Agriculture Ventilation Fans: A National Energy Efficiency Standard

1
Agriculture Ventilation Fans A National Energy
Efficiency Standard

• R. D. MacDonald, P.Eng, M. E. Armstrong, P.Eng,
  and K. Gibb,
• Agviro, Inc., Guelph, ON

2
Introduction

• Increased energy costs and demand management
  issues have made ventilation fans a large
  opportunity for utilities and farmers to save
  
• There is no agricultural fan ventilation standard
  in North America
• Developing standard that classifies fans into two
  tiers of energy efficiency
• Designed for easy cross referencing
• Method of energy efficiency labeling also
  proposed.

3
Fan Test Method

• Based on the ASHRAE Fan Test Standard modified
  for agriculture by the BESS lab and ASABE
  Standards and Efficiency Standard EP.
• Fan Testing
• ASABE S 565 OCT 2005 Agricultural Ventilation
  Constant Speed Fan Test Standard
• Fan Efficiency
• ASAE/EP566 DEC 01

4
Fan Test Method

• Independent Third Party Fan Performance and
• Efficiency Verification are
• AMCA (Air Movement and Conditioning Association)
• University of Illinois BESS Laboratory
• There are no other independent labs in N. America
  willing to perform these 3rd party tests at this
  time.

5
Fan Test Performance Data

• Measurement Criteria
• AIR10 AIRflow performance at a static pressure
  of 0.10 water column
• VER10 Ventilation Efficiency Ratio at a static
  pressure of 0.10 w.c
• AFR Airflow Ratio. The Air Flow Ratio at a
  static pressure of 0.2 w.c. divided by the
  airflow at a static pressure of 0.05 w.c
• AFR vs. VER10 An analysis considering the
  combination of AFR and VER10

6
Efficiency Metrics

• VER10 CFM/W Example with 18 fans
• Standard label used by BESS to identify fan
  performance, at 0.10
• (VER05 at m 0.05 was previously used)

7
Efficiency Metrics

• 2. AFR Example for 18 Fans
• Standard test result published by BESS air flow
  at 0.20/0.05 w.c.
• Identifier of performance over a wider static
  range without need
• to list at static pressures
• of 0.05 and 0.20
• Provides a simpler
• method of comparing
• fan performance

8
Fan Size Categories

• Method to categorize fans is based on fan
  diameter in inches most common N. American sales
  units
• Selected sizes 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20,
  24, 36, 48, 50-53
• Analysis was conducted and final results were
  designed to ensure at least one Canadian
  manufacturer per category

9
Two Tier Rating Program

• Tier 1 ASABE EP566
• VER10 Values
• 24, 36 and 48 fans
• ASABE EP566 VER10 values for recommended
  efficiency levels
• 18 and 20 fans
• The average value of all Canadian fans tested
  minus ½ of 1 standard deviation.
• 50-53 fans
• The value was taken as the same value for 48
  fans from the ASABE EP566 as this was similar to
  the average value minus ½ of 1 standard deviation
  

10
Two Tier Rating Program

• Tier 2 Premium Efficiency
• VER10 Values
• The values determined for an Premium Efficiency
  VER10 rating were calculated as being 1 standard
  deviation above the average values for all
  Canadian fans tested
• Tier 1 2
• Air Flow Ratio (AFR)
• Need fan diameters to match the AFR
• Minimum level of 0.7 for summer ventilation fans.
  
• 0.75 or higher for smaller minimum ventilation
  fans.

11
Two Tier Rating Program
12
Two Tier Rating Program
Lower limits for tier selection
13
Sample Report
14
Qualification Labeling

• Qualification
• Fans must be listed on the BESS Ventilation Fan
  Performance Test website
• Fans must meet the criteria as a Tier 1 or Tier 2
  energy efficient product
• Labeling
• Fans are currently available with AMCA or BESS
  labeling, but with minimal information
• Proposed labeling will provide more information
  than existing labels

15
Existing Labeling

• AMCA or BESS (or none)
• Purchasers assurance that
• The product has been tested using a recognized
  standard
• The energy efficiency ratings for the fans are
  accurate
• Note that there is no technical information

16
Proposed Efficiency Labeling

• Tier 1 ASABE EP566 VER10 - Energuide
• The Tier 1 rating system should consist of the
  following
• Standard Energuide label
• Rating by diameter with a daily 24 hour kWh
  minimum to maximum scale (allows users to
  calculate annual usage)
• Rating by AMCA or BESS that meets or exceeds AFR
  and CFM/W ratings _at_ 0.10 w.c. s.p.

17
Proposed Efficiency Labeling
18
Proposed Efficiency Labeling

• Tier 2 Premium Efficiency VER10
• The Tier 2 rating system should consist of the
  following
• Standard Energuide label
• Rating by diameter with a daily 24 hour kWh
  minimum to maximum scale
• Rating by AMCA or BESS that meets or exceeds AFR
  and CFM/W ratings _at_ 0.10 w.c. s.p.
• Premium efficiency label similar to the Energy
  Star label

19
Proposed Efficiency Labeling
20
Potential For Energy Star

• Introduced as a voluntary labeling program in
  1992 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Designed to promote energy efficient products
  that reduce GHG
• 1996 merged with the Department of Energy
• Provide labeling on all major appliances in the
  residential, commercial, and industrial sectors
• Must meet strict guidelines set by the EPA to
  earn the energy star label
• 3rd party verification
• 2007 provided customers with total savings of
  16 billion on utility bills and avoided GHG
  equivalent to those from 27 million cars

21
Stakeholders

• Piloted the concept in March 2007 with 3
  manufacturers. Good buy-in but concerns where
  they did not have 3rd party testing
• Also surveyed utilities, Government and other
  parties for feedback
• Currently refining the standard and will resend
  to stakeholders for final feedback

22
Summary

• An agricultural fan test standard has been
  developed
• Grouped based on fan diameter
• Subdivided into fans meeting ASABE EP566 and
  Premium Efficiency standards
• Contains at least one Canadian manufacturer per
  category
• Designed for easy referencing
• Utilities can use for programs, farms for
  selecting EE fans
• Looking to release by the end of 2008