Energy Management Features
The SST system provides a wealth of energy management features that can be used to dramatically reduce your operational costs. Many of the features were developed specifically for environmental control solutions but many others can be utilized for all control system types that we provide. Listed below are a few of the many power-management features provided by the SST system. As you review the list, its important to remember that to take full advantage of the energy saving capabilities of the system, additional equipment may be required.
Individual Component and Overall System Energy Consumption Monitor Capabilities
The system allows users to monitor the energy consumption of individual refrigeration equipment components in real time. Users can also monitor the energy consumption of the entire system at once. Historical energy consumption information is also stored to allow users to view the energy consumption trends of individual components or the entire system over time. The information can be reviewed locally or from a remote site.
Detailed Energy Consumption Reports
The system provides detailed energy consumption reports that can be used to fine tune the parameters of the system to ensure that the refrigeration equipment is operating at maximum efficiency. The system also provides the tools required to allow a user to define custom reports for management review.
Unlimited Engine Room Schedule Configuration
The system provides the functionality required to allow a user with the proper security clearance to create unlimited compressor schedules. This capability allows the customer to configure lead-lag compressor start sequences to compensate for large product loads that are expected or seasonal requirements due to ambient temperatures.
BRTI (Blast Runtime Interval) Control Schemes
The BRTI or Blast Run-Time Interval feature was originally developed for blast freezers; however, the feature can be used on all evaporators in the system to improve operational efficiency. This feature provides up to three defrost intervals for valve groups thus allowing the customer to configure defrost cycles to compensate for specific product load factors. Proper use of this feature can guarantee that the evaporators are operating with a clean coil.
Temperature Setback Scheduling
The temperature setback scheduling feature of the system allows the customer to create automatic time of day/day of week set-point schedules for the evaporators. The schedule capabilities can be used to reduce overall KW consumption by turning off equipment during peak power charge periods. Reduced equipment requirements obviously equate to reduced compressor runtime requirements.
Shed Load By Demand Control Schemes
The scheduling capabilities of the system related to evaporators and compressors can be configured to minimize power consumption during peak charge per KWH times. Lead-lag compressor and evaporator fan run sequences can be based on power consumption.
Overall Consumption-Based Coherent Control
The underlying philosophy behind the entire control system is to achieve the required set-points using the least amount of power equipment possible. Customers can quickly configure new equiptment to operate at maximum efficiency. The component-based control scheme makes it possible for a user to configure new compressors, valve groups, etc...in just a few minutes.
PID Based Vessel Liquid Level Control
This control scheme eliminates pressure fluctuations that normally result from pulses of liquid being fed into a vessel with standard open/close solenoid valve types. This is accomplished by controlling the flow using modulated valves. Pressure fluctuations result in unnessary compressor start/stop operations.
Floating Head and Suction Pressure Control Schemes
Controlled variance of the head pressure based on ambient wet-bulb temperature allows the system to maintain the lowest possible system discharge pressure. Controlled variance of the system suction pressure set-point allows the system to maintain temperature requirements at the highest possible suction pressure. Higher suction pressures and lower discharge pressures equate to reduced compressor workloads.
Proportional VFD Motor Control
The standard refrigeration control system provides the capability to control fan and compressor motors using VFD controllers. The additional up-front costs of the VFD controllers can quickly be recovered through energy cost savings. Once temperature set-points are achieved the temperatures can be maintained utilizing various equiptment motors running at a reduced speed. Motors operating at reduced speeds require far less power.
