Kele Blog

Maintain Correct Humidity Levels No Matter What

Posted on by Kele Inc

Being based in Memphis, Tenn., where the humidity feels lethal, Kele knows firsthand how important it is to not only conduct checks on your equipment but to also install the best parts to monitor your systems. Sometimes, you need to increase humidity (something you don’t typically hear in the South). When you mix too much or, yes, too little humidity into the equation, things get dicey. Keeping humidity at bay can be difficult and maintaining a good amount even more so, but when you have the right parts to know where your system and environment stand, the difficulty lessens.

Duct humidity sensors are a system’s best friend when regulating humidity. A hygrometer, or humidity sensor, measures, senses, and reports both air temperatures and moisture. It can be the difference between an HVAC system that is bogged down by too much moisture and one that is operating at peak performance. Most of us are familiar with the negative impact of too much humidity—uncomfortable work environment, equipment failure, etc.

Too little humidity can not only affect the health of your system, but also the building’s and possibly yours! It’s all about finding the happy medium and giving your system enough moisture to thrive while also starving it just enough to keep numerous risks at bay. You’ll have less dust and bacteria build-up, less dryness in the air, better energy efficiency, and a reduction in fire hazards due to a combination of less static electricity, dust, and dryness. These are all things that don’t necessarily run through our minds on a daily basis but make an incredible impact when they show themselves.

From a decrease in lung function to more bacterial and viral buildup, the risks are higher than ever when a system is not properly cared for. Maintaining a good balance with regard to humidity is not easy but when you use the right products, you’re on your way to making life easier and safer for all.

Kele offers a wide variety of duct humidity sensors but one of our favorites is the Kele KHR, KHD, and KHO Series humidity transmitters.  The Kele KHR, KHD, and KHO Series humidity transmitters are specifically designed for use in HVAC/BAS applications. These instruments measure relative humidity from 0% to 100%. The standard two-wire, 4-20 mA output provides low-cost humidity monitoring for building control. The RH transmitter is available with a thermistor or RTD temperature sensors or a 4-20 mA range-able temperature transmitter. They are available in the room, duct, and OSA mounting styles.

The Kele KHR, KHD, and KHO Series are an excellent choice to meet all of your system’s needs when combatting humidity. Contact your Kele sales rep. or live chat them today to order the Kele products you need or shop with us on kele.com.

 

Employee Spotlight: Candid Chit-Chat with Kele Veteran Candy Carpenter

Posted on by Kele Inc

Made in America: How to Affect the Industry Through Action

So many things go into effectively impacting the BAS industry. From furthering education and sharing knowledge to understanding the industry and how customer service can be a game-changer, it seems that the one thing that is shared by all is action. Kele knows that it all boils down to thousands of actions that make up the big picture when in the business of doing what is necessary to help all customers reach their goals. And that’s why Candy Carpenter is a key player for Kele.

Candy has been a Kele associate for more than 23 years. As a Shipping/Production Coordinator, she recognizes the importance of both big and small actions. In fact, that attitude is something she carried over to Kele through her previous experience as an auditor-Inspector. It taught her the importance of doing the job right the first time and valuing the time, labor, and cost-effectiveness that go into that process. That mentality is something that has only grown throughout her time at Kele.

When asked what the most important aspect of her job is, she answered, “Paying attention to details for quality purposes. Production metrics are essential.”

Like Candy, Kele knows that even the littlest of details can affect the biggest of pictures, just as the smallest BAS part can make the biggest impact on the performance of a system. With such thought and focus coming from our associates, we know that we are steadily making strides in the industry because of them. Candy is a valued member of the Kele family, and we know that her impact on us is greater than can be put into words.

Outside Air is a Critical Breath of Fresh Air for Your Building

Posted on by Kele Inc

Fresh air is a critical component to the health of HVAC systems and buildings overall. The solution to keeping fresh air circulating is ventilation systems that all have one thing in common—their fresh air is outside air. Outside air is the unsung hero in many HVAC systems in keeping your system itself clean and the population within the building safe.

With schools starting up again, more employees returning to business, and healthcare facilities still operating at high capacities, be mindful of fresh air intake!

Outside air, when added to cooling and heating systems, puts checkmarks next to two goals that every system should accomplish:

  • It increases the air quality of the building by refreshing stale or polluted air.
  • It helps to pressurize a building.

The question that comes next is typical, “What’s the cost?” Adding a fresh air inlet to a majority of systems is a relatively low cost and simple to do. For larger systems, the air will enter the system through a vent inlet, either through a sidewall or roof, that is from a clean location outside. In a smaller system, the suction side of an air handler fan is what draws in the outside air. The air then goes through a filter for air quality purposes and then travels through a duct connected to a return plenum.

A well-balanced ventilation system is designed to supply fresh air to the rooms in which occupants spend the majority of their time. In a typical ventilation system, there are two fans and two duct systems. The larger a system is, however, the more fans and ducts there are. When the system is unable to maintain top functionality, it affects the air quality of the building and the health of those inside along with the health of the system.

The EPA suggests that systems use mechanical ventilation in order to avoid pollutants in buildings and ductwork, an excess of moisture, and odor buildup. Fresh air allows for the space to cleanse itself as the air flows through and helps keep down any undesirable air from doing too much damage.

Kele knows that fresh air and the products and parts that deliver it to your HVAC system are in high demand as school and healthcare projects and retrofits, and replacements continue. We can ensure that you get what you need when you need it so that the job gets done without sacrificing health and safety. Contact Kele, chat with a sales or technical rep on kele.com, or shop now and let us help you get everything you need for your project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kele serves customers across numerous markets with products, custom panels, project services, and technical support. Learn more about how Kele can help you in these featured vertical markets.

Employee Spotlight: Catch Up with Christian Kemp

Posted on by Kele Inc

There’s a difference between knowing something and understanding something. Just because you know that a panel is wired doesn’t mean that you understand how to wire it or how it impacts an overall system. Kele techs “get this.” And they show up to work every day ready to gain both knowledge and understanding of their craft so that they may continue to grow as technicians, adding more value to both their teams and the industry.

Christian Kemp is no newcomer to crafting and customizing panels. Before becoming a Panel Tech I with Kele, he built his foundational education with other panel shops. He has been with Kele for two years now and is continuing to broaden his knowledge in relation to panels. He has increased his abilities and learned how to innovate and customize panels in various ways that build upon his prior experience—doing exactly what Kele advocates for in the industry.

The largest influence that Kele has had on Christian’s professional career is the fact that he’s had the ability to continue cultivating his understanding in how things are wired and in turn how that causes them to work. He has enjoyed being able to impart his knowledge and understanding to his team and gain the benefit of their experience in return.

Christian exemplifies the continued cycle of education within the BAS industry by making strides with knowledge and understanding, and Kele is happy to have such a great panel tech on our team!

 

Employee Spotlight: Getting to Know Jim Luke-Gipson

Posted on by Kele Inc

Continued education in the BAS industry doesn’t end with a class or certification or growing one’s knowledge and understanding. It continues on in how employees think and how they problem solve to best serve customers every day. Kele Founder Roger Johnson knew this well—often building custom solutions for customers when what they needed was not available.

Jim Luke-Gipson is a Label Engraver who has been a part of the Kele Family for four years now. Jim has learned to value accuracy and customer perspective through her job, and it has made all the difference in how she tackles her work each day. She has applied years of retail experience and truly put the customer first in her role at Kele.

When asked what she has learned at Kele, Jim said, “More than I can ever put into a sentence.”

Taking the Label Engraver position was a turning point for Jim professionally. It has allowed her to work within a team that learns from her and in return pushes her to learn from them. Kele’s customer focus has been something that she is in lockstep with, and she continues to learn more about herself and from her team and customer interactions every day.

Kele is proud to have such a customer-oriented member on the team and knows that Jim’s commitment to excellence and incredible customer service helps to elevate Kele within the industry and carry on the customer-first legacy established decades ago.

 

Employee Spotlight: Meet Mack Moss

Posted on by Kele Inc

Education in the industry is paramount to its continued success and the success of those who chose to work within it. That’s why Kele prides itself in keeping the cycle of knowledge ever turning when it comes to the BAS/HVAC world. We want there to be open communication and continued education between our veteran associates and our new associates. When we are able to foster high ideals of mentorship, we are able to better ourselves, our products, and our processes constantly; that way not only do we evolve and grow as the business does but so do our employees.

Mack Moss has been building custom panels for more than two decades. He is a panel tech II in Kele’s custom panel shop and has been part of the Kele family for more than eleven years. Prior to his time at Kele, he spent ten years working with panels at Allen Bradley and Astronautics.

While at Kele, he’s continued to increase his knowledge and learn new things on a daily basis. He has also been able to grow and gain experience with his team, all of which he passes along to new associates and panel techs. Our panel techs pride themselves on knowing where the panels they build end up, like New York’s subway systems.

“I enjoy the fact that panels I’ve built help create a bigger picture and help the overall performance of entire systems,” said Mack.

Helping out his team and growing as a professional have positively impacted Mack and, in turn, allow him to positively impact those he comes into contact with through his work.

Highlights from ASHRAE’s School Return Guidelines

Posted on by Kele Inc

Part of Kele’s ongoing effort to help you stay informed—especially during this time of uncertainty and “a new normal”—is to share updated industry standards and guidelines. As schools make final plans and decisions on when to open back up for the fall, questions remain about where to focus projects, retrofits, and equipment upgrades. The goal is to implement as many safeguards as possible while the pandemic is still ongoing. ASHRAE recently released a guidebook formulated to help schools retrofit and plan for the improvement of indoor air quality and to slow the transmission of viruses via the HVAC systems.

Below we’ve highlighted a few items that may impact the way you currently work on the job: 

  • Increase your filtration loads. Double-check your equipment and VFDs to handle the load increase.
  • Increase your outside air, and ensure the economization and dampers are working accurately. Ventilating the virus’s aerosol out of your facilities is critical.
  • Maintain 68-72 degrees, 40-60 RH, and capture the measurements.
  • Turn off Demand Control Ventilation.
  • Isolate the nurse’s station.
  • Be on top of your maintenance.

 

The July 22 update also includes guidance for higher education institutions, including student health facilities, labs, residence halls, athletic facilities, and large assembly and lecture halls.

Protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the world’s students from the spread of infectious disease is essential to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the entire population. As an industry partner, Kele will continue to expand on information and helpful guidelines to ensure the safety of our communities. Should you have any questions about the ASHRAE guidelines or what products to use during this time, please reach out to us by calling Kele, emailing info@kele.com, or via Live Chat.

Hydronic Flow Optimization

Posted on by Kele Inc

Contributed by Siemens

Hydronic systems are cooling and/or heating systems that utilize a liquid, such as water or mixture of water and glycol, as a heat transfer medium. The water is either heated or chilled and then circulated throughout a building to maintain comfort and temperature. Hydronic systems are specified in commercial buildings because of water’s thermal characteristics, as well as the availability, general safety, and ability of these systems to scale for larger buildings.

Principle hydronic systems elements consist of:

Generation elements – These elements are either the boilers to heat the water or chillers to cool the water. Cooling towers may also apply if waterside heat rejection is designed for the chillers (versus airside heat rejection).

Distribution elements – This includes the piping and pump network from the generation equipment out to each individual zone and/or space.

Consumption elements – These may be anywhere there is a heat transfer surface or coil. This includes air handling units, chilled beams, radiators, fan coil units, and variable air volume units.

Design Evolution

Older constant volume system designs use considerable energy compared to more modern methods because pumps see a relatively constant head pressure having to continuously pump water throughout the entire piping network. In the example shown in Figure 1: Constant Volume, the pumps are either on or off, and the chillers supply a constant volume or flow of water via distribution piping to our consumption side of the loop.

On the consumption side, air-side loads are transferred to the heat transfer coil, and flow is varied through the coil via three-way valves bypass to maintain load requirements. The total flow through the distribution mains, however, remains constant. A balancing valve is required to balance out the circuits to ensure proper flows to each load.

A variable volume secondary design (see Figure 2) distributes chilled water to the consumption coils that are decoupled from the generation or primary loop. The advantage is that a secondary pump is used with a variable frequency drive (VFD) to control flow, which allows a two-way valve to be used instead of a three-way valve at the consumption coils. The benefit of this design is that the pumping energy is greatly reduced to just the flows needed to each load. However, a balancing valve is still required to balance the secondary circuits.

A variable primary volume design still maintains a generation or primary loop and consumption or secondary loop (see Figure 3). With this configuration, the chillers are selected so that they can unload with variable flow through the chillers. Each chiller gets its own VFD on its respective pump. The bypass now gets a control valve that effectively directs water into the consumption or secondary loop. The advantage of the variable primary volume design is that only what is needed is pumped through the chillers and the bypass control valve directs the flow to the consumption or secondary loop. The entire distribution piping network is seeing only the flow it needs when it needs it, effectively reducing any unnecessary head losses in the system. This allows a two-way valve to be used instead of a three-way valve at the consumption coils and a balancing valve will still be required to balance the secondary circuits.

Design Implications of Variable Flow

Three major impacts of designing for variable flow (both primary and secondary) are:

  • Heat transfer efficiency at the coils (Treturn – Tsupply)
  • Control valve selection, which in turn impacts pumps and associated VFDs and energy savings
  • Staging of generation equipment such as boilers and chillers

Coil Heat Transfer Efficiency

Several factors can affect coil heat transfer efficiency, including dirty filters, coil fouling, and improper piping. From an operational perspective, because coils are designed for a certain flow, it is important to ensure that the coils are neither undersupplied (loads not met) or oversupplied (creating low delta T). As two-way control valves in variable flow systems open and close to meet associated loads, system pressure variations affect flow rates through the valves. This is initially addressed by statically balancing the system via manual balancing valves at coil locations for the nominal operating conditions. This can only be achieved, however, for one given ‘‘ideal’’ operating condition.

Overflow Effect on Coil Efficiency

Coils can encounter overflow scenarios that lead to the erosion of system designed Delta T. The most common is overflowing the maximum limitation of the coil due to pressure fluctuations in the system or due to an incorrect understanding of those limitations, particularly in chilled water coils. As seen in (Figure 4) – a typical chilled water coil’s heat transfer curve plateaus out as it nears maximum flow. In general, if 200% flow is forced through the coil only 10% more heat transfer will take place. This can be a primary cause of delta T erosion as the extra flow will not pick up the additional heat due to coil design limitations. The impacts of delta T erosion at just a few of the heat transfer coils then can cause two negative systemic effects.

First, recall our waterside heat transfer equation stating that the heat transfer potential of our water is directly proportional to our flow rate (GPM) and our delta T (ReturnSupply temperature). As coils are overflowed in the system our delta T shrinks, effectively derating the rest of the coils within our system. As this starts to occur the control system may react by increasing flows across the system which will lead to further delta T erosion as the coils were selected at the initial delta T conditions. As more flow is required at this lower delta T to satisfy load conditions, our pumps are negatively impacted by the increase in energy used to circulate this additional flow. Second, in the case of chillers and heat pumps, overflow causes inefficiencies in the energy generators. Overflow of dedicated consumers can lead to a return temperature lower than the nominal design value in cooling mode and a return temperature higher than the nominal design value in heating mode. This decreases the energy efficiency of boilers and chillers by 2% and 3%, respectively, because a decrease of the evaporation temperature of a chiller below its design value by 1° decreases its performance by about 3%.

Dynamic-Balancing against Pressure Differences

One way to address the inevitable pressure fluctuations in hydronic systems is with pressure-independent control valves (PICVs). Within their range of operation, PICVs are not affected by pressure fluctuations in the building’s hydronic system. This is called dynamic-balancing or auto-balancing.

This basic functionality is achieved by an internal differential pressure regulator working in series with the main flow control valve and regulating the pressure differential of the flow control valve using a pressure inlet and membrane. Hence, the flow across the entire device is independent of the pressure changes in the system, and flow is determined only by the travel of the control valve. When used with a terminal unit, PICVs ensure proper flow, optimizing heat transfer, and system performance. In heating and cooling applications, the auto-balancing function generates energy savings by:

  • Eliminating heat exchanger overflow at any time and under any operating condition;
  • Improving control accuracy by eliminating hydraulic pressure dependency between neighboring control loops; and
  • Enabling advanced energy distribution strategies by eliminating the risk of heat exchanger starvation.

Variable Frequency Drive Considerations

Reducing the speed of pump motors using variable frequency drives (VFDs) lowers energy costs by reducing the amount of energy it takes to operate the pumps. A VFD often is specified to save money by reducing energy consumption in pumps or other motor loads that may be found in a typical building.

The following best practices provide engineers with information on how to specify a VFD to meet load conditions while achieving efficiency. To effectively specify a VFD, engineers must understand these key points:

  • Load (operating power, torque, and speed characteristics)
  • Duty cycle (percentage of operation at 100% load, 50% load, etc.)
  • Desired benefits by using a VFD (energy savings, soft start, controllability, etc.)

Understanding the load is the first step to determining what can be gained by deploying VFDs. In building hydronic systems, the most common type of motor providing power to a load is a three-phase AC induction motor. For a given power rating, the motor base speed is inversely proportional to the effective torque rating for that motor. For example, selecting a 1,800 rpm motor instead of a 1,200 rpm motor reduces torque by one-third. Once a load’s starting requirements are determined, the next step is to look at the load’s running requirements. In building systems, excluding constant horsepower and constant speed/ torque loads, typical loads that can take advantage of VFDs are:

  • Variable speed, variable torque (fans, blowers, and centrifugal pumps)
  • Variable speed, constant torque (positive displacement loads, such as screw compressors, reciprocating compressors, or elevators).

To support a characteristic load, select a motor to meet a specific starting requirement and running output power, torque, and speed.

Because of affinity laws, however, there are significant potential energy savings associated with reducing a motor’s speed and, by association, horsepower. If we can define the required change in motor speed to meet the change in flow for a centrifugal load, the change in required power is proportional to the cube of the change in speed from one system point to another. The change in required torque is proportional to the square of the change in speed from one system point to another.

This nonlinear relationship between power and speed can be exploited for significant energy savings if the speed of the motor can be changed. For example, if the speed of the motor is reduced by just 5% from the full load, a realization of 14% energy savings is possible. When the speed of the motor is reduced to 80% from full load, 49% of energy savings can be realized. Every incremental slowdown of the speed of the pump becomes more valuable from an energy savings standpoint.

For centrifugal loads, there is potential to significantly increase energy efficiency by reducing motor speed.

The Hydronic System: Differential Pressure Control

As hydronic systems continue to evolve from constant volume systems to constant volume primary, variable volume secondary, and variable primary systems, it is important to maintain flow across all heat transfer circuits.

Because a VFD is connected to either the primary or secondary pumps in variable hydronic flow systems, the control loop will need an input to monitor and control. A differential pressure sensor located on the circuit most likely to be starved, also known as the critical circuit, is a common and reliable input configuration. The differential pressure sensor will allow the hydronic system to set a minimum pressure across the critical circuit, ensuring flow availability across all circuits.

The pump and variable frequency drive will take the differential pressure measurement across the critical circuit and control via the VFD’s onboard proportional-integral derivative (PID) controller, allowing the pump speed to be optimally reduced and maximize energy savings.

Contact Kele today or Chat with a technical representative here on kele.com if you have questions or need help finding a product.

Kele Solutions for Gas Detection in Mechanical Rooms

Posted on by Kele Inc

Why is it important to have gas detection products in place? Well, between monitoring oxygen levels for people and animals, gas detection sensors and products can also be used to warn against unsafe levels of combustible, flammable, and toxic gases.

Typically, most sensors are programmed to detect oxygen (O2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO), and flammable gases or vapors (LEL). These sensors work by producing an electric current that can be measured when it detects a chemical reaction caused by the gas.

Just like us, sensors can be poisoned by the very gases they are tasked with detecting. It is important to regularly test them using calibration and bump-testing to ensure optimal performance. Because these sensors are so sensitive, it is important to maintain and replace them as needed.

Sensors and controllers are installed and utilized in various places. One critical application is in mechanical rooms. This is due to the variety of gasses that can be present in those locations. The 301-EM-US3-K — part of the Kele-branded 301EM-K Series gas detection system—is just one of the many Kele products that are perfect to help get the job done.

The301-EM-US3-K is a controller for up to twenty sensors. These sensors are in place to detect refrigerant, toxic gases, and combustible gases. The refrigerants displace oxygen and are deadly, so they are monitored for safety’s sake.

Typically, the main product it competes against is a sample/draw system (which pumps air from the space). Several advantages of the301-EM-US3-K system over a sample/draw include:

  1. Real-time readings (sample/draw systems have a delay in this regard)
  2. No pump to possibly fail
  3. Sensors can be replaced (whereas you have to replace a whole sample/draw system if it fails)
  4. Instantaneous knowledge of a possible failed sensor

Kele offers a variety of gas sensors, detectors, and controllers. The301-EM-US3-K along with any Kele sensor and gas detection products are excellent choices to keep all your bases covered and help keep the guesswork out of the equation. Contact your sales representative today to order the Kele products you need to keep your job moving.

With COVID-19 in attendance, when and where do you begin your school project?

Posted on by Kele Inc

Q&A with Kele Tech Service

With everything still up in the air due to COVID-19 cases continuing to climb in certain states, one question on a lot of minds is: “When will school start back up?” School administrators are working closely with state government and public health officials to make sure the correct steps are being taken to safely bring students and faculty back into buildings.

We checked in with one of Kele’s technical support representatives to get an expert perspective on how school jobs/projects have changed and will continue to change, as circumstances continue to evolve. Tech expert Steve Brown answered some questions that will impact contractors for the next few months: 1) What could be the pandemic’s effect on school projects?, 2) What are the “best” retrofit items contractors should be considering?, and 3) Are there any new guidelines that have been announced by ASHRAE specific to COVID-19?

 

What could be the pandemic’s effect on school projects?

That’s a really difficult question to answer. With everything going on currently there is no one answer. On one hand, contractors normally only have a few months here and there to get these jobs done, but with the slowing of the new school year, time may not be the motivator it once was. On the other hand, if the school year jumps ahead of projections, customers and contractors alike will be scrambling to keep project schedules moving at rapid rates of speed to keep up with demand. So, all of that to say, there’s really no way to tell what the effect will be one way or another. Depending on when and how these schools open up, there may be a few key parts/products to focus the retrofit around rather than doing a traditional overhaul.

 

What are the “best” retrofit items contractors should be considering?

Well, contractors should be considering retrofitting outside air intakes to ensure that they are fully functional and ready to work at an increased pace to accommodate increased use times as schools’ HVAC systems battle the spread of germs. This can be accomplished via new dampers/actuators and new CO2 sensors. By targeting these products, school HVAC systems will have a longer life and a stronger effect on air quality within the school building.

 

Are there any new guidelines that have been announced by ASHRAE specific to COVID-19?

While no new safety protocols have been put into place, be on the lookout for any and all that may impact the life and viability of your project cycle as time continues. Some guidance has been announced but there’s been nothing set in stone as of yet. One key tip that has been circulating however is to keep outside air ventilation running full speed up to two hours after students have left the school grounds. The thought process behind this is to fully flush out any and all “old” air that may still be circulating through the system. This allows for fresher therefore safer air to clear out any air compromised by COVID-19 particles.

Kele offers a wide variety of parts and products that will help you through any retrofit project, no matter the size or schedule. We can help you plan an entire project or ship you a part the same day.  Contact a Kele tech expert today or go to kele.com to see how we can help you with all your school project needs.