Abstract:
Energy Efficiency has become an absolute essential not only because of depleting energy
reserves but also due to the tightening economic conditions all around the world. In Pakistan
a country gripped by energy crisis, this concept although very critical, is hardly implied – the
main reason being the lack of awareness of the methods and techniques involved. This study
makes an attempt to reduce this awareness gap. For that purpose the author collaborated with
The National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Main Campus in H-12 and took
on the task of implementing the energy efficiency concept on two of its main laboratories in
the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS) and Research Center
for Modeling and Simulation (RCMS). In this regard, the objectives are twofold. The first
step is to study the present layout and analyze the various inherent deficiencies. Based on that
study, few major points are highlighted which include the inadequate redundancies of the
system, improper zoning and the absence of humidity and temperature sensors. To counter
these problems, the author has made detailed recommendations. The energy efficiency
achieved through these measures although significant, is not drastic. To further enhance and
improve the energy efficiency the author introduced the concept of free cooling. In this
regard, the bin data spanning over the course of the last 16 years was collected from the
metrological department and then keeping dry bulb tempertaure and humidity as base
parametres a detailed analysis was carried out with the help of ASHRAE psychrometric,
ELITE CHVAC and AUTOCAD. An inside tempertaure range of 18 to 22℃ was defined for
the sake of this study and with the help of ASHRAE recommended envelopes, it was shown
that this range can be applied safely till an outisde tempertaure as much as 27℃. This result
of free cooling comes in the form of a radical increase in the Coeffieicnt of Performance
(COP) of the cooling equipment.
