RapidBalance™ – Honeywell’s cost-effective and
easy-to-use VAV Box Balancing Tool
The intended usage of Rapidbalance is for calibrating installed VAV box controllers and to verify that the VAV box airflow meets the design specifications.
While this application is free to the general public, you will be required to supply your contact information (for RapidBalance update notification purposes) and to accept the License Agreement, prior to download.
A short Training Overview is included in the zip-file.
Key Features include:
* Stand-alone, laptop PC-based software program
* Easy to use, intuitive tool for VAV balancing
* Ability to drive multiple VAV’s to max or min flow setpoint
Download Rapid Balance from Honeywell Website
Variable Frequency Drive Software and Energy-Savings Payback Calculator
Brand New Software Update – Download the most recent commissioning or loading software. Or, use the Payback Calculator to determine energy savings and payback period based on your customer’s system demand schedule and variable frequency drive horsepower.
Variable Frequency Drive Software – New Revision Software Updates
NCDrive: NC Drive Win95/98
& NC Drive for Windows 2000 & XP
(for 2000 & XP, install the first – NC Drive Win95/98, then apply the second)
*Commissioning
*Parameter adjustment
*Monitoring & Trending
*Drive-control & Diagnostics
NCLoad: NC Load used for:
*System software upgrading
*Expander and communication board software upgrading
*Special application loading
*Factory application loading
VFD Energy-Savings/Payback Calculator – (86kb .xls)
Determines energy savings and payback period based on customer’s system demand schedule and variable frequency drive horsepower.
***All links are from Honeywell Website
ENERGY SAVING TIPS:
Read below on some sequences used by ABSI to achieve maximum efficiency of systems:
VAV Systems
Typically VAV systems tend to run a set discharge air temp (50-55degF), also running a boiler system to re-heat necessary zones. Duct static is about 1.5-2.0 “W.C. These system can be run this way but the efficiency can greatly improve. One example is using return air control to reset discharge air. By either using a reset schedule or PID based control we can change discharge air temperature from 55-65 degF based on the building feedback. We can also further efficiency by using an average feedback point from the VAV controllers. In typical LON systems the NVO “TerminalLoad” is a feedback from a VAV if it is in heating/cooling/standby modes. By averaging all your VAVs this can be a great indicator of how cold the discharge air needs to be. In most cases, the boiler system can be disabled for the summer. Also, running less static pressure will actually increase airflow in the building because it will open the VAV boxes more, this need to be experimented with but is typically worth some savings as well.
CO2 Strategy
Sensing CO2 gas in your return stream or space can be used to make your air handling system more efficient. A typical system will have a “minimum outside damper” setting, the outside air damper will “park” in this position in extreme hot/cold weather. This minimum value is calculated at maximum building capacity and is a “worst case” scenario. By adding a CO2 monitor, you can park the dampers based on CO2 values in the building. Most of the time the building is not to max capacity so the damper will be closed, or mostly closed. This prevents from bringing in unnecessary hot/cold air from the outside to re-heat or re-cool, therefore saving energy.
Boiler Systems
The largest savings on boiler systems is the ability to turn the system off in the summer. On some VAV systems and CV zoned systems the reheats in the duct/zones may require hot water year-round. This may be due to several reasons, but typically used in systems that run low discharge air temps to re-heat some zones necessary for comfort. Ideally to modify the AHU sequences would allow you to turn off the boiler during hot weather and save energy. Also the addition of VFDs on the secondary pumping loops allows the heating system to ramp up based on demand and allows pumps to run at a reduced speed.
Chiller Systems
The largest energy saving factor on chiller cooling systems is when the system is turned on. Usually systems are activated using outside air temperature. Increasing that enable set point by 1 or 2 degrees can make big differences in energy savings. The largest factor on being able to raise the set point is the ability to utilize outside air for cooling. If your AHU unit’s outside dampers are operational you should be able to activate the chiller at a higher outside temperature. Also, using a flat plate heat exchanger to make chilled water works well in Colorado’s dry climate. With the use of a flat plate we have seen chiller outside enable temperatures as high as 75 degrees.