Engineered Systems articles from April 2002

Engineered Systems archives from April 2002

Spring returns, and the smoke rises. (Editor's Page).
April 1, 2002... April, already? I think I may have started with that same question some previous April, but I'll say it again. The beginning of the year is exceptionally busy around here, between the ASHRAE Winter Meeting and the AHR Expo, and all the...

Energy code observations. (Letters to the Editor).
April 1, 2002... I just read Howard McKew's article in the July 2001 issue of Engineered Systems on energy codes (page 98), and it's a good article. I think another thing that is really needed, from a designer standpoint, and what I am calling a...

Condensing boilers. (Letters to the Editor).
April 1, 2002... I was pleased to see Engineered Systems is addressing design and commissioning issues of condensing boilers (Jan. and Feb. 2002). I was also pleased at your column on page 86 of the Feb. issue regarding "What Europe knows that we don't." ...

Boiler retrofits. (Letters to the Editor).
April 1, 2002... Howard McKew's recent "Tomorrow's Engineer" column in Engineered Systems (February 2002, page 86) certainly struck a nerve with me. My wife and I have made numerous trips to Europe to visit relatives and you are absolutely correct about their...

The choice for engineers. (Letters to the Editor).
April 1, 2002... This letter continues a thread started with Howard McKew's "Tomorrow's Engineer" column published in January 2002 and continued with the letter entitled, "Engineers as commodities: The hard truth," that was published in the March 2002 issue....

Test 140: Rare book room(s) with HVAC unit using DX cooling, hot water reheat, and steam humidification basic system - design. (Back to Basics[TM]).
April 1, 2002... 1 ON-OFF CONTROL, IN THE "OFF" POSITIOIN: Outdoor damper D 2 ON-OFF CONTROL, IN THE "ON" POSITION: When SAF-1 fan motor is manually (started, stopped, modulated) from temperature control stopped, modulated) from temperature control...

Test 141: Rare book room(s) with HVAC unit using DX cooling, hot water reheat, and steam humidification, basic system-commissioning. (Back to Basics[TM]).
April 1, 2002... Note: Test procedure assumes that the on-off control is in the "off" position at the start of testing. 1 Override the space temperature setpoint at room thermostat RT-1 to be 5[degrees]F above current space temperature. Override space...

Fabric dunks metal in pool environment. (Case in Point).
April 1, 2002... Only six years after the city of Raleigh, NC, built the 39,000-sq-ft Pullen Aquatic Center, the rust flakes falling from stainless steel ceiling ducts caused the city to shut down the natatorium and made complete duct removal necessary. "Every...

Packaged unit's dehumidification teaches Texas Junior High how to quiet complaints. (Case in Point).
April 1, 2002... IAQ is a hot topic today in school environments. Many schools rely on dehumidification units to facilitate proper IAQ and comply with ASHRAE standards. Parkhill Junior High in Dallas, TX, was no exception. Officials were fielding complaints...

For pizza franchisee, fabric ductwork tops an upper-crust retrofit. (Case in Point).
April 1, 2002... Richmond Enterprises (San Antonio, TX), one of the oldest continually-operated franchisees in the Pizza Hut restaurant chain, has discovered a low-cost air conditioning solution for its new 5,000-sq-ft maintenance center. In an effort to...

Charged-fiber Media: Electret technology may lead to a new generation of filter efficiency. (Filtration Focus).
April 1, 2002... Each year brings new challenges in keeping the indoor environment clean. First it was asbestos in the 1970s to be removed during the 1980s. Then the oil embargo produced IAQ problems throughout the 1980s that we tried to correct throughout the...

Program, get your program: Training is not an event. (Commissioning).
April 1, 2002... Early in the days of this "Getting It Right" column (June 1998) I presented some of the fundamentals of how the commissioning process should include enhancement of the O&M training on the new and/or renovated systems included in a construction...

Intelligent and integrated: The tools exist. Now we need explore our potential. (Building Automation).
April 1, 2002... Although we as an industry have said the words before, the fact remains: We have never reached our potential of providing intelligences or integration in our buildings. We now have all the tools at our disposal to achieve levels of...

Acceptance testing: Prevent unexpected failures through "electrical integrity testing". (Current Affairs).
April 1, 2002... What is acceptance testing? Field acceptance testing is formally recognized in industry standards covering major electrical equipment, such as those produced by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Institute of Electrical and...

February 2002. (Weather Report).
April 1, 2002... WINTER IS OVER BEFORE IT BEGAN I think it's safe to say now that winter is coming to a close. For the most part, February has come and gone uneventfully, much like December and January. It was another mild month in comparison to normal....

HVAC system selection rare book room(s). (HVACR Designer Tips).
April 1, 2002... Using ASHRAE Handbook Systems and Equipment 2000, Chapter 1 as a guideline and reference from the beginning can help you to select the "right/best" design for the particular job you are working on by following a simple selection procedure. This...

Secondhand News.
April 1, 2002... Does the hospitality industry need its own IAQ standard? It's under discussion, and even that much is enough to fuel heated discussion about the science, wisdom, and motivations behind such a possible move. It's a story about tobacco use,...

Humidification: Side by side.
April 1, 2002... Our Weather Report columnist compares the operation of isothermal and adiabatic humidifiers in multiple cities. The approach provides new information for novices and veterans alike when it comes to adding moisture to a space economically. ...

Humidity control in nursing homes.
April 1, 2002... An independent field study at a mid-Atlantic nursing home confirms that centrally pretreating ventilation air to a lower dewpoint and higher drybulb temperature improves comfort of residents and workers. Also, the author reports, this approach...

Commissioning on the information highway.
April 1, 2002... In this case study, the author tells of procedures, problems, and -- most importantly -- lessons learned while providing commissioning services for a high-tech data center in California. The experience proves useful for future commissioning...

Issues and events.
April 1, 2002... ASHRAE and NFPA to partner on energy code The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA, Quincy, MA) and ASHRAE have announced an agreement to partner on an energy code. The code will incorporate ASHRAE's widely-used energy standards,...

Specification system. (Computers & Software).
April 1, 2002... Outline is a new specification system for design professionals that communicates information on products and materials, standard terminology, and material selection options that impact cost, design, and project coordination requirements at a...

CAD. (Computers & Software).
April 1, 2002... The newest version of EnCapta design software enables engineers to capture, structure, and communicate the specialized nongeometric design data for product definition. Vistagy Inc. Waltham, MA FREE INFO: CIRCLE NO. 230

DesignTools. (Computers & Software).
April 1, 2002... DesignTools software including DuctSizer, an electronic duct calculator for sizing duct and calculating pressure drops; PipeSizer, an electronic pipe calculator for sizing piping and calculating pressure drops; and Psychrometric Analyzer, which...

Design. (Computers & Software).
April 1, 2002... HVAC Solution 1.1, a Windows [R] -based, drag-and-drop design program, is now available in both "Professional' and "Lite" versions to accommodate the varying design needs of engineers, designers and contractors. HVAC Solution, Inc. ...

EMG. (Bits & Bytes).
April 1, 2002... (Halifax, NS, Canada) has introduced new software for use with Johnson controls' Metasys digital control systems.

PUMP-FLO solutions. (Bits & Bytes).
April 1, 2002... (Lacey, WA) announced the launch of ePUMP-FLO[TM] 3.0, a powerful, coat-effective, Web-based selection software.

Teletrol Systems Inc. (Bits & Bytes).
April 1, 2002... (Manchester, NH) eBuilding system marries BACnet and Information Technology (IT) open standards to provide hvac equipment interoperability, software integration, and connectivity.

Ostara, Inc. (Bits & Bytes).
April 1, 2002... (New York) announced the launch of Field Reporter Pro, a mobile application for Palm OS[R] handheld devices that enables AE professionals to manage site visits and produce field reports.

Phoenix Controls. (Bits & Bytes).
April 1, 2002... (Newton, MA) announced that the new Celeris [R] 2 control platform retains Phoenix Controls' venturi valve as the primary component, and adds LONWORKS[R] technology to create a distributed control architecture.

Yokogawa Corp. of America. (Bits & Bytes).
April 1, 2002... (Newnan, GA) announced the release of Exaquantum, the next generation of Plant Information Management Systems (PIMS), to the North AMERICAN market.

Algor. (Bits & Bytes).
April 1, 2002... (Pittsburgh) has made fully associative data exchange with the SolidWorks CAD system available in in CAD Designer for SolidWorks. CAD: computer-aided design

Minco Products Inc. (World Wide Web).
April 1, 2002... (Minneapolis) allows users to create temperature and resistance tables for RTD sensors and temperature sensor calculations at www.minco.com/sensorcalc. RTD: resistance temperature detector

ETL SEMKO. (World Wide Web).
April 1, 2002... website, www.etlsemko.com/S2Services/hvac.htm, houses trade publication links (including a link to ES) and trade association websites, as well as a host of energy-efficiency links.

Dresser-Rand. (World Wide Web).
April 1, 2002... (Olean, NY) has released a virtual simulation of its remote monitoring features on its website at www.dresser-rand.com.

FMC Lithium. (World Wide Web).
April 1, 2002... (Gastonia, NC) has launched a new website and online order center at www.fmclithium.com.

Alliant Energy Integrated Services. (World Wide Web).
April 1, 2002... (Cedar Rapids, IA) launched an online version of its energy management tool, EnergyTrax3, at www.alliantenergyisco.com.

Building owners and managers association. (World Wide Web).
April 1, 2002... (BOMA) International launched its first "virtual" online trade show at www.boma.org.

Trane. (World Wide Web).
April 1, 2002... (La Crosse, WI) Tracer Summit(TM) Users Network provides users of the Tracer Summit bas with Web content including articles, tips, and technical support to help them more efficiently operation their system.

IAQ UVC lamp. (Products in Focus).
April 1, 2002... The Sterile Sweep unit combines an oscillating parabolic reflector with a high-output UVC lamp. The reflector keeps the lamp clean and concentrates the UVC into a sterilizing beam that continuously sweeps across a surface such as an air filter...

IAQ UVC system. (Products in Focus).
April 1, 2002... The company has introduced a new line of extended-length "UVC Emitters[TM]" in 36 and 42 in. lengths for application in large hvac systems. The devices are designed to kill the microbes that grow in and circulate through these systems, such as...

Air monitoring station. (Products in Focus).
April 1, 2002... The AMS50 air measuring station is design to give users the ability to provide their own control package to coordinate with their bas. The unit combines control damper and flow measurement stations in one assembly. In addition, the AMS50 has...

Grilles, fittings, and assemblies. (Products in Focus).
April 1, 2002... The company's Duct-D-Fuser air diffusion product line is designed for exposed hvac air distribution systems in large, open-area commercial and industrial facilities. One key feature of the Type A air diffuser is its flush-mounting capability to...

Air filter monitor. (Products in Focus).
April 1, 2002... The Filtrometer[TM] air filter monitor measures both constant and variable airflows. Features include a local LED, a dry contact relay for remote monitoring, operational temperature ranges for the control unit from 32[degrees] to 150[degrees]F,...

IAQ monitor evaluator. (Products in Focus).
April 1, 2002... The IAQ 100 combines a portable indoor air monitoring unit with an IAQ Knowledge Center[TM], an interactive website that analyzes monitoring data and building characteristics to diagnose problems and provide recommendations and solutions....

Temperature/Humidity datalogger. (Products in Focus).
April 1, 2002... The Humidity LogR[R] will record and retain up to 1,000 readings with date and time for each. The device measures rh, temperature, dewpoint, and displays all three parameters on a 0.4 in. LCD. Other features include pushbutton storage/recall, a...

Good will, good business; Another helpful CAD program: Client Appreciation Day. (Tomorrow's Engineer).
April 1, 2002... When the economy was in high gear, several engineering and management firms didn't have time to stop and thank their clients for all the business they had been sent their way. There were too many due dates to meet and too many documents to...