Getting Steamy In Singapore - (Air Con)

singapore lower seletar reservoir boardwalk (Photo credit: Kenny Teo (zoompict))

I've noticed we are getting more than usual site-visitors from Singapore recently.

My knowledge of Singapore is hazy. I remember durian fruits (known to some as the smelly fruit - delicious ), an amazing melting-pot of ethnicities and cultures and the weather. Wow was it steamy, hot and humid.

So I have been thinking, (as I do when I am not sleeping) - if I was an energy manager in Singapore - "What would I be looking for?"

Durian Fruit (Photo credit: ppborla)

The answer of course is based on some assumptions. Let's suppose that I have electricity metering, at half an hour resolution at the main incomer level for say an office-block.  (I don't know but I assume there is little gas use).

I'm going to go ahead and make the bold assumption that a very large proportion of energy is involved in retaining low enthalpy air in the building (that is air that has been cooled sensibly to lower temperature and also latently to lower the absolute humidity (squeezing moisture out).  I am also going to assume that post-de-humification re-heat is either not conducted (who needs it?) or else is done by recuperating heat from compressor heads.

Cover of Theater Programme for Israel Zangwill's play "The Melting Pot" (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Now air-quality will require a certain amount of fresh air make up. So given the huge differentials between internal comfort and external conditions, I would  assume that enthalpy wheels, heat-wheels and crossover heat dumping are common solutions in air-handling.  I can't imagine mixed air-intake works well (and haven't bother to calculate it - Psychrometry and Moellier diagrams are no good during a restless phase).

Now if I am right, the principal need for the energy manager of modern buildings in Singapore, is to track performance of electrical load verses external enthalpy.

So suppose we had a record of historical weather (we do), we could know how the cost say per week, of treating air that has evolved.

Naturally, free-cooling would be advantageous overnight (but only if absolute humidity falls to below daytime target conditions) - does it ? - any discussion in comments would be interesting ! And you would expect the air treatment load to fall off to near zero outside occupancy.

All in all, if I was an energy manager and had kWIQly available I guess I would have most of what I needed to keep my finger on the pulse. This thought relaxed me and I feel back into a deep slumber :)

So by the way - if you have any energy consumption data half-hourly. quarter hourly say for a month or more - it would be fun to see what we could find. So - get in contact and we will deliver some experimental insights for the first few callers free-of charge.

Don't forget to add your 2 # worth below - maybe you have conditions similar to Singapore (Houston, Brazilia) - who knows?
- Wherever it is we can make it happen!