Engineered Systems articles from April 2005

Engineered Systems archives from April 2005

You can't bring it with you.(editor's note)
April 1, 2005... As I write this, an MSNBC headline reports that some Buffalo public employees have been left no choice but to bring their own toilet paper to work as the result of a local budget crunch. That context makes even more noteworthy a recent survey...

Calendar of events May 2005.(editor's note)(Calendar)
April 1, 2005... For more events and details, visit ESOnline at www.esmagazine.com. 2-3 Effective Facility Management of School Buildings The University of Wisconsin-Madison Las Vegas. For info, visit epdweb.engr.wisc.edu/webGS01. 2-4...

Helpful hints.(Back to Basics[TM])
April 1, 2005... * Frequently, central chilled water systems will require the addition of another chiller to provide additional capacity, redundancy, and/or capacity diversity for enhanced chilled water management. This series will he created to demonstrate all...

Lockup to library: dehumidifiers help transition of historic building.(case in point)
April 1, 2005... When it was initially built, the Wood County Jail in Bowling Green, OH was called "the most modern jail in Ohio." The native limestone structure was built in 1902 in the same Romanesque architectural style as the then relatively new courthouse...

Specification of six dehumidifiers saves decades-old pool from razing.(case in point)
April 1, 2005... The Governor Mifflin Intermediate School's pool HVAC retrofit was a tough task for both engineers and contractors because 19,800 cfm of ventilation was needed, but there was no place to put the equipment. Typically, packaged rooftop...

Know what to cover in an expanded commissioning RFP discussion.(Learning And Discerning)
April 1, 2005... Last month, I outlined the importance of a facility owner defining the scope of commissioning to prospective provider firms in order to obtain apples-to-apples fee proposals from which to select a commissioning firm for each project. This is...

Real-time data mining strikes paydirt.(A GOLDEN Opportunity)
April 1, 2005... We have all been talking about the lucrative future market in data mining that is now possible as a result of all the hard work that has been going on in open systems and enterprise convergence. This market is now, and our industry is...

Don't ground in isolation.(GROUND Rules)
April 1, 2005... Grounding of low-level signals used in instrumentation and control (I&C) systems frequently enters the realm of black magic. Designers and installers often follow time-honored practices without fully understanding why they work, or in some...

Bigger numbers can lower costs.(MAKING WAVES Makes Money)
April 1, 2005... Energy efficiency and conservation are not the only ways to cut or contain energy costs: action at the regulatory level may have an even better payback. Experience with many rate interventions has shown that a dollar invested in such effort...

Design review and equipment startup checklist for air cooled chiller--chiller addition to an a existing chiller plant and distribution system.(hvacr designer tips)
April 1, 2005... Equipment type: Air cooled chiller Equipment designation: CH-3 Bar code designation: 111111 Area served: Entire facility Bar code designation: 111111 ELECTRICAL INSPECTION YES NO...

Fun with bin data conventional data online sources.(weather report: February 2005)
April 1, 2005... Many of the calculations, methods, and tools discussed in this column are based on the use of bin data. Bin data is available in a number of different formats from a number of sources. Some sources are more reliable and provide for more...

Mold & moisture: in commercial buildings.
April 1, 2005... We like to talk about breaking the mold around here, but this month, we're talking about stopping the ominous, fungal kind. Mold has several opportunities to creep in, starting before the building is even finished. Consider the risks during...

The tailor-made temperature drop.
April 1, 2005... Some may think that portable cooling is basically bringing in the unit and flipping the switch. However, the applications range from flower warehouses to symphony spaces and beyond, and their respective cooling solutions need to suit those...

Innovation examination: a closer look at a new idea.
April 1, 2005... In recent months, a variety of outlets have discussed a new approach to meeting both thermal loads and ventilation requirements for buildings. The approach utilizes 100% outdoor air supplied via a dual-duct VAV system, decoupling the...

Location! Location! Location!
April 1, 2005... Proper placement of humidification system components is the key to achieving absorption and accurate control. Whether sensors and transmitters or dispersion assemblies, each unit's spot in the overall design can contribute to or prohibit the...

May brings commissioning to the big apple.(issues and events)
April 1, 2005... Building green has become the answer for many in the commercial building industry as a means to improve the quality, performance, and energy efficiency of their buildings--and their bottom line. A key component to all green commercial building...

Plasma filtration technology offers breathable air in biological and chemical threat situations.(issues and events)
April 1, 2005... Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers are using the universe's most common form of matter, plasma, in a new filtration system that may one day save the lives of people seeking shelter from chemical or biological attacks. Originally...

National Energy Control Corporation.(Industry News)
April 1, 2005... National Energy Control Corporation will conduct commercial HVAC controls training at two locations during the months of April and May 2005 at its training institute in Havertown, PA, and in College Park, MD. For more information, visit...

Plexus Technology.(Industry News)
April 1, 2005... Plexus Technology, a software company specializing in enterprise automation systems for commercial buildings, announced that it is now a sponsor of both BuilConn Americas and BuilConn Europe.

Ember and Tendril Networks.(Industry News)
April 1, 2005... Ember and Tendril Networks announced a technology partnership that will enable the companies to quickly and easily build applications that draw information from ZigBee[TM] networks.

Dewberry.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2005... Dewberry announced that the acquisition of PSA, a Peoria, IL-based design firm, has been finalized. The new operation, which will be known as PSA-Dewberry Inc., will employ approximately 260 architects and engineers with expertise in both...

Grunau Company.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2005... Grunau Company announced that it added Roundy's Inc. to its current list of clients.

Albert Kahn Associates, Inc.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2005... Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. announced that the following staff members have been elected to the status of senior associate/stockholder: Michael J. Durand, P.E., project manager; Rick Dye, P.E., project manager, Gregory A. Gertsen, P.E.,...

Refrigerating Engineers and Technical Association.(Association Agenda)
April 1, 2005... Brian Davis, vice president of industrial refrigeration for Danfoss, has been appointed to a three-year term on the board of directors for the Refrigerating Engineers and Technical Association.

The National Free Protection Association.(Association Agenda)
April 1, 2005... The National Fire Protection Association and the National Technical Committee for Fire Protection Standardization, a committee of the Fire Department, Ministry of Public Security in China, announced that 26 NFPA codes and standards will be...

Spot cooling and heating.(products in focus)
April 1, 2005... The company's portable air conditioning units range in capacity from 1 to 25 tons and are available in air cooled, water cooled, split system, and trailer-mounted configurations. Portable heat pumps come in capacities from 1 to 50 tons, and all...

Manometers.(products in focus)
April 1, 2005... The company's new HM670 and HM680 hydronic manometers measure differential and gauge fluid pressure to balance heating and cooling systems or check pump performance. Both models can measure and display differential, high side, and low side...

A/C whips.(products in focus)
April 1, 2005... The company's A/C whips are available with either metal of PVC fittings with a 1/2 or 3/4 in. dia conduit, are UL and CUL listed, and feature THHN wire in 4- or 6-ft lengths. --Coleman Cable Inc. FREE INFO: CIRCLE NO. 302 ...

Tube heaters.(products in focus)
April 1, 2005... The company's STS-J commercial/industrial infrared radiant tube heater is available in eight firing rates from 45,000 to 200,000 Btuh and lengths from 10 to 70 ft long. The units feature webbed hanger plates that promote the free passage of...

Controller.(products in focus)
April 1, 2005... The Talon[R] Predator[R] VAV controller with supply air temperature response features an advanced thermal control sequence that automatically adjusts airflow to maintain cooling as supply temperature changes. It improves VAV DX cooling zone...

Filter.(products in focus)
April 1, 2005... The PerfectPleat ULTRA air filter is designed to provide MERV 8 efficiency without the use of an electrostatic charge. One key feature is the addition of Intersept[R] antimicrobial agent in each filter to preserve the media throughout its...

UVC kit.(products in focus)
April 1, 2005... The company's fancoil UVC kits feature a UVC Emitter[TM], power supply, and all necessary hardware components to retrofit a fancoil with UVC. The retrofit fit makes it possible to install UVC lights in a wide variety of systems, including...

Boilers.(literature & catalogs)
April 1, 2005... This brochure highlights the design, construction, and performance of the KN-10 boiler that features Tru-Flow[TM] technology, a self-adaptive design that adjusts air and fuel under many conditions. Included are performance graphs, engineering...

Heaters.(literature & catalogs)
April 1, 2005... The company's stainless steel Door Jet heater is featured in this full-color fact sheet. Included are dimension and operational data, typical installations, features and benefits, and a list of possible applications. The DoorJet heater models...

Dataloggers.(literature & catalogs)
April 1, 2005... This brochure features product descriptions, specifications, and prices for the company's full line of HOBO[R]/Stowaway dataloggers, weather stations, and Tattletale[R] logger-controller products. The catalog also features a graphically...

Glossary.
April 1, 2005... Here are some common abbreviations and terms found in the pages of Engineered Systems. A A/C--air conditioning ach--air changes per hour AE--architectural and engineering; or architect and engineer ...

Construction-phase layering can help exceed expectations.(Take "CADvantage")
April 1, 2005... The design community has a pretty good handle on what their layering needs are, but the construction industry continues to flounder with the benefits of CAD layering. If you asked a mechanical/electrical coordinator for a copy of his firm's...