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Source: HVAC Pump Handbook

Chapter

30
Summary of HVAC
Energy Evaluations

30.1 Review of Efficiencies

Much has been offered here in the design and operation of HVAC
water systems. Configuration of these systems as well as methods of
operation that have been provided should aid in achieving optimal
energy consumption for them. Although no final design can be offered
for a specific system, a number of equations have been delineated for
the various efficiencies of an HVAC water system. These equations
have been kept at the level of algebra, not higher mathematics, in
order to render easily the conversion of this information to personal
computer programs that fit the language and format most familiar to
the reader. As mentioned in Chap. 1, computer programs are now
available that will accommodate almost any equation.
It is obvious that this book is but a guidepost in the endeavor to
produce more efficient HVAC water systems. Some of the efficiency
equations included are for equipment, whereas others are for part or
all of a water system. The individual equipment efficiencies are for
boilers, chillers, motors, pumps, and variable-speed drives. All the
actual efficiencies for this equipment are determined, to a large
extent, by their manufacturers.

30.2 System Efficiencies

Two efficiencies are included that are composites of equipment effi-
ciencies; these are wire-to-water efficiency for pumping systems and
overall kilowatts per ton for chilled water plants. The equations are
repeated here:

611

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612 Installing and Operating HVAC Pumps

QH
Wire-to-water efficiency   (10.2)
53.08  kW

equipment kW
Chiller plant kW/ton   (14.4)
tons of cooling on system
One other system efficiency is for the use of energy in a hot or
chilled water system, and this is explained in Chap. 8:
Ke  100%
System efficiency WS    (8.3)
Ki
Alternate pumping efficiencies that may be easier to use in system
analysis are as follows. For chilled water:

0.452  H
kW/100 tons   (8.4)
P  E  T (F)

or
2400  pump kW
kW/100 tons   (8.5)
gal/min  T (F)
For hot water:

23.48  H
kW/1000 mbh   (8.6)
P  E  T (F)  

or
124,700  pump kW
kW/1000 mbh   (8.7)
gal/min  T (F)  
The actual equations that should be used on a specific installation
depend on the instrumentation that is available to provide the needed
analog signals.

30.3 Purpose of Efficiencies

All these equations have two purposes: (1) to aid the designer in the
development of efficient water systems and (2) to provide the manager
of HVAC systems with operating tools that ensure optimal system
operation.
The most important efficiency in this book for chilled water systems
is that for chiller plant kilowatts per ton (Eq. 14.4). This efficiency gives
plant operators and managers an overall insight about the efficiency of

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Summary of HVAC Energy Evaluations

Summary of HVAC Energy Evaluations 613

plant operation. The cost of this instrumentation is relatively small

for medium and large chiller plants. More can be gained from this
efficiency than from any other system or equipment efficiency for
chilled water operations.
Not all these equations will be useful for every HVAC water sys-
tem. The size and economics of each application will determine their
value. Systems with high energy costs will justify their use more than
systems with low energy costs. It is in the province of the designer to
determine which of them will aid in the design and operation of spe-
cific HVAC water systems. Obviously, the first cost of the instrumen-
tation and electronics will have a bearing on which efficiencies are
utilized for a particular installation.
Generally, it is not feasible to have one overall efficiency for an
HVAC water system, since there are several uses of energy in such a
system. At this date, there does not appear to be any interest in such
an efficiency. Also, some systems use several sources of energy, which
makes difficult the development of an overall efficiency. The objective
of the designer now should be to determine which of these expressions
of efficiency will establish and sustain the operating efficiency of
HVAC water systems.

30.4 Sustained System and Equipment

Efficiencies
Sustaining operating efficiency is as important as the original equip-
ment or system efficiencies. In the past, the difficulty in maintaining
analog instrumentation often resulted in loss of the equipment that
indicated efficiency of operation. Sometimes the instrumentation was
not operator friendly, so it was neglected and not maintained. Contem-
porary digital instrumentation is relatively maintenance-free; with
proper instructions at the beginning, this instrumentation should pro-
vide continued indication of operating conditions for the operators
and managers of HVAC energy plants. The great amount of data stor-
age capacity of contemporary computer systems enables operators to
maintain detailed records on operating parameters such as coefficient
of performance, kilowatts per ton, and wire-to-water efficiency; sus-
tained high efficiencies are now achievable through the interpretation
of this information.

30.5 Summary
The emphasis in this book has been on making available the various
expressions of efficiency in a form useable to the designer and system

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614 Installing and Operating HVAC Pumps

operator. The elimination of older types of water system flow control

such as balance valves, pressure-regulating valves, and most cross-
over bridges should be urged continuously to direct the designer
toward the use of digital processes that aid in the rapid design of
high-quality HVAC water systems. It is obvious from all these simple
algebraic equations that they are tools that can be inserted easily into
computer programs to aid the efficient design and operation of HVAC
water systems.
Every energy-consuming device that is proposed for an HVAC
water system should be evaluated to see if it can be eliminated by
changing the water system design. The information, software, design
expertise, and equipment are now available to achieve highly efficient
water systems for the HVAC industry.

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