Keep cool while keeping costs down

EcoCooling provides a solution which is not only energy efficient and low cost throughout its life time but also ticks the box for being environmentally friendly, giving it a fighting chance of being accepted by both finance and management.

Evaporative cooling is, in essence, mechanical ventilation with precooling as required. The cooling is achieved through a simple method that uses wetted cooling pads and the process of evaporation to provide cool fresh air throughout the building. This is very energy efficient and uses only single phase electricity and a mains water supply to service 35kW of cooling using only 1kW of electricity.

Basic control of an evaporative cooling system will see it enter cooling mode based on an external thermostat and vary fan speed between fixed options based upon an internal thermostat.

The ever decreasing cost of control equipment has made advanced functionality available to sectors for which it was previously an expensive luxury. EcoCooling’s control systems, first developed to control air temperature and humidity for supply to sensitive equipment in the IT sector, are now suitable and affordable for industrial installations

Using a programmable logic controller (PLC), it is possible to monitor and control CO2 levels, humidity and temperature – both at the point of supply and within the area being cooled – to achieve optimal working conditions. The controller typically takes inputs from temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide sensors and produces control signals to operate fans, dampers and control valves using internal logic. These controllers will communicate with all the components of a ventilation and cooling system to optimise heating, cooling and fan energy use.

Implementation of PLC technology also offers new possibilities for integration into building management systems, giving the facility to communicate with the evaporative cooling system over both Modbus and TCP/IP protocols. This increased control system connectivity is extended through integration of a robust yet inexpensive touch-screen interface. These often incorporate a virtual private network (VPN) function, meaning the interface can be accessed remotely to view system performance and manage set points.

Remote visibility and easy set point adjustment are not the only features gained by the inclusion of a touchscreen. Visual mimics can aid the operator in understanding sensor readings and set points whilst data and event logging record the system’s performance, giving visibility over time and allowing for confident reporting on energy use for ESOS as well as environmental compliance. Logged data can be displayed on screen in a trend graph, saved to a portable storage device or emailed to relevant parties – a feature that can also be used to send notifications of faults.

As in the case of control equipment, highly efficient Electronically Commutated (EC) fans have become increasingly accessible. In recent times the balance between capital outlay and operating cost has tipped in favour of their adoption, leading to their integration into EcoCooling systems. Their infinitely variable speed removes the cost and complexity of variable frequency inverters or voltage control associated with AC alternatives, whilst also allowing for exploitation of the physics behind fans. An EC fan will approximately follow a cube rule for energy consumption which means running an EC fan at half speed uses only 12.5% of the full speed power.

Ventilation coupled with evaporative cooling, EC fans and modern controls can provide industrial and commercial premises with a sophisticated air handling system offering a level of control comparable with any refrigerant-based system at an energy cost that isn’t - It is worth bearing in mind that the operating costs of fresh air systems can be 90% less than a close control refrigeration based system.