2013 January

The most efficient operation of boilers can be achieved by combining the features of their own controls with those of a BMS. Christian Engelke of Viessmann explains why the benefits are often going unnoticed.

A. O. Smith has launched five commercial boilers to complement its range of high-efficiency water heaters and solar systems. Epsilon and Upsilon (pictured) condensing boilers have outputs from 38 to 140 kW and enable the company to deliver a total solution for heating and hot water.

Two major plumbing and heating merchants have added Windhager biomass heating boilers into their catalogues. They are Plumb Center, part of the Wolseley Group, and PTS, part of the Travis Perkins Group.

Pre-assembled lifting stations for removing condensate from boiler plant have been development by Grundfos. Conlift operates automatically when condensate enters the collection tank.

When it comes to refurbishing heating systems in schools, offices, municipal facilities or even churches, building-services engineers are faced with many choices. If budgets are tight, tough decisions have to be made, especially when the cost of replacing entire heating systems is prohibitive. Peter Gammon of MHS Boilers, explains the potential problems of new boilers on old systems, and examines the simple and cost-effective solutions available.

Following a successful trial of scrub willow to fuel a Euroheat HDG 50 boiler, a farmer in Wales went ahead with the replacement of an oil-fired system that was costing over £4000 a year to run. Hendre Farm in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park has 20 acres of scrub willow, which owner Jim Dale was initially concerned would not be a suitable fuel.

Where energy efficiency is concerned, heating manufacturers and specifiers are setting themselves new challenges to deliver maximum efficiencies and energy savings at all times, says Mark Northcott of Remeha Commercial.

Despite the popularity of low-water-content boilers, there are many instances where selecting boilers with a higher water content will significantly improve system performance. Simon Mitchell of Hoval explains the engineering reasons, which will be reflected in the next version of ‘CIBSE Guide B1: Heating’, due in March 2013.

Whilst wider technologies such as renewables and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) have increased their share of the limelight over recent months, Pete Mills of Bosch Commercial & Industrial Heating explains why condensing boilers should still be considered an essential element of an industrial heating solution.

The long-appreciated benefits of packaged plant for heating and hot water can be extended to incorporate low/zero-carbon energy sources, explains Jeff House of Baxi Commercial Division.

The R40 wall-mounted boiler from Stokvis incorporates the latest gas-heating technology to achieve maximum operating efficiencies with minimum environmental impact. For example, CO2 levels are 8.5 to 8.7%, and NOx emissions are less than 39 mg/kWh at 0% oxygen — exceeding requirements for maximum BREEAM credits.

Baxi Commercial Division has supplied Potterton Commercial boilers and Baxi-SenerTec multi-module Dachs mini-CHP system for the refurbishment of the heating system of St Aidan’s College of Durham University. The previous heating system had reached the end of its operational life, and the university was keen to ensure that the replacement equipment should employ low-carbon technologies.

Viessmann has added three models to its line of Vitocrossal 200 gas-fired condensing boilers, offering higher heat outputs of 400, 500 and 630 kW. A standard two units can be cascaded to deliver a total output of 1260 kW, though it is possible to cascade up to four boilers. These boilers can deliver flow temperatures of up to 95°C for applications such as schools, hospitals and other buildings with large radiator coverage.

Renovation work of St Leonard’s Church in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, included the replacement of a 60-year-old oil-fire unit with three 65 kW gas-fired Thision L boilers and a Pisces pressurisation manager from MHS Boilers. They are mounted on a free-standing cascade frame as part of the complete refurbishment of the heating system.

The new communal heating system for two high-rise blocks in Wolverhampton is served by Evinox packaged boiler skids that are more efficient than individual boilers. The £12 million investment to refurbish the buildings on the Hickman estate is part of the Wolverhampton Homes Decent Homes programme. Each flat has a ModuSat heat-interface unit equipped to provide accurate metering of energy consumption and billing.

Many types of boiler could disappear from the commercial market as the Energy Related Products Directive takes effect. Bob Walsh of Hamworthy Heating looks at the potential implications for the heating industry.

Marshall-Tufflex has produced a mini-brochure outlining its most popular PVCu multi-compartment perimeter trunking solutions. Called ‘We’ve got it covered’, the brochure details size, ideal installations and brief technical information. It also includes images.

Danlers’ batten-mounted ‘intelligent’ photocell switch delivers significant energy savings at low cost. Its radical new calibration process enables this control to distinguish between artificial and natural light, removing the site-specific addition of artificial light from any decision to automatically switch the lights on/off. This minimises hysteresis drift and reduces the risk of false triggering or ‘hunting’. This technology has a GB patent pending No. 1219746.3.

Plumbing and heating merchant Plumbase has rebranded its Plumbline stores in Scotland to Plumbase during a national rollout of its new brand identity. A total of 19 stores have been rebranded. Each store has been remerchandised and received new exterior and interior signage.

The Save It Easy adapter that enables energy-efficient T5 lamps to be installed in existing fittings now comes with a 5-year guarantee, making it an even lower-risk way to cut fuel bills and maintenance costs. Over a million of these T5 converters have been installed across the UK and Europe. By converting old-style luminaires to high-frequency operation, energy savings of 37 to 65% can be achieved with T5 and T8 lamps.

Armstrong has opened a new London sales office to enhance services for customers and provide a base for its expanding energy-services team. The company has always had a strong presence in London and the South East, but with the growing demand in the capital for its energy-audit and efficiency-upgrade services has decided to create a dedicated site.

Climate Center now supplies Carrier Chillers nationwide following an agreement enabling it to offer a full chilled-water solution alongside the existing refrigerant-based range. The agreement includes Carrier’s Aquasnap chillers up to 160 kW in screw- and scroll-compressor versions, high-efficiency fan coils with EC motors and a range of bespoke compact air-handling units.

Hattersley offers a range of press-fit valves with integrated adapters for the Geberit Mapress system. Comprising a ball, balancing, strainer and check valve, the range is available in sizes from 15 to 54 mm and can be used with copper and Geberit stainless- and carbon-steel tubing.

Ability Projects has applied the third generation of its Matrix controls strategy to its Trojan 270, Atlas 235 and Slimline fan-coil units as a further step to incorporating Matrix into its entire product range. The main benefit of Matrix is its ability to remotely monitor and adjust any aspect of the fan coil — including water flow rates. The Matrix system continues to feature ‘self-setting’ air volumes and now also includes self-setting and self-correcting water flow rates.

Prefabricated valve assemblies from Marflow Hydronics for HVAC applications save a lot of time on site. Xterminator valve assemblies are not only supplied pre-assembled but also pre-tested and individually tagged and labelled. Other benefits are that fewer components need to be ordered for a project and that these assemblies can help optimise flow and temperature in a building, potentially reducing wasted energy in unoccupied or rarely used spaces.

Is Remote Commissioning really a great innovation that could change our future and make possible the long wish list for improving and sustaining the efficient operation of buildings. Martin Lowe of Marflow Hydronics shares his thoughts.

Thoroughly cleaning a pipework system before it is commissioned and ensuring it remains clean is vital to the success of commissioning and the subsequent life of the pipework — so much so that it requires proper management. Reginald Brown of BSRIA explains the latest guidance.

SES has won the contract to supply MEP services for the £15 million design-and-build contract for a multi-site project for Avon & Somerset Police. It is the largest win to date for the south west regional office of SES, which will work on behalf of Miller Construction, which is delivering the facilities for the Blue Light Partnership.

CIBSE is enlisting the help of members to prepare a response to the consultation on reducing electricity demand announced by the Department for Energy & Climate Change. A statement from CIBSE says, ‘With the UK facing the worst energy-supply crisis in living memory, there has been much talk about how the Government intends to address infrastructure and supply issues, but little focus on demand reduction. As such, we believe this to be the most important energy-related consultation of our time.’

Eaton now offers a 3-phase RCBO that can fit directly into the popular Memshield 3 range of distribution boards. This RCBO is a 3-pole plus permanently connected neutral device, eliminating the inconvenience and extra cost associated with using externally mounted RCDs to protect 3-phase boards.

The Grundfos Selcoperm electrolytic chlorination system uses common salt to disinfect water and is an approved disinfection method complying with the Drinking Water Inspectorate regulations for drinking water. The sodium hypochlorite solution produced has a pH of 8 to 8.5 and a maximum equivalent chlorine concentration of less than 8 g/l. Its long life makes it ideal for storage in a buffer tank.

An LED lighting system for applications such as offices that produces uniform light for direct and indirect illumination can replace T5 and TCL lamps. TALEXXengine Stark INDI is avaialble in the Classic version with a CRI greater than 80 and is ideal for floor-standing and pendant luminaires. In pendant luminaires, 80% of the light is direct and 20% indirect. This ratio is reversed by floor-standing luminaires.

A development from Passivent makes possible natural air movement in partitioned floor areas without noise transfer from one area to another. The Active SoundScoop Transfer unit delivers optimum efficiency in balancing natural ventilation with noise attenuation in closed-plan buildings.

CP Electronics has introduced a series of PIR presence detectors to provide automatic control of lighting loads using an infra-red handset. These miniature detectors can be mounted directly to batten-style luminaires — either inside or outside — and controlled manually if required. When movement is detected, the load will switch on. When the area has been empty for an adjustable time period, the load will be switched off. Sensitivity to movement can be adjusted.

Pegler Yorkshire has developed an improved version of the union angle valve that is used in its Prestex thermostatic mixing valves. The principal new feature is that the water supply to the valve can be locked when it is closed to prevent it being opened when, for example, maintenance work is being carried out. This locking function can be particularly used in commercial applications The union connection provides 360° of rotation.

Grundfos’s SoloLift2 range of sewage and wastewater domestic lifting stations comprises just five models to provide the solution to handling wastewater for any combination of WC, bidet, sink, shower and washing machine. Applications include providing an extra bathroom, holiday cottages, adding facilities in hotels and guest houses or during the renovation of commercial buildings.

Xpelair Ventilation has expanded its Avantgarde range of extract ventilators with the Avantgarde DC, designed to one of the most energy-efficient ventilation solutions on the market. Ideal for new build and refurbishment, this range features Xpelair’s most advanced DC motor. Units can deliver intermittent or continuous ventilation, with an optional pre-trickle function and boost speed selectable at point of installation.

Helvar’s drivers for LED lighting fittings include a 30 W dimmable (pictured) and 60 W constant-current version. They have a projected life of 50 000 h and are suitable for a wide range of fixtures — including downlights, track lights and linear lights in offices, schools, hospitals and retail environments.

Powrmatic’s TE range of gas- and oil-fired free-standing air-rotation heaters deliver efficient heating with excellent temperature control for large spaces such as warehouses, factories, retail ‘sheds’ and leisure facilities. They are especially for areas with dense racking, as well as open-plan manufacturing facilities.

Vent-Axia’s ERV range of energy-recovery ventilation units cover airflows from 500 to 1500 m3/h. Offering basic controls and functionality, these units are designed for projects that require cost-effective heat-recovery ventilation without the complexities of demand-controlled ventilation.

Thermoscreens’ HX range of air curtains features EcoPower air technology and optional weather compensation. EcoPower air technology provides improved air velocity, uniformity and high levels of energy effectiveness by combining three design features.

Airedale International Air Conditioning has added 27 models to its SmartCool range. They have cooling capacities from 16 to 60 kW and increase the scope of the range to 16 to 180 kW to meet an even greater range of IT cooling requirements — from small computer rooms to large data centres.

AET’s Flexmatic controller for its underfloor air-conditioning system, Flexible Space, can monitor and adjust up to 16 zone units. This wall-mounted controller can monitor up to 24 master fantiles and seven slaves per fantile per zone unit, with each zone unit delivering air through the floor void to individual fantile units.

To provide complete control over every aspect of the performance of its e-pump range, Grundfos Pumps has developed GO control software to provide intuitive handhold control. A user-friendly interface in a smart phone or iPod Touch provides the capability to monitor, set up and control any Grundfos e-pump.

Heatrae Sadia has begun creating BIM (building information modelling) objects of its water-heating products, starting with its Megaflo eco unvented hot-water cylinder. The BIM objects are available from the company’s web site, and architects and specifiers can simply drag and drop them into building designs and also access the product information they require.

The Zitares range of compact wide-spectrum control gear from b,a,g, Electronics is designed for the operation of LED modules and can achieve an average efficiency of up to 93%. Applications include commercial, industrial, retail and educational lighting.

S&S Northern’s Merlin CT1650 gas interlock product is designed for commercial kitchens and supports the TB140 guidance by The Gas Safety Register and IGEM, which states that a secondary backup in the form of a carbon-dioxide detector may be used in commercial kitchens if the ventilation system fails.

Advanced Ergonomic Technologies (AET) has developed a direct-expansion version of its Flexible Space System for underfloor air conditioning. With this system, the whole plenum under a raised access floor becomes the ‘duct’, with each floor of the building divided into a number of zones to suit operating requirements.

Xpelair has added a 12 in commercial fan to its Carbonlite range. Improved styling gives greater aesthetic appeal, and these fans are designed to be among the most efficient on the market. They use ultra-efficient long-life EC motors, which are available with variable-speed control when used with MS2/MS3 controllers.

Airflow’s new Loovent eco fan is based on the million-selling Loovent. It is exceptionally quiet and offers 2-speed intermittent operation up to 31 l/s. Alternatively, setting a switch during installation provides a choice of 5-speed continuous (dMEV) ventilation. They can be installed in any room and form part of a whole-house ventilation strategy.

Amtech is expanding its product offerings to include intelligent data content for Autodesk Revit MEP via Building Data SysQue following a recently announced strategic product and technology partnership with Building Data LLC. SysQue managed data content, powered by the Building Data database, is a cloud-based software as a service that enables designs in Revit MEP to use real-world, manufacturing-specific data that is ready for fabrication and meets the detailing, fabrication, manufacturing and installation requirements of MEP contractors.