“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.
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
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
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
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
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
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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Compact, self-contained CM25 ceiling-mounted air conditioners provide 25,000 Btuh of cooling and are designed for protecting server rooms and heat-sensitive equipment against costly damage. The units offer a high sensible-cooling capacity, as well as a 14 seasonal energy-efficiency ratio, made possible by an energy-saving, variable-speed inverter compressor and inverter fan motors. The air conditioners use environmentally friendly R-410A refrigerant.
— MovinCool
Circle 7
Developed for facility, maintenance, and energy executives in the supermarket industry, Proact software shows users how to measure, manage, and optimize their facilities. Users can remotely detect critical-equipment failures, participate in demand-response programs, and benchmark energy consumption. Other capabilities include alarm management, energy monitoring and targeting, set-point verification, and dispatch management.
— Emerson Climate Technologies
Circle 8
MS165X tandem-compressor, dual-circuit scroll chillers are available in 105-, 135-, and 165-ton modules. With four compressors on one frame, the chillers can offer increased capacity in a relatively small footprint. Additionally, incorporating tandem compressors on each circuit provides four steps of unloading per module on a common heat exchanger. The chillers feature single-point electrical and water connections.
— Multistack
Circle 9
The Wonderware Industry Application for Facilities Management helps reduce costs by standardizing control-, alarm-, and event-monitoring functions for multiple sites into centralized control rooms. The application provides a common supervisory-control-and-data-acquisition (SCADA) system with the ability to collect and process building-automation information from large distributed facility environments and to maintain this information under central supervision.
— Invensys Operations Management
Circle 10
One InnovairFlex duct smoke detector can accommodate multiple installation footprints to overcome mounting constraints. The detectors offer false-alarm immunity, a temperature range of -4°F to 158°F, easily visible status indicators, and an accessible test feature. For ease of installation, the detectors' sampling tubes can be installed without tools from the front or back by being snapped into place.
— System Sensor
Circle 11
An energy-management system for businesses, EcoView Commercial enables users to view, control, and decrease a facility's energy and resource usage in real time; reduce utility bills by as much as 25 percent; and realize returns on investment in six to 12 months. Controlled through a simple-to-install wireless touch-panel dashboard or Web interface and independent of a utility company, the system helps business users understand and track how they are consuming resources, such as electricity and natural-gas consumption.
— Advanced Telemetry LLC
Circle 12
For multiple boiler systems, the Temp-Tracker Mod+Hybrid Control can switch from condensing boiler lead to non-condensing boiler lead as load demand shifts. The control senses variations in seasonal and daily water-temperature requirements to select the proper lead unit.
— Raypak
Circle 13
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Flash ultraviolet leak-detection dye does not contain polyolester oil as a carrier, but instead uses Dry R drying agent, which keeps the dye stable and prevents it from crystallizing with moisture. Packaged in a vacuum-packed one-time-use can, an injection hose allows the dye to mist into an HVACR system for instant distribution.
— Cliplight Manufacturing Co.
Circle 14
Able to operate for 20 hr on four standard AA alkaline batteries, the eL-720 carbon-dioxide (CO2) leak detector can detect concentrations of CO2 as low as 400 ppm over ambient. Applications include CO2 refrigeration services; mobile air conditioning; wineries, breweries, and bakeries; bulk CO2 manufacturing, distribution, and service; and general leak detection.
— Core Enterprises Inc.
Circle 15
This spring, Distech will offer a total of 23 BACnet products ranging from application-specific and advanced-building controllers to Allure EC-Smart-Vue configurable communicating sensors. The products' “plug-and-play” features will help reduce installation costs and commissioning time. The products will integrate the company's wireless and batteryless technology by delivering “out-of-the-box” wireless capability.
— Distech Controls
Circle 16
An overload and monitoring relay, Motor Insight features solid-state line, load, and motor protection with ground-fault detection; power-voltage and current monitoring; and flexible communications. It allows adjustments to be made to overload settings without disconnecting power. Additionally, it provides an enhanced capacity to withstand surges. The relay is available in 240, 480, and 600 v.
— Eaton Corp.
Circle 17
Designed for wall-mounted air conditioners, the Limpet Condensate Removal System can pump condensate 50 ft vertically and 100 ft horizontally. The system includes built-in check valves, an electronic water sensor, a diagnostic sensor, an alarm circuit, and a computerized noise-control system that slowly ramps up pump speed to minimize noise.
— EDC International
Circle 18
Extech EX540 digital handheld multi-meters offer wireless data streaming to a laptop or personal computer for datalogging or real-time monitoring. Its rugged, waterproof design can withstand a 6-ft drop. The multimeters include double-molded test leads, a universal-serial-bus wireless receiver, a temperature probe, a magnetic hanging strap, a 9-v battery, and a carrying case.
— Extech Instruments
Circle 19
For small commercial applications, the Ecô Energy Management System is a browser-based system that can be monitored and controlled remotely from any Internet connection, including a handheld device, such as a personal digital assistant or iTouch. The system accumulates historical data for analysis and generates real-time performance data.
— Eagle Mountain
Circle 20
An interoperability solution for building-automation-system integrators, the FS-B35 Series FieldServer combines the FieldServer driver library with a gateway design. The unit includes four serial ports (two RS-232 and two RS-485), two 10/100BaseT Ethernet ports, and a Lon-Works port.
— FieldServer Technologies
Circle 21
For light-commercial applications, DryCool HD dehumidification systems use a desiccant-dehumidification wheel and environmentally friendly R-410A refrigerant to remove heat and moisture from incoming air. The systems improve indoor comfort and help prevent indoor-air-quality problems associated with moisture, such as mold, mildew, biological allergens, and odors.
— Munters
Circle 22
EnERVent energy-recovery ventilators can be outfitted with direct-expansion or chilled-water cooling coils, as well as hot-water and pre- and post-electric heating coils. The air-tempering options make the ventilators useful for 100-percent-outside-air systems.
— Ruskin Rooftop Systems
Circle 23
Designed for HVACR applications, such as detecting leaks and inspecting corrosion and deposit buildup, Seeker video-inspection systems come equipped with a high-strength, “obedient” 39.4-in. camera-tipped probe with built-in, adjustable light-emitting-diode lighting; a mirror, magnet, and pickup hook that can mount on the end of the probe; batteries; an instruction manual; and an impact-resistant carrying case.
— General Tools & Instruments
Circle 24
Airflow meters offer features for a range of airflow-measurement tasks from routine HVAC to complex manufacturing and cleanroom applications. The professional class of Testo 435 meters offers three models for flow calculations from 4,000 to 8,000 fpm using a pitot tube, hot-wire anemometer, or rotating vane, depending on the application. A wireless temperature/humidity probe for performing measurements in two locations at once also is available.
— Testo Inc.
Circle 25
Lead-free brass transition fittings and valves meet various states' lead-free legislation and exceed the requirements of the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act. These fittings can be combined with Uponor's flexible cross-linked polyethylene (PEX-a) tubing, engineered plastic, and ProPEX out-of-the-wall support system to provide a complete lead-free plumbing solution from inlet to faucet.
— Uponor Corp.
Circle 26
Advanced Groove System (AGS) couplings have been extended for use with pipe sizes of up to 60 in. in diameter. With a two-piece housing and a wedge-shaped groove that delivers pressure ratings of up to 350 psi/2,400 kPa, depending on pipe size and wall thickness, the couplings are well-suited for HVAC applications.
— Victaulic
Circle 27
FacilityWorX provides an open-standards software-integration platform for existing building-automation systems to achieve a complete operational view of an entire building or campus. Lighting, elevator, boiler, chiller, fire, generator, access-control, and HVAC-control systems can be configured into one console. The platform features charting, analysis, and reporting tools, as well as datalogging and archiving capabilities.
— Iconics Inc.
Circle 28
Concerto Software integrates the estimating, design, submittal-preparation, and ordering phases of a project. Designed to support multiple product lines, the software works with AutoCad and Visio. Industry databases are populated with cost and labor values for peripheral and mainline products.
— ICS Inc.
Circle 29