by Alfredo Sotolongo
Taking advantage of the experience gained by European countries on the subject of saving, in every sense, is the right way to go. Just look at our neighbors to realize that consuming less energy is a good deal for everyone.
I have just returned from Montreal, Canada, a city with great European influence, especially French. I was able to confirm, once again, how ingrained the culture of saving is in Europe and therefore in countries with European influence.
I think that culture goes back to the years during and after the Second World War where so much need was passed on and has been passed down for generations. This awareness of saving is reflected in the different facets of daily life such as food, means of transportation and what concerns us: energy.
I believe, as I have indicated on previous occasions, that Europe is much more advanced than the rest of America in the concept of energy saving, and I attribute this to the fact that necessity obliges and they have no choice but to minimize the waste of food, car fuel and the electricity they consume.
A real motivation
Although not to the same extent as in Europe, I understand that in Canada there are many incentives to motivate energy savings. Companies enjoy tax benefits that partially offset the cost of research programs.
Canada has hydroelectric plants so the cost of energy is extremely low compared to the rates in our countries. However, Canadians are motivated by something beyond economic benefits, there is a popular awareness for the protection of the environment and ecology.
In that country they always try to minimize the waste of energy in the air conditioning systems, although this is not the one that consumes most of the energy as it happens in our countries that are between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
In our countries, where air conditioning accounts for almost 70% of total electricity consumption, it is imperative to improve efficiency, especially at the heart of the system which is the central plant where the chillers, water pumps and cooling towers are located.
Practical tips
To minimize the waste of electrical energy in an optimal way, we must not only apply the equipment whose relationship between cooling capacity and its electricity consumption is the lowest, but also interconnect them through the control system. In this way, we achieve that each one operates at all times at its optimal ratio of capacity and consumption and, therefore, the entire plant operates at its optimum efficiency.
SMARDT is among the Canadian manufacturers that have invested significant resources in research and development. They manufacture the centrifugal cooler with the highest efficiencies on the market, this is the product of their compressor, which having balineras or magnetic bearings that do not need lubrication, its starting current is only two amperes and by not needing oil for lubrication the heat transfer is maximized in both the condenser and the evaporator.
This technology contributes greatly to obtaining LEED certification and, in addition, to the ecological and economic benefit of the country.
Fortunately, in several Latin American countries, engineers are catching on to the culture of energy saving, so deeply rooted in Europe. They are already applying these types of chillers that consume less energy to produce the thermal capacity that the building requires.
In addition, I hope that in the near future our governments will begin to offer incentive programs that reward companies that invest in the development of equipment and systems to minimize energy waste.
If you need more information on any of the topics covered in this column, please contact me at the email [email protected] * President of Protec, Inc., is certified as a professional engineer in Puerto Rico and the state of Florida; has more than 40 years of experience in the application and sale of systems and equipment for energy conservation. He is a member of ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), AEE (Association of Energy Engineers), ASHRAE and was president of the Miami chapter of that association.
