by Ann Withanee — October 27, 2010—Facility and HVAC engineers can now obtain critical operating cost data for HVAC air filters anywhere, thanks to a new mobile smart phone tool from Kimberly-Clark Filtration, according to a recent announcement.
The mobile analysis tool works with a variety of smart phones and other mobile devices and is available for free from Kimberly-Clark Filtration. It allows people to compare the energy costs and environmental impact (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions) of any two similar HVAC systems using different filters simply by entering data into an easy-to-use form. (Online instructions are available.) The tool then automatically calculates the energy costs and annual CO2 emissions of each system, showing the impact of filter selection.
The resulting data are available in tabular or graph formats both of which can be emailed directly from the user’s smart phone to any email account. Users can see calculations as well as a summary. The summary data also recommends the filter option that will provide the greatest energy cost savings.
“Filters play a major role in an HVAC system’s energy consumption,” explains Lon Edelman, CAFS, market manager, Kimberly-Clark Filtration. “The energy costs to operate an air filter can be up to 80 percent of the filter’s total lifecycle cost, and ten times the filter’s purchase price. That is why it is so crucial to pay attention to energy consumption, and not just the purchase price of a filter.”
Edelman adds that filters with a lower pressure drop allow the HVAC system motor to overcome less resistance to deliver the required air flow, thus reducing the motor’s energy consumption. And minimizing energy consumption minimizes greenhouse gas emissions a wise sustainability strategy for commercial and institutional buildings, especially those pursuing LEED credits.
The tool estimates the life cycle cost and environmental impact of filters in systems with variable frequency or variable speed fans. It is not designed for use with fixed speed fan systems.
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