Frequently Asked Questions
How can COOLNOMIX® deliver such large energy savings?
COOLNOMIX® optimizes the operational run-time of the cooling system compressor. Since the compressor accounts for ~95% of the power consumption of a cooling system, optimizing its run-time can deliver very large savings.
COOLNOMIX® employs two temperature sensors - one to regulate the room/space temperature delivered, the other to measure the cold-supply air temperature. The latter is used to determine when the hydraulic work of the compressor is completed - when the refrigerant gas is fully compressed. Once this reservoir of cold-supply has been created, COOLNOMIX® stops (non-inverter) or slows down (inverter) the compressor until further hydraulic work is needed. It is the compressor off-time or slowed-time that delivers the astonishing energy savings.
Doesn't the increased stop-start of the compressor introduced by COOLNOMIX® damage the compressor?
The internationally patented process Optimized Refrigerant Supply (ORS®) which is incorporated in COOLNOMIX® has specific protection included within its function. This includes protection against too frequent stop-start of the compressor and assurance that every re-start is always a soft-start - the re-start of the compressor is never under load since the suction and discharge pressures are guaranteed to be in equilibrium. As a result there is no adverse effect on the operational life of the compressor of the cooling system.
What about temperature stability when using COOLNOMIX®?
ORS® incorporates a priority on delivering the required room/space temperature - energy savings will be sacrificed in order to ensure the room/space temperature is achieved. COOLNOMIX® typically improves temperature control in air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. In contrast with most installations having room/space temperature variations of 1-2°C (1.8-3.6°F), our dual temperature sensor approach commonly limits room temperature variations to 50% of that experienced without COOLNOMIX®.
Isn't the warranty of the cooling system invalidated by retro-fitting COOLNOMIX®?
COOLNOMIX® acts as an intelligent thermostat, sending only a thermostatic request for the compressor to run or to stop it (non-inverter) or slow it (inverter). The sometimes complex system control boards found in cooling systems suffer no interference from fitting COOLNOMIX®. There is also now an economic factor to consider: for the ~20% of cooling systems still under warranty, what was a no-cost warranty now carries a penalty of unnecessary system operation costs of 30%+ if COOLNOMIX® is not fitted!
On what cooling systems can COOLNOMIX® be deployed?
COOLNOMIX® delivers energy savings on air-conditioners of any size and any kind, including:
- commercial split-type air-conditioners (e.g. wall mounted or ceiling cassettes)
- package based and double expansion (DX) units up to the largest sizes available
- ducted AC's with AHU's
- inverter based (VRV and VRF) AC's
On refrigerators,
COOLNOMIX® can be deployed to deliver energy savings on:
- industrial refrigerators used in the Manufacturing sector; e.g. food manufacturing or pharmaceuticals
- walk-in refrigerators used in the Food and Beverage sector
- Retail sector refrigerators; vegetable and dairy display units; cold drink cabinets
- wine warehousing refrigeration
What is ORS®?
Optimized Refrigerant Supply (ORS®) is Agile8 Consulting Ltd's unique, patented advanced control technology for refrigerant based systems. All COOLNOMIX® products make use of ORS® to achieve an appropriate balance between energy consumption and the supply of refrigerant needed to deliver required comfort levels.