The new Allen-Bradley FanMaster energy saving package from Rockwell Automation allows users to convert a constant volume heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) air handler to variable air flow without changes to existing mechanical systems and controls.   HVAC systems consume a large amount of a building’s operating costs. It makes sense to ensure these systems are running as efficiently as possible. Many HVAC systems use constant volume air-handling units with simple on/off controls. Upgrading a user’s constant volume air handler to variable flow allows the user to save energy by being able to control the speed of the fan.
Converting a constant flow HVAC system to a variable air flow system used to be a complex and costly task. With the FanMaster energy saving package, that is no longer the case with its integrated control – designed to deliver more energy savings at a fraction of the cost when compared to a traditional hardware retrofit conversion.
The key to identifying the energy-savings opportunities in HVAC systems is to understand the heating and cooling operation cycle of a system. With the FanMaster energy saving calculator, a user can see their potential savings before installing the equipment. The web-based calculator uses geographic-specific calculations, giving the user confidence that their specific weather patterns have been leveraged.
 “The FanMaster energy saving package in combination with an Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 400 AC drive, will more intelligently control the fan inside the air handler. Using a variable speed drive to lower the fan speed by just 20 percent can reduce energy use by up to 50 percent,” said Stan Ho, product marketing manager, Rockwell Automation. “For many operations, this means the upgrade package can pay for itself in energy savings in a relatively short period of time – sometimes less than a year.”
Keeping temperature variations similar to a user’s current hard-ducted constant volume air-handling system and limiting upgrade costs help make the FanMaster energy saving package an effective solution for saving energy at a fraction of the price of traditional retrofit.