Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems (VRF or VRV) News & Trends

Dunkirk announces hiring William as the company’s new Regional Sales Manager – West region. William joins from Mars Air Systems where he oversaw 27 independent representatives in the HVAC, food service and material handling industry. Mechanical Engineering expert William started his career in Mechanical Engineering with Gritton & Associates, focusing primarily on end user accounts for product lines, including the ones for HVAC equipment firms, AERCO, Marley Cooling Towers and B...

Downtown Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin House needed an HVAC overhaul but, like most historic buildings, had no room to expand. EVAPCO reached into its archives for the specs of the building’s original cooling tower and created a more powerful, up-to-date version for the same space, making the installation process easier for Elliott-Lewis Corporation. Upgrading ‘The Ben’ cooling system Upgrading historic sites typically comes with challenges, such as limited space Th...

The EKE superheat controller & Colibri expansion valve are the perfect combination to provide optimal superheat (SH) control for process cooling in the food industry. Good SH control is critical, because it maintains optimum evaporator performance for both energy efficiency and cooling. One of the main challenges with blast chill or blast freeze in food process applications is the turndown ratio required in the cooling capacity from initial to final load at the target and holding temperatur...

Cool Automation has announced releasing a significant update for CoolPlug. Beginning September 15th, 2020, CoolPlug and CooLinkHub will be able to connect to one another through a wireless connection. As always, CoolPlug and CooLinkHub will also be available as a wired solution as well. Wireless connectivity Each CoolPlug wireless unit will be able to sync to the CooLinkHub wirelessly, which means that retrofit projects can be upgraded to work with home and building automation systems, as well...

Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning introduces the Hitachi Water Source Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) heat pump and heat recovery systems. The new multi-module systems offer the capability of connecting multiple single-module units, ranging from 6-48 tons. In addition to the benefits of VRF technology, these new compact systems deliver the following: Reduced first costs Compact size enhances exterior appearance while eliminating outdoor noise Design flexibility through a variety of...

Adcock now finds themselves in a situation where a NO DEAL Brexit is a real possibility and although still not the likely outcome, Adcock Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Limited is putting into place measures to counteract the impact of this and to ensure a continued reliable supply of their services after October 31st 2019. Critical spares and products The key actions they are currently taking are detailed below: They have identified fast moving and critical spares and products and have...

On August 14, 2019, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released five proposals intended to increase roadway safety and ease driving rules for truckers. The five key revisions by the FMCSA are: 30-minute break - Increase safety and flexibility for the 30-minute break rule by tying the break requirement to eight hours of driving time without an interruption for at least 30 minutes and allowing the break to be satisfied by a driver using on duty, not driving status, rather...

Europa was looking to refurbish their busy Minworth site and wanted to upgrade the climate control at the same time.  Adcock was appointed and recommended Mitsubishi Electric equipment which was both cost-effective and technically compliant for the application. Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Quality Status The extensive experience that Adcock has across all types of logistics businesses means they fully understand the importance of the need to keep the business operational. With a tight pr...

Panasonic has announced that they will be exhibiting at the CIBSE Build2Perform event this year, slated to be held at London Olympia on 26th and 27th of November 2019, on stand 226. For the second consecutive year, Panasonic will be demonstrating their latest product innovations and sharing their vast technical knowledge with building services professionals. CIBSE Build2Perform event James Chaplen, Specification Sales Manager for Panasonic, commented “This event is a great opportunity t...

Panasonic’s Aquarea Smart Cloud CZ-TAW1 will soon be compatible with IFTTT, the advanced technology which stands for the simple process of ‘If This, Then That’. Offering a new intuitive user interface, IFTTT is a helpful addition to an already progressive control system. Aquarea Smart Cloud CZ-TAW1 web-based service The Aquarea Smart Cloud CZ-TAW1 web-based service can be used to create chains of simple conditional statements, which are called applets. These are often pre-ins...

IFA 2019 will be the European launching pad for LG Electronics’ (LG) innovative AI-infused customer service solution, Proactive Customer Care. The service leverages the company’s advanced ThinQ AI to provide personalized support, alerting users to issues with their LG appliance and offering helpful tips and solutions to maximize performance and long product life. The service will initially support LG’s newest front-load washing machines and bottom-freezer refrigerators in Fra...

Trane, globally renowned provider of indoor comfort solutions and services and a brand of the international HVAC solutions and equipment firm, Ingersoll Rand, announced hosting a celebration marking significant expansion to its Columbia, South Carolina facility, and ongoing efforts in environmental, social and business sustainability. Trane Columbia facility South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, local and statewide public officials, and other esteemed members of the community joined Trane bu...

LG Electronics (LG) is bringing voice recognition to customers via its ThinQ (formerly SmartThinQ) mobile app, giving users maximum convenience to connect to their LG ThinQ appliances from anywhere at any time. Smart home appliance management The first mobile application for smart home appliance management to support English leverages the Google Assistant’s voice recognition technology to manage all Wi-Fi enabled LG appliances including washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, ovens, dis...

Johnson Controls has announced a partnership with Capital Dynamics to increase the amount of capital available for customers in North America working on solar or battery storage projects. The agreement will grant easier access to funding for Johnson Controls customers utilizing a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for projects of varying sizes, starting at US$ 1 million, by aggregating them into a larger portfolio of projects. Battery storage and energy solutions systems Battery storage and energ...

Choosing the right particle counter for the application can be confusing with so many options on the market. This mini-guide will help users understand the factors that user should consider when making the choice. Finding the Right Fit Scenario #1: The user has been tasked with finding a particle monitoring solution for a construction site. The user mainly needs to measure particles generated from cutting wood and similar materials. What kind of instrument does the user n...

If one owns transport refrigeration units (TRUs) and have one of the 56,700 TRUs that operate daily in California, one needs to be aware that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has proposed new regulations that impact TRU emissions in addition to other items. Main Proposed Concepts All TRUs must register with CARB – Timing 2022 All newly manufactured truck, trailer, domestic shipping containers, and rail TRUs manufactured with refrigerant must have a Global Warming Potential (G...

Airxchange has installed 1000 solar panels at its corporate headquarters in Rockland, MA, expanding its green energy impact and reducing electric consumption up to 90%. By investing in solar technology, Airxchange has significantly reduced its offsite energy requirements, generating enough clean energy to maintain monthly operations. Airxchange has generated 336 MWH of energy to date!

The Clifford H. "Ted" Rees, Jr. Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), and the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) announced scholarship awards totaling $62,000 to 36 students, including five military veterans, studying to become technicians in the HVACR and water heating industry. "We are pleased to award scholarships to these qualified and dedicated students and veterans, and we look forward to...

The Prospects Trust at Snakehall Farm's open-plan office was getting unbearable to work in during the hot summer months so to improve their working environment and support them, Adcock installed a Panasonic air conditioning system at cost. Rhian Cornell, the Executive Officer, said “Having an air conditioning unit has made such a difference at Snakehall Farm. We have 9 poly-tunnels on-site to grow our organic produce which all need harvesting no matter what the weather, so having somewher...

LG Electronics (LG) and LUMI United Technology, an Internet of Things (IoT) and smart home solution provider, have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop an ecosystem that goes beyond basic appliance management to deliver a more complete IoT solution for the home. The partnership will focus on developing innovations using AI and advanced sensors that can detect changes in indoor environments such as humidity level, temperature and movement of doors. Aqara sensor technology LG product...

After enduring 12 years of continuous operation, an existing six-foot diameter energy recovery wheel serving Wentworth Institute of Technology’s Huntington Avenue dormitory was beyond repair, due to a limited ability to properly maintain it. With the combination of failed internal wheel bearings, plugged heat exchange media and loss of US$ 5,000 in annual energy savings, Wentworth was tasked with finding an economically feasible replacement. Design and location of the Air Handling Unit...

Greenheck, a globally renowned company in manufacturing and distributing air movement, conditioning and control equipment, has announced that now they offer an option for its ceiling exhaust fan and ceiling radiation damper to be combined at the factory into one unit shipped ready to install. Model CRD-310WT ceiling radiation damper Model CRD-310WT, a UL Classified ceiling radiation damper for wood truss applications, can be factory-mounted to one of six Greenheck ultra-quiet SP-A fan models (...

South Dakota’s beauty and significance is often betrayed by its lack of mentions in the national news. Largely comprised of rolling prairie, pothole lakes and crystal clear streams, South Dakota is host to many natural wonders and historically significant landmarks. The Mount Rushmore State is bookended by its two largest population centers. Rapid City lies to the west, near the iconic Black Hills and Badlands National Park, while Sioux Falls, in the southeast, is just minutes from the Mi...

When it is published later this quarter, the 2019 edition of ASHRAE/IES 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, will be the first standard, code, or regulation to use the new fan energy index (FEI) as the metric for efficiency provisions for commercial and industrial fans and blowers, Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) International Inc., the developer of FEI, announces. Determined in accordance with ANSI/AMCA Standard 208-18, Calculation of the Fan E...

Panasonic has introduced Voice Control with the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa interfaces, to its air conditioning portfolio. Panasonic’s solutions that are compatible with the Comfort Cloud app, including all its domestic air-conditioners and PACi systems, can now be voice-activated to provide simple and convenient control. Voice activation control This new functionality offers a wide variety of benefits for both the commercial and residential markets. For example, homeowners who are...

ECR International has announced the release of a new video technical support tool to assist contractors in the field. This powerful new tool, called Rescue Lens, will enable ECR Technical Support advisors to see in real time exactly what the technician is seeing on the job site. ECR Rescue Lens The only requirement for the dealer is to have a smartphone with internet access either over cellular data or Wi-Fi Occasionally, a technical issue comes along that isn’t identified immediately....

A 100 percent Thermo King refrigerated trailer fleet since 2003, Frock Bros. Trucking understands how protecting its assets can lead to ongoing success – for both itself and its customers. Thermo King’s SVC Guaranteed Maintenance Program was a big contributor to the company’s fleet transformation (Frock Bros. was an all-competitor fleet in 1997). Business Evolvement “The focus on preventive maintenance increased our odds of delivering customers’ products on-time,&...

Coastal Pacific Xpress (CPx) has been partnering with its customers and continually looking for ways to improve its offerings for more than 30 years. Specializing in meeting stringent just-in-time requirements, CPx provides flexible and tailored solutions that encompass truckload and less-than-truckload services, as well as the warehouse and distribution capacities needed for companies throughout North America. Assisting the Canadian-based company to provide even greater service value to custom...

The Big Ass Fans family continues to grow. The HVAC solutions company is excited to announce Watts Engineering Sales, Inc. as the distributor of Big Ass Fans products for the design and new construction market in Alabama. HVAC solutions expert WES Inc., a 100 percent employee-owned business, has provided expertise in the HVAC industry for more than six decades. From its creation in 1959 up till now, Watts has grown to exceed customer expectations by providing the highest quality products and c...

Airedale International, the British-based air conditioning solutions provider, has announced the launch of a new range of R32-optimized air conditioning products. Azure range The Azure range, which has been under development for almost two years at Airedale International’s state-of-the-art research and development facility, is the latest technological innovation from the UK manufacturer which was founded in 1974. The range has been optimized to operate at the same high level of output a...