Good news for the UK’s sun worshipers, as the Met Office predicts a high chance that we’re going to see heatwaves across the country this summer. But for building managers, it’s a signal that their cooling systems will experience extended operation to deal with extreme ambient temperatures.
With a warm spring already underway (the warmest since Met Office records began in 1884), air conditioning equipment has probably started operating earlier than usual. These longer running hours add to building operational costs (and operational carbon emissions), so ensuring that the systems are as efficient as possible is increasingly important.
Good maintenance practice is key to keeping all HVAC systems optimised, but it’s often easy to overlook a hidden factor – water quality. Whether a cooling system is water- or air-based, water quality still has a significant impact on how effectively and efficiently it operates.
In fact, one of the first signs of poor water quality can be reduced cooling efficiency, often due to fouling and build-up of deposits in cooling coils and on sensors.
As little as 0.6 mm of fouling within cooling coils can cause an increase in energy consumption by 20%, increase in flow temperatures of 2oC and reduce chiller cooling capacity of 20%.
Energy Carrier
Water flowing in pipes is the energy carrier of the cooling system, so any corrosion, scale or biofilm can reduce its capacity to do this. These deposits act as insulators, preventing efficient cooling (or heat) transfer. As a result, the system requires more energy to achieve the same cooling or heating effect, leading to higher operational costs.
In very hot weather, with a cooling system operating continuously for longer periods, these issues can quickly accumulate, leading to breakdowns. Over time, untreated or poorly treated water can deposit dissolved and suspended solids in heat exchangers, pipes, and other critical components.
As BSRIA notes in its outline of its publication BG50 (Water treatment for Closed Heating and Cooling Systems): “In closed heating and cooling systems, problems with corrosion, scale, sedimentation and biofouling can result in energy wastage, poor system performance and the need for early replacement of plant and components.”
Improved resource management
Increasing vigilance of water quality relies upon already busy facilities managers and site engineers. So, adopting a modern approach through automation allows more effective resource management and facilities teams time to focus their efforts elsewhere as well.
Enwa’s EnwaMatic side stream technology is specifically designed to provide a proactive, automated approach to water treatment. EnwaMatic filters water to less than 10 microns, controlling key water parameters to prevent corrosion, scaling and fouling.
What’s more, the water treatment process is dynamic and self-regulating, responding to water conditions in real time, ensuring effective treatment is in place continuously. Enwa’s EnwaMatic side stream is a practical alternative to chemical dosing, which can be a time-consuming activity.
Scalable
Enwa’s team of water treatment engineers has worked across numerous sectors from universities, data centres, healthcare and commercial offices. One of the many benefits of the EnwaMatic side stream system is that it is available for buildings of all sizes and systems of all volumes – from less than 5m3 to 1 million m3 plus. Good water quality can support efficient operation in every system, no matter how large or small.
It doesn’t take much debris in the water and pipework to add significant costs to cooling your building this summer. By investing in modern water treatment technology, you can reduce your energy and protect your HVAC systems – extending their lifetime and reducing the likelihood of breakdowns (the last thing you want when the outdoor temperatures are rising).
If you’d like to find out more about our approach to water treatment, we can offer CPD-approved presentations on the principles behind it and talk to you about how Enwa’s approach can benefit you or your clients’ buildings.
