Use of ozone instead of chemicals in cooling towers is just one of the innovative, sustainable ideas examined in this month’s product focus

Building controls
CentraLine, Honeywell’s building controls brand, has introduced the Smile 3 to manage the efficient integration of renewable energy resources with heating systems using gas or oil, and with district heating.

The Smile 3 controller integrates with sources including solar power, heat pumps and wood burners.
The Smile 3 controller integrates with sources including solar power, heat pumps and wood burners.

The Smile 3 controller integrates with sources including solar power, heat pumps and wood burners. It equalises the heat sources to make maximum use of the renewable energy, while managing boiler sequencing on the heating system. Its OpenTherm interface can exchange data with certified devices such as condensing boilers and up to five Smile controllers can be wired together to form a control system.

Gound source heat pumps
Aquatop T is a new range of energy efficient ground and water source heat pumps from Elco, available in the UK through MHS Boilers. The pumps are said to be suitable for underfloor heating and for radiators, in the high temperature version.

Aquatop T
Aquatop T

With nominal outputs in the range from 5.4kW to 87kW and coefficient of performance figures up to 6.0, the range includes seven compact models available up to 18.5kW. The pumps’ sound emissions are below 35dBA, similar to a modern refrigerator. Comfort cooling is also possible, with active cooling via reversible models and free cooling in the standard versions.

Heating systems
While the operational capacity of standard heating systems decreases to some degree when it gets colder outside, Mitsubishi Electric’s new City Multi and Mr Slim Zubadan systems use a unique flash injection circuit to allow condensers to continue delivering full heating capacity with outdoor temperatures as low as -15C and increase the operating range down to -25C.

Mitsubishi Electric’s new City Multi and Mr Slim Zubadan systems
Mitsubishi Electric’s new City Multi and Mr Slim Zubadan systems

Zubadan also has a super-quick start-up and breaks between defrost of up to three times longer than normal. It is available in a variety of configurations across the Mr Slim and City Multi line-up.

Waterproof accessories
Crabtree’s Weatherseal is a range of IP56 water and dustproof electrical accessories that will maintain a full seal even on moulded plugs with rigid cable tails.

Crabtree’s Weatherseal is a range of IP56 water and dustproof electrical accessories
Crabtree’s Weatherseal is a range of IP56 water and dustproof electrical accessories

The company says the socket outlets are impervious to external dust and water, even from strong water jets, thanks to an easy-lift sealable lid manufactured from ASA plastic resin to provide a high level of impact and chemical resistance.

The range includes one gang unswitched and two gang switched sockets with RCD protection if required. It also features 10A retractive and 20A one and two gang switches, and, data outlet modules.

Low energy lamps
Riegens Lighting has launched a range of downlights designed to incorporate compact fluorescent lamps.

The Riegens Lighting DL-ECO lamp
The Riegens Lighting DL-ECO lamp

The manufacturer claims that by optimising the interaction between the lamp and ballast, the DL-ECO lamp can achieve 25% energy reductions compared with equivalent compact lamps with high frequency controls, and savings of more than 50% when compared with electromagnetic systems. The unit is suitable for commercial and retail applications and has an improved twist-lock mechanism to enable easy removal and replacement of the lamp.

Free cooling
CIAT Ozonair has launched a packaged free cooling chiller range. Named Aquaciat Free Cooling, the free cooler section is totally self-contained with its own control centre and is delivered with the chiller as a complete package.

Aquaciat Free Cooling
Aquaciat Free Cooling

Nine models are available, providing a choice of capacities and acoustic levels to suit most air-conditioned offices and retail premises. And, because the free cooling equipment is independent of the chiller, isolating valves allow maintenance to be carried out without having to stop the chiller.

Low-carbon back-lighting
Bright Green Edge and Bright Green Matrix are high brightness LED solutions for light boxes, poster cases, signs and displays, from Bright Green Technology, a company specialising in low-carbon back-lighting.

Bright Green Edge and Bright Green Matrix are high brightness LED solutions for light boxes
Bright Green Edge and Bright Green Matrix are high brightness LED solutions for light boxes

Bright Green Edge is suited for slim, bright display panels, offering an evenly lit solution via an array of LED light sticks and diffusing acrylic, to project light through the graphic face.

Bright Green Matrix is designed to back-light large format light boxes and displays. An array of LEDs increases or decreases the light output and can be used equally effectively in new build constructions or retro-fitted into existing installations.

Automation system
Industrial Automation (IA) is launching its R2 series astromech droid on 1 April. IA claims the machine sports the very latest in diagnostic and repair technology, featuring an Intellex IV computer, sensor package and electromagnetic, heat, motion and life form indicators.

Industrial Automation (IA) is launching its R2 series astromech droid on 1 April
Credit: Rex Features
Industrial Automation (IA) is launching its R2 series astromech droid on 1 April

The R2 also comes with two manipulator arms, electric arc welder, circular saw, computer link arm, holographic recorder and projector unit and fire extinguisher as standard.

The droid is fully upgradable with ports for laser pointers, jet thrusters and inflatable life rafts.

IA designer Kenny Baker described the astromech unit as a “box of tricks for any engineer worth his salt.”

Precise control systems enhance solar role
Solar has a valuable part to play in supplementing hot water provision for commercial buildings in the UK, but it will not provide a complete heating and hot water solution. For this you need an integrated system.

Solar thermal panels do, however, have the potential to meet the domestic hot water (DHW) need for up to 60% of the year, so it is worth considering them to back up space heating.

Even the most sophisticated system requires a high efficiency or condensing boiler to meet the full heating and DHW load and to maximise energy efficiency.

Simply upgrading an outdated boiler with a modern condensing unit or a multi-boiler “cascade” system will yield big improvements in fuel efficiency.

The Buderus 4000 series
The Buderus 4000 series

Adding a controls package that can more precisely manage energy use, through better zoned control, weather compensation or sequencing of multiple boilers, will enhance the potential for fuel savings. It can also increase the longevity of the entire system.

A modular system, of which the Buderus 4000 series is one example, guarantees compatibility across all elements of the heating system, and allows it to be easily expanded to include a variety of renewable energy sources, including solar.

The size of the system is dictated by the amount of domestic hot water required. Avoid the temptation to oversize – accurate measuring using a metering device will provide the information on which to base the eventual system configuration.

Separate controls for solar thermal systems and boilers should be avoided as they are almost always less efficient than a combined solution.

An integrated system will set the DHW threshold to allow the temperature to fall to about 45C rather than maintaining the usual 60C working temperature.

If the cylinder store is over 45C, the integrated controls will hold off boiler firing to allow maximum gain from the solar panels. A built-in thermal disinfection programme also ensures ongoing protection from legionalla.

The larger the solar heat storage facility, the greater the potential saving. When the store is full, panels build up surplus heat and may overheat, another incentive for accurate assessment of demand.