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Content
March Meeting
Topic: The Ethics and the Economics of
Commissioning
Presenter: ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer Carl Lawson
Date:
Thursday March 3rd, 2005
Time:
5:00 Board Meeting
6:00 to 6:45 Social Period
6:45 Dinner Begins
7:00 Presentation
Location:
Dubsdread
Carl N. Lawson is a Commissioning Authority for PWI
Commissioning Services. He has commissioned hospitals, medical clinics, prison
laboratories, high tech facilities, medical office buildings, and office
buildings projects in the U.S. and abroad. He has been responsible for
developing a large number of the protocols that used today in the commissioning
industry. Mr. Lawson is a pioneer in the commissioning industry and a frequent
lecturer on the process. In 2000 he was awarded the Benner Award for his
dedication to the commissioning process. He has also received the ASHRAE
Distinguished Service Award. From 1984 to 2000, he taught the Commissioning
Course at the University of Wisconsin and now an instructor for the
Commissioning Course taught by the Building Commissioning Association.
Mr. Lawson has been a
contributor to three books; Indoor Air Quality published by AEE, The
HVAC Design Process published by ASHRAE, and the latest, The Hospital and
Clinic Design Guide, published by ASHRAE. He has also published numerous
articles in the ASHRAE Journal and presented numerous papers and seminars
at the ASHRAE Annual and winter meetings.
Mr. Lawson is an ASHRAE
member, a member of the Handbook Committee, and Chair of Committee for the
ASHRAE Position Document on Mold and Mildew. He is a member of GPC-1, HVAC
Commissioning, and a member of TC 7.12, Building Commissioning. He has also
served as a member of the Standards, Program, Journal and Insights, and Special
Publications Committees.
This talk explores the Ethics and Economics of Commissioning
and the failures that can occur due to ethics and economical reasoning from
selective individuals. We will look at why it is necessary that a party who
designs the systems is not the party who commissions it. We will look at the
possibility of Life Cycle Costing and how it benefits the owner. We will also
discuss how commissioning can benchmark certain areas of the facility for future
use in design plus operation and
maintenance.
Please register by
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2005. Don’t miss out on this great event!
Last Month's Program:
Thanks to all of those who attended our meeting last Thursday.
We really do value your feedback so please take 60 seconds to fill out this
survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=12882663049
By: Todd Moore, P.E.
President Elect & Programs Chair
The Third Annual Shrimp Boil is quickly
approaching on Thursday March 10th. This is one week after our March
meeting. Please try to attend both events. We are fortunate to have
an ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer for our March Meeting and everyone knows from
past experience how much fun the Shrimp Boil is. Please register for these
events ASAP so that we can estimate how many people will be attending.
Many people have inquired about placing adds regarding employment in the
ASHRAE DEWPOINT. While policy forbids us from placing advertisements from
companies other than a business card ad, we will accept help wanted ads.
Please contact me if you are interested in placing an ad.
 Damon
Lynn
President
Each year ASHRAE
recognizes members who design and/or conceive innovative technological concepts
that are proven through actual operating data, communicate innovative systems
designs to other ASHRAE members and highlight technological achievements of
ASHRAE to others, including associated professionals and societies worldwide, as
well as building and facility owners. They do this through the ASHRAE
Technology Awards.
The first phase of
this process is the Technology Awards at the chapter level. Chapter award
winners are then forwarded on to the Regional competitions, and Regional winners
compete for awards at the Society level. These awards are very prestigious
within our industry.
The application
deadline for the Chapter awards has been attached to this month’s Dewpoint.
Please return your completed application by 2/11/2005 to the following address:
ASHRAE Technology
Awards
c/o GRG Inc.
Attn: Bob Egan
2601 Westhall Lane
Maitland, FL 32751
If you have any
questions or comments regarding the Technology Awards please contact Brian Mirus
or Bob Egan at
began@grgce.com.
-Brian A. Mirus
Dues
Please check the status of
your ASHRAE dues and remit if due or overdue. You should be getting a call if
you are on the list of non-paid dues members.
Forms and Information
If you need forms or
information on member status, please contact me at
bcarlock@bellsouth.net
Thank you for your help,
Bill Carlock
Membership Promotion
The readers all saw the benefits of ammonia
refrigerant systems based on previous written articles. However these systems
are designed and account for pure ammonia refrigerant or anhydrous ammonia.
Unfortunately, with this type of system foul substances namely non condensable
gases (NCG) can access the system highly decreasing the capacity and efficiency
of the system. NCG can include nitrogen, hydrogen and hydrocarbons, all
substances found in air. As we are also aware based on the previous article
that nitrogen, hydrogen add hydrocarbons cannot liquefy at the temps and
pressures in a building or industrial refrigeration system but only in special
process systems known as cryogenic air separation systems.
The air containing the NCG can enter the system in
many ways. Air can infiltrate as a result of continuous service or because of
inadequate evacuation after system maintenance. Hydrogen and nitrogen can also
accumulate because of the breakdown of the ammonia itself recalling the chemical
formula of ammonia is NH3. Since the NCG remain in their gaseous
state they occupy a very large volume of the condensers heat exchanger thereby
highly reducing the ammonia’s ability to change phases. However it’s commonly
believed that the gases would accumulate at the highest point of the system (the
evaporative condenser). This would then provide and ideal spot to purge the
system of the non condensable gas mixture. However, based on the dynamics of
the system the convective forces of the mass flow typically dominate the
buoyancy forces and therefore outlaw this theory.
It is apparent that liquid which completely seals a
pipe allows no gas to further pass so long as the seal remains under all
pressure fluctuations across it. So it is before this liquid seal that would
correspond to the ideal location for gas removal. So where is it that the
ammonia would be most liquefied? The answer is at the liquid trap. Since all
evaporative condenser heat exchangers are provided with a liquid trap at the
base of each drain leg, placing a connection at the upper most portion of the
drain leg guarantees the best place for gathering and eliminating the non
condensable gases (Denkmann & Douglass). Today, mechanical purgers can be
placed into the system and controlled to operate on a continuous basis. A
purger is always required in a refrigerant system; however the location of it is
perhaps best means of installment.
 Greg Romanczyk
CTTC Co Chair
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