“Recovery” was the buzzword during the 2010 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo), held Jan. 25-27 in Orlando, Fla. With 28,582 registered visitors and 1,823 exhibitors — 200 of which were exhibiting at the AHR Expo for the first time — a wary hopefulness spread through the aisles of the Orange County Convention Center.

While “the world is struggling to escape from the woes of the deepest economic recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s,” HPAC Engineering Editorial Director Mike Weil wrote in his February 2010 editorial, the HVACR industry is planning for the future by “simultaneously trying to embrace environmental responsibility and sustainability.”

For their part, many companies exhibiting at the AHR Expo exemplified this forward-thinking mindset by displaying green and energy-efficient products intended to save users time and money.

“There is a great interest and demand for ‘green’/sustainable products and technologies,” Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Co., which produces and manages the AHR Expo, said. “Hundreds of exhibitors were featuring energy-efficient solutions.”

Products featured at the AHR Expo, such as energy-recovery cassettes from Airxchange (bottom left), which can recycle up to 80 percent of the heating and cooling energy contained in exhaust air, and Advanced Telemetry's energy-management system (see Page 29), which can help reduce utility bills by as much as 25 percent, emphasize energy and cost savings.

The 29 products within the pages of HPAC Engineering's 2010 AHR Expo Product Review are just a sampling of what was available on the show floor; more can be seen in the AHR Expo Product Preview, featured in the January 2010 issue of the magazine and online at http://hpac.com/mag/ahr-expo-product-0110/index.html. For the ranks of HVACR-industry professionals looking forward to next year's offerings, the 2011 AHR Expo will be held Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 in Las Vegas.

Cassettes

Replacements for large decommissioned or aging energy-recovery-ventilation (ERV) wheels, FA Series field-assembled cassettes (wheels and frames) are performance-certified by the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and listed with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for fire safety. Both wheel and frame materials are corrosion resistant, even in coastal environments. For applications from 100 to 35,000 cfm, the wheels are sold in integrated direct-expansion, air-handling, or stand-alone ERV systems or as add-on options. The wheels recycle up to 80 percent of the heating and cooling energy contained in exhaust air.
— Airxchange
Circle 1

Remote controllers

Navigation remote controllers feature set-point range limitation, individual button prohibition, setup/setback options, and auto changeover with cooling and heating set points for heat-pump and heat-recovery systems. Weekly scheduling can be configured for seven days, five weekdays plus two weekend days, or five weekdays plus Saturday plus Sunday. The controllers also include a backlighted liquid-crystal display, built-in room-temperature sensor, and 12/24-hr clock.
— Daikin AC (Americas) Inc.
Circle 2

Combined hydronic appliance

A Phoenix Evolution combined hydronic appliance replaces a gas-fired water heater, a 135,000 Btuh boiler, and a buffer tank. A 3-to-1 turndown ratio helps the system adjust to more moderate ambient temperatures, especially during early spring or late fall, when the demand for heat is less. Ninety-six-percent-efficient, the appliance requires only five connections: at the supply and return for space heating, at the inlet and outlet for domestic hot water, and at the cold-water feed for makeup water.
— Heat Transfer
Circle 3

Touchscreen displays

Reveal touchscreen displays allow users to quickly monitor and control a facility's comfort levels, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, as well as security. The touchscreens have up to three data points for continuous display, giving users the ability to monitor live data, such as inside temperature, outside temperature, and humidity levels. Additionally, the units can be used to view system statistics, read and override system set points, and view alarms, point descriptions, alarm troubleshooting notes, and any other user-specified data.
— Honeywell
Circle 4

Heating boilers

To be available later in 2010, Crest commercial heating boilers will be offered in five models, with capacities of 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 million Btuh. Each of these models will feature a burner and combustion system designed to provide exceptional turndown capabilities and improve overall seasonal efficiencies. Additionally, the boilers will include the Smart Touch operating control platform, enhanced with an 8-in. touchscreen display. This control offers ease of setup and use by including the Modbus protocol for integration into building-management systems.
— Lochinvar
Circle 5

Air-cooled chillers

With three levels of operating efficiency — standard, high, and premium — Pathfinder air-cooled chillers feature a variable-frequency-drive (VFD) option on high- and premium-efficiency models. While the chillers operate on R-134A refrigerant, unit capacities range from 175 to 530 tons. Ideal for retrofit projects, the chillers' small unit footprint can accommodate existing structures, such as installation pads, walls, and fences.
— Daikin McQuay
Circle 6

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