The Power Group Newsletter – March 2021

Polaris Technologies Hydrocarbon refrigerant HVAC units are at least 30% more efficient than any other units on the market. Natural refrigerant units can operate efficiently up to 60° Celsius. They emit less greenhouse gases to the environment than chemical refrigerants. We see a very bright future in natural refrigerants.

It is a little known fact that when chemical refrigerants like 410A, 407C etc reach high ambient temperatures, efficiencies fall away dramatically, this is a secret most manufacturers don’t want you to know. Hydrocarbon refrigerants like Engas M50 and M60 just continue to perform right up to 60C.

Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are used to maintain indoor air temperature and humidity at healthy and comfortable levels. A well-maintained and operated system can reduce the spread of COVID-19 in indoor spaces by increasing the rate of air change, reducing recirculation of air and increasing the use of outdoor air. Recirculation modes (which recirculate the air) should not be used. HVAC systems should be regularly inspected, maintained, and cleaned.

Among scientists, there is ongoing debate about the extent to which aerosol transmission causes infection. However, it has been accepted that it does occur, especially in closed indoor settings. Consequently, there’s a possibility that air conditioning may be a potential route of transmission — sucking in virus particles breathed out by an infected person and then blowing those infectious particles back out in the same room or even another room several floors away. [citation]

Hydroxyls or hydroxyl clusters are nature’s method of cleaning the air of odours, bacteria and viruses. Found mostly at mountain-top heights — particularly on sunny days — hydroxyls are extremely effective at killing single-celled organisms such as bacteria, viruses, mould and fungus spores.

Ozone is also nature’s odour and pathogen killer but is poisonous to all forms of life at the concentrations required to be effective. Hydroxyls, however, are claimed to be safe at any concentration.

Today’s technology allows hydroxyls to be easily reproduced via compact devices that can be employed in hospitals (particularly hospital kitchens), aged-care facilities and a wide range of other applications to improve air quality and rid the air of airborne pathogens such as respiratory diseases and other bacteria that may contaminate and spread in food products.

Hydroxyls are also effective against a range of odours, eliminating ammonia-based odours in roughly half the time of natural dispersion. In addition, hydroxyls are effective against ethylene gas, which is emitted by fruit and vegetables to promote ripening. Bananas can be slowed from browning for up to four extra days by being stored in an area controlled by a hydroxyl generator. Waste and decomposition gases can also be reduced by the presence of hydroxyls. Hydroxyls have proven results in deodorising smoking smells. [citation]

At Quill Essential we are continuing to grow our base of fire contractors, consultants and building owners who use our specialist mechanical air handling skills. We now have a full consultancy option in conjunction with North CE where any serious mechanical air handling design failures can now be rectified.

Our experience working in Sydney shows that Stairwell Pressurisation, particularly in multi residential buildings, is showing up as a big fail. Since the FPAS scheme has been in place we are attending numerous sites where pressurising systems have never been capable of performing to AS 1668.1 and have been signed off for over twenty years.

Our team last month inspected a multi-storey residential tower in Zetland that failed all the mechanical air handling performance testing requirements at every level. The major problem was the stairwell pressurisation fan; the capacity of the fan installed only met 50% of the air volume requirements and in the event of a fire will impact the chance of the occupants exiting the building safely. Unfortunately, even with this defective situation, this building has been signed off for the last 16 years.

Another building we inspected, a multi-level carpark in Milsons Point, had an identical problem –  the stairwell pressurisation fan system installed did not meet the standard requirements and has been signed off for the last 21 years, this fan too was almost 50% undersized.

It seems like high rise strata buildings are seriously unsafe and building managers and committee members have been in the dark around the requirements to keep their buildings safe.

We have recently entered the forgotten CO detection systems market and are now servicing, calibrating and installing carbon monoxide systems with our partners. CO is generally a mystery to building owners and managers and it is not well serviced.

A recent CO system upgrade was required in a three year old multi residential complex in Mosman where the CO detection system had forced the fan to run for over 2,500hrs when there was no need for ventilation, and also had a controller that was non-compliant against 1668.2. Our technicians replaced the controller and recommissioned the system. The new run time is now reduced to just two hours per day. Operating costs will drop significantly now that the system does not run continuously. Also, due to the excessive run time the carpark exhaust fan motor burned out at a very high cost to the owners.

Strata managers are another group that have found it hard to find reliable contractors in this field and we are aiming to fill that gap in trade services.