Posted by William Vander Plaats on Fri, Sep 03, 2010 @ 10:17 AM
Energy efficiency, life cycle costing, going green, sustainability, LEED certification, return on investment (ROI), water conservation, etc. Each is an important topic right now for design, specifying, and product engineers. But proving the actual costs, expenses, and efficiency of building systems can be extremely difficult.
Life cycle cost analysis is a method for assessing the total cost of owning and operating a facility. It takes into account not just the initial cost of acquiring a building or piece of machinery, but the effective savings that will result from that machinery as well. This is critically important for equipment and systems which require a large initial outlay of costs, but which save money (usually through energy savings and other means) over the life of the machinery and the facilty.
High Performance HVAC EquipmentHeating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC systems) account for 39% of the energy used in commercial buildings in the United States. There are numerous energy analysis software tools which can be used to evaluate current and potential system configurations for most efficient operation, resulting in HVAC energy savings. Water filtration equipment is sometimes overlooked in these programs, but the return on investment of a properly sized and installed cooling tower filtration system is usually extremely good. When all factors and current costs are compared with the reduced costs AFTER a filtration system is installed, the payback period is often less than 1 year.
Continuing Cooling Tower Cleaning Without Any DowntimeCooling towers get dirty, and require periodic maintenance to remove dirt and sludge and other particulates that build up in the basin. This periodic maintenance can be greatly reduced if an effective CONTINUOUS filtration method is used to prevent solids from accumulating in the tower basin, or from fouling the heat exchanger. A very effective method for implementing this continuous filtration is by installing a LAKOS TowerClean system for basin cleaning.
Energy Efficiency and Water Savings Calculator For Cooling Towers Calculates HVAC Energy Savings
Download the LAKOS ROI calculator for cooling tower filtration TODAY. Its an Excel-based program that generate results which can be entered into other more comprehensive energy management software tools. Determine the payback period and ROI for HVAC energy savings and make your facility GREENER at the same time you reduce expenses.
Posted by William Vander Plaats on Thu, Dec 31, 2009 @ 10:16 AM
As we end 2009 and the first decade of the new millennium, it is a good time to pause and reflect on the PAST and what we should be striving to improve in the YEAR ahead. Everyone seems to have a list containing an idea or two about how we can accomplish this, including energy and water efficiency gained from effective filtration systems to the advantages of drip irrigation and ways to accomplish more effective legionella prevention, etc.
So here is OUR list of the some of the Most Important Lists heading into the New Year. Trends we’d like to see continue and ideas we’d like to see embraced and adopted in 2010 and beyond. Perhaps by the end of 2010 these will help create a GREENER world with a more efficient use of water and energy resources for all of us.
1. Top 5 Reasons Why BLUE (water) Will Become The New Green In 2010
GREEN is the color of sustainability and energy efficiency, but BLUE is the color of water, and many recent reports seem to indicate it will be the most important color in 2010 and beyond.
a. Pacific Institute Report: Industrial Water Use and Potential Savings In Each Industry
b. 100 Ways To Conserve Water
c. Top 5 Ways To Save Water In The Home
d. Read How IBM Reduced Water Demand by 20% At One Location
e. Calculate Your Water Savings When Using Water Sense Products
2. Top 10 Energy-Monitoring Tools for the Home
Until convenient tools arrive for homeowners to monitor their energy use from inside the home, efforts to reduce energy consumption may be just wishful thinking. Perhaps one of the items on this list will help to lead the way.
3. Most Innovative Pumps and Systems Products of the Year
Pumps and Systems Magazine recently awarded their inaugural 2009 Innovation Awards, and the list of winners proves there is still plenty of room for improvement in pump efficiency and energy usage.
4. All 50 USA State Energy Codes for Residential and Commercial Buildings
View current building codes for each state in the USA and learn more about Federal and state codes and trends. All on one page on the Department of Energy website:
What is your list of Great Ideas for 2010? Do you have a list of most valuable tips for anyone in the building/cooling/irrigation/water-related industries?
Here is one of our favorite studies to share: Energy study by the Canadian Office of Energy Efficiency. Download it today!
Posted by William Vander Plaats on Thu, Nov 05, 2009 @ 11:00 AM
Sand media filters may look the same, but they don't all operate the same. Some claim to use a "magical media" sand of one sort or another that has some mystical power that lends itself to finer filtration. But under a microscope, those particles appear no different than many others.
Independent testing by 3rd party agencies, however, has determined there is ONE measurable trait of a sand media filter which actually DOES make one filter more efficient than the next. That trait is "available surface area" of the underdrain. That is, the total area in square inches and mm that are available to take the flush of the filtered liquid as it passes through the sand/media/gravel pack. 
It makes sense when you stop and think about it. Water passes through the media tank, carrying debris which are caught in the media/sand as the water migrates towards the holes in the underdrain and out of the tank. What if there are only a FEW holes, spaced closely together? The debris "bumps" into other debris, as does the water, and the debris starts to pile up in certain places. The media sand does too. This leads to the "channeling effect" as the once level and flat bed of sand/media is turned into one that is uneven due to uneven flow through the underdrain. Watch this animation showing exactly how channeling takes place and how water flows through different styles of underdrains.
Now think of the opposite situation. Water passing through a sand filter carrying debris and leaving through a LARGE number of holes in an expansive underdrain, where the holes are further apart. The water is more evenly dispersed as it passes through the sand/media and underdrain, and no channeling takes place. The bed of sand remains relatively level and uniform because the water has more holes on the greater surface area of the underdrain to pass through the entire media filter.
Why Should You Care?
The reasons you should care about the efficiency of the sand media filter are:
- Greater efficiency and no "channeling" means fewer backwash cycles are required, which reduces wear and tear on ALL components of the system. This translates to longer equipment life.
- Water Savings.
- Lower pressure loss through the sand filter and reduced energy usage.
Don't forget to read the Independent 3rd Party testing results comparing the underdrains of some of the largest media tank filters manufacturers. See link below:
Comparison Performance Testing Results of Various Sand Media Filters