Electricity and Control December 2024

INDUSTRY 4.0 + IIOT : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

Integrating IoT technologies into HVAC systems

With more than twenty years’ experience in electrical engineering, electronics and systems integration, Iritron has partnered with leading HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) suppliers, Toshiba and the AHI Carrier Group, to provide users of HVAC equipment with a full suite of IoT integration options from a single source. “Whether the application is for an underground mine or a specialised surface mining environment, a food processing and distribution network, pharmaceutical or medical facility, a complex cool room or chiller installation, or simply creating and maintaining a climate controlled work environment, Iritron has the technical expertise to provide an integrated HVAC solution,“ says Rudolph Schonborn, Quality & Service Manager at the company. Using the latest technical innovations and proprietary hardware from industry leaders, Iritron can integrate AI, internet-based communications, remote monitoring, acti vation and alarm and alert functions with Binary Runtime Format (BRF) and Infrared Thermography (IRT) technol ogies, for any complementary HVAC application. Typically, these include VRF (variable refrigerant flow) gas installations, hybrid package units, split unit installa tions, refrigeration and specialised HVAC solutions. The latest Toshiba and the AHI Carrier Group HVAC hardware is designed to offer leading solutions that provide performance matched with low energy require ments and environmental compliance in line with the lat est international EuroVent standards. Coupling these technologically advanced units with Iritron’s integration systems further enhances energy savings, smooth control – with pinpoint accuracy, high levels of efficiency and low energy consumption, result ing in consistently low operating costs. The integration of the latest technical innovations supports remote op eration, monitoring and troubleshooting, online status analysis and alarm alerts, all bundled in intuitive software dashboards that can be easily read and understood by plant personnel. Hybrid package units Hybrid systems are usually specified for critical applica tions, including Iritron’s own containerised products for remote mining sites where temperature control is crucial and a careful humidity balance must be maintained. Typ ical examples include substations where personnel ac cess is limited. Packaged hybrid systems are also avail able with remote condenser location and operate with smooth, precise control and lower noise levels compared to traditional installations. VRF – variable refrigerant flow technology This advanced refrigeration gas technology allows for the temperature and flow of refrigerant gas to be varied for different areas of a building or facility, cooling only the areas required and reducing refrigeration load, with

Iritron is working with leading HVAC suppliers to offer customers a full suite of IoT integration options for HVAC systems. a commensurate reduction in energy consumption and costs. The system can be programmed for seasonal var iations or for daily conditions where different parts of a building are warmed as the sun ‘travels’ from east to west through the day. By programming and monitoring differ ences between indoor and outside temperatures, ideal capacity ratios can be achieved. In addition to providing significant cost savings over traditional air-conditioning systems, VRF supports a longer component lifespan due to advanced oil man agement, preventing over-compression, and by making use of higher quality materials it enables reduced noise levels during operation. Experts point out that noise is a waste of energy! Specialised applications Capturing waste heat generated in HVAC systems is also a focus for Iritron, where the inclusion of hot water mod ules can reduce hot water heating costs by as much as 73%. “In a specialised application, we have developed a trailer-mounted biltong drying room, where precise cli mate control ensures just the right amount of moisture is removed from the meat to achieve the right taste. This system can be adapted wherever some form of precise temperature and humidity control is required – such as for flower markets,“ says Schonborn. Iritron’s integrated systems can be installed in new HVAC systems or retrofitted to existing systems to pro vide control and monitoring of performance, environmen tal compliance and lowest energy and operating costs for the HVAC system.

For more information visit: www.iritron.co.za

6 Electricity + Control DECEMBER 2024