Old age home receives energy saving solution

18th July 2014

  

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Energy saving systems specialist ThermoWise completed the installation of 13 AXHW-05 air-to-water heat pumps at the Zibambeleni old age home, in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, in May this year to improve electricity savings at the establishment.

“These environment-friendly heat pumps draw energy from the atmosphere to heat water, using far less electricity than conventional element-powered geysers. “We expect the electricity consumption required for heating water at the Zibambeleni old age home to be reduced by almost 66%.

“This installation will also ensure a reliable hot water supply at all times and will limit maintenance requirements of the water heating system,” says ThermoWise technical manager Llewellyn Potgieter.

The domestic range of the AXHW-05 ThermoWise heat pumps each has a 5.1 kW output heating capacity, using a maximum 1.24 kW input.

The ThermoWise system has an efficient design, with the temperature sensor probe installed inside the heat pump. In other heat pump installations, where the sensor is strapped to the pipework, exposed sensor cables are often damaged and cause unnecessary failure of the water heating system.

The ThermoWise operating principle is based on sensor probes, that detect a reduction in temperature inside the heat pump. When there is a temperature variance of more than 2 ºC lower than the set temperature, a circulation pump automatically draws water from the tank through the piping system. The temperature of this circulating water is measured by a sensor and if the variance remains more than 2 ºC lower than the set temperature for longer than a period of two minutes, a compressor is activated and begins to heat the water.

Because all the mechanics of ThermoWise heat pumps are located at one point, fault finding and heat pump diagnostics can be done easily and at the unit.

This project also included the installation of a new range of multilayer pipe – the Pexal-Pex piping system, which ThermoWise plans to implement in future installations.

This multilayer pipe system, which combines the characteristics of plastic and metallic pipes, is easy to bend and, once it has the correct shape, it maintains its form. This pipe has advantages over other conventional systems in terms of improved hygiene standards and enhanced corrosion resistance.

The polymer material used for the internal and external layers is cross-linked polyethylene (PE-X). The middle aluminium layer is formed around the internal layer of PE-X and is welded with a continuous longitudinal weld.

To guarantee excellent product quality and reliability, Pexal pipe is subjected to rigorous checks in accordance with ISO 21003 regulations. In addition, the production process is constantly monitored using sophisticated sensors and electronic systems.

All other components of this heat pump system, including electrical components and fan blades, are manufactured to stringent quality and safety specifications.

ThermoWise domestic and commercial air-to-water heat pumps, which adhere to South African Bureau of Standards certification and meet State-owned utility Eskom’s stringent requirements, are designed for use in diverse applications, including hospitals, hostels, boarding establishments, hotels, lodges and business premises.

The company also provides a comprehensive technical analysis service to guarantee the viability and efficiency of each installation.

Edited by Megan van Wyngaardt
Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

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