In The News

Source: Energy User News
Publication Date: 20-JUL-87
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NEW ORLEANS--Among the new products displayed here at the 74th annual meeting of the Association of Physical Plant Administrators of Universities and Colleges (APPA) are a conversion package made by Computrols which allows any IBM PC to centrally control a Honeywell Delta EMS, an alarm system which detects leaks in thermal distribution systems, and two series of compact fluorescent lighting fixtures.

Computrols, New Orleans, introduced a hardware/software package that enables any IBM PC to centrally control a Honeywell Delta EMS, according to a company spokesman.

The conversion package includes an interface board, called Switchboard, and Energy 2.0C, IBM PC energy management software. A basic system, including the hardware, software anda service package, starts at $15,000 for a moderately sized system, but the price varies depending on the size, condition and functions of the existing EMS, said the spokesman. He estimated users could save 5 percent on the cost of equivalent Honeywell field equipment, but said additional savings would vary broadly depending on the application and the previous capabilities of the EMS.

The package bypasses the Honeywell Delta central processing unit, and no modifications to the existing field equipment are required, according to the company. It is compatible with any IBM PC, including the AT, XT or System 2 series.

The service package includes installation, basic programming and operator training. A 24-hour debugging service and equipment upgrades are also free for one year after installation. The troubleshooting service is provided by Systems Associates Inc. of Bowling Green, Ohio, which designed the software.

The package's reporting functions, which are based in real time, include heating/cooling degree days, equipment run time, high-low time-of-day for all analog points, meter graphing of energy consumption, and 14-month historical data. Color graphics and immediate printouts are also included. Operator-initiated programming changes can also be stored and retrieved by date, and the system allows remote control and monitoring.

The conversion package reduces maintenance costs because it eliminates the need for OEM service contracts, according to the spokesman. Although Computrols is an EMS service company, users may select any vendor for equipment and maintenance, he said.

All programming may be performed in house with the IBM conversion package, and operator training is less expensive and time-consuming because programming; reporting and documentation are in English instead of programming languages or codes.

Honeywell Delta EMS owners who are considering upgrading their system would benefit most from the conversion package, said the spokesman.

Computrols is located at 601 Poydras Street, New Orleans, La. 70130.

Perma Pipe, Niles, Ill., is introducing Permalert AT, a cable alarm system which can detect steam leaks in buried pre-insulated thermal distribution systems as they occur. The system's controlling microprocessor costs between $4,000 to $6,000 depending on how many lines it will monitor,and the cable is $3 per foot, according to a Perma Pipe spokesman. The microprocessor can monitor up to six separate lines of 5,000 feet each.

The cable is placed inside the protective pipe, where it can detect pinhole leaks in the carrier pipe using a technique called time domain reflectionary. High frequency electrical pulses traveling down a coaxial cable will reflect at places in the cable where the impedence has changed. The intrusion of liquid will change the impedence of the cable. The time it takes the pulse to travel to the disturbance and back is measured. This information, coupled with the known speed of the pulse in the cable, allows the position of the disturbance to be calculated.

The microprocessor provides a digital readout of the leak's location, size and growth rate, which allows users to decide if it should be repaired immediately, said the spokesman. The system allows leaks to be detected before major damage occurs, and can also be used to determine deficiencies in new pipe still under warranty, he added.

The system, which can be added to existing networks when old piping is replaced, can be used in any thermal distribution line, including those commonly found on college campuses and cogeneration projects. Perma Pipe is located at 7720 N. Leigh Ave., Niles, Ill. 60648.

Kenall Manufacturing Co. of Chicago is debuting two series of compact fluorescent fixtures. The Deco-Cell 2800 series includes four ceiling fixtures which can be used in areas where installing recessed fluorescent downlights is not possible. The Shorty-Forties 8100 series is designed for use with General Electric's new 40-watt biaxial lamp.

The 12-by-3-inch square Deco-Cell fixture, priced at $88.78, is available in four models: 28-30-26, with a white housing and prismatic lens; 28-40-26, with a white housing and opal lens; 28-60-26, with a duranodic bronze housing and prismatic lens, and 28-70-26, with a duronodic bronze housing and opal lens. Each fixture uses 13-watt PL screw-in lamps.

The Deco-Cell fixtures provide only downlight, unlike fixtures previously offered by the company, which only provide diffuse light. The short depth of the fixture allows it to be used in small areas where large, deeper fixtures will not fit, such as above student desks or under cabinets, said the spokesman. The aimable fixture is also appropriate for the task lighting, he added.

Applications for the 2800 series include corridor, closets, halls, foyers, and canopies.

The 8100 series, priced at $137.66, includes a 2-foot, 40-watt General Electric biaxial lamp, because the lamps are so new they are not widely available. Model 8140/9240 has a clear prismatic refractor, while model 8160/9240 includes an opal diffuser. The 8100 series is a companion series to the 7100 units, which use 4-foot lamps.

The biaxial lamps draw 44 watts including ballast, compared to an incandescent, which uses 150.

Kenall Mfg Co. is located at 4140 West Victoria St., Chicago, Ill. 60646.