Optimise building management systems’ cooling with accurate data readings

2022

Optimise building management systems’ cooling with accurate data readings

Brought to you by Kamstrup

The latest generation of Kamstrup temperature sensors lets you know the accurate temperature and flow rate in your building management system. They offer temperature offset and valve control, which reduces the risk of low delta T syndrome.

The cooling challenge

Building management systems (BMS) control and monitor electrical and mechanical equipment responsible for a range of services in commercial buildings, including the cooling system. They do this to achieve ideal comfort levels with the lowest possible energy consumption. This is achievable when the BMS runs with the optimal delta T.

Optimal delta T is when the temperature in the cooling system is within the specified parameters. When this is not the case, water pump energy consumption increases and the overall operational effectiveness decreases. This condition is called low delta T syndrome, and it is one of the most common challenges faced in commercial buildings’ cooling systems. It can be prevented with accurate data of high quality, as this knowledge will let you optimise your BMS accordingly.


The effect of wire choice

Measured inlet and outlet temperatures can be higher or lower than the actual temperature in the system, depending on the sensor being used. If inaccurate temperatures are recorded, energy consumption and efficiency are affected.

Standard 2-wire sensors have a measured temperature variance of up to ±1 degrees Kelvin (K), which affects the cooling system’s energy consumption. 4-wire sensors offer a higher accuracy but are more expensive to buy and install.

Kamstrup 2-wire sensors with Kamstrup calculators make it possible to achieve higher accuracy at a lower cost, thanks to the innovative temperature offset feature (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Kamstrup 2-wire solution delivers the same performance at a competitive price compared to the standard 4-wire in the market, saving you a lot of money


Enhanced accuracy with Kamstrup solutions

Kamstrup 2-wire sensors with temperature offset measure temperatures in BMS with an accuracy of ±0.1 K, making the deviation between measured and actual temperature smaller than with standard sensors (Figure 2). They deliver higher accuracy and significantly improve the measured inlet and outlet temperatures in BMS, ensuring that optimal delta T is achieved.

Figure 2: Accuracy when measuring inlet or outlet temperature on a cooling meter

­­­With the new Kamstrup TemperatureSensor 63, the calculated temperature offset is written on the label of the temperature sensor (Figure 3). This makes the offset value transparent for everyone and easy to insert in the meter if, for some reason, the temperature sensors must be changed.

There are several benefits of measuring the inlet and outlet temperature with an accuracy of ±0.1 K. First of all, it solves the general problem explained above that the measured inlet and outlet temperatures tend to be higher than their actual temperature. Furthermore, it is now possible to compare all temperature measurements inside the BMS system since any large offset has been eliminated.

Figure 3: The temperature offset function in Kamstrup cooling meters uses data from previous measurements of the temperature sensors to obtain a high accuracy of ±0.1 K when measuring inlet or outlet temperatures

Learn more about how to improve data quality in your BMS system in Kamstrup’s latest blog.

Other than inaccurate data measurements, poor valve control is a leading cause of low delta T syndrome and reduced energy efficiency. This can be solved using the Kamstrup PQT controller module that opens and regulates the valve based on specific setpoints you choose with the Kamstrup 2-wire sensors.

Learn more about Kamstrup PQT controller module here.

The 2-wire sensors from Kamstrup solve many of the most common cooling challenges by improving the accuracy of the measured inlet and outlet temperatures. For these reasons, a Kamstrup cooling meter is the right choice to ensure improved data quality in your BMS.

Learn more about Kamstrup’s cooling solutions here.

Connect with a Kamstrup representative at [email protected] or contact them directly at +6012-3822-230.

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