to the surface; electric submersible pumps, which are immersed in the fluid and use a centrifugal impeller to propel the fluids to the surface; and progressive cavity pumps (PCP), which use a motor with a stator and rotor, and the rotor-type auger that screw fluids up to the surface. On electric submersible and PCP pumps, the VLT SALT controller can instantly detect gas pockets that could cause the pump to accelerate to dangerously high speeds— a condition known as cavitation. The SALT controller slows the pump down to let the gas pass, then returns to normal increase—and will repeat the process until the gas is eliminated. The VLT SALT system also has a unique sand-purge algorithm that runs the pump at full speed to clear sand out of the bore hole before the pump seizes. Besides improving pump performance, the VLT SALT system made installation easy. “I can cut external sensors, load cells, position indicators and pump cards,” says Butler. “That’s why a VLT SALT system installs in a quarter of the time required for traditional pump-off controllers. Plus, reduced electric consumption means smaller motors and transformers can be used. It’s really a great solution for increasing efficiency and productivity.” Noble Energy’s David Ellis agrees: “Across the board, I’m seeing oil production increases of 51 percent on the rod pumps and 187 percent and 226 percent on two wells with PCP pumps. Add that to longer equipment life and lower electric consumption, and I’d say that Danfoss’ sensorless artificial lift solution is really worth its salt.” “A VLT SALT system installs in a quarter of the time required for traditional pump-off controllers. plus, reduced electric consumption means smaller motors and transformers can be used. It’s really a great solution for increasing efficiency and productivity.” — Randy Butler, Danfoss Distributor 20 enVIsIoneerIng solutIons2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=23http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=23product hIghlIght Danfoss Brazed plate Heat exchangers offer small footprint and application Versatility Danfoss brazed plate heat exchangers (BpHe) offer a cost-saving alternative to conventional evaporators and condensers used for all types of commercial and industrial refrigeration, cooling and airconditioning applications. each of the 15 Bphe models is compactly designed and combines high efficiency with energy-saving qualities for a variety of conventional and customized applications. u.s.-based envirotronics, the industry leader in the design, manufacture and service of environmental test chambers, recently completed conversion to danfoss Bphes in its cascade condensers. the condensers, which operate in test chambers that simulate environment conditions such as temperature, humidity and pressure, require a low-stage refrigerant condenser along with a high-stage refrigerant evaporator. they are also used for applications that require a liquid sub-cooler and refrigerant oil coolers when using water and refrigerant together. the reliability of danfoss Bphes in these extreme operating conditions make the heat exchangers a perfect fit for envirotronics applications, where temperatures can plummet to 99 degrees farenheit. according to dwayne Botruff, engineering manager at envirotronics, “this cascade refrigeration system allows us to achieve these low air temperatures using a refrigerant that cannot be used in a conventional singlestage refrigeration system.” In addition, their compact size makes the Bhpe a good choice for test chambers that are constructed for customers with tight space requirements or any application where space is limited. each brazed plate heat exchanger consists of a series of thin, corrugated metal plates that are brazed together to improve heat transfer efficiency. the plates are compressed together in a rigid frame to create an arrangement of parallel flow channels, in which one high-viscosity fluid travels through the odd-numbered channels, and the other highviscosity fluid flows through the even-numbered channels. the result is a space-saving, highly flexible design for manufacturing that requires less use of refrigerants. for more InformatIon: contact 410-931-8250 baltimore@danfoss.com www.danfoss.us2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=24http://danfoss.ipapercms.dk/refrigerationandairconditioning/RA/Solutions/US/SolutionsVol9Issue3/?Page=24DanFoSS locationS BaltiMoRe, MD 11655 crossroads circle Baltimore, md 21220 410-931-8250 / fax: 410-931-8256 www.danfoss.us » refrigeration & air conditioning » Industrial controls » heating controls: 443-512-0266 fax: 443-512-0270 tallaHaSSee, Fl danfoss turbocor 1769 e. paul dirac drive tallahassee, fl 32310 850-504-4800 / fax: 850-504-0280 www.turbocor.com » oil-free compressors for process and comfort cooling GlenS FallS, nY danfoss flomatic Valves 15 pryun’s Island drive glens falls, ny 12801 800-833-2040 / fax: 800-314-3155 e-mail: flomatic@flomatic.com www.danfossflomatic.com » Water controls loVeS paRK, il 4401 n. Bell school road loves park, Il 61111 815-639-8600 / fax: 815-639-8000 www.danfossdrives.com » drives MilWauKee, Wi 8800 W. Bradley road milwaukee, WI 53224 414-355-8800 / fax: 414-355-6117 www.danfossdrives.com » drives » nessie high pressure Water systems MiSSiSSauGa, ont 6711 mississauga rd., suite 410 mississauga, ontario l5n 2W3 905-285-2050 / fax: 905-285-2055 www.na.heating.danfoss.com » heating controls » motion controls MountainSiDe, nJ danfoss hago, Inc. 1120 globe ave. mountainside, nJ 07092 908-232-8687 / fax: 908-232-7246 www.hagonozzle.com » components for oil Burners SoMeRSet, nJ danfoss Bauer 31 schoolhouse road somerset, nJ 08873 732-469-8770 / fax: 732-469-8773 www.danfoss.com » geared motors W W W . d a n f o s s . u s 2010 –2011 calendar of Events octoBer 2010 decemBer 2010 » RSeS annual conference & HVacR technology expo oct 27–31, 2010 tuscon, aZ » international Workboat Show December 1–3, 2010 new orleans, la la morial convention center Visit Danfoss at booth #2541 » pacK expo october 31 – november 3, 2010 mccormick place chicago, Il Visit Danfoss at booth #3346 January–feBruary 2010 » aHR expo noVemBer 2010 » enVisioneering Symposium: Smart Grid and Beyond november 12, 2010 scotsdale, aZ January 31– February 2, 2011 las Vegas convention center las Vegas, nV Visit Danfoss at booth #C1323 January 17–19, 2011 oregon convention center portland, or Visit Danfoss at booth #1222 » northwest Food processors » Reta 2010 national conference & Heavy equipment Show november 16–19, 2010 portland, oregon Visit Danfoss at booth #535 » naFeM Show February 10–12, 2011 orange county convention center orlando, fl Visit Danfoss at booth #4012 & 4013 Follow Danfoss enVisioneering on twitter » twitter.com/danfossenvision Keep up-to-date on the latest news about Danfoss products and your industry at www.danfoss.us to find out more about Danfoss north america, contact us via email: solutions@danfoss.com2010-11-02T20:14:22+01:00