Danfoss NovoCon, the first multi-tasking digital actuator to connect a hydronic HVAC system with the Building Management System (BMS), is part of the energy-efficient design of a new civic centre in south west London. Combined with Danfoss AB-QM Pressure Independent Control Valves (PICV) and utilising remote fieldbus communication, NovoCon maintains correct hydronic balance within the building’s Active Chilled Beam system at all loads. Providing this advanced level of control cuts energy consumption and carbon emissions, reduces running costs and creates a comfortable and more productive working environment.
Approximately 500 Danfoss NovoCon digital actuators and AB-QM PICVs are installed in the new offices. Actuators are connected to the BMS via a BACnet communications protocol. This brings many benefits, including remote commissioning of the system via the BMS, making it possible to balance hundreds of valves with a single mouse click. As a result, valuable time is saved on site and much greater accuracy is achieved compared with using manual techniques.
Being a digital device, NovoCon also has the ability to collect and store performance data on individual terminal valves. This is a major advantage during installation and ongoing maintenance. Faults, such as a jammed valve due to particle build-up, can be identified remotely and resolved more quickly, reducing disruption for occupants.
The BMS system for the project was designed and installed by Electracom Projects, specialists in building control systems. The company’s Director, Bob Gilbert, says having proved highly successful on another large commercial project in the capital, Danfoss NovoCon was the obvious choice for the new civic centre. “It is a robust, cost-effective solution that provides a completely automated process for controlling, monitoring, optimising, and maintaining heating or cooling in a building. And with NovoCon all this can be done remotely via the bus communication, which saves significant time and cost during installation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance.”
NovoCon uses fieldbus cables with pre-fabricated plugs for daisy-chain connection, and with all setting and control via fieldbus, it requires only minimal data points and fewer wires and cables than standard on/off actuators resulting in faster, simpler installation and offering excellent future flexibility.
Summing up, Greg Tracy, a Danfoss Business Development Manager specialising in HVAC/BMS Projects, says hydronic balance is the only way to ensure a HVAC installation delivers the intended indoor comfort at optimum efficiency and operating cost. He comments: “NovoCon takes balancing and control of commercial heating and cooling installations to new levels of ease, efficiency and accuracy. Our expert team can work with clients to ensure each system meets the required design criteria. In addition, Danfoss has developed a NovoCon BMS CPD Presentation, featuring a live product demonstration, which has assisted the specification and installation of the NovoCon digital actuator in a number of prestigious UK projects.”
Visit www.heating.danfoss.uk for more information about NovoCon, including recently added features, or to arrange a free CPD presentation.