COIL-FLO Program provides energy savings for government laboratory

Case Study CH-543

Situation
A government laboratory facility with more than 20 buildings containing offices and labs, a mediumsized hotel and large cafeteria is continually focused on alternative sources of energy savings. Eight of these buildings have numerous evaporator coils for cooling and heating. Cleaning these coils has not been included in regular preventive maintenance due to the labor cost for the cleaning procedure.

Results
The calculations were based on several assumptions: the chiller load would average 75% over the course of the cooling season, air flow through the chosen coils is 22000 cfm, and site electrical costs are $0.04/KWhr. Enthalpy was determined using a psychrometric chart. Total annual energy savings for this coil was determined to be $1,156.36 per year (including the cost of the CoilClear program). Assuming the facility has 8 major buildings with an average of 10 coils per building, it is expected that the average annual site-wide energy savings will be in excess of $100,000. The laboratory has now instituted a regular coil cleaning maintenance program to ensure continuation of this energy savings. For more information, contact your local Nalco representative.

A dirty untreated coil can result in poor indoor air quality

Process
Two products were utilized in the process: COIL-FLO CL-126 (a nonacidic product) and CoilClear (bacteriastat preventing the growth of bacteria for as long as 6 months). After shutting down the unit, CL-126 was used based on the best practices. Following this program, CoilClear was applied and the unit was put back into service. Wet bulb/dry bulb readings were taken before and after to determine the effectiveness of the cleaning.

Program
In an effort to provide maximum ROI as well as solidify our business partnership, Nalcos local representatives presented an opportunity to reduce electrical costs through increased airflow over evaporator coils following cleaning with the Nalco COIL-FLO Program. A secondary benefit of this cleaning is a reduction in incidences of sick building syndrome due to excessively dirty coils. It was decided to perform the initial test cleaning on a coil that could easily be shut down for at least one hour.

Formula used: CuFt x specific volume x lb = lb x Btu Min 1 ft3 min lb = = Btu = 0.7 KW x Min 12000 Btu $0.04 x KWhr Btu x 60 min = KW min Hr Hr

KW = $ x 24Hr x 180days Hr Hr Day Season

(Continued on Reverse Side)

Nalco Company 1601 West Diehl Road Naperville, Illinois 60563-1198

SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES IN PRINCIPAL LOCATIONS AROUND THE WORLD www.nalco.com COIL-FLO, CoilClear, NALCO and the logo are Registered Trademarks of Nalco Company 2003, 2004 Nalco Company All Rights Reserved 9-04

Air Handler Best Practices for Liability Reduction & Energy Savings
Air handler cleanliness plays a vital role in the quality of the air that building occupants breathe. Carpeting receives 100 times more attention than HVAC coils. Typical units handle 99% of the air we breathe in facilities. Normal HVAC coil maintenance includes cleaning; however, this practice is no longer sufficient to reduce liability from unwanted growth affecting a facilitys Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) or fouling that reduces energy efficiency. We address these two issues with COIL-FLO, a three-step program,
Energy Energy Savings = Light Fouling Moderate Fouling Heavy Fouling Your Facility Total Tons 100 100 100

which includes: Cleaning, Antimicrobial, and Odor neutralization. The program con-sists of a facility survey, Program Administration Manual, training, and follow-up inspections to include service reports. In between cleanings, growth such as Legionella, aspergillus, and mold can form on HVAC coils. These types of growth are not prevented unless an antimicrobial is applied that remains effective for three to six months between scheduled maintenance. Aerosolized growth can travel over 500 yards from the point of incidence in HVAC systems.
x Load 0.5 0.5 0.5 x kw/ton 0.65 0.65 0.65 x electrical cost 0.06 0.06 0.06

Additionally, growth helps increase fouling, resulting in higher energy demand. Here are typical energy costs associated with fouled HVAC coils. These figures come from coil manufacturers and from filter companies. Total tons can be estimated using total square footage divided by 500, average load is 50%, kw/ton is for an average cooling system, cost is commercial average, 24 hours and 200 cooling days is average.

x fouling factor 0.075 0.15 0.25

x hrs 24 24 24

x days 200 200 200

= $$$$$$ $702.00 $1,404.00 $2,340.00

Divide total tons by 100 and multiply by $$$$$ at end of line that corresponds to your facility routine cleaning interval to estimate possible savings. For example, a 500-ton facility with moderate fouling: 500/100 x $1,404 = $7,020 estimated energy savings.

HVAC Coil Energy Wasted from Fouling

No Coil Maintenance Coil Cleaning Only Complete COIL-FLO Program

Energy Waste

6 12 Month from Program Start

18

6 12 Month from Program Start

18

6 12 Month from Program Start Complete COIL-FLO 0% 0% 0%

18

No Maintenance Highly Fouled Coils Medium Fouled Coils Lightly Fouled Coils 20% 30% 10% 20% 5% 10%

Coil Cleaning Only 10% 15% 5% 10% 2% 5%

Note: Actual energy waste will depend on equipment, set-up, age, local humidity, temperature, and particulate/dust conditions. A complete COIL-FLO Program includes periodic coil cleaning with a noncorrosive cleaner and application of a persistent microbial control agent.

Call to obtain more information or assistance: 1-800-288-0879