December 2011

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Newsletter Number 72

...the result wasa highly effi cientnew product for

car park ventilation.

“

”

Victoria’s largest bulky goods development is now open to the public. Located on a busy intersection in Melbourne’s southeast, the Springvale Homemaker Centre features Swedish furniture sensation IKEA and Australian retail giant Harvey Norman.

The northern portion of the eight hectare site is dominated by a 32,000sqm IKEA store, the second largest in the Southern Hemisphere, while the southern end has Victoria’s largest Harvey Norman outlet and 28 other retail stores. In total there is more than 70,000sqm of retail space spread over two floors and two levels of undercover parking for 2,700 cars.

“We all thought the IKEA Richmond store was big, but the one in Springvale is 35% larger and is enormous,” Allstaff Airconditioning Engineering Manager Haydn Walsh said. There are more than 1,000 products displayed in over 60 room settings in the showroom, and the market hall is almost 7,000sqm.

Allstaff was responsible for the mechanical services of the entire complex and began working on the project in May 2010. Haydn said working with Probuild Construction helped the project go very smoothly even though it was such a large building complex. “A lot of thought went into the selection of fans for the car park,” he said. “Although above ground, the two sublevel car parks were partially enclosed to fit in with the stylised facade and building size. This presented some problems because the developers didn’t want to use a traditional car park supply and exhaust system.”

There were multiple issues with the electrical requirements and installation, so Peter Cotterell

IKEA & Harvey Norman

from Fantech put together a team to find a solution. Fantech redesigned the JetVent fan to meet the specific requirements of this project, the result was a highly efficient new product for car park ventilation.

Known as the JetVent EC fan, it incorporates an EC (Electronic Commutation) motor with integrated speed control. This allows digital communication between fan units and the BMS.

Haydn said the system includes sensors in the car park to measure the level of carbon monoxide. “The BMS receives feedback from the sensors and automatically adjusts the speed of the fan to ensure carbon monoxide levels remain at an acceptable level. This means the fan produces more thrust when there are lots of cars using the car park, but when carbon monoxide levels are low, the fan slows down, which means they use less energy.

Allstaff installed 94 JetVent EC units in the car park, a number of large smoke exhaust fans and various Fantech exhaust fans for the toilets, kitchen and loading dock areas.

Haydn said the IKEA store had been designed by BSE Consultants and incorporated a number of green initiatives. “For example, the cooling system has a unique chiller which uses cold condensed water to provide refrigerant-free cooling with minimal electricity input. The water is cooled to 4°C at night using the low ambient conditions and off-peak electricity. During the day the chilled water is reticulated from the fire sprinkler tanks, via heat exchangers to the air handling units and through chilled beams,” he said.

IKEA opened its doors in September 2011, with the remainder of the centre opening the following month.

Supersize

D D 2D Fan

33 1 2

3 3D 3

Technically Speaking SEF = 0.6CV² (at 1.2 kg/m³ density).

WhereSEF = System effect factor in Pa.V = fan inlet velocity in m/s.C = System Effect Coefficient.

We will determine the losses for an AP1004CA6/25 fan selected to meet a system duty point of 14000 L/s @ 280 Pa.

V = 17.8 m/sAMCA 201-02 (r2007) suggests that the System effect coefficient (C) for the inlet bend installation is 0.4.

Therefore SEF = 0.6CV² = 76 Pa.

By determining the system effect pressure loss at multiple points we can show the effect on the fan performance curves.

Graph: Fan performance curves with and without system effect.

As the performance will be the intersection of the system curve and the reduced fan curve, we can see that we would in reality only achieve 13230 L/s @ 252 Pa with this system.

To achieve the desired airflow of 14000 L/s @ 280 Pa we would need to add the 76 Pa system effect to our selection pressure (280 + 78 = 356) and then reselect the fan.

The new selection is an AP1004GA6/28 (we have had to increase the pitch angle of this impeller by 3 degrees to achieve the required pressure). The power consumed will also be at this increased pressure drop.

Therefore we can see that the system effect factor is adding 10.51 – 8.66 = 1.85 kW of power consumption, or 21%.

On a system running 10 hrs/day, 300 days/yr and at a cost of $0.16/kWh the annual saving would be $888.00.

With the average working life of most fans being 15 years, this would make a total saving of $13,320 over that time. As this fan has a budget cost of $4,352, the electricity saving would be 3.06 times the initial purchase price.

In addition the fan with the ducted installation will produce 5.8 less tonnes of Carbon Dioxide emissions per year which is a total of 87 tonnes over the 15 years (Australian average data from Australian Institute of Energy).

with Kerry Dumicich

Want to improve your

In the first part of this technically speaking series we looked at how increased pressure drops caused by system effect influences power consumption. This edition will look at ‘System effects’ again, and how they change performance and energy consumption due to a less than optimum inlet condition.

When a fan is tested to ISO 5801:1997 “Industrial fans - Performance testing using standardized airways”, it is installed in a setup that simulates typical installations. These installation simulations are Type A, B, C, and D as shown in Figure 1. A System Effect is simply the effect on fan performance from the system’s connection to the fan, and will allow the user to predict the changes in performance from the tested installation compared with the actual installed condition of the fan.

Figure 1: Installation Types.

In this example we will consider an adjustable pitch axial fan. This style of fan is tested in a Type D configuration. ISO5801:1997 requires that the inlet duct is a straight duct section 4 fan diameters long, and the discharge duct is 6 fan diameters long with a flow straightener 2D from the fan discharge. The flow straightener is required to ensure that the discharge measurement plane is free from swirl which will give more accurate measurements.

Figure 2: Ducted Inlet and outlet requirements from ISO5801:1997.

In this article we will consider an axial fan as tested (with a straight ducted inlet), and compare it to the same fan with a right angled bend hard on the intake.

AMCA Publication 201-02 (r2007) “Fans and Systems” suggests that the system effect of an installation that deviates from the tested condition can be calculated with the following formula. It is important to note that these numbers are to be used as a guide only, as differences in fan construction will change these factors.

Uniair moves to a bigger offi ce at Coffs HarbourWant to reduce a fans energy

consumption? Part 2.Here’s some more low hanging fruit

Absorbed Power (kW)

Motor Efficiency

(%)

Input Power (kW)

COPer Year

(T)

AP1004GA6/25 7.88 91 8.66 27.3

AP1004GA6/28 9.57 91 10.51 33.1

Table 1: Impact of system effect on power consumption.

TYPE AFree inletFree outlet

TYPE BFree inletDucted outlet

TYPE CDucted inletFree outlet

V

V

V

V

TYPE DDucted inletDucted outlet

Fan6D

2D2D D

2 4

4 4 4

422.5°

D D 2D Fan

3 1 2

3 3 3

8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 16.0 17.0 18.0

P F

- Fan

Sta

tic P

ress

ure,

Pa

100

0

200

300

400

500

600

- Volume Flow, m³/svq

s

AP1004GA6/25

Reduced performancecurve due to system effect.System Curve

V

V

Hard Rock reopens in Sydney

with Stuart Bryson

Fans by Fantech Product Selection Program

Uniair moves Uniair moves to ato a bigger bigger offi ce offi ce atat Coffs Harbour Coffs Harbour Tip Tip No.12:No.12:

Selecting for Non-Standard Altitudes and TemperaturesOn the Select Fans screen, you have the option of nominating the temperature and altitude that your fan will be running at.

When calculating the required static pressure, air density, and therefore temperature and altitude, is a key factor. The standard air density of 1.2 kg/m² is based on 20°C and 0m (sea level).

If your pressure calculations are based on standard air density, there is no need to change the default altitude or temperature, as your fan will be selected at standard air density.

If your pressure loss calculations are based on a non-standard temperature (ie. not 20°C) you will need to check the ‘Adjust

pressure for non-standard temperature’ checkbox and enter the relevant temperature. For a non-standard altitude (ie. not 0m), simply enter the altitude you used in your calculations. This will change the fan selection pressure to match your calculations.

For smoke-spill applications, you should refer to Tip #10.

Architecture by i2C Design & Management

“...its speed runs according to the demand in the carpark. “

DCVLess than three years after opening an office in Coffs Harbour, Newcastle based Uniair is moving the northern NSW office to larger premises to accommodate their expanding northern operations.

Managing Director Tim Lockwood said the new location was a short stroll from the old office, but offered better commercial exposure and a larger work area. “We are now part of a modern industrial estate filled with businesses that not just service the Coffs area, but the whole of the far north coast of NSW.”

Demand from the region has been strong and Branch Supervisor Matthew Hill was joined by Salesman Cameron Wainwright earlier this year. The new premises has a big upstairs office space to allow for additional staff, a huge showroom with excellent exposure, and a well laid out warehouse with ample racking and a large mezzanine level which ensures consignment stock is stored safely.

“This new larger and well-equipped office will not only give us the opportunity to increase stock

holdings, but coupled with its central location should give us the distinct logistical advantage of servicing the northern NSW area,” Tim said.

The new office is at Unit 1 21 Industrial drive, Coffs Harbour. Tel: (02) 6652 9435.

...the new location... offered better commercial exposure

and a larger work area“

”

Graham Thomas, Daniel Moreno and the professional team from Method Air won the contract for The Hard Rock project which involved installing the kitchen hoods, 18 gauge ductwork, two kitchen exhaust fans, and a make-up supply fan. “It was a fairly in-depth job for about two months, but went smoothly without incidence,” he said.

Graham has been using Fantech products for five or six years and selected two Gamma GL series centrifugal exhaust fans for the kitchen area and four wall plate axial fans to ventilate the coolrooms.

“I choose Fantech fans because they are reliable,” he said. “In this instance there was a filter system on the exhaust system to ensure that 90% proof clean air left the building, which put a lot more pressure on the fans. At the end of the day I know once I install Fantech products I can forget about them as there are rarely any problems.”

Hard Rock Cafe Sydney opened to the public in July 2011.

The Hard Rock Cafe has returned to Sydney as part of a redevelopment of Harbourside Centre, Darling Harbour.

Americans Peter Morton and Isaac Tigrett opened the first Hard Rock Cafe in an old Rolls Royce dealership in London in 1971. Musicians frequented the American style diner and Eric Clapton unknowingly began a trend in 1979 when he asked for his regular table to be reserved and donated his guitar to go on the wall marking the spot. A week later Pete Townshend sent his guitar and so began the first themed restaurant. Today there are more than 160 cafes throughout the world, housing in excess of 70,000 items of rock memorabilia.

The Sydney venue is only a short stroll from the CBD and offers spectacular views of the city skyline and Darling Harbour. In addition to the main dining area, the cafe has outdoor dining on the wraparound balcony, a lounge bar and a live music space.

The modern interior is decorated with rock and roll memorabilia including: Angus Young’s (AC/DC) schoolboy outfit, Tommy Lee’s (Mötley Crüe) fur covered bass drum, Janis Joplin’s purse and numerous items from Michael Hutchence and INXS.

I choose Fantech fans

because they are

reliable...”

“

Hard Rock reopens Hard Rock reopens in Sydneyin Sydney

DCV Zone Controller (Integral to fan)

CO2 Sensor

Room Monitor

Ceiling grille (inlet) PowerLine EC Fan

Ducting

with Ben Lowerson

Product News

““

After 25 years of service Fantech’s Finance Director and Chief Financial Officer, John Tan, has decided to retire at the end of the year.

John joined the company at a pivotal time in its history. A week earlier they had changed their name from Air & Noise to Fantech, and moved to larger premises located at Dunlop Road, Mulgrave in Melbourne’s South East. “On my first day I turned up to the wrong place,” John said. “I’m not sure if they were trying to lose me, or if it was just a test.”

As Fantech’s first Financial Controller John has been instrumental in driving the company forward, but it has not been without its challenges. “Those early days were tough going for a small business as we had no systems, software, computers or line of credit,” he said.

Under John’s watchful eye Fantech has grown from a small family company to an international group. He was integral to the growth of the business and was involved with acquisitions and the start up of new offices. We now have a presence in all states and territories. Internationally, John helped with the setting up of the first office in Auckland. Wellington and Christchurch were established soon after and were followed by offices in Singapore and Malaysia.

In 1999 John was appointed Director, serving

on the Board of both Fantech and the Elta Group Asia Pacific (EGAP). He also took on

the role of Company Secretary for the group and was integral in ensuring proper governance.

John said 25 years was a long time to stay in one job and it was time for him to move on, especially now that he was nearing retirement age. He said he was very proud of what the company had achieved and being part of the journey, but was ready to hand the role to a more energetic younger team.

“I want to thank all the staff, especially my finance team for their assistance, in particular, Paul Menara who has worked alongside me for 20 years and my mentors, Jack Pirie and Glen Harries, the original founders of the business,” John said. “I’m looking forward to taking a 12 month break before deciding what to do next. My daughter is getting married in February next year, and after that I want to travel and learn to play golf.”

On behalf of the entire staff, the board thanked John for all he had done and wished him all the best for the future.

long time to stay in one m to move on, especially retirement age. He said at the company hadof the journey, but e to a more

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Fantech farewells Finance Director

ventilation rate to suit the environmental conditions.

What makes this system more unique is that installers do not need to have specialised control

knowledge when fitting the DCV system. It is a simple plug and play installation with the parameters for each of the sensors preset to handle typical applications. These parameters can be easily adjusted

via the wall mounted room monitor supplied as part of the DCV fan package.

The smart technology of the DCV system is not only easy to install and operate, but also reduces energy consumption and power bills through increased efficiency of the ventilation system.

Energy usage declines with DCVDCV

“He was integralto the growth ofthe business...

of.. “

Smart technology is helping developers and architects to meet the growing demand for energy efficient HVAC solutions. Known as Demand Control Ventilation (DCV), the system increases the efficiency and effectiveness of the ventilation system, thereby reducing energy consumption and power bills.

Fantech’s PowerLine EC Centrifugal and Eco-Speed Axial in-line fans are available with a DCV system. It works in conjunction with a number of sensors to automatically control the amount of ventilation required according to the environmental conditions and occupancy level of the space.

DCV ensures that the fan works at full speed when demand requires it, but as this reduces, fan speed and therefore energy consumption are lowered. In the case of the PowerLine EC, its intelligent EC motor provides significant energy savings when run at less than full speed. For example, running the fan at ½ speed, reduces power consumption by almost 87.5%. The Eco-Speed Axial has infinite speed control and integrated electronics that combine a 240V AC supply with the efficiency of a 415V motor.

The DCV system accommodates all sensor types in one package, eg. differential pressure, temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentrations. These sensors continuously monitor the conditions in the room and feed the information back to the on-board DCV zone controller in real time. The controller processes the information then adjusts the fan speed accordingly, modulating the

It is a simpleplug and playinstallation...”

“

John Gilmore

Con SarisFantech Victoria - Axial Fan Assembly Supervisor

Con joined Fantech as an assembler on the workshop floor applying his trade skills to build axial fans and four years ago was promoted to supervisor. “I make sure the guys have plenty of work to do and find it very rewarding when jobs flow through the factory smoothly without any problems,” he said. Con is a family man and enjoys gardening in his spare time.

Paul SmithFantech Victoria - Internal Sales Engineer

After 20 years Paul still finds lots of new challenges within his role. He began as an external sales representative and was later part of the export team for a number of years before transferring to internal sales. “The company has a good approach to looking after customers, and staff are generally given a lot of scope, which makes it a great place to work,” he said.

Gang WeiAir Design - Senior Engineer

Fifteen years as an engineer at Air Design has passed quickly for Gang. He has taken on the role of QA manager,

Nick Del ReSystemaire - Storeman

A mad West Coast Eagles footy fan, Nick finds there is never a dull moment in his job as storeman at Systemaire. “I started manufacturing and installing filters for air handling units and plant rooms. Because we were a small company I also looked after the walk-in customers, had a storeman’s role and did odd jobs which meant there was something different every day,” he said.

Kent Taylor Air Design - Senior Technical Sales Representative

Kent began as an internal sales representative, moving to external sales and is currently the Senior Technical Sales Representative. “I enjoy working with customers,” he said. “I am a qualified electrician with air conditioning qualifications, which helps me visualise the situation and resolve potential problems. I have enjoyed being part of the company’s growth over the past 10 years.”

but most of his time is spent on the design, development, and improvement of air handling units. “I love the innovative nature of my work,” he said. “We developed the air handling units from scratch which was very rewarding.” In his spare time Gang is also an amateur photographer.

Simon PollardFantech Victoria - QA Technical Officer

Fantech founders Glen Harries and Jack Pirie would often call on Glen’s neighbour Simon, a self-employed electrician, for electrical advice before persuading him to join the company in 1986. “At the start we didn’t test run fans in the factory, so I would tour building sites to rectify problems,” he said. With the introduction of QA to the company his role changed and now, semi-retired, Simon (also known as ‘The Guru’) mentors staff showing them how to spot electrical problems and what can go wrong with fans on site.

Simon said “every day has been interesting and different” and it was “the great bunch of people” that had kept him working for Fantech for over 25 years.

25 y

ears

20 y

ears

15 y

ears

10 y

ears

Fantech recognises the important contribution of its staff to the success of the company and thanks them, particularly those who have reached 10 or more years of service.

From left Con Saris, Istvan Bohata, Elizabeth Cain, Paul Smith, Simon Pollard and Richard Jones.

Gang WeiKent Taylor Nick Del Re Margaret Flett

A lifetime of service

Elizabeth CainThe Ventilation Warehouse - Accounts

For six years Fantech customers were greeted by Elizabeth’s friendly voice in her role as receptionist for the Melbourne office. With her experience as a cost collector, she was offered a job in accounts. “While I enjoyed my time as receptionist, it is good to be back in accounts,” she said. “Accounts can be very satisfying and the management and staff are amazing to work with.”

Margaret FlettFantech NSW - Receptionist

Margaret began working for Fantech as a temp and has ended up staying for 10 years. “I like being a receptionist, answering phones and helping people with their requests,” she said. “Fantech is a lovely company to work for and has a great bunch of people and a wonderful culture”. When at home Margaret enjoys gardening and is currently trying to breed canaries.

Richard JonesFantech Victoria - Assembler

After four years in customer service at Fantech, Richard wanted to experience greater variation in his work.”I found interest in building fans, learning how they are put together and work and I enjoy the freedom the factory offers,” he said. In his spare time Richard likes to go bushwalking and ride his bike.

Istvan BohataFantech Victoria - PowerLine Fan Assembler

Istvan has been an assembler for 10 years and enjoys the variety the job has to offer. “Every job is different and I enjoy that very much,” he said. In his spare time Istvan gardens and indulges in his hobby of photography. He is involved in multicultural radio broadcasting and likes going to the Southern Hungarian Social Club.

Fant

ech

Con

tact

s

AustraliaAdelaide (08) 8294 0530Albury (02) 6025 1866Brisbane (07) 3299 9888Canberra (02) 6280 5511Coffs Harbour (02) 6652 9435Darwin (08) 8947 0447Launceston (03) 6344 6888Melbourne H.O. (03) 9554 7845Melbourne CBD (03) 9696 3044Geelong (03) 5229 0188Newcastle (02) 4961 6088Perth (08) 9209 4999Sydney (02) 8811 0400Sydney CBD (02) 9698 8130Sydney South (02) 9153 6005Townsville (07) 4775 5222Wollongong (02) 4226 5133

New ZealandAuckland H.O. (09) 444 6266Christchurch (03) 379 8622Wellington (04) 566 0532

Asia For agents in the Asian regioncall (603) 7846 0340 or visit www.eltafantechasia.com

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“

Not many people venture out on their own in the depths of a recession, but that’s exactly what George Umow and Dominic Lai did in 1991.“We figured things could only get better,” Dominic said. And they did, Umow Lai Consulting Engineers is celebrating its 20 year milestone as are Gwen Welshman and Garry Powell who have been with George and Dominic every step of the journey.Today, the multi-disciplinary engineering company has more than 140 staff in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane offices, and undertakes projects throughout Australia as well as in Hong Kong and Vanuatu.In what is traditionally a male-dominated field, Dominic is proud of the fact that 25% of staff are women and that the Board includes a female director. “Women and men look at things differently and having both male and female insight into projects often gives us a more balanced outcome,” he said.Always at the forefront of the industry, Dominic pushes the boundaries and explores new ideas, often ahead of trends. In addition to his Mechanical engineering degree, Dominic studied fire engineering at Victoria University and was the first registered fire engineer in Victoria.

“There was a real need for this service and for the first decade fire engineering was a major focus of our work,” Dominic said. “For

the past 10 years we have been concentrating on ecologically sustainable development, such as Australia’s first carbon neutral building, Pixel. Located on the fringe of Melbourne’s CBD, it is one of the greenest buildings in the world, having achieved a perfect score 6 Star Green Star – Office Design v3 rating.”Umow Lai provided the sustainable design and engineering services for the whole building. Dominic said extremely low energy consumption was a key criteria as well as maintaining excellent natural light and indoor environment quality. Biogas from vacuum toilet waste is used to heat domestic hot water while all operational and embodied carbon is fully offset with solar and wind generated energy. Potable water is only used for drinking and all other water supplies come from recycled sources. The building also features a native grass roof and living edge grey water wetlands.

Fantech congratulate Umow Lai Consulting Engineers for their 20 year milestone.

Not many people venture out on their own in the depths

“There was a real need for this service and for the first decade fire engineering was amajor focus of our work,” Dominic said. “Fo

the past 10 years we have been concentrating

Umow Lai Consulting Engineers 20 year milestone

As has become the tradition at Christmas, the Fantech Group will donate money to another worthwhile charity. This year’s Christmas charity donation will contribute to valuable research funds for The Kids’ Cancer Project (formerly known as the Oncology Children’s Foundation). The proceeds will form part of the Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors’ Associations (AMCA) undertaking to raise $90,000 for the repair of a microdissection laser which is critical to Australian cancer research.

In 1993, Tour coach operator Col Reynolds formed OCF, a charity dedicated to finding cures for childhood cancer where the survival rate is very low, in particular brain tumours and neuroblastoma.

For further information, or if you would like to make a donation, visit www.ocf.com.au or call 1800 651 158.

Christmas boost for kids with cancer researchAs hawill ChrfunOnpA

Chris

Dominic pushes theboundaries and explores

new ideas, oftenahead of trends. ”

“Pixel Office Building,

Carlton

Umow Lai Office,South Yarra

Happy festive season from the Fantech Group.