9/13/2011

GROOM ENERGY SOLUTIONS, LLC.

Cold Storage/Food
Evaporator and Condenser Fan VFD
Applications

September 8, 2011

COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Why Groom for VFDs

• Experienced variable frequency drive Integration

• 20+ years applying, engineering, selecting and installing

• Designed for simplicity and installed to last an average of 20 years

•Line reactors
•Output filters
•Bypass
•Electrical installation
•Sizing the correct drive
•Maintenance
•Avoiding issues that lead to failures

• More than 2000 VFDs installed at many locations

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Why Use VFDs on Fans?

Affinity Laws For Centrifugal

Loads

100 100

80 80

%Input Power
% Flow

60 60

40 40

20 20

0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
%RPM %RPM

Why Use VFDs on Fans?

Affinity Laws for Centrifugal Loads

Pressure/ Horsepower
Speed Volume Required
Head
100% 100% 100% 100%
90% 90% 81% 73%
80% 80% 64% 51%
70% 70% 49% 34%
60% 60% 36% 22%
50% 50% 25% 13%
40% 40% 16% 6%
30% 30% 9% 3%
4

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Cold Storage/Food Applications

Condenser/Tower Fans
Most larger facilities have them
Over 5hp fans are best
These fans can and usually do cycle on and off all year
They cycle to maintain pressure in the system
Look for systems with over capacity, meaning all the fans are not running all the time
Multiple cells and motors will have a quicker payback
Two fans running at 50% speed, achieve the same cooling as 1 at full, but it saves 75% of the
energy

Cold Storage/Food Applications

Evaporator Fans (VFDs)

 Most all locations have them
These fans have very high runtime
Some cycle on and off, but most do not, because some airflow is usually needed all the time
VFDs can be added and fans slowed down as the desired setpoint in the room is reached or
when the refrigerant flow to the evaporator is shut down.
Usually over 3hp is best (depending on the quantity of fans in the room)
Payback is usually under 2 years

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Cold Storage/Food Applications

Evaporator Fans (ECM)

Smaller locations will have smaller fans that can benefit from ECM motor replacements
and ECM controls
 If the Evap fans are smaller than 1hp, then we can retrofit the motors to ECM
technology and slow the fan speed down to 70-50% when refrigerant flow is not flowing
thru the evaporator
Payback usually under 2 years

ECM Case Study

Peak day (5/23/11) Power (Existing) Power (VFD)

1.40

1.20

1.00

0.80
Power, kW

0.60

0.40

0.20

0.00
10:03
10:53
11:43
12:33
13:23
14:13
15:03
15:53
16:43
17:33
18:23
19:13
20:03
20:53
21:43
22:33
23:23
0:03
0:53
1:43
2:33
3:23
4:13
5:03
5:53
6:43
7:33
8:23
9:13

Time

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Cold Storage Case Study

Cold Storage Example: this example is based on $0.08/KW

6 - 25hp two-speed condenser fans
47 Evaporator fans, (2-30hp, 16-15hp, 1-10hp, 12-5hp, 16-3hp)
•Installed VFDs on the condenser fans and modulated the fans up and down in speed
together to maintain system pressure
•Installed VFDs on the evaporator fans and modulated the fans depending on refrigerant
flow and room temperature
•$180K project
•Rebate $20K
•$90K electrical savings, $40K refrigeration savings
• Total Savings Annually $130K , 81% ROI

GROOM ENERGY SOLUTIONS, LLC.

Questions

Ron Cote

COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS