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Precautionary Steps to be taken Before the Restart of the Heat Pump After Very Long Time Due to Pandemic Situation like COVID 19

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[et_pb_section fb_built=\”1\” _builder_version=\”4.5.3\” _module_preset=\”default\” custom_padding=\”57px|||||\”][et_pb_row _builder_version=\”4.5.3\” _module_preset=\”default\”][et_pb_column type=\”4_4\” _builder_version=\”4.5.3\” _module_preset=\”default\”][et_pb_text _builder_version=\”4.5.3\” _module_preset=\”default\”] Are you using heat pump for hot water application and it is been shut for more than 2 to 3 months  due to current pandemic situation. Let\’s find out the precautionary steps to be taken before the restart of the heat pump.  We are going to talk about The precautionary steps to be taken before the start of the heat pump after very long time.  There are 12 precautionary steps to be followed and this can be  for any heat pump/any model/any capacity, air or water sourced, any form of liquid used, direct or indirect integration. As a first step we have to drain the water which is available in the system,  the water quality of the stagnated water will be very poor and it can damage the system if you restart.  After draining, refill it with very fresh quality water and switch on the circulation system.  Check  for the  air lock in the circulation system.  if not checked it can cause damage to  the coil and also it affects the flow of the system.  As a next step, Check for the strainer choke.  This stagnant water  might have cause the  strainer to get choked. We have to clean the strainer because it will affect the flow of the system. After the strainer, Check for the Plate Heat Exchanger. This also might have choked  because of the stagnated water. Clean the plate heat exchanger. Proper cleaning of the plate heat exchanger will help the proper transfer of heat and the required output will be delivered   After following the first 5 steps, we have to drain the water again,  this drain will helps to flush out all the dust particles sludge that are available in the system while we are cleaning the strainer and plate heat exchanger. Refill again with fresh quality water, can be demineralised water RO water. Also check for the level in the buffer tank which we are using in the system whether it is up to the required level for the heat pump system to work. Then Check for the temperature sensor which is to  be available in the buffer tank. The position of the sensor is very important and it has to be checked if it properly immersed in the buffer tank. After that Check for the electrical supply because  there may have voltage fluctuation, power factor fluctuation, fuses and breaks might have been damaged. All these need to be checked. After following all these precautionary steps, Switch on the Heat pump system. Check for the Leakages. There might be  leakages here and there while we are doing some cleaning activities. Arrest those leakages. After that, Switch on again the Heat pump system. At this pont of time, check for Heat pump display for any errors. Look for sensor readings such as electrical parameter readings with the help of energy meter and CT, flow sensor,and temperature sensor readings. While following all these precautionary steps, Now we are safe with the Proper Restart of the Heat Pump.   Please feel free to call us for any support online or offline anything related to the thermal systems not only Heat pumps, we are also deal with with services and maintenance of Chillers, Hot water generators and Solar thermal systems. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

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Is your boiler truly efficient?

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Given that your boiler accounts for the majority of your heating fuel bill, I am sure you are constantly looking at ways to improve its efficiency.  In a typical industrial environment, even at its best, your boiler can only be 85% efficient. Do you monitor the performance of your boiler at plant load condition?  Are you aware of how these losses contribute to your boiler’s inefficiency? Radiation and Exhaust losses Start-up losses Pre & post purge losses Loss at high turn down Loss during change of loads Idle and stand-by losses Download to know more about these losses. At Aspiration Energy provide renewable energy solutions in the areas of Solar Thermal, Solar Photovoltaic, and Energy Efficiency Services. As part of our Energy efficiency services, we offer True Boiler Efficiency services that will help you uncover your actual costs on boiler. Kanchana. R Head – Operations

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Few questions; few answers (3) – FAQs on Roof Top Solar PV Plants

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Capacity of the power plant Solar PV power plants are specified in KWp, not KW.  KWp means Kilowatt Peak.  Please read this link for more information. So a quote for 100KWp does not guarantee that you will get 100 units of electricity per hour. Typically a 100 KWp plant will produce 1,50,000 to 1,80,000 Units of electricity per year. The actual generation every month, week, day and hour will depend on various factors and location. 2. What are the parameters that affect actual generation? Actual delivery of energy will depend on the following parameters: Sunshine intensity:  The variation of sun\’s intensity in your location. The history of this data is available for your specific location (latitude and longitude). You can look for it in MNRE\’s database. Angle of the sun to the installed base.  We normally propose fixed tilt installation – which means modules are fixed at an angle and sunshine incident angle on the module will vary by the day. Ambient Temperature : Change in Ambient temperature affects the solar cell temperature and in turn that it will affect the power generated. You can look at the solar module specification to know the power de-rating for various cell temperatures. 3. What happens when the solar energy generated is more than what we need or if it is less than what we need? Solar energy is infirm power, and that is why, we either sync it to the Electricity Grid or have a battery back up or Sync it to a DG set. For Industrial applications, we sync with grid or DG. When the solar power generated from the plant is less than what is required by your load, the additional required energy will be drawn from either grid or DG for supplying the load. If it is more than what is required, it can be fed back to the Grid, provided you have a net meter connection. 4. Can Sunshades and porticos be used for mounting solar panels in addition to roof tops? In theory, Yes. But feasibility needs to be studied by an engineer during preliminary assessment. 5. Can the Solar plant be synchronised with Grid Power and DG Power? Yes , it can be synchronised. Check the specifications of the invertor – it should mention that it is sync-able to both DG and Grid. 6. Can AEPL do a turnkey project from design, engineering and supply to mounting on roof top, installation and commissioning, including the electrical circuit for power evacuation? Yes. The detailed scope of work will be detailed in the commercial contract. Drawings will be submitted for customer’s approval. 7. Can AEPL take care of the CEIG approval and also organize Net Metering facility? Yes. There will be a liaising fee for the same. 8. Do we need Lightning arresters in addition to what we already have in the building? If the condition of the existing arresters are OK, then additional arresters may not be required. This will be ascertained during execution. 9. Who will do the Earth pit for the Solar Plant? Separate chemical earthing up to 5ft as per standard design norms will be constructed by us as part of our execution scope. 10. Will the mounting of Solar Panels, damage the roof / weathering course? Will it load the roof? No damage will be caused because of mounting Solar panels. The additional weight of Solar panels will be within the load bearing capability of concrete and metal roofs. If customer uses Asbestos roofing or if the roof is damaged in some places, the same needs to be replaced / repaired by customer. The structural details of the mounting arrangement will be submitted for customer’s approval before commencement of the project. In case of concrete roofs, there are 2 basic approaches: Penetrative fixing of modules: In this case, sufficient care is taken in finishing the rooftop back after competing the foundation to ensure that the resultant surface is equal or better than the original surface. Dead weight:  If you are very strict that there should be no perforations, then we need to go for concrete legs which will function as weights to hold the module and structure.  We can design optimally, based on your requirements. 11. Are there are any Safety Standards for Solar Power Plant? Yes there are published safety standards for roof top solar power plants. AEPL will ensure that the supply and installation follows all the safety standards applicable. 12. Will you guarantee the no. of units produced or the efficiency of Solar Plant? Yes we can guarantee the no. of units produced per year per KWp installed. This guaranteed generation will vary from location to location. The exact guarantee figure will be incorporated in the commercial contract. In any case since the contract is based on price per KWH, if the plant produces less, the revenue is less.  Which means, there is an in-built guarantee and incentive for us to produce the most. 13. Can the Solar Panel withstand wind, rain and seismic conditions? Yes, the design takes care of all these conditions, as relevant to the city / location of installation. The structural engineering and drawings on roof top installation will be submitted for customer’s approval. This can be further validated by the customer with the help of a suitable architect  / expert. 14. What are the warranty terms? Solar PV Modules are covered under a 20 year manufacturer warranty with performance warranty with the following terms: 90% minimum rated performance in 10 years 80% minimum rated performance in next 15 years. Inverters are covered with a 5 years warranty with the following terms: As per the Manufacturer All other structures, electrical wiring and other components are covered by 1 year warranty. 15. Do you offer AMC? Yes. Please refer to our Warranty and AMC terms below: Quarterly inspection of Solar Panels,Inverters,protection circuit, cabling junction boxes,means of isolation and earthing for 5 years, 4 Visits for the entire system Staff will be trained for cleaning as to

Aspiration Energy, Blog, Solar thermal

Few questions; few answers (2) – About Aspiration Energy

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Continuation of Few question; few answers (1) How financially sustainable is our organisational model? The project cost includes the cost of engineering, erection and commissioning. O&M and AMC charges are billed separately. The Project ROI / Interest costs along with conservative estimates of energy generation are factored in, while calculating the pay-per-unit price quoted to the customer. How scalable are our activities? What is the size of the opportunity in terms of the potential addressable market for our services? Target customers and our figures against external data. All industrial heating applications in the 60-120 Deg Cel are potential target for our solution.  The applications are spread across almost all manufacturing sectors such as Automobile, Engineering, Food, Dairy etc. New technologies in Effluent Treatment-Evaporation (ETP) also operate in the 90-120 Deg Cel range. The KPMG report of 2012, estimates the realistic size of the Indian market for Solar Thermal in Low temperature Industrial heating applications as 20,000 MW (70 Million SQ MTR of thermal collectors to replace 4.8 Million Tons of Oil per year) (Source: Solarthermal World Page 65 Section 7.2.2) We can contribute at least 10,000 MW. At an average of 2 MW per project, this will require 5000+ projects to be executed through 50+ partners across India over 5 years. We can also offer our solution and business model to customers outside India by working through local partners in each country. Impact 20% The scale of impact that our organisation\’s achievements have had, technically, organizationally and socially. For you to understand the significance of this, we have provided tangible, quantitative figures and comparisons.  The obstacles we face and how we try to overcome. Currently we have 2 major industrial customers totaling 1200 KW of capacity and 3 ongoing customers close to 500 KW of capacity. This is excluding the small canteen applications we have done for others. The details are as below:  Installation: Wheels India Limited Chennai Project size & type 630 KWth – Auto Hybrid Solar thermal energy produced 3780 KWh / day Fossil fuel equivalent 383 liters / day Fuel replaced Furnace oil Annual carbon abatement 2,80,800 Kg Application Pre-treatment process Payment Model to AEPL Monthly payment  Installation: Sona Koyo Steering Systems Limited Chennai Project size & type 210 KWth – Auto Hybrid Solar thermal energy produced 1260 KWh / day Fossil fuel equivalent 120 liters / day Fuel replaced Diesel Annual carbon abatement 97,000 Kg Application Pre-treatment process Payment Model to AEPL Monthly Payment The social, environmental and economical impact of our achievement due to the innovation in technology and business model will be huge once there is wide spread adoption of this by the industry for <120 Deg Cel applications. We have so far identified 120 MW of applications. Seriously interested customers are 25-30 MW. But the actual installed base is only 1.2 MW. This is because the voluntary adoption and decision making process in the industry is very slow. Worldwide and in India, the importance given to Solar PV is not given to Solar Industrial Heating. It is 20,000 MW opportunity in India alone, that can be achieved without any Government Subsidy. When the cost of solar thermal energy (after factoring all risks and commercial finance cost) in pay per unit ESCO model without subsidy is between Rs 4.5 to 6.0 per KWH, continuing to burn 4.8 Billion Tons of Oil per year for such applications is a criminal waste. IEA task 49, GIZ So Pro, WWF are some pioneers that have identified this and hence involve us in their activities, recognize and support us currently. (To be continued)

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Few questions; few answers (1) – About Aspiration Energy

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We started our blog a year back during July 2014. When we look back, the year had moments of jubilations, we became a WWF climate solver, won couple of projects that differed from the usual industries we worked on. Great learning curve. We are now 40 posts richer, sharing our thoughts, our views, current trends, setbacks. This is our 40th blog post, with a promise that there will be more blog posts that will strive to create the awareness within the industries to use Solar as their fuel, we present to you our few questions, few answers series. What we might feel as a simple question can have wealth of meaning. The simplest questions fetch answers that in turn pave way for research and growth. Few questions; few answers: Who are we? Aspiration Energy Private Ltd (AEPL) provides roof top, Solar Thermal Systems on pay-per-unit (KWH) model, for Industrial Heating Applications in the temperature range of 60 to 120 Degree Celsius. By innovative systemic enhancements to proven technologies, AEPL has achieved a cost per MW which is 30-40% cheaper than Solar PV and Solar CSP, making it economical and viable without government subsidy. The monthly bill is based on the heat energy delivered to the process through a heat exchanger. AEPL takes all the risks and converts the CAPEX investment in to an OPEX expense similar to fuel purchase / utility bill. What is our vision? According to a KPMG report in 2012, there is a potential to replace 4.8 Million Tons of Oil per year in Low Temperature Industrial heating applications (< 250 Deg cel) in India alone, valued at USD 3.5 Billion per year, requiring 70 Million SQM of thermal collectors. This translates in to 20,000 MW of Solar thermal capacity in manufacturing sector alone. Our vision is to achieve 10,000 MW within the next 5 years. At an average of 2 MW per factory, the no. of possible projects over the next 5 years in India is 5000+ executed through 50+ partners. What are the obstacles that mar our vision? Inspite of solar thermal being 30-40% cheaper than Solar PV and Solar CSP, due to the dependence on commercial financing, we are finding it difficult to provide PPU rates like Rs.3.0 per KWH. 90% project finance with a longer tenure say 15 years can speed up the voluntary adoption. Voluntary adoption and decision making is very slow. If the Government mandates the use of Solar thermal for all industrial heating below 120 Deg Celsius, we can execute 10,000 MW for industrial heating in India alone. Million of Tons of Oil could be saved per year. The resultant foreign exchange saving and energy security advantages for India will be huge. What are our innovations and how they benefit? Innovations in Systems Design: Through our constant enhancements on existing globally proven ETC solar thermal collectors, we achieve higher temperatures required in the industry (60 -120C). The design and engineering innovations allows us : To install large scale systems on factory roof tops (500 KW to 5 MW) Efficiently extract the heat from the ETC modules Transport it through 1000-2000 meters of pressurized piping circuits Transfer it to the manufacturing process of the customer through a heat exchanger. The energy delivery is measured and totalized at the customer’s process end for monthly billing purpose, if only the guaranteed process temperature is achieved. Energy generated below the guaranteed process temperature is not billed.’ Pumps, Solenoid Valves, Temperature Sensors and PLC based Automation are used to manage energy delivery and billing. We have achieved INR 45 Million per MW (USD 700,000) for projects executed in India which is 40% cheaper than Solar PV and 30% cheaper than Solar CSP. The energy delivered is 4 times more than Solar PV per SQ MTR. Innovations in Business Model: By linking the monthly payments to the thermal energy delivered, we completely de-risk the project for the customer and make it in to an opex expense like fuel purchase or utility bill. (5, 10 or 20 year contracts with pre-agreed rate per KWH). The asset is owned by AEPL or a leasing company or a third party investor. For customers who have accelerated depreciation benefits, we offer a very unique “Customer Owned but Pay-per-unit monthly billing model”. The customer owns the asset in his balance sheet and claims income tax benefits. The monthly billing (PPU price X Energy Delivered) realized from customer is posted in AEPL books in two parts : a) interest free EMI for the balance asset value and b) performance linked fee for AEPL. Comprehensive O&M and AMC are also offered as an option. How unique are our innovations? Burning of fossil fuels in boilers, is the most common approach for industrial heating applications even for temperatures in the range of 60-120 Deg Cel. Grid electricity is also used in some places. The cost per unit of thermal energy derived from these sources is on par or higher than the prices offered by AEPL for Solar Thermal Energy. Solar CSP systems (Concentrator Dish type) cannot be mounted on factory roof tops and ground space availability is a major constraint in manufacturing industry. They are also 30-40% more expensive than AEPL thermal systems and hence require government subsidy to make it viable. While these are justified for high temperature applications (>250 Deg Cel), these are not economically viable for 60-120 Deg Cel. Traditional Solar Water Heaters used in Domestic and Commercial sectors cannot be used for Industrial heating applications. ~to be continued

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