Featured New Product... The New Dynamic Airflow Balancing Solution from 75F Traditional zone control systems can be reactive, responding to errors after they occur and making frantic attempts to correct airflow back to desired temperature by fully opening or closing the zone dampers. Software and sensor developer75F launched the Dynamic Airflow Balancing solution to predict this. 75F’s Google Big Query Services run smart algorithms to model the thermal envelope of the building and predict heat loads based on the weather. With over 1.6 million lines of code, its model is able to send precise instructions to the system to proactively rebalance airflow and keep ahead of temperature drifts. One doesn’t drive their car looking at the rearview mirror. The same applies for an HVAC system. Sensors collect data from the room every minute. Each night cloud computing algorithms analyze thousands of data points, including weather forecast, which allows the system to predict future conditions. A new set of instructions are sent to the Central Control Unit and the dampers are modulated a few degrees at a time to achieve the perfect balance. The system also factors in real time events, such as occupancy, to make instant adjustments to the plan as needed. 75F did a case study at a Taco Bell fast food restaurant in Richfield, MN. Border Foods, one of the largest Taco Bell franchisees in the nation, had been trying to solve a problem in its restaurants for years. Extreme heat imbalances in the kitchen led to a very hot working environment for employees in some areas, while other areas were sub-cooled. Cooks working the taco line in the summer took regular breaks in the walk-in cooler for relief. For Border Foods, employee retention, training and productivity were key business drivers. In addition, the new bright and cheery décor meant lots of windows in the dining area that led to solar gain challenges that move with the sun throughout the day. 75F had Border Foods test the 75F Dynamic Airflow Balancing solution at their Taco Bell store in Richfield, MN. 75F installed internet-connected airflow balancing devices to solve the problem in the kitchen and dining areas. By obtaining a live weather feed and collecting empirical data about everything going on inside and outside the building, the 75F cloud-based algorithm was able to rapidly learn and adjust the balance of airflow, so that temperatures became uniform throughout the day. Equipment included two Central Control Units, 10 Zone Controllers and 19 Modulating Dampers that were all installed and commissioned in less than a day. Within 24 hours, the kitchen staff noticed immediate relief from the heat island in the center of the kitchen. Temperatures leveled out between the front and back of the kitchen to create a uniform, comfortable environment. The dining area also leveled out so that morning and evening diners did not have to choose between East and West facing tables. To prove the point, Border Foods authorized a short test whereby the 75F balancing activity was briefly suspended so they could observe what conditions were like with the previous static balancing equipment. Within minutes, the old heat islands shot up in the kitchen and the imbalance rose before the test was concluded. Without the 75F system, the restaurant would have been commissioned to respond to the “typical” Minnesota winter, warming up the building whether or not the area was occupied. With the 75F solution, the system was able to take weather forecasts and proactively commission the building appropriately. Since installation, both staff and guests have enjoyed consistent comfort throughout the building. ICM 26 ICM/May/June 2016
ICM May-June 2016
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