Solar Energy Basics
Posted 01-12-2009The sun produces radiant energy in the form of sunshine. You can feel this radiant energy when you are outside.
More........Wind Energy Basics
Posted 11-12-2009Air in motion is wind. Wind energy is a result of the uneven heating of the earth from solar energy.
More........What Can You do?
Posted 10-14-2009Your home or business consumes electricity for lighting, air conditioning, heating and hot water. This article can......
More........How Does Solar Energy Work?
Posted 8-14-2009Solar energy is harvested by solar panels. You have probably seen them on houses in your neighborhood......
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HVAC......Heating, Ventilating and CoolingHVAC is the term associated with heating, ventilating and cooling systems used in residential, commercial and industrial applications. Most people are unfamiliar with the term until they have experience a failure of their system, but HVAC applications are everywhere. The most familiar one a home owner can identify with is the heating and cooling system installed where they live. Most homes use residential equipment such as a heat pump system, or a furnace and condensing unit. Commercial buildings use a variety of systems from a packaged rooftop unit to a chiller/cooling tower combination with boilers. Industrial systems go even further by including HVAC applications for specific processes. Residential and light commercial applications dominate most of the market and will be explored here. Commercial and Industrial applications are best demonstrated at our professional site for Energy and HVAC consulting.
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The Basic Refrigeration CycleThe basic refrigeration cycle uses only 3 major components; a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator. These components are connected by refrigerant tubing. Things only get complicated when you start adding controls and giving the combination of components different names. In this article we will explain the basics and show you how it all works.
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HVAC Systems RatingsIf you have been thinking of a new HVAC system, you have ran into an avalanche of abbreviations and acronyms. "The Highest SEER", or "Best AFUE" are just a few. These are terms used to rate the performance of the equipment. Some are used for just heat pumps, some for heating equipment, etc. This article will help you get a grip on all the ratings.
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Ductless Split SystemsDuctless systems, sometimes referred to as mini-splits, are a space saving and energy efficient option for heating and cooling the home. They can come as air conditioners or heat pumps. If you have multiple rooms requiring conditioning, these units can be configured for multiple air handlers with a single condensing unit. In a very real sense, these systems can efficiently replace the traditional central ducted system.
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Solar Attic FansSolar attic fans are one of those perfect problem-solving-devices that appear ever so often. The primary heat gain in an attic is the solar radiation from the sun. The fan runs as a result of the sun, so voila.....the perfect match. Consider this as a free energy ventilation system. Assuming you have an attic that over heats every summer, this is a no-brainer.
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Chilled Water Plant EfficiencyChilled water plants range from the simple one chiller and one pump system to multiple chillers and multiple pumps. In many facilities the chiller plant is the major energy consumer and sets the energy rates charged by the local utility year round. If you are a facilities operator or plant manager your job is to assure that the plant operates properly and provides comfort to the building occupants. As long as there are no complaints from the occupants, the plant is assumed to be operating properly. So where does chilled water plant efficiency fit into this?
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Geothermal Heat Pumps-Save Money on Heating & CoolingA geothermal heat pump is the most efficient system with the lowest life cycle costs on the market today, as well as one of the most expensive systems to install. It may cost more, but the long term savings justify the additional initial costs. |
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How Much Are You Going to Pay for That Air Buddy?A question you might expect to hear at your favorite gas station that does not have a sign saying “FREE AIR”. So when did air begin to cost money? And why do we have to pay for it?
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The Importance of Rule of Thumb SizingI have read so many articles about the dangers of rule of thumb sizing that I feel I have to make my own response to this method of HVAC sizing. For those of you who know nothing about this let me enlighten you a bit.
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Chiller System Costs-Air Cooled VS Water CooledThe question the owner asked was if we were going air cooled chiller or centrifugal chiller-tower for the project. My answer was that most of the projects I have worked in the past set the mark at about 250-300 tons for changing to a centrifugal chiller with a cooling tower. Anything below would be air cooled screws. The load on his building was complete......
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Building Studies and the Mechanical EngineerBuilding operators/managers are the people who maintain and monitor the performance of a building. They could be the actual building owner or a professional management firm hired by the building owner. The responsibilities are the same, keep the building operating at a level that the tenants have a productive and safe working environment. This could be an office building, a medical facility or an industrial plant.
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Optimize The Condensing Unit LocationLocating the condensing or packaged unit of your HVAC system is more important than you might think. The condensing unit (or condensing section of your packaged unit) uses the ambient air to condense the refrigerant during the refrigerant cycle. The temperature of the air and shading of the unit directly impacts the units efficiency. Lowering the entering air temperature 1 degree increases the efficiency of the unit about 1% during normal operating conditions.
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Air Filters-A Healthy HVAC System and Indoor AirThe filter in your HVAC system has two jobs. It stops undesired particles from entering the ductwork and passing over the internal components, namely the coils. The second job is to clean the air by removing dust and airborne particles which improves the indoor air quality. Modern buildings are constructed to minimize natural ventilation because they seal all the construction cracks and gaps. Have you noticed a lot of dust in your house or office? Maybe smells and odors linger longer than you want them to? Let's talk filters. |
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What is a Zero Energy Building?A zero energy building or net zero building is a term used for a building with zero net energy consumption and zero carbon emissions. This does not mean the building does not use any energy from the grid, but it means that the energy it does use is replaced by renewable sources. The use of solar panels or wind turbines replace any energy which may have been used when the building was not harvesting energy. |
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Manual J CalculationsThese are the calculations that are used to size the air conditioning or heating systems for residences. These calculations are critical in determining the proper HVAC system size for any residential project. The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) guidelines for sizing HVAC equipment, ACCA Manual J Residential Load Calculation, is the source to estimate heating and air conditioning loads. Using Manual J, calculations are performed for heat loss from the building through walls and ceilings, leaky ductwork, and infiltration through windows, doors and other penetrations as well as heat gain into the building from sunlight, people, lights and appliances, doors, walls, and windows, and infiltration though wall penetrations. Design conditions for the geographic area are also used as inputs into load calculations.
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Energy and HVAC OptimizationLet’s talk about 30-40% of your electricity bill. That’s how much it costs the average homeowner or commercial building owner to provide proper heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC). A good HVAC system is the key to maintaining a comfortable, healthy and interior environment. Through the years, I have been asked by many owners for a strategy to reduce their cost of energy and HVAC. They don’t want to sacrifice the interior environmental conditions, but they do want a point-by-point plan to follow. The interesting thing that often happens is that energy bills are lowered substantially and the HVAC system performance is improved. This is a standard function of any mechanical engineer specializing in energy and HVAC. The information on this page will help homeowners, building owners and building operators make informed decisions about existing HVAC systems or future upgrades.
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Ugly and Inefficient |
How Do I Clean My Condensing Unit?The exterior portion of your HVAC system is the condensing unit or heat pump section. It contains a refrigerant compressor, a fan, electrical components, refrigerant tubing, heat pump reversing valve and the condenser coil. In order for the unit to operate efficiently, the condenser coil MUST be clean. Technically, the coil is the heat transfer component for the refrigerant system. In common language, the coil dumps the heat from the house into the atmosphere. If it is dirty, your system does not operate efficiently and the lifetime of the condensing unit/heat pump will be shortened. Energy and HVAC systems go hand-in-hand.
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Your Home, Your Castle |
Energy Efficient Residential HVACYour home is your castle, but the HVAC system consumes about 30% of your annual energy usage. If you go back through your bills and add up all the energy bills, I think you will be surprised how much money we are talking about. 30% of anything is a vague concept, but 30% of actual bills tends to get your attention faster. It also gives you some motive to reduce your energy consumption. so go ahead and add them up or do some quick math in your head..........Are you focused now on what 30% of your annual energy usage is now? |
