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EnergyWitness™ provides the
energy data (all of it) and the tools to interpret it into actionable
information. To complement our technology, IDS offers expert
diagnostic services to review the data, identify issues (most of
which you never had any idea existed), and help you build an action
plan to take corrective measures towards energy conservation and
savings. Yes, we can verify real dollar savings—you can see it within days
(sometimes hours) of implementing changes.
Diagnostic Intelligence
There's nothing artificial about it. The IDS team is unparalleled
in its diagnostic ability. Led
by cofounder Greg Cmar, the team is savvy in all
areas of energy management and utility operations. Our expertise
includes:
- Building and campus operation
, including hands-on controls
operation and central station experience
- Control system design, engineering and installation
- Control programming for Johnson Controls, Honeywell, and Novar
- Diagnosing operational inefficiencies and energy savings
opportunities
The hands-on background provides the foundation, but it's the
experience with energy data analysis—determining operational
efficiencies and abnormalities through data—that adds tremendous
value to our software and your existing energy management staff.
Cure the Disease, Don't Just Treat Symptoms
Think of our diagnostic team as medical specialists for your
energy systems. Respiratory specialists for your air handlers,
circulatory specialists for your chiller plant. You may easily
recognize many of the symptoms, and be able to address some, but
with IDS Diagnostic Services, you can get to the underlying cause
and cure the problem at its origin.
Mini Case Study
This is an example of the diagnostic process with
EnergyWitness and IDS diagnostic services. The situation was a
chiller plant that was exhibiting poor operational behavior. There
was a significant amount of unstable equipment. After examining the
data the IDS team recommended discontinuing the CHW reset program
and to
fix the chillers' set point at 42°F.
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As a result of this small change, in a matter of only 15 minutes,
many different systems throughout the plant stabilized.
EnergyWitness allowed us to verify the change. As you can see here
in the middle of the day on 4/26, both chillers (only two of the
four chillers were running) stopped thrashing. |
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The next step was to check the operating temperatures in the two
running chillers. With EnergyWitness, it took just a couple clicks
and a couple seconds to display the next set of trend charts.
The output of this chiller, chiller #4, has maintained a constant
temperature
(the purple line) since the change. The condenser water temperature
exhibited less instability (green line). and the return from the
tower also smoothed out (magenta line).
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From here, we checked the cooling tower to see how it was
affected. Again, examining the data within EWViewer, crossing from
chiller system to cooling tower, takes just a couple seconds. Here,
the impact of control changes can be thoroughly assessed—dozens of
systems checked in minutes.
We can see from the cooling tower data that the change also resulted in
the variable speed fan (see the green line) stabilizing since it no
longer had to work as hard due to changing water temperature. |
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We also suspected that the secondary water systems would be
affected, so returned to the chiller data to check.
Indeed, we verified that the building secondary water system demand
less effort from the space control systems to maintain their desired
temperature and deliver a more consistent return temperature,
because they receive a more consistent supply temperature.
The one
simple change stopped the thrashing and smoothed out operations of
all these separate components of the overall chilled water handling
system. |
Diagnostic Service Options
IDS offers diagnostic services on a project basis.
Startup Program: After the basic installation and data
configuration of
EnergyWitness, each site needs a startup diagnostic program. Our experience
shows that there are scores, if not hundreds, of issues identified
during the initial diagnostic assessment. The program involves data
analysis, issue identification, and the development of an action
plan. Initial diagnostic programs typically run one week to two months
in duration, depending on the number of points (BASs, meters,
utilities) involved. During this time we often teach your energy and control
engineers how to use data for energy system analysis.
Special Case Program: Diagnostic services are available for projects after the initial
program as well. If issues arise, perhaps because of equipment
malfunction, changing equipment, adding additional buildings to the
system load, or even for no apparent reason, we're available to
assist with the diagnostics and planning the resolution of the
problem. The details and scope are determined based on an
evaluation and needs assessment with the client.
Ongoing Program: Clients may elect to have a diagnostic
services component of ongoing operations. We call this monitoring.
Check out IDS Monitoring Services
for more details.
Contact Us
For more information on IDS Diagnostic Services, please contact
us by phone at 617-744-1091 or by e-mail at
info@intdatsys.com.
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