Chillers, much like the rest of the HVAC world, have seen a push to increase operational efficiency. These increasingly energy-efficient products, along with the need to replace aged units, have steadily driven growth in the chiller market. In fact, the global chiller market is projected to reach $11.33 billion by 2022.
The HVAC industry is often influenced by the economy and how well the new construction and service and replacement markets are doing. However, there is another growing sector within the industry: the HVAC rental market.
There have been numerous studies that have shown regular maintenance extends the life of HVAC equipment, and chillers are no exception to that rule. But unfortunately, many building owners and facility managers defer maintenance due to budgetary constraints or other reasons, which can lead to performance issues later down the road.
Last year, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued a surprising directive stating that VRF systems would no longer be permitted in U.S. Air Force facilities.
The redesigned Marley AV line of factory-assembled, single-flow cooling towers feature both single- and multi-fan models and a broader tonnage range from 122-772 nominal ton and flowrate of 117-1,541 gallons per minute (27-350 m3/hr).
The AV Cooling Tower provides a compact footprint and is well-suited to support air conditioning and refrigeration systems as well as light industrial loads.
A new Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study involving 196 cooling towers nationwide found that 84 percent contained Legionella DNA, indicating that the dangerous bacteria that causes a severe, even fatal type of pneumonia were present or had been at some point. This means the real question is not “whether there will be another outbreak” but only “where and when” it will occur.
The WebCTRL chilled water system optimizer minimizes the energy use of the entire chilled water system in a commercial building, including air-handling units, fan coils, and other chilled water distribution equipment. The optimizer solution consists of an Automated Logic controller, a patent pending control algorithm, and an integrated dashboard that allows facilities staff to monitor the overall efficiency of the chilled water system from anywhere at any time.
Things are changing in the chiller market — especially in regards to air-cooled models, variable frequency drives (VFDs), and refrigerants. Contractors are challenged to stay abreast of these trends in real-time.