Chiller Plant Optimization

[The Reaper]

Something to think about is that there is a LOT of variables in a chiller plant. To truly optimize the whole plant, you must know how all those variables will affect the system. (Things like Chiller efficiency over it's load range, and how this changes with condenser water temperature. The electrical use for the Cooling Tower fans over their range, etc).

I agree 100%. I think I am going to leave the condenser water alone for now. I will be putting VFD's on the towers and condenser water pumps. The thing that just kills me is they had a plate and frame for free cooling in the winter and they ripped it out! Now they are complaining about having to run the chillers all the time.

[amigo]

yeah, pretty smart move.

[CraziFuzzy]

I agree 100%. I think I am going to leave the condenser water alone for now. I will be putting VFD's on the towers and condenser water pumps. The thing that just kills me is they had a plate and frame for free cooling in the winter and they ripped it out! Now they are complaining about having to run the chillers all the time.

Yeah, the biggest change in chillers over the last 10-15 years has been the capability to run with much lower condenser temps. With the older chillers, as you've already eluded to, there really isn't much you can do for optimization, aside from resting on the chilled water supply temp based on zone demand (the goal should be for the most open chilled water valve in the facility to be near 100% open).

The old chillers can't handle the newer methods for increased efficiency, like lower cond temps, variable primary flows, etc.

[EES West]

Have any of you heard of the ClimaCheck Analyzer? This tool is by far the most advanced tool for you to get all the information you want regarding optimization of a chiller. Take a look at this

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[controlgeek]

looks more like an ad for your company.

[Dilp172]

http://www.efftec.com/efftrack/maxim...efficiency.php

Dont know if it's any good,but they have good articles about chiller operation.

[controlgeek]

There are two I have limited experience with, Optimum Energy and the CPECS from Smardt/Kiltech.

They are both Tridium based, the Optimum Energy one the last I heard requires a annual fee to continue operating. I have heard figures as high as $20k a year. I also believe they will not show you any of their code.

The CPECS one is also a Tridium based application, it runs on a softjace and uses Kiltechs controllers (I/O Boards) integrated to the softjace through Modbus TCP to chillers and 485 to the VFD's. The one I worked on they gave me full admin access and there is not an ongoing annual fee I am aware of.

I'm sure there are many others out there. It's really about understanding all of the efficiency curves of your equipment and using the code to determine the sweet spot to be operating in at a given time based on load profile and outside conditions.

[digo]

the Optimum Energy one the last I heard requires a annual fee to continue operating. I have heard figures as high as $20k a year. I also believe they will not show you any of their code.

Wow, they act like it's rocket science... I can send you a station done in the 3.0.99 days, where all the logic was done in the JACE, using standard kitcontrol blocks. It did not look pretty, and didn't work all that well either. I think they wised up and packaged it all in a module. Still, I take it all with a grain of salt. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

[tekEddie]

Advertising not happening here....

One and only warning given

[Chris_Worthington]

Advertising not happening here....

One and only warning given

[Karl2008]

Digo，

Could you send me the station you mentioned, I'm currently trying to play kitcontrol in the JACE.

Wow, they act like it's rocket science... I can send you a station done in the 3.0.99 days, where all the logic was done in the JACE, using standard kitcontrol blocks. It did not look pretty, and didn't work all that well either. I think they wised up and packaged it all in a module. Still, I take it all with a grain of salt. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

[HVACControlTech]

Armstrong Pumps has a central plant optimization controller. I think that it is BACNet based. I have seen it in action once.