Condenser water temperature reset, does it save energy?

Chilled water system
Written By Bryce Anderson

This is the second video introducing you to the idea that energy efficient control strategies may not always save energy. Most energy efficient controls strategies if not properly understood and tuned can waste energy, so start thinking carefully about what you are doing :-)

It is very embarrassing when your client pays you to optimise the buildings control systems and 12 months later it turns out the savings weren't realised. 

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Bryce Anderson

I am an independent Building Management System consultant based in Australia. I started in the BMS industry in 1998 and initially worked for BMS companies for the first 15 years of my career (2 years in South Africa, 9 years in London, and 4 years in Melbourne). In 2014 I transitioned into BMS consulting, saw a massive gap in the lack of specialist BMS consulting, and started Lifecycle Controls in 2017.

My focus is currently on BMS technical training, coaching, and B2B consulting for BMS companies and mechanical consultancies. Because, fixing one project at a time was making no difference. Training thousands of engineers will :-)

Chilled water system videos
Chiller Management System visualisation and analysis
Chiller Management System visualisation and analysis

The Chiller Management System (CMS) visualisation and analysis manual provides a resource for engineers that want to provide best-in-class chiller management system visualisation and analysis.

System Pressure Control (Part 3)
System Pressure Control (Part 3)

This is the final video in a 3 part series on the design of the system pressure transmitter.

System Pressure Control (Part 2)
System Pressure Control (Part 2)

This is the 2nd video in a 3 part series on the design of the system pressure transmitter. In part 2 we look at three things to consider if the transmitter is installed far away from the chiller plant room.

System Pressure Control (Part 1)
System Pressure Control (Part 1)

This is the 1st in a 3 part series on the design of the system pressure transmitter. In part 1 we look at the installation location, and how appropriate the 3/4 rule is.

Can you Control Water through a Coil with a Butterfly Valve? Maybe
Can you Control Water through a Coil with a Butterfly Valve? Maybe

This was a big surprise to me a couple of weeks ago. I was looking for an equal percentage modified characteristic curve and I stumbled onto the characteristic for a butterfly valve. Very interesting

Staging Chillers on Return Water Temperature - It Doesn't Work
Staging Chillers on Return Water Temperature - It Doesn't Work

Well, you can stage on return water temperature if energy efficiency is not a priority.

Chiller Bypass Control
Chiller Bypass Control

This is the 3rd and final part in the series on chiller minimum flow control, or bypass control. Hopefully this will be the end of primary only pumping chillers tripping on low flow :-)

Chiller Evaporator Pressure Sensor Selection
Chiller Evaporator Pressure Sensor Selection

In this 2nd part to the Chiller Minimum Flow Control series we look at pressure sensor selection as is occasionally can cause bypass control issues.

Chiller Minimum Flow Control
Chiller Minimum Flow Control

This is the first in a series of 3 videos discussing chiller minimum flow control. Chillers occasionally tripping on low water flow is an issue I come across on most primary only pumps systems. This video focuses on explaining why the primary pump modulates to control system pressure and not the minimum flow through the chiller.

Condenser water temperature reset, does it save energy?
Condenser water temperature reset, does it save energy?

Most energy efficient controls strategies if not properly understood and tuned can waste energy.

Chilled water temperature reset, does it save energy?
Chilled water temperature reset, does it save energy?

Sometimes energy efficient control strategies can end up wasting energy rather than saving energy.

2-Port Valve Characteristic - Equal Percentage
2-Port Valve Characteristic - Equal Percentage

Did you ever wonder what can cause a control valve to hunt?

Control Valve Authority 2-Port vs 3-Port
Control Valve Authority 2-Port vs 3-Port

The valve authority equation for 2-port and 3-port control valves is completely different. However, we are still sizing 2-port control valves using the 3-port method, which does not work.

Bryce Anderson
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Chilled water temperature reset, does it save energy?