SUSTAINABILITY
WHAT IS?
General definition of sustainability - ASHRAE 2018a
Providing the needs of the present without detracting from the ability to fulfill the needs of the future.
OTHER DEFINITIONS
In accordance with the 2015 Paris Agreement, the world must reach Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions early in the second half of the present century. That will require the transformation of economies and societies alike. Many countries and corporations are setting their aspirations to achieve Net Zero goals by 2050.
Heating and industrial cooling processes are in high-energy demand.
Decarbonization of existing and new heating and cooling processes means getting them less dependent on fossil fuels, by using renewable energy and electrification.
Electrification refers to using technologies such as heat pumps that operate with electricity instead of burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal.
Energy efficiency is the use of less energy to perform the same task or produce the same result. Energy-efficient homes and buildings use less energy to heat, cool, and run appliances and electronics, and energy-efficient manufacturing facilities use less energy to produce goods.
Energy efficiency is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to combat climate change, reduce energy costs for consumers, and improve business competitiveness.
REFRIGERATION
What Refrigeration resources have the biggest impacts on Sustainability?
The refrigeration system transfers heat from one environment to another. The way heat is efficiently transferred depends on several factors:
- Cooling system design
- Equipment efficiency
- Control and automation system
- Operation and maintenance
What Refrigeration resources have the biggest impacts on Sustainability?
- Construction materials
- Refrigerants
- Energy use
- Water use
THERMODYNAMICs
Pressure x Enthalpy Diagram
Components
1 - 2: Compressor
2 - 3: Oil separator
3 - 4: Condenser
4 - 5 / 8 - 1: Suction heat exchanger
5 - 6: Expansion valve
6 - 7: Evaporator
7 - 8: Liquid separator
REFRIGERANT condition
1 - 2 - Suction gas low-pressure to discharge gas high-pressure
2 - 3: No change
3 - 4: Discharge gas high-pressure to liquid high-pressure
4 - 5 / 8 -1: Liquid subcooling/gas superheating
5 - 6: Liquid high-pressure to liquid low-pressure
6 - 7: Liquid low-pressure to gas-low pressure
7 - 8: No change
Strategies for Decarbonization / energy efficiency
Opportunities for Decarbonization in Industrial Refrigeration Installations
- Look for opportunities for electrification
- Implement normalized energy cost indicators
- Install high-performance refrigeration systems
- Utilize life-cycle costing to identify cost payback during a 20 years period
- Establish a predictive maintenance program
- Reducing energy demand
- Increasing energy efficiency
- Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy
- Eliminating the use of harmful refrigerants
- Monitoring ongoing performance
Beyond Refrigeration Critical Issues and Ambitions
IOR - Institute of Refrigeration UK
NET ZERO TEMPLATE
- Reducing the need for mechanical cooling and heating
- Achieving the best system performance
- Balancing heating and cooling
- Making use of the best available technology
- Use energy intelligently
- Developing the best people and skills
- What else? Whole system sustainability
Reference: U.S. Green Building Council: Chapter 8 – Energy & Atmosphere
INDEPENDENT CONSULTING SERVICES
We are a member of the following associations:
- U.S. Green Building Council (Organizational) - https://www.usgbc.org/
- International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration - https://www.iiar.org/
- Institute of Refrigeration - ttps://ior.org.uk/
- ASHRAE - https://www.ashrae.org/
INDEPENDENT CONSULTING SERVICES
CASTRO CHAGAS CONSULTING is part of BENNU PRODUCTIONS LLC, and is offering the following consulting services for refrigeration manufacturers and contractors:
- Business and market development for products and services that increase energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint.
- Technical advice on the use of natural refrigeration and heat pumps
We support owners and facility managers to define the Owner's Project Requirement (OPR) in their sustainability projects, which includes:
- Analysis of current industrial refrigeration systems .
- Evaluation of different industrial refrigeration system designs, looking for energy efficiency during the system life cycle.
- Evaluation of heat pump utilization in the heating process, to reduce carbon emissions.
- Evaluation of heat recovery opportunities.
- Evaluation of Net Zero and Decarbonization opportunities.
- Total cost of ownership analysis of different systems options.
- Technical advice to create a Basis of Design (BOD)