Case Study  MGM Grand Macau

Problems
 Improper water balancing due to rush in opening a
few years ago

 Low delta T syndrome found in many AHUs

 High electricity bill for the HVAC system

 DDC control logic for AHUs was not good

Expectations from Energy Valve

 Resolve the low delta T syndrome

 Correct the balancing for AHU and avoid overflow

 Improve performance and save energy

 Found out the problem of DDC control logic

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AHU-BF-2 Photos

Fouling

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Testing & Commissioning Procedures

Phase Set Up Procedures

Existing Bal. Valve  Check the pipe size and original design parameters
Existing Control Valve
of the AHU, e.g. flow rate & delta T
Before 75% M

Replacement R  Check the opening of the existing balancing valve

Ø100 AHU
S
XX  Ask the BMS to start trending of the DDC output
Ø100 signal for a few days, if available

Energy Valve
 Maintain the manual balancing valve at its original
75%
M V
position, i.e. 75%
(1) T

Position Control
R AHU  Set the EV to position control just working like a
T
XX normal control valve
S
 Run this mode for a period of time & collect data

 Set the EV to flow control and insert the original

100%
M V
design flow rate and delta T as the set points
(2) T

Flow Control
R AHU  Turn the manual balancing valve to 100% open
T
XX  Run this mode for a period of time and collect
S
another set of data

 Activate the DT manager and continue to collect

(3) 100%
M V
data under this control mode
T
Flow Control + R AHU  Keep the manual balancing valve to 100% open
T
Delta T Manager XX
S  Use Belimo’s data analytical tools to analyze all
data collected under different control modes

3
Phase 1 – Position Control

DDC Setpoint &

Valve position
Water
feedback
flow rate

Findings
 Control valve was responding to the DDC setpoint perfectly as both the valve position feedback curve and the DDC setpoint
curve were lying on the same line.

 Valve cycling time was a little fast due to the DDC output signal from close-to-open or open-to-close occurred in every 30 mins.

 Original design flow rate of the AHU was 11.5 l/s, but the measured maximum flow rate was approx. 40% only. However, the
return air temperature setpoint can still be maintained meaning that improper balancing was happening or the AHU, piping, and
control valve were oversized.

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Phase 2 – Flow Control

DDC
Water
Setpoint
flow rate

Valve position
feedback

Findings
 Flow control of the energy valve was enabled.

 The activation of flow control changed the flow as the new control point responding to the DDC setpoint whereas the valve
position was becoming the dependent of the flow. Because of the equal percentage characteristics of the valve, the water flow
curve and DDC setpoint curve are different.

 Design flow rate of the AHU was changed from 11.5 l/s down to 5.7 l/s, and the measured maximum flow rate was approx. 60%
of the new design flow. Again, return air temperature setpoint was still be maintaining even with lesser flow.

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 16.5
17.5
18.5
19.5
20.5

16
17
18
19
20
21
11/25/13 12:00:00 AM CST
11/25/13 2:10:00 AM CST
11/25/13 4:20:00 AM CST
11/25/13 6:30:00 AM CST
11/25/13 8:40:00 AM CST
11/25/13 10:50:00 AM CST
11/25/13 1:00:00 PM CST
11/25/13 3:10:00 PM CST
11/25/13 5:20:00 PM CST
11/25/13 7:30:00 PM CST
11/25/13 9:40:00 PM CST
11/25/13 11:50:00 PM CST
11/26/13 2:00:00 AM CST
11/26/13 4:10:00 AM CST
11/26/13 6:20:00 AM CST
11/26/13 8:30:00 AM CST
11/26/13 10:40:00 AM CST
11/26/13 12:50:00 PM CST
11/26/13 3:00:00 PM CST
11/26/13 5:10:00 PM CST
11/26/13 7:20:00 PM CST
11/26/13 9:30:00 PM CST
11/26/13 11:40:00 PM CST
11/27/13 1:50:00 AM CST
11/27/13 4:00:00 AM CST
11/27/13 6:10:00 AM CST
11/27/13 8:20:00 AM CST
11/27/13 10:30:00 AM CST
11/27/13 12:40:00 PM CST
11/27/13 2:50:00 PM CST
11/27/13 5:00:00 PM CST
11/27/13 7:10:00 PM CST
11/27/13 9:20:00 PM CST
11/27/13 11:30:00 PM CST
11/28/13 1:40:00 AM CST
11/28/13 3:50:00 AM CST
11/28/13 6:00:00 AM CST
11/28/13 8:10:00 AM CST
11/28/13 10:20:00 AM CST
11/28/13 12:30:00 PM CST
11/28/13 2:40:00 PM CST
11/28/13 4:50:00 PM CST

Return air Temperature Setpoint (from BMS)

11/28/13 7:00:00 PM CST
11/28/13 9:10:00 PM CST
11/28/13 11:20:00 PM CST
11/29/13 1:30:00 AM CST
feedback

11/29/13 3:40:00 AM CST

11/29/13 5:50:00 AM CST
Valve position

11/29/13 8:00:00 AM CST

11/29/13 10:10:00 AM CST
11/29/13 12:20:00 PM CST
11/29/13 2:30:00 PM CST
11/29/13 4:40:00 PM CST
11/29/13 6:50:00 PM CST
DDC

11/29/13 9:00:00 PM CST

Setpoint

11/29/13 11:10:00 PM CST

Phase 3 – Flow Control + Delta T Manager

Findings
Water
flow rate

still meeting with the setpoint.

the new design flow of 5.7 l/s.
 Ambient temperature was dropped a lot in December.

DDC setpoint resulting AHU runs at free cooling mode.

 Sometime the ambient temperature was lower than the

 During the activation of Delta T Manager, the measured

 Even with very little water flow, return air temperature was
maximum flow rate was further dropped to approx. 30% of

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Test Result
1 Nov 12 Nov 6 Dec
2013 2013 2013 Calculations
(from position control to flow control only)

Position Flow Flow Control +

Control
Flow Saving
Control DT Manager
V1 332.1
= = 71.8 %
Date
Flow V2 462.7
(m3)
1/11 137.1 Flow Saving = 1 – 71.8 % = 28.2 %
2/11 89.8
Flow
3/11 68.8 Date
(m3)
4/11 55.4
12/11 51.8
5/11 46.3
13/11 44.1 Pump Power Saving
6/11 63.3 Flow
14/11 41.1 Date
Total: 462.7 (m3)
15/11 60 Pump Affinity Laws:
6/12 12.2
16/11 66.1 Q ∝ Speed ; H ∝ (Speed)2 ; P ∝ (Speed)3
7/12 19.9
17/11 34.2
8/12 23.1 3 3 3
Total: 332.1 P1 Q1 dV1/dt 332.1
13/12 6.1 = = = = 36.9 %
14/12 25.2 P2 Q2 dV2/dt 462.7
15/12 13
Total: 99.5 Pump Power Saving = 1 – 36.9 % = 63.1 %

This set of data is not counted due to the

ambient temp dropped a lot in Dec resulting
the AHU runs at free cooling mode

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Case Study  Prince of Wales Hospital

Problems
 The building and its many facilities have been operating
for more than 30 years, aging problem is obvious

 A lot of A/C improvement works had been done but no

water rebalancing was made so far

 AHU-S8-2 worn out and needs to be replaced

Expectations from Energy Valve

 Provide live monitoring of water flow and temperatures

 Analyze the performance of the new AHU

 Avoid doing the rebalancing for the system as it is

difficult and might cause big impact to the operation of
existing AHUs

 Avoid overflow to the coil and save energy

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Test Result
3 Jul 8 Jul 30 Jul
2014 2014 2014 Calculations
(from position control to flow control+DT manager)

Flow Position Flow Control + Flow Saving

Control Control DT Manager
V1 758
= = 80.8 %
V2 937.7
Flow
Date
(m3)
Flow Saving = 1 – 80.8 % = 19.2 %
8/7 193.4

Flow 9/7 196.5

Date
(m3) 10/7 187.8
3/7 206.9 11/7 185.3
4/7 192.6
Pump Power Saving
12/7 189.6 Flow
Date
5/7 195 Total: 952.5 (m3)
Pump Affinity Laws:
6/7 183.1 30/7 170.3 Q ∝ Speed ; H ∝ (Speed)2 ; P ∝ (Speed)3
7/7 160 31/7 153.2
3 3 3
Total: 937.7 1/8 139.9 P1 Q1 dV1/dt 758
= = = = 52.8 %
2/8 146.5 P2 Q2 dV2/dt 937.7
3/8 148.1
Pump Power Saving = 1 – 52.8 % = 47.2 %
Total: 758.0

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Case Study  MIT Hayden Library

Problems
 The Hayden Library built in 1949 with total floor area of
approx. 14,000 m2. It’s air conditioning system contains
of numerous of FCU and 6 AHU.

 All 6 AHU were reported with low delta syndrome, delta

T for most AHU down to 3.3 °C

 Over pumping water caused high energy consumption

 Planned to add more chillers and pumps because of

inefficiency

Expectations
 Resolve the low delta T syndrome

 Improve efficiency and save energy

10
Field Test Result

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Payback Period (MIT Hayden Library)

Description Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Payback Period

20000
Energy valve costs (18,000) 0 0
10000

Installation costs (24,000) 0 0 0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

US Dollar
Operation & maintenance costs 0 0 0 -10000

-20000
Existing pumps energy saving
10,000 10,000 10,000
per annual Break Even
-30000
13.6 months
Existing chillers energy saving
30,000 30,000 30,000 -40000
per annual

-50000
Total (2,000) 40,000 40,000 Month

** Estimation based on 6 sets of energy valve installed for AHU

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