PILIPINAS ECOFIBER CORPORATION (PEC)

 Pilipinas Ecofiber Corporation (PEC) is a social enterprise pursuing triple bottom lines of
economic and financial viability, environmental sustainability and social equity. In
addition to profits, it cares for the planet and people, particularly, coconut farming
communities.
 Pilipinas Ecofiber is a leading manufacturer of processed coco fiber and cocopeat. It has
over 47 years of experience and track record as a manufacturer of processed coco fiber
and cocopeat. It used to be called Soriano Multi-Purpose Fiber Corporation, but in
September 2011 its corporate name was changed with the approval of the Securities
and Exchange Commission. Pilipinas Ecofiber is a wholly owned subsidiary of the
Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc. (FSSI), which acquired it in June 2006.
About coco fiber and cocopeat
 Coco fiber is extracted from the husks of the coconut (Cocos nucifera L). It is the part of
the coconut known as the mesocarp (see illustration). The coconut must be mature—
from 11 to 12 months old—to ensure the best quality of fiber.
The outstanding physical characteristics of coir fiber are as follows:
 Tough and durable with a high tensile strength
 Biodegradable
 Naturally resistant to fungi and rot, and moth-proof
 Naturally resists damage by salt water; only fiber to do so
The coco fiber produced by Pilipinas Ecofiber Corporation is extracted from the husks using the
decorticating process. The husks are fed by conveyor belt to a PEC-fabricated decorticating
system. Inside the machine, the husks pass through a shaft with blades that beat the husk to
extract the fiber. For every kilo of fiber produced by our machines, two kilos of coco dust or
cocopeat are also produced. In 2016, the company produced 184 tons of fiber, and purchased
an additional 110 tons from primary producers (cooperatives, coconut farmers, micro-
entrepreneurs).
Coco dust or cocopeat is the spongy, peat like residue from the processing of coconut husks
(mesocarp) for coco fiber. It consists of short fiber (<2cm) around 2% – 13% of the total and
cork like particles ranging in size from granules to fine dust (0.2 – 2 mm). Cocopeat strongly
absorbs liquid and gases. This property is due in part to the honeycomb like structure of the
mesocarp tissue which gives it a high surface area per unit volume. Coir dust is also hydrophilic
(loves water) which means that moisture spreads readily over these surfaces. The extensive film
of water that is produced gives moist coir the capacity to absorb air and gases (odors).
The outstanding physical characteristics of cocopeat are as follows:
 Similar or better physical and chemical properties than most brands of sedge or
sphagnum peat
 More consistent and uniform, free from sticks, weeds, pathogens and other extraneous
matter
 More physically resilient
 Greater biostability, consistently maintaining its volume and structure over time
 More hydrophilic (attracts water) and rehydrates more rapidly. Good for water
retention; moisture also evenly distributed
 Can absorb 8x its weight in water
 Air filled porosity allows it to provide superior ventilation for root systems; good also for
absorbing gases/odors of, say, animal waste; good also for hosting beneficial micro-
organisms for healthy plant development
 High porosity and good drainage, resulting in less disease and less plant losses
Location of the Plant
 Decorticating Plant – Brgy. Sampaloc II, Sariaya Quezon
 Head Office/ Stitching Plant – Brgy. San Mateo, San Pablo City, Laguna
 Twining and Weaving – Brgy. San Jose, Malilipot, Albay
Production data/output.
 Decorticating plant in Sariaya can process 18,500 pieces of husk per day and produces
1,850 kilos of converted dried fiber and 150 sacks of Cocopeat
Flow diagram/assembly line of the plant
List of equipment and auxiliaries located in the plant
2 units 40 Blades Decorticating Machine (Tandem)
 Major machine which function is to mill the husk in order to extract fiber.
 Single Drum decorticating machine with 3phase electric motor prime mover
 Prime Mover : 1unit 60Hp 3Phase Electric Motor & 1unit 40Hp 3Phase Electric Motor
 Production Capacity : 18,500pcs of husk at 1 shift operation
 Process : Tandem Decorticating process
Conveyor Machine
 Feeding or putting coconut husk and first pass fiber to a conveyor machine in order to
load it into the Decorticating machine
Movable Conveyor.
Screening Machine
 This is the process that uses screening machine to clean and remove shorts fiber and
any foreign objects from unscreened coco peat which classify as Screened Coco peat as
well as to Coco Fiber.
Baling Press
 Baling is the manner of packing the Coco fiber using high density Hydraulic Baling Press
machine and Plastic twine or Plastic Strap to tie up and hold the fiber. The weight of
every baled fiber will range from 40 – 60 kilos of fiber and its dimension is normally at
50cm. x 60cm. x 82cm.. Baling of Coco fiber is necessary for transport, storage purposes
and to trade commercially
Materials Needed
 Cocohusk
 Water supply
Industrial safety/accident prevention utilized/practice in the plant.
 Issuance of PPE’s to workers
 Rotation of work assignment after break time period.
Maintenance procedures/practices on the industrial plant.
 Monthly Check up of the Deco Blades
 Monthly check up of the bearings
 Monitoring of the hydraulic oil supply of the Baling Press
Cooling Towers
 A cooling tower is a heat rejection device, which extracts waste heat to the atmosphere
though the cooling of a water stream to a lower temperature.
Parts of a Cooling Tower
 Fan
 Cooling Tower Sprinklers
 Drift Eliminator
 Fill Media
 Air intake louvers
Fan
Forces air from the cooling tower to the atmosphere releasing hot air with heat absorbed from
the water
Cooling Tower Sprinklers
 its role is to evenly distribute the water filling, the increase in water vapor contact
interface, so that part of the water vapor-based to remove heat, play a role in lowering
the water temperature. Also a part of water distribution system inside the cooling
tower.
Drift Eliminator
 Drift eliminators are designed to capture large water droplets caught in the cooling
tower air stream. The eliminators prevent the water droplets and mist from escaping
the cooling tower
Fill Media
  is a medium used in cooling towers to increase the surface area of the tower. Increased
surface area allows for maximum contact between the air and the water, which allows
for greater evaporation rates.
Air Intake Louvers
 prevent the sun’s rays from penetrating the water reservoir, which stops mold and algae
from forming.
CHILLED WATER
AIR CONDITIONING UNIT
Chilled Water Air-conditioning System
 Chilled water air conditioning systems are commonly used in applications that need
large cooling capacity such as hypermarket, industrial process, commercial air
conditioning such as offices and factories.
 Chilled water systems work much the same way as direct expansion systems work. The
exception is they use water in the coil rather than refrigerant. Technically speaking,
water can be classified as a refrigerant.
How it conditions atmospheric air
 In a chilled-water system, the entire air conditioner is installed on the roof or behind the
building. A water chiller cools water to between 40 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 and
7.2 degrees Celsius). The chilled water is then piped throughout the building and
connected to air handlers. This can be a versatile system where the water pipes work
like the evaporator coils in a standard air conditioner. If it's well-insulated, there's no
practical distance limitation to the length of a chilled-water pipe.
Parts of a Chilled Water Air-Conditioning Unit
 WATER CHILLER
 COOLING TOWER
 AIR HANDLING UNIT
 DUCTING SYSTEM
Water Chiller
 A device that removes heat from a liquid via a vapor compression or absorption
refrigeration cycle. This cooled liquid flows through pipes in a building and passes
through coils in air handlers, fan-coil units, or other systems, cooling and usually
dehumidifying the air in the building.
Parts of a Water Chiller
 Evaporator
 Condenser
 Compressor
 Expansion valve
Evaporator
 The evaporator works the opposite of the condenser, here refrigerant liquid is
converted to gas, absorbing heat from the cooling water in the compartment.
Condenser
 A condenser is a device or unit used to condense a substance from its gaseous to its
liquid state, by cooling it. In so doing, the latent heat is given up by the substance and
transferred to the surrounding environment

Compressor
 The compressor compacts the refrigerant vapor and pumps it to the reversing valve.
Expansion Valve
 removes pressure from the liquid refrigerant to allow expansion or change of state from
a liquid to a vapor in the evaporator. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant entering the
expansion valve is quite warm. The liquid refrigerant leaving the expansion valve is quite
cold.
Air Handling Unit
Air Handling Unit (AHU)
 Used to condition and circulate air. Usually, it is a large metal box containing a blower,
heating and/or cooling elements, filter racks or chambers, sound attenuators, and
dampers. Also connects to ductwork that distributes the conditioned air through the
building, and returns it to the AHU.
Chilled Water
 The chilled water heats up and the air blowing across it cools down. When the chilled
water leaves the cooling coil it will now be warmer at around 12°C (53.6°F). The warm
chilled water then heads back to the evaporator, via the return riser, and once it enter
the evaporator a refrigerant will absorb the unwanted heat and move this over to the
 condenser. The chilled water will then leave cool again, ready to circulate around the
building and collect more unwanted heat.
Condenser Water
 The condenser of the chiller is where the unwanted heat is collected before being sent
to the cooling towers. A refrigerant passes between the evaporator and the condenser
to move all the unwanted heat. Another loop of water, known as “condenser water”,
passes in a loop between the condenser and the cooling tower. The refrigerant collects
the heat from the “chilled water” loop in the evaporator and moves this to the
“condenser water” loop in the condenser.
Cooling Tower
 The cooling tower is usually located up on the roof and is the final destination for the
unwanted heat in the building. The cooling tower contains a large fan which blows air
through the unit. The condenser water is pumped up to the cooling towers and it is
sprayed into the air stream. The cool ambient air will enter and come in direct contact
with the spray of condenser water this will allow the heat of the condenser water to
transfer into the air and this air is then blown out into the atmosphere. The condenser
water then collects and heads back to the chillers condenser ready to collect more heat.
Cooling Tower Problems
 Buildings that feature cooling towers must keep track of and control the four major
types of water treatment issues. These are biological contamination, corrosion, fouling
and scaling. All of these problems reduce the cooling tower’s ability to be as energy
efficient as designed. This means they take more electricity to do the same job. This
raises your overhead and makes the cost of doing business higher.
 Biological Contamination – Cooling towers by nature are places that are hot and humid.
Along with the common and plentiful nutrients that most water sources contain it is an
ideal place for the growth of unwanted biological growth, such as bacteria. These
contaminants aren’t good for people, and are worse for the efficiency of your cooling
tower. This comes in the form of biofilm, which is a build up on the internal components
of your cooling tower. Even very thin layers can reduce the thermal efficiency
dramatically.
 Corrosion – Cooling towers and chillers that leak can many times be attributed to
cooling systems that are ignored. This can be especially prevalent in cooling towers that
use closed loop systems. When the air, sodium, and other chemicals that are found in
our water supplies are left unchecked to run through a cooling tower system they eat
away at the metal and will lead to leaks.
  Fouling – Fouling can occur at different areas of your cooling tower system. The fill is
one of the prime locations for fouling to occur. Fouling is the clogging of cooling surfaces
or pipes with debris, dirt, and dust. When water cannot make it into and pass through
the fill as designed, the air is not cooled properly. This means that the system has to
work longer to achieve the same results. Which means it is using more electricity.
 Scaling – The primary role of cooling towers are to exchange heat from the chiller or
industrial process. This means that build up of minerals in the water can create layers
that rob efficiency. The different types of minerals, like calcium, that are part of the high
heat system break down and are deposited on the cooling tower heat exchange
surfaces. Scaling must be removed or operating costs will increase.
Cooling Tower Solutions
 Every cooling tower’s set of problems will be different. The location’s water source, age
of the cooling tower, and even the air being used to cool the water varies by location.
This means cooling tower maintenance and water treatment is a progressive and
customized undertaking. There is no “one size fits all” solution for cooling tower
maintenance. Choosing a cooling tower maintenance company that helps control all 4 of
the performance diminishing problems will help achieve lower operating costs.
 Treating Biological Contamination
 The first and last step after you have found that a cooling tower is contaminated with
biological growth is to collect a water sample, and it is the last item of business too.
Here we will look at the overall order of how you should go about treating a cooling
tower system of a biological contamination. The contamination is dangerous to the
health of people in the building and near the site as the contaminants can cause
respiratory infections. It is treated by shocking the system with chlorine over a series of
48 hours in various concentrations followed by a complete flush and refill with new
water.
 To prevent future contamination all leaks should be eliminated from the cooling water
system. A sample is taken at the end of the cleaning procedure and sent for analysis. If
the test comes back positive for L. pneumohphila the chlorination of the water and
sampling must be repeated. This is why companies should only hire experienced cooling
tower maintenance companies so they avoid unnecessary downtime.
 There are 3 ways that corrosion can be controlled, epoxy coatings, adding
orthophosphate to the water treatment, or raising the pH of the water up close to
9.0. A delicate balance of these approaches can help extend the life of your cooling
tower and the individual components. When the pH is too high cooling tower water
cannot be treated as effectively with chlorine treatments that help control the biological
contaminants. Orthophospahte does help prevent corrosion as well but it can act as a
 “fertilizer” for some types micrbiological species. Quality chiller tube coatings and
coatings for the cooling tower help protect the metal from carbon steel corrosion.
 Treating Fouling
 Fouling in cooling towers causes diminished cooling tower performance which leads to
inflated energy consumption. Fouling does this when debris or biological matter
prevents the even distribution of water through the system in tubes, nozzles, fill, or
other areas where water needs to have unimpeded movement. To treat fouling chlorine
can be used, fill can be changed, and nozzles or other hardware can be swapped out for
new parts to recover the performance the cooling tower was designed with.
 Removing Scaling
 Scaling is a thin coating of minerals or chemicals which insulates the tubes and prevents
effective heat transfer, can increase back pressure, and also restric the unit’s
generation. Calcium in the makeup water is the main issue that can lead to scaling and
should be monitored and treated when necessary. Tube coatings which are made from
polymers are one of the ways scaling is prevented. These coatings provide a surface
which is conductive to heat to maintain performance but do not give calcium a place to
stick to to build up. If there is significant scaling there are cleaning procedures which will
remove the scaling, which is a perfect time to use chiller tube coatings to prevent scaling
in the future.
 4 Keys To Water Treatment
 Make sure your system is consistently controlled for biofilms. It is easier and less
expensive to keep it clean, than getting it cleaned.
 Get your bleach fresh, keep it in the shade, and make sure you test it at every delivery.
 Use tests which challenge your assumptions about the variables in your cooling tower
with labs for verification and adjust accordingly
 Constant monitoring is the only way to keep on top of your cooling tower scaling,
corrosion, and biological growth. Monitor regularly!
 Water treatment along with chiller & cooling tower maintenance that involves cleaning
all of the heat exchange surfaces is the way to keep your commercial HVAC system
operating properly.