Increase Your ROI Today by Optimizing Your Refrigeration with Continuous Commissioning Using Remote Management Tools

Abstract

For decades refrigeration has been the target for improving and
optimizing energy efficiency. Most of the effort dealt with the mechani-
cal side, including compressors, condensers, and the controls that man-
age them. Today we also see enhancements in the type of refrigerants
being used. This article will focus more on the evaporator side, includ-
ing temperature and defrost control, and monitoring performance by
measuring evaporator coil temperature and compressor amps, which is
then used to diagnose state, to recommission, and to optimize operation.
This is then followed by continuous performance monitoring, known as
continuous commissioning of the system.
The basis for this article comes from the fact that all refrigera-
tion systems are or should be sized to maintain temperature during
the hottest day of the year. Additionally, it is common for systems to
be oversized for those hot days. Depending on the size of the cooler
or freezer, or the value of the product stored, many have redundant
systems where either could handle the entire load.
Therefore, one of the overlooked opportunities for saving energy
is the evaporator fan motor (heater) that operates 24/7 even after the
setpoint is achieved. This article will attempt to detail how end users
have realized 30-50% energy savings through proper application of
safely managing evaporator fan operation and defrost. It will also dis-
cuss end users who have taken something complicated and were able
to change their own perspective and change behavior with simple, user
friendly, web-based tools.