Refrigeration and air conditioning technologies are key elements of our world. The BITZER Group has been making a contribution with innovative products and services for 80 years. Their products maintain the optimum temperatures in buildings, on buses, trains and ensure food stays fresh at all times on its way to you. Perfection and precision shape their operations and efficiency and sustainability shape their way of thinking. With specialist skills and lots of passion, they promote development in compressor technology and, in this way, fulfill our responsibility as a market leader.
Construction Review magazine conducted an exclusive interview with, Tariq Zaffar, the General Manager of BITZER, Kenya in regards to HVAC systems in Africa.
1. How can a user increase the efficiency of his HVAC system?
Efficiency of a HVAC or refrigeration system should be a priority during the system design stage. Poor system design results in inefficiency as the unit may be over or undersized and this will offer poor efficiency regardless of the equipment brand installed.
Efficiency can be improved on poorly designed systems through replacement of existing equipment with a new unit of the correct capacity. Add-on electronics such as variable frequency drives or mechanical capacity regulators can be introduced to improve the systems overall performance.
Regular maintenance using the recommended maintenance procedures from the manufacturer can also maintain efficiency for longer periods. Should the drop in efficiency be caused by aging equipment, especially heat exchangers and piping, replacement should be considered over constant repairs. BITZER currently offers a number of compressors and condensing units that are supplied with variable frequency drives (ECOSTAR) and mechanical capacity regulators (ECOLITE). We also offer stand alone variable frequency drives for existing BITZER equipment (VARIPACK).
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What does HVAC maintenance cover?
Maintenance of HVAC systems involves regular monitoring the operating parameters of the system to ensure they are within the range of the systems design parameters. These include the suction and discharge temperature and pressures, lubricant level and condition, evaporation temperature and settings on the various controls on the system. Cleaning of the system is essential to the performance of the system.
Air cooled systems should be regularly cleaned to allow for free flow of air through the heat exchanger fins and water cooled systems should be descaled regularly to prevent obstruction of flow of refrigerant and coolant. As part of maintenance, the correct and original lubricants, refrigerants and wear parts should be used in line with the manufacturer’s recommendation.
Impure refrigerants, lubricants or counterfeit parts can cause instability in the system and lead to a catastrophic failure in the long run. Maintenance engineers should consult with the manufacturers’ manuals for maintenance guidelines and recommended parts and consumables. BITZER offers an extensive range of technical documents on all our products available for download free of charge from our website as well as the BITZER SPOT app.
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Which are the most common mistakes made during installation of HVAC Systems?
Inappropriate basis of design is the most common mistake during supply and installation of HVAC Systems, the design involves correct sizing of the equipment, piping layout, insulation and commissioning. Poor design will affect the efficiency of the system and in some cases result in constant breakdown of the system. Poor installation relating to piping design may result in loss of lubricant that may result in the failure of the compressor. Installation of adequate power protection devices to the systems power supply is crucial. Most compressor failures are a result of motor burnouts caused by inadequate power protection.
Motor burnouts would introduce impurities into the whole system and require a complete change of the refrigerant and lubricant, this is quite costly and if not done correctly, can affect the systems performance and reduce service life. Insulation of system piping where required should be carefully designed and installed correctly, poor insulation leads to heat losses and would negatively impact the systems performance and efficiency. All HVAC systems should be designed and installed by qualified and trained personnel as most of the common causes of failure are as a result of unqualified technicians attempting design and installation of these systems.
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What are your popular products sold in Africa?
Our reciprocating compressors and condensing units are the most popular BITZER products sold in Africa commonly installed in supermarket, commercial & Industrial AC & R applications. Our Added Value Products, manufactured by BITZER (Original Bitzer Equipment), offer customised solutions and can fit for commercial and Industrial applications.
BITZER also offers refrigeration oils and electronics specifically developed to maximise performance of BITZER products in the field. BITZER’s wide range of pressure vessels and heat exchangers are also popular in Africa especially within regions with High Ambient Temperatures where water-cooled solutions are required. Our ACP system (Ammonia Compressor Pack) has been developed for large capacity industrial cooling & freezing applications in food processing, chemical, and pharmaceutical& process industry.
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What are the unique selling aspects of your products that make them popular?
With its large portfolio of products and services, BITZER offers the right solution for any application. BITZER offers equipment for applications in commercial, industrial, transport applications and marine. Our products consistently deliver on performance and the brand name is synonymous with durability and reliability of our products.
The ease of availability of our products and service parts through our extensive network of distributors and Authorized Service Centres makes BITZER a popular option for applications in Africa. Our technical backup and advice to contractors and maintenance professionals in the field through technical documentation and training seminars also gives us an edge in becoming the preferred brand in the African continent. BITZER’s commitment to consistent innovation into technologies that maximise efficiency while reducing the environmental impact of refrigeration systems also contributes towards our success in the market.
BITZER products are installed across every major country in Africa; there are four BITZER offices across the continent i.e. Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria and South Africa. Their products are available through distributors who are strategically located across the continent. Their comprehensive distributors and Authorized Service Centre contacts list is available on the BITZER Website www.bitzer.de and their newly launched app “BITZER SPOT” for smart phones.
