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Vol44 4
Vol44 4
manageable method to set minimum tool that bridges the gap between a full
This Engineers Newsletter provides performance standard; however, there is building simulation method and the overly
insight on how the myPLV tool could be general agreement that it is a poor simplistic and often misleading single
used to quickly and accurately
estimate chiller performance and
indicator of chiller energy use in a building. metric methodologies of IPLV, NPLV, or full
payback. Even AHRI Standard 550-590, 2011 load chiller design performance.
recognizes that single-rating metrics,
developed at a standard set of conditions, The team determined that this tool must
does not provide a method of evaluation include the following criteria to provide
With the flood of competing chiller for a particular job. The following is an accurate results:
types, manufacturers and performance excerpt from Appendix D of the Standard. • chiller type and manufacturer agnostic
claims coming to the market in recent
In summary, it is best to use a • annual building load profile
years, the analysis of the chiller with
comprehensive analysis that reflects • local weather
the best payback has become both
the actual weather data, building load
more important to the building owner
characteristics, operational hours, • number of chillers in the system
and more difficult for the designer.
economizer capabilities and energy • chiller performance at appropriate
Comprehensive building modeling tools drawn by auxiliaries such as pumps operating points—both tons and
such as EnergyPlus, TRACE™ or HAP and cooling towers, when calculating temperatures.
that can compute hour-by-hour data the chiller and system efficiency. The
intended use of the IPLV (NPLV) • condenser water system control
provide the most accurate answer, but
rating is to compare the performance strategy
their processes can be quite daunting.
And the time and information needed of similar technologies, enabling a • simple and transparent methodology
for such in-depth analysis may not be side-by-side relative comparison, and
to provide a second certifiable rating • accurate ROI analysis based on
justified during the design process.
point that can be referenced by electrical consumption and demand
Meanwhile, a simpler analysis method
energy codes. A single metric, such charges to guide users in
using generalized single point chiller-
as design efficiency or IPLV shall not best chiller selection
only metrics such as Integrated Part
Load Value (IPLV) or full load be used to quantify energy savings. • easy to use if whole building modeling
performance completely disregard the isn’t feasible
Recently, Trane engineers were challenged
specifics of the chiller(s) application.
to develop a viable alternative to the This Engineers Newsletter provides a
This simpler approach ignores critical existing analysis methods that would technical explanation of the use and
application details such as building load provide an accurate indication of any output of the resulting analysis tool,
profile, local weather and number of chiller's installed energy performance. The myPLV™ (my Part Load Value). The EN will
chillers in the system, among others. mission was to provide accurate chiller describe the approach used to address
It may provide the industry with a performance indicators in an easy-to-use each of the above criteria to compare the
benefit of one chiller selection over
another for a specific building and chiller
plant, be it air-cooled or water-cooled.
• type • scales its 8,760 load data to the peak cooling load
specified
• peak cooling load
• saves the weather and plant load data
scaled building load scatter plot
(not viewable—displayed here to illustrate initial
data set for plant and chiller load profiles)
hours of data) for various building types in Hotel (without econ) 24 hour operation; 7 days a week
all weather zones of interest. The myPLV
tool incorporates 200 of these load
profiles within its database. Each of the Table 2. Weather zones included in myPLV
building types listed in Table 1 has been Zone Very cold Humid (A) Dry (B) Marine (C)
simulated within 20 climatic zones 0 x x
included in the myPLV database (Table 2) 1 x x
resulting in the 200 pre-defined data sets.
2 x x
Users simply select location information 3 x x x
and building type and enter a peak 4 x x x
tonnage for their particular building. The 5 x x x
program scales the PNNL load profile to
6 x x x
the peak cooling tons entered. The
7 x
resulting load profile can be viewed on
charts generated by the tool. 8 x
Most of the building types listed in Table 1 Local Weather. Having representative factor per ASHRAE Standard 90.1,
have profiles both with and without an weather data is key to overcoming the Appendix G for reference.
airside economizer. Those profiles IPLV problem of oversimplified analysis
representing systems without an airside techniques which assume the same chiller An undersized plant is flagged in red
economizer will contain loads during operating conditions from Jeddah, Saudi with a negative oversize factor. In this
cooler outside conditions. Load profiles Arabia to Fairbanks, Alaska and case, the program will produce a
incorporating an airside economizer will everywhere in between. solution; however, it will assume
eliminate most low temperature loads additional chillers are available beyond
since the economizer will satisfy the The myPLV tool uses the 8,760 hour that specified with the input set.
needed cooling. For those chilled-water weather data set (TMY) contained within
the PNNL load profile for a wide range of Cooling tower performance and control
systems that incorporate waterside
weather zones. Users may either enter a impact the operating conditions of the
economizing (free cooling), users may
global location that maps to a standard chiller for water-cooled plants. Users
wish to select load profiles with an airside
weather zone according to the dataset enter design tower performance data
economizer since the chillers will not be
contained in ASHRAE Standard 169, or and selects a cooling tower control
operating to satisfy loads during the
enter the weather zone explicitly by method. Based on this information,
cooler weather conditions.
selecting By Climate Zone in the Region myPLV calculates the entering
A custom load profile can be entered for dropdown. The selected weather condenser water temperature for each
chiller plants with load profiles much conditions (ambient wet bulb and dry bulb) hour of the load profile.
different than the available buildings (i.e., for each operating hour of the year are
process loads or data centers). Custom used to establish the operating conditions Chiller Performance. From the
load profiles can be entered via the for the cooling tower or air-cooled previous input information, the myPLV
Custom Load Input worksheet. Users condenser. determines the weighted average
must enter 8,760 hours (one year) of data, operating conditions for the chillers in
including chiller plant load (tons), as well Chiller Plant Information. The number the plant for bins centered on the 25, 50,
as the outdoor dry bulb and wet bulb of chillers in the system and the capacity 75 and 94 percent chiller load points.
temperatures. The program calculates the of the chillers are needed for myPLV to The program also requires the chiller’s
appropriate chiller submittal points. assess the operating conditions and time full load design performance to assess
for the chiller-specific operating zones or utility demand charges and to ensure an
bins. appropriate chiller is selected to satisfy
the design requirements of the job.
To access the Custom Load Input The program assumes all chillers are equal
worksheet, check the box adjacent to While the use of 25, 50, and 75 percent
capacity. Entering this information
the Region input or choose the Custom load points is similar to IPLV
Load selection in the Region drop down separate from the building peak load
allows the program to account for methodology, the ton-hour values and
list on the myPLV Calculator tab.
oversizing of the plant capacity. The condenser water temperature
program outputs the plant oversizing weightings deviate from IPLV/NPLV to
reflect the application. For the last bin,
providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer Trane Engineers Newsletter volume 44–4 3
87.5 percent to 100 percent chiller Figure 2. myPLV user inputs for building and plant configuration
loading is represented by a center-
weighted point at 94 percent.
This better captures the chiller
performance in this region and reduces
error.
myPLV Example
MyPLV is built as a Microsoft Excel®
workbook. The two worksheets that
require user input to perform the
calculations are the myPLV Calculator
and myPLV Bid Form.
4 Trane Engineers Newsletter volume 44–4 providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer
myPLV Bid Form worksheet: Alternate Figure 5. Data input for alternate chiller performance metrics
providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer Trane Engineers Newsletter volume 44–4 5
Figure 6. Summary trends for hours and ton-hrs as a function of outdoor conditions
myPLV Output 70000 350
The remainder of this EN explains ton-hr distribution
number of hours
selections. This adds transparency to
the myPLV calculations. 40000 200
30000 150
Load charts. A review of the load
charts is recommended to ensure the 20000 100
load profile looks appropriate for a
10000 50
particular application. myPLV enables
users to examine plant operation and 0 0
the weather impact via two weather 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
and load-related charts shown on the outdoor wet-bulb temperatures (ºF)
myPLV Charts worksheet. The first
Figure 7. Load profile's percentage of cumulative ton-hrs as a function of the outdoor temperature
chart (see Figure 6) describes the
operation of the plant as a function of 100
ton-hr probability for outdoor wet-bulb (%)
6 Trane Engineers Newsletter volume 44–4 providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer
Cooling tower performance and Figure 8. Tower approach assumed for full fan power
control (water-cooled plants).
Cooling tower design performance, 16
operating limits and control method are 50ºF WB
14
required inputs for myPLV to calculate
the correct 8,760 hour chiller load point 12 60ºF WB
providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer Trane Engineers Newsletter volume 44–4 7
setpoint entry by users. This method of control method creates a minimum The chart is broken up into four bins
control was described in the previous condenser water temperature at all with three dashed vertical lines as
ECWT example. wet-bulb temperatures. Depending on separators. The first vertical line is
the user-specified fixed setpoint, the positioned midway between the 25
Fixed tower approach. This selection submittal point ECWTs may be higher and 50 percent bin points at a 37.5
computes an ECWT equal to the than the other control methods (high percent chiller load (281 tons). The
outdoor wet-bulb temperature value fixed setpoint) or close to the Full second is positioned midway between
plus the tower approach setpoint Tower Fan Flow ECWT (low fixed the 50 and 75 percent bin points at
entered by the user. If this method setpoint). In any case, this minimum is 62.5 percent (469 tons). Finally, the
results in a temperature value less than reflected in the weighted condenser third vertical dashed line is positioned
the minimum user-specified value, the water temperatures for the four binned 12.5 percent to the right of the 75
temperature will be set to the performance points. percent bin point at 87.5 percent (656
minimum value specified. tons).
Chiller Loading Chart. The scatter
For this example, a 55ºF minimum
Chiller-tower optimization. . This plot on the myPLV Charts worksheet
condenser water temperature was
selection simulates a Trane algorithm detailing the myPLV/IPLV entering
specified and therefore, the minimum
for a dynamic and optimally changing condenser water temperatures for the
condenser water temperature for all
ECWT setpoint as a function of chiller chillers deserves some explanation.
the load points was at 55ºF.
loading and ambient wet-bulb Figure 9 shows the chart for a three-
temperature. As with other control chiller plant with the chillers sized at The myPLV and IPLV rating points are
methods, if this method results in a 750 tons. also illustrated on the plot—the blue
temperature value less than the circles and the red open circles
The plot shows the load and ECWT for
minimum condenser water respectively. The blue myPLV circles
each hour of chiller operation. The
temperature specified, the minimum represent the load in tons at the 25, 50,
small blue data points detail those
temperature setpoint value will be 75 and 94 percent load points, and the
conditions where only one chiller is
used. corresponding myPLV submittal point
operating. The maroon points detail the
condenser water temperatures.
The tower control strategies for Chiller operating conditions when two chillers
Tower Optimization, Full Tower Fan are operating, and the green data Note that the myPLV point ECWT are a
Flow, and Fixed Tower Approach will points show where all three chillers are ton-hr weighted temperature of all the
yield similar looking results for running. load points in each bin. The open red
submittal point ECWTs since each of IPLV circles are shown for comparison
In other words, the first chiller runs at
those control methods’ resulting and represent the condenser water
all conditions detailed by the blue,
condenser water temperatures will be temperature for the IPLV rating points.
maroon, and green data points. The
moving with the outdoor wet bulb. The This allows users to determine if there
second chiller runs at the conditions
main difference is how the particular are significant differences between
detailed by the maroon and green data
control mode affects tower fan power IPLV ECWT and actual ECWT.
points. Finally the third chiller only runs
which is not part of the myPLV
at the conditions shown with green
analysis.
data points.
However, the Fixed Temperature
selection can dramatically change the
chiller selection points since this
Figure 9. myPLV/IPLV entering condenser water temperatures for the chiller
8 Trane Engineers Newsletter volume 44–4 providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer
Air-cooled vs water-cooled. The
myPLV computations become simpler Summary References
when an air-cooled device is [1] ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2010 Energy Standard for
considered. For the case of air-cooled myPLV is based on bin methodology Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential
chillers, the entering condenser that leverages the PNNL Energy Plus Buildings.
Visit www.trane.com/myPLV to
download the latest version of
myPLV™
providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer Trane Engineers Newsletter volume 44–4 9
www.Trane.com/bookstore
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10 Trane Engineers Newsletter volume 44–4 providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer
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