Custom Options
A flexible approach that’s cost effective
There’s no such thing as a standard building… and the implications for air conditioning engineers are clear. Whether it is a domestic, commercial or industrial project, flexibility is the key to meeting customer expectations. That’s why Temperzone has developed a range of custom options. Solutions can be tailored to individual applications, without having to be engineered from the ground up.
Air conditioning is rarely an “off-the-shelf” item. Each project presents its own set of problems that requires individualised solutions for the best result. In the past, that often meant extensive reengineering involving longer lead times and greater costs. However, Temperzone Engineering Manager, Mark Gilchrist, says the company’s approach to custom options has made it possible to tailor product from the company’s standard range to overcome both problems.
“We’ve introduced a huge range of custom options that embraces almost every aspect of air conditioning design and installation,” says Gilchrist. “For example, there are an amazing 288 handing options for our air-cooled package units – that’s 32 options per model in the current capacity range.”
Another example of Temperzone’s approach is the option to choose from different refrigeration and electrical mechanisms on its air conditioning products. But that is only the beginning. Specific components, controls and materials can be incorporated into the company’s standard products, so that many installations which would have been considered a custom order in the past can now be manufactured to order with a 4-week lead time.
Environmental options
Temperzone maintains its long-held environmental commitment – both to the environment in which each system operates and to the wider environment. Mark Gilchrist says that it starts with energy efficiency, pointing out that while the introduction of the MEPS (minimum energy performance standards) legislation and revised building codes have stimulated much greater interest in the marketplace, Temperzone was at the forefront of the move to the ‘greener’ refrigerant, R410A across its redeveloped product range.
In fact, energy efficient operation has always been important to Temperzone when designing new products. “This has led to the development of singular and combined supportive systems,” says Gilchrist, “such as electronic expansion valves, plug fans and economy cycle options which mean that Temperzone’s standard products can be utilised in even more applications.”
The environment in which each machine operates can present special challenges. Councils and government authorities have responded to pressures for quieter air conditioning equipment and this has created special challenges for acoustic engineers. “As a result of our extensive research and development, we offer a range of sound suppression options,” says Gilchrist. These include compressor hoods designed to maximise sound deadening; externally fitted axial condenser fan sound attenuation PODS to minimise sound pressure levels; internally integrated silencers; plant room package systems with remote air cooled condensers; and high static condenser fans which overcome the difficulties of removing condensed air from equipment located in plant rooms.
Mark Gilchrist added, “Our engineers have also developed both remote and internalised heat reclaim options for our larger commercial products, and integrated de-superheating options designed to achieve base hot water storage temperatures for high end users. At all times, the objective is to enhance our green credentials with products designed to minimise energy wastage.”
Corrosion treatment
With such a large proportion of their populations living on or near the coast, Australia and New Zealand offer some of the world’s most corrosive environments for air conditioning installations. While Temperzone uses the highest quality ‘long life’ materials in its standard range, some applications require special treatment. Custom options available include the “Rotorua treatment”, which incorporates technology pioneered by Temperzone for high sulphur areas.
While quality stainless steel fixings are used across the board, stainless steel construction is also available for quantity orders of OPA style package systems. “For ultimate corrosion protection, it’s the way to go,” says Mark Gilchrist.
Options for industry specific needs
Many industries pose unique problems which can be solved cost-effectively with Temperzone’s custom options approach.
Mark Gilchrist cited the mining industry as a classic example. Specific challenges like ‘no neutral’ power supply, high static evaporator fan operation, corrosive environments and high airborne particle contents require higher protection strategies for construction materials and components. “There can be site specific identification and OH&S issues, too,” says Gilchrist, “so we have developed custom solutions such as colour coded electrical access panels for quick identification”.
Many other industries present demands that Temperzone’s range of custom options can help overcome. Telecommunications and data management demand 100% fresh air and high latent load capabilities; the pharmaceutical industry often calls for low return air and low ambient temperatures; other industries need high temperature long-term storage. Temperzone has extensive experience in these and other specialised operating environments.
There are control options too. Some customers have special control strategies in place, so Temperzone offers multiple control options and can also integrate individualised controls into standard products.
Does it come in any other colour?
In an early series of the ABC television program ‘The Inventors’ one panellist was famous for asking this seemingly trivial question. When integrating air conditioning installations into modern buildings, however, the question can be anything but trivial! So Temperzone uses the latest powder coating technology, which not only offers a superior finish to wet sprayed coatings, but also means that the 134 colours on the Dulux colour chart are additional options for Temperzone customers.
System protection
Air conditioning systems represent a considerable investment, so their protection is simply good business. One of Temperzone’s solutions is to fit a pre-programmed outdoor unit controller (OUC) which provides on board fan control designed to optimise head pressures. The inclusion of this technology makes standard Temperzone products suitable for a far wider spread of applications. OUC technology offers additional system protection functions such as compressor cycling; HP and LP protection; lockout protection after repeated faults; indoor icing protection; refrigerant loss monitoring; and full fault history reporting. Together, they effectively enhance the economic operational life of Temperzone products.
In addition, hot gas bypass (HGBP) is available on stage 1 or 2 of all air-cooled package systems as a standard MTO option. Temperzone engineers believe it is a wise precaution that prevents low suction operation for applications that operate over extended periods.
The right system for the job
“At Temperzone, we are determined to deliver the air conditioning system that best suits each individual customer’s needs,’ says Mark Gilchrist. “In designing and developing unique systems over the years, we have gained invaluable experience and developed new technology that has evolved into our range of cost effective custom options.
“Of course, some applications will still have to be engineered from scratch to ensure that the end product is fit for its purpose,” adds Gilchrist, “but what we learn has a habit of filtering into our custom options range and sometimes even into our standard product line-up.”
