PPC-128T HVAC Compressor Control Keeps Things Cool

Project
Carrier Corporation is the world’s largest HVAC and refrigeration equipment supplier, with production and sales facilities in 180 countries on six continents. Carrier combines its advanced technologies in HVAC and refrigeration industries with local marketing know-how to excel in almost every business domain. Carrier’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment have been widely adopted in commercial buildings and industrial systems: from water-cooled chillers and air side equipment to control systems; from scrolls, pistons, and screws to centrifugal chillers; from mono-cooling chillers to heat pump sets; from water cooled to air cooled units. 
Screw-type water cooled units employ electronic expansion valves for precision dynamic control, and they auto-adjust chilled water outflow temperature as returning water or ambient temperature is lowered. These controls require efficient, stable, and precise mechanisms. Compressors at industrial sites must function in working environments that are bad; dampness and humidity wreak havoc with gear, vibration can damage equipment and disrupt workflow. .
 

Requirements
Carrier Corporation turned to Advantech for a solution. The PPC-128T industrial-grade, fanless panel PC with a 12.1” display was selected for use as a controller. Its robust design gives it the ability to:

‧ Work in a wide range of temperatures
‧ Operate in damp environments without fear of connector oxidation which could interrupt
  vital communications
‧Operate in areas subject to vibration caused by low frequency output of working compressors
‧Communicate real-time data with control room computers via LAN or RS-485 connectors
‧ Deliver precise control with a touch panel that is easy to operate

System
Carrier deployed the Advantech PPC-L128T industrial panel computer to regulate these compressor’s main rotors by adjusting the speed of an electric motor based on differences between measured and pre-configured temperatures, pressure, and flow rate. The system sensors detect temperature, pressure, and flow, and transmit the data to the PPC-L128T. This data is then transmitted to a general computer in the central control room. Status of the chiller units can then be monitored from the control room. PPC-128T is robust, with an IP65-certification against water and dust, and can withstand vibration and impact.

 

Conclusion

Carrier Corporation is happy with the PPC-L128T, its robustness and ease of maintenance. It has brought many benefits to HVAC operation:

‧ Fast system response time
‧ Simplified work flow and increased production efficiency
‧ Reduced labor and maintenance costs
‧ High reliability in harsh environments
‧ More precise information transmission and data accuracy
‧ Easy diagnostics and a friendly user interface

As the core digital control station for the compressor system, the PPC-L128T provides display and transmission of data, parameter configuration, and logging, reducing the need for separate instrument displays, switches and buttons, and limiting points of failure in the operation. 

Suggested Application Implementation

PPC-L128T Fanless 12" LCD Ultra Low Power Intel® Atom™ Panel PC