Refrigeration Plant Optimisation.

What are the options?

Dr Michael Bellstedt
Minus40 Pty Ltd
Sydney

Refrigeration in the meat industry

Refrigeration the largest, yet most neglected
power user!
The energy and carbon cost threats
Synthetic refrigerants get out now!
Energy efficiency
Where is power used?
Importance of plant stability
Overview of energy savings opportunities

Conclusions and Recommendations

NSW OEH funding available

Energy

Refrigerationinmeatindustry
y Usedeverywhere.
y Officeairconditioning
y Boningandprocessingrooms
y Carcasschillersandholdingchillers
y Freezerrooms
y Blastchillersandfreezers
y Platefreezers

y 30%to70%ofsitepowerconsumption!!!!
y Yetinmostcasesrefrigerationplanttechnologiesfrom
70sand80s
y .andbreakdownmaintenance!!!

Powercostimpact
Small
Annualconsumption

Medium

Large

5GWh

10GWh

25GWh

2011annualcost

$500,000

$1,000,000

$2,500,000

2015annualcost

$750,000

$1,500,000

$3,750,000

Increase

$250,000 $500,000

$1,250,000

Investing in power savings is a really good idea!!!

Refrigerantsoverview
y Ammonia highefficiency,environmentallybenign,
specialdesignrequirements

y Carbondioxide lowtemperatures,
environmentallybenign,specialdesignrequirements

y Synthetics(R22,R404a,R134a) commonlyused
forsmallsystems,oftenlowefficiency,
environmentallyproblematic

Choiceofrefrigerantandsystem
t
n
e
i
c
i

f
f
e
Ammonia, evaporative
condenser,
S
S
liquid recirculated
E
L
%
0
7
0
3
s

m
e
t
R404a,sair-cooled condenser, direct expansion
y
s
a
4
0
4
R

Carbon

GlobalWarmingPotentials
Refrigerant
R717 (Ammonia)
R744 (CO2)
R404a
R134a
R22

100yr GWP
0
1
3,862
1,410
1,780

Releasing 1kg of R404a = 3,862 kgs of CO2!

= emissions of 1 car driven 15-20,000km!!

EffectofCarbonTaxonR404A
Costs/kg

Taxrate/tonCO2
$0

$20

$40

$60

Basecost

$30

$30

$30

$30

CarbonTax

$0

$80

$160

$240

Handlingcost

$0

$16

$32

$48

Nettcost

$30

$126

$222

$318

%increase

0%

420%

740%

1,060%

ImpactonR404Aplantrunningcosts
y TypicalHFCleakage20%/annum
y 5002,000kgsR404Atypicalformanysites
y Hence100400kgsleakageperannum
y Currently$3,000to$12,000annualrefrigerant
costs
y At$30/toncarbontax,thiswillincreaseto$22,000
to$88,000perannum.
y Amajorleakcausingfullrefrigerantlosscould
cost>$400,000inonehit!!

Ammonia

Freon
13

EnergySavingsOpportunities

Refrigerationenergysavingsopportunities
Strategy

Typicalplant

Optimizedplant

Variableheadpressure

12%

3%

Compressorcontrol

15%

5%

Remotecontroloptimisation

8%

5%

Heatrecovery

2%

0%

Defrostmanagement

2%

1%

Variablecoldstoretemperatures

2%

0%

Variableevaporatorfanspeeds

2%

0%

Condensatesubcooling

4%

2%

Designreview

10%

2%

Maintenancereview

2%

0%

45%

18%

TOTAL

Whereistheenergyused?
Singlestageindirectrefrigerationsystem:
Compressor

Air
cooler

Cooling
tower

Heat
exchangers

Pump

Pump

Expansion device
16

RefrigerationPlantstability firstpriority
y Plantstability:stableoperatingconditions+smooth
responsetochanges
y Stableoperation=efficientoperation.
y Instabilitiescausedby:

On/offcondenserfanoperation
y Simplelevelcontrolmechanismonvessels
y Compressorcyclinginresponsetoloadchanges
y Poorcontrolstrategies
y

y HenceachievingSTABLEplantoperationisgenerallya
prerequisitetoeffectivereductionofenergyuse.

22/02/ 14:00

21/02/ 21:20

21/02/ 04:40

20/02/ 12:00

19/02/ 19:20

19/02/ 02:40

18/02/ 10:00

17/02/ 17:20

17/02/ 00:40

16/02/ 08:00

15/02/ 15:20

14/02/ 22:40

14/02/ 06:00

13/02/ 13:20

12/02/ 20:40

12/02/ 04:00

11/02/ 11:20

10/02/ 18:40

10

10/02/ 02:00

9/02/ 09:20

8/02/ 16:40

8/02/ 00:00

Plantstability dischargepressures
T_cond

35

30

25

20

15

Plant controlled by on/off condenser fan operation

8 /0 2 / 2 3 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 2 2 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 2 1 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 2 0 :0 0

SUCTION_PRESS_TRANS

8 /0 2 / 1 9 :0 0

20

8 /0 2 / 1 8 :0 0

Suction pressure
also oscillates

8 /0 2 / 1 7 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 1 6 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 1 5 :0 0

COMP_2_LOADED_PERCENTAGE

8 /0 2 / 1 4 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 1 3 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 1 2 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 1 1 :0 0

40

8 /0 2 / 1 0 :0 0

COMP_1_LOADED_PERCENTAGE

8 /0 2 / 0 9 :0 0

120

8 /0 2 / 0 8 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 0 7 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 0 6 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 0 5 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 0 4 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 0 3 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 0 2 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 0 1 :0 0

8 /0 2 / 0 0 :0 0

Plantstability impactonremainingplant
HEAD_PRESS_TRANS

Discharge pressure oscillates

1200

100
1000

80
800

60
600

Compressor load state

responds to pressure
fluctuations

0
400

200

Saving fan power with a VSD

ed
g
Sta trol
n
co

Fan
power

100%

Savings
due to
VSD

ed
e
p
S
l
o
r
t
con
0%

100%

Air flow

FanVSDsavings
y 10kWfanmotor
y Runfan50%ofthetime=5kWaverageuse
y Runfanat50%fanspeed=1.25kWaverageuse
y Save3.75kW=$5,000/annum
y 10kWVSDcosts<<$5,000!!!

Variableheadpressurecontrol
y Compressorpowerreduces~3%per1C
reductionincondensingtemperature
y Manyplantsrunatconstantheadpressure
setpointthroughoutyear
y Atcoolambientand/orpartloadconditions
significantsavingscanbeachievedbyallowing
headpressuretoreduce
y Additionalsavingsachievablebyoperating
condenserfansatvariablespeed,ratherthan
stagingfans

Compressor+condenserfan
Summerconditions

Minimum
total power

Compressor+condenserfan
Winterconditions

Minimum
total power

Example:VHPCwithambient
sensor(left)andVSDson
condensers(below)

Screwcompressorcapacitycontrol
Slidevsvariablespeed

Courtesy:
University of Wisconsin

Unloadedscrewcompressor

Problem:Compressorat
70%
slideposition!
27

Solution:VSDsforscrew
compressors

Twocompressorplant
efficientloading
Single compressor operation

Dual compressor operation

C1 @
100%; 50Hz

C2 @ 100 %
C1 @
100%; 28Hz
C1 @
100%; 25Hz
C2 @ 75 %

C1 OFF;
C2 OFF

Mode A

Mode B

Mode C
0-100% loading

Mode D

Twocompressorplant
efficientunloading
Single compressor operation

Dual compressor operation

C1 @
100%; 50Hz

C2 @ 100 %
C1 @
100%; 28Hz
C1 @
100%; 25Hz

C2 @ 75 %

C1 OFF;
C2 OFF

Mode A

Mode B

Mode C
100-0% unloading

Mode D

Slideposition
transducerson
Hitachi(l)andStal
(below)

Theplantcontrolchallenge
y Operatingconditionsvary
Summer/winterambientconditions
y Productionchanges
y Seasonalproduction
y Day/night/weekendoperation
y

y Optimumoperatingconditionsareamoving
target
Changingplantoperatingconditions
y Changingservicescostsandrates
y Plantchangesandimprovements
y

Principleofremotecontroloptimisation
SCADA
SCADA

Optimised settings
over-ride PLC settings

Plant
Plant

PLC
PLC
Data

Optimised
settings
Server
Server
on
on site
site
For remote
optimisation

Power
Power
meters
meters

Data

Remote
Remote
workworkstation
station
For remote
optimisation

PLCcontainsstandardsiteprogramming
PLCservicedbylocalpersonnel
Serverturnedoffduringserviceortroubleshooting
work
Energysaveralgorithmsonserver,cannotbeaffected
byPLCchanges
Verificationeasilydonebycomparingperformancewith
serverONandOFF

Heatrecovery
y Freezerroomsubfloorheating(<20C)
y DomesticHotWater/Handwash(40C)
y Spaceheating(4060C)
y Washdownwater(5560C)
y CIP,sterilisation(8090C)
y Boilerfeedwater(any)

Heatrecoverywithhighstagedesuperheater

Variableevaporatorfanspeeds
Most evaporator
fans run 24/7

Alternatives:
Fit VSDs to fans (one VSD per evaporator)
Reduce fan speed when doors closed say >30 minutes
Reduce fan speed at night/on weekends
Run low speed (20%), then pulse speed to 70% to mix air

EvaporatorfansonVSD
y Freezerevaporatorfanmotor 1.5kW
y Refrigerationpowerrequiredtoremoveheat
0.75kW,hence2.25kWtotal
y Annualpowercostsfor24/7operation:$3,000!
y UseVSDat70%averagefanspeed 0.5kWfan
power+0.25kW=0.75kWtotal
y Annualpowercostsfor24/7operation:$1,000!
y Annualsavings:$2,000PERFAN!!

Liquidrefrigerantsubcooling
Compressor

Condenser

Evaporator

X
Expansion device

Sub-cool liquid
HERE before
expansion
37

Liquidrefrigerantsubcooling
y Flashgasreductionreducescompressorpower

y Subcoolingwithcondenserfeedwater
y Watercooledsystemsonly
y Mainswatergenerallycolderthanambient
y Subcoolcondensatewithmainswater

y Subcoolingwitheconomizersuction(screw
compressorsonly)

Intermediatesuctionpressureusedtosubcool
condensateinheatexchanger
y BeneficialONLYifslideunloaderNOTused.

Condensatesubcoolingwithfeedwater
Compressor

Evaporative
Condenser

Evaporator
Mains water
Expansion device
39

Economizeronscrewcompressor

40

ReviewofRefrigerationPlantDesign
y RemoveBottlenecks thatcauseinefficiencies
y Splitsuctionlinestorunhighertemperatureloadsat

highersuctionpressure
y Eg.Blastfreezersandholdingfreezers
y Eg.Chillerroomsandprocessingrooms

y Eliminateliquidinjectionoilcoolingonscrew

compressors

Liquidinjectionoilcoolingonscrewcompressors

Problem:LIoil
coolingreducesefficiency
42

Solution:Watercooled
oilcooling

TypicalBottlenecks
y Undersizedevaporators/condensers
y Decreasessuction,increasescondensingtemp

y Directexpansionevaporators
y Limitsvariableheadpressurecontroloptions

y Excessivelylongwet/drysuctionlines
y Reducessuctionpressureatcompressor

y Poorlydesignedwetsuctionrisers
y Reducessuctionpressureatcompressor

y Undersizedsuction/dischargelines,orunnecessaryline
obstructions
y Reducessuction,increasesdischargepressureatcompressor

y Redundantsuctionregulationvalves
y Reducessuctionpressureatcompressor

Example:Poorsuctionlineinstallation
Two stop lines in series!!

Redundant valve not

removed from suction line

Airpurging
Airpurging
Oldgas
purgers

Manualgas
purging
Solution:
Autopurgers
45

Wateraccumulation
y Waterenterswithair,butaccumulatesinthe
system
y Accumulatesonthelowtemperatureside,
generallyinaccumulator/surgevessels
y Reducessuctionpressurerequiredtoachieve
setpointevaporationtemperature
y Somedevices(icecreamchurns)acttoremove
water.
y Otherwisewaterpurgerrequired.

Effectofwateronenergyefficiency

Conclusionsand
Recommendations
y Analyseyourplantforenergysavings
opportunities therearemany!
y Opportunitiesnotfeasibleafewyearsagoare
nowviableduetohigherpowercosts
y Manyopportunitiesareavailableatrelatively
minorcost,orrequirecontrolsupgradeonly
y ImplementviableopportunitiesNOW
y ConvertFreonsystemstoammoniaplant

NSWOfficeofEnvironmentand
Heritagefundingsupport
y IndustrialRefrigerationEnergyEfficiency
project studies,seminars,directsupport
y Businesscasestudiessubsidizedby70%
y $20,000earlyadopterfundingavailable
y 100%fundingforimplementationsupport
services
y EnergySavingsCertificatesavailablefor
completedprojects($35/MWh/annum)