Frigitek FAQs
What is Frigitek? Frigitek
is the registered trade name
used by Energy Control Equipment Inc., applied to its lines of evaporator fan
controllers. The purpose of these
controllers is to reduce energy consumption of evaporator fan motors used in
commercial and industrial refrigeration systems.
What type of motors may be used with the Frigitek? There are
Frigitek controllers for virtually every type of evaporator fan motor and every
type of electrical service commonly found in the United States.
How does the Frigitek work? The
purpose of a refrigeration system is to pump heat out of a storage area. The average walk-in refrigerator or warehouse
is sufficiently insulated so that the system, on a year around average, is
working about 40 percent of the time, but the evaporator fans run 100% of the
time. All evaporator fan motors generate
heat, but the small shaded pole motors most commonly used in walk-in boxes are
especially inefficient.
In these boxes, it is not uncommon that
40% of the heat that must be removed from the storage area was generated by the
fan motors. With the advent of Energy Controlled
motors, as much as 50% of that heat can be eliminated. Utilizing this technology, the fans can be
switched to a lower speed when the thermostat is satisfied. The result is a 96% reduction in electric
consumption and a comparable reduction in heat for the fan motors. This also results in a significant reduction
in compressor run time.
The same concept is applicable to
three-phase evaporator fan motors that are commonly used in large warehouses although
the percentage of heat reduction will not be quite as great.
Are there different versions of Frigitek? Yes,
there are currently three versions of Frigitek solutions -Single Phase Classic
(SPC), Frigitek Single Phase with
ECM (SP-ECM), and Frgitek Three Phase Classic (TPC). The SPC
is a controller- only solution that carriers the original Frigitek patent and
brings motors down by 95% of their full power, when no cooling is needed.
The SP-ECM is a solution that involves
replacing both the standard motors with 2- speed EC motors, and controlling
those motors for low speed, whenever cooling is not required. Wattage differences are significant- 5/70
watts vs.148 watts.
The TPC
is the same as the SPC, but
specifically designed for larger three phase motors up to 20 HP. All units require trained personnel to
collect detailed and precise data on the existing systems and utility billing.
How is data analyzed once it is collected? Frigitek
has a trademarked, protected and detailed engineering spreadsheet that calculates
the costs, savings and ROI for each project.
The spread sheet also has a rebate tab for calculation of standard and non-standard
incentive programs. Clients are provided
with all survey data, as well as available incentives.
Where can I use the Frigitek? There is a
Frigitek design for virtually every type of walk-in refrigerator or freezer,
from the relatively small units found in fast food outlets to the large
warehouses traversed by forklifts. Frigiteks
are not applicable for HVAC systems, home air-conditioners, some small
stand-alone reach-in boxes or domestic refrigerators.
Is the Frigitek safe? The
Frigitek does not interfere with the refrigeration cycle nor does it directly
control the compressor. Thus it cannot
harm the compressor or any of the other equipment. Because operation of
the Frigitek causes the compressor duty cycle to be reduced, it can only have a
beneficial effect on the equipment and generally extends its life accordingly.
Will the Frigitek interfere with the refrigeration system? The
Frigitek follows the thermostat's cycling of the system to control the speed of
the fans in the evaporator coils, and does not directly affect any other
portion of the refrigeration system. The refrigeration system continues
to function normally.
How much will the Frigitek save? While
there are a number of conditions that affect the amount saved by Frigitek in
any particular installation, typical energy and cost savings are typically in
the 25 to 45% savings range.
What is my return on investment? Many
conditions will affect return on investment (ROI) and the only way to determine
this, with any degree of confidence, is for an authorized Frigitek technician to
gather the relative data. This data will
then be analyzed and results made available to the client.
What is involved in the installation of the Frigitek? Installation
of Frigitek solutions are fairly straight-forward, but must be completed by a
trained, licensed electrician.
Does the Frigitek have a warranty? A
five-year warranty on all Frigitek equipment is found in the back of each
owner's manual. However all of the
Frigitek systems should out last the evaporator coil that it is controlling.
Will temperature stratification become a problem? Extensive
testing and actual customer experience verifies there is more than adequate air
movement to prevent stratification with the fans running at low speed under
Frigitek control.
Are there any other benefits to using the Frigitek? For
certain applications, other benefits can equal or exceed that of energy
savings. The reduced air movement extends the shelf life of exposed perishables
such as meat, fish, produce, pizza dough, and flowers, by slowing the
dehydration process. In addition, the reduced running of the compressor will
add substantially to its lifetime. And in
large industrial warehouses and process rooms, the reduced fan noise
contributes to a safer work environment.
What voltages are compatible with the Frigitek? Frigiteks
are available for all voltages in common use in the United States, including
480 VAC single-phase and three phase.
Can I use the Frigitek with flooded coils, pressure-controlled or
CPC systems? The
Frigitek can be used on some of these systems.
Call us to determine the effect on your specific application.
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