Ken Nagy, CFA
Boilers Remain Building’s Forgotten Energy Source
As the push toward energy efficiency continues to gain momentum, building automation remains a focus for the real estate community, building owners and campuses. Large automation suppliers depend upon gaining monitor and control access to more and more devices in the building. These devices range from standby generators to window shades, from lighting to power management at the work cubicle level. When the devices lack the appropriate communication protocol FieldServer products fill the need by translating the device protocol to the building’s data back-bone protocol.
In the past the focus has been on connecting lights or HVAC together, yet the boiler remains the forgotten piece. Sierra Monitor (SRMC) through its FieldServer Technologies name plate addresses this issue by providing gateways with the appropriate protocols to connect the boiler into the building automation system.
According to the Council of Industrial Boiler Owners (CIBO), industrial boiler equipment is as varied as the products and processes it serves. Boilers are one means of extracting energy from controlled fuel combustion. There are water tube, fire tube, field-erected, and packaged shop-assembled units from very small to very large. The concept is simple, like a teapot. Boil water to make steam. However, the actual process is complex. Turning 100,000 pounds of water (that’s 12,500 Gallons, 1,250 fish tanks or a swimming pool) to steam each hour brings with it many complications. It is not possible to capture each and every Btu from combustion in the boiler. Some get away to the atmosphere. Industry has devised ways to capture most of the Btu’s economically.
Connecting buildings on a campus together over Ethernet
A campus will likely include buildings that have, for example, a boiler room, a chilling plant, libraries, security offices, facilities manager’s offices, conference rooms, lecture halls etc. Each area typically uses different types of devices to control the equipment or environment. For example, the boiler room may have a Cleaver-Brooks or Honeywell boiler controller and flame guard system. The chilling plant could be controlled using Trane, Carrier or York equipment. The library and lecture halls might have LONWORKS® compatible thermostat and lighting controllers. And each building will have its own fire and security systems. If the desire is to allow the security office and facilities manager to monitor all these areas using a package such as Trane Tracer Summit, Wonderware, Intellution Fix, Citect etc., a FieldServer can link all these different types of equipment together.
By expanding its FieldServer products offerings including OEM and end user platforms combined with an ever increasing library of protocol’s for building automation and energy management applications Sierra Monitor is demonstrating an ability to sustain its sales growth and profitability.
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