Field Trial

Higher EER and COP figures for modern air conditioning equipment promise lower energy consumption. The actual reduction in energy usage is very hard to estimate over a month or a year. However, estimating the actual energy saving is critically important to understanding the cost / benefit of any air conditioning refit.

In a typical hotel in Sydney, the air conditioning can represent up to 50% of the total electricity cost for the building. An improvement in air conditioning energy efficiency will deliver reduced electricity consumption. But how much of a reduction?

There is really only one way to find out. Put a new unit into the field and test it against the existing installed product.

Recently Temperzone had the opportunity to test one of its new HWP Thermoshell water cooled package units in a working hotel, against the existing installed R22 product. The existing R22 unit was near the end of its effective life, which allows us to see the realistic impact of an equipment upgrade.

MEPS EER testing compares all equipment at exactly the same “full load” conditions. What you get with a field test is something quite different. A field test shows you a “real world” idea of how the two units compare in performance and power consumption over time. In the real world of a working hotel in Sydney, air conditioning units may only operate at the specified full load for as little as 10% of the year.

Temperzone commissioned an independent consultant to conduct the comparison. The HWP unit was installed the Hotel and the comparison was conducted in late February and early March 2016.

The opportunity arose when a replacement unit was required for a 2 bedroom suite. A Temperzone HWP unit was installed and data logging equipment was connected for both the unit performance and electricity consumption of both fans and compressor. Room Temperature and humidity were also recorded.

An equivalent 2 bedroom suite was chosen for the comparison and the same data recording system was applied to the existing R22 air conditioning unit in this room. Both rooms were in public use during the test period.

The field test showed a big reduction in power consumption for the Temperzone HWP unit when compared to the existing product. Across a full 24 Hour Day / Night cycle the Temperzone unit delivered a power consumption saving of up to 40%!

So what does this trial tell us?

• A field test like this gives a very good indication of the energy savings across arrange of load conditions.
• In a typical hotel the owner will meet both the capital cost of the refit and the ongoing running costs. So a trial like this one allows the owner to create a meaningful cost benefit scenario.
• The fact that the unit is running on R22 refrigerant is not the critical reason for replacement.
• The main reason in an hotel application is that the old unit is significantly less energy efficient than current equipment.
• A trial like this demonstrates how simple an exchange of new for old equipment really is!

There are lots of benefits in choosing Temperzone HWP units as part of a refit.

• Ease of Replacement: Our water cooled units can be a simple equipment swap, with connection to existing water cooling lines.

• A range of energy efficiency options: The Temperzone HWP water cooled package range includes standard (EER 3.4), ECO (EER3.7) and ECO plus (EER 4.1) products.
• Available Ex Stock: All our HWP products are carried ex stock in both standard and opposite handing.
• Advanced Technology: All have advanced Thermoshell heat exchange coils.
• Easy BMS integration: Our standard control boards include easy integration into existing BMS systems.

If you would like more information on comparison of you existing water cooled package units with the new Temperzone HWP, HWP ECO and HWP ECO plus product please call your Temperzone Rep.