Here’s our traditional article taking a tour of the AHR Expo floor, focusing on exhibited products released since last year’s show. Piping, cooling towers, heat pumps, filtration, boilers, fans, dehumidifiers, controllers, software, and more await below, all without having to navigate those crowded aisles. Whether you’re going to Orlando or not, you can prioritize your browsing or catch up on what you’re missing.

(Ed. note - As usual with our normal product listings, we share a lot of reliable information about these products without actually testing them ourselves. If a particular detail or a claim gets your attention, please make a point to follow up with the manufacturer to learn more.)

Onset will feature its HOBO Measurement & Verification System, a portable energy logging system for measuring, analyzing, and documenting building energy performance. The self-contained kit makes it convenient and economical for energy performance contractors, energy consultants, and building energy managers to track the performance of building systems. The system, which is housed in a rugged, heavy-duty carrying case, provides pre-wired sensors for quick set up, and includes magnetic mounting feet for fast, secure placement in electrical panels.

Test Products International will showcase its new TPI model 1010 IAQ meter, which combines a powerful carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide detector with an airflow meter and datalogger. This portable device is meant to make the monitoring of IAQ easy, whether testing ambient air for the presence of dangerous carbon monoxide or performing a simple airflow calculation.

Testo Inc.’s Pocket PROs ultra-portable test and measurement instrument is available in 10 different models for measuring airflow, (IR) temperature, humidity, pressure flow, absolute pressure, material moisture, light, and rpm.

A UVC kit for air handlers from Steril-Aire, Inc. may be used in a wide range of HVAC applications to destroy or sterilize microorganisms including flu viruses, bacteria, and mold. The easy-to-install kit delivers Steril-Aire’s UVC technology to fancoil units, unit ventilator systems, and indoor air handlers with coils up to 84 in. (213.4 cm) with dual access. It delivers energy savings on retrofit installations, maintains factory design efficiency on new units, and improves IAQ and infection control in all systems.

Thermal Imagers

Testo Inc. will feature its two new thermal imagers, the 875 and the 881. The Testo 881 offers a range of convenient features including <0.08ºC NETD sensitivity, voice recording, telephoto lens, and integrated digital camera to meet a full spectrum of thermal imaging requirements. The Testo 875 features a thermal sensitivity of 0.10°C, a full-sized 160 x 120 focal plane array, a large 3.5-in. display, and 1GB of image storage while also being RESNET compliant.

Uponor will showcase its Wirsbo hePEX™ expansion joint kit, Ecoflex® pre-insulated pipe, and the PEX® 201 corded expander tool at the Expo. The Wirsbo hePEX kit offers a quick, efficient solution for closed-loop, above-ground, radiant heating, and cooling distribution applications that require an expansion joint for every 50 ft of tubing. The kit includes one preformed loop of 2-in. Wirsbo hePEX tubing, two 2-in ProPEX® brass elbows, and four 2-in. ProPEX Rings, making it 53% less expensive than purchasing the 13 individual components needed for onsite construction of an expansion joint, according to the company.

Uponor’s Ecoflex pre-insulated pipe is suited for hydronic radiant heating and cooling and potable water delivery systems in commercial, industrial, and agricultural environments. The ProPEX® 201 corded expander tool makes fast, easy ProPEX connections to Uponor AquaPEX® and hePEX™ tubing for plumbing and radiant applications.

Victaulic will feature its recently expanded line of patented Advanced Groove System (AGS) couplings for faster and easier installation of large-diameter piping systems up to 60 in./1,525 millimeters in diameter. A typical large-diameter joint can be installed easily in less than an hour using Victaulic AGS couplings. And, to further simplify installation, the new larger size AGS coupling housings feature lifting lugs for added convenience when lifting individual housings, as well as a union at every joint for easy access to the piping system for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and system retrofits.

Protec will feature its FRS Series’ single-, double-, and multi-cell configurations, which are designed for commercial, institutional, and industrial loads. All major components of the FRS Series have been developed to ensure maximum efficiency with low energy consumption and its cross flow design offers ease of maintenance. Its small footprint meets the limited space requirements of new construction projects as well as replacement projects.

Victaulic will showcase its Tour and Andersson (TA) balancing valve in 14- and 16-in. (350 and 400 mm) sizes for use in large-diameter applications with high flow requirements - which the company touts as the first-of-its-kind calibrated balancing valve in this size range. TA valves offer precise flow measurement, precision flow balancing, optimized energy efficiency, more stable temperatures, and reduced energy costs. TA balancing valves are adjusted manually to allow for very precise control of a system and provide isolation/shut-off capabilities.

Boilers

Available in 400,000 to 2,400,000 Btuh input, Cleaver-Brooks’ ClearFire model CFW near condensing carbon steel boiler delivers up to 88% efficiency and 5:1 turndown, while reducing emissions to less than 20 ppm. The latest evolution utilizing the patented AluFer® tube, it has a compact footprint and maintenance friendly design, and its advanced controls seamlessly integrate with multiple boilers. This modular boiler is designed to bring your system up to date or integrate with non-condensing boilers to create a highly efficient hybrid system.

The latest edition of Hurst Boiler’s biomass boiler series is the Hurst reciprocating grate stoker with automated ash removal. This unit is designed to combine the best of solid fuel combustion, allowing mechanical replacement of fuel with the least amount of moving parts. This efficient multi-fuel design is offered in various configurations to utilize a wide selection of solid fuels, capable of burning wood, coal, bark, construction debris, nuts, shells, husks, paper, card/board products, hog fuel, sawdust, shavings, sludge, and agricultural biomass. The Hurst BIOMASS-TER features a CO²-neutral release and PLC-based total systems monitoring. This biomass product line is available with options including flat-grate stokers, underfeed stokers, and traveling-grate stokers to meet all biomass system requirements.

The newest additions to the Fulton commercial heating product line are gas absorption heat pumps called the Invictus, designed to provide heating thermal efficiencies upwards of 146%. Incorporated into a traditional heating loop, the Invictus is piped into hydronic heating systems alongside condensing or non-condensing hydronic boilers. Fulton designs optimized heating systems, combining a selection of Invictus units with hydronic boiler products (Pulse, Vantage, or Reliance models) and an intelligent control system. These systems balance the amount of capital investment required by the end user with the energy savings achieved from higher efficiencies. Systems have heating seasonal thermal efficiencies in excess of 100%. The Invictus units have heating and cooling capabilities.

Marvair, a division of Airxcel, Inc., has made selected models of Marvair’s Classic heat pumps now available with two-stage compressors. The two-stage compressor provides better comfort by closely matching the cooling requirement with the output of the unit. During mild days, the first stage can satisfy the load, minimizing temperature and humidity fluctuations. In addition to better comfort, the two-stage compressor can provide significant energy savings. While operating in one-stage mode, electrical usage is considerably less than in the two-stage. The Classic heat pumps with the two stage compressor have integrated part load values (IPLV) up to 15. The two-stage compressor is available on the 3-, 3.5-, 4-, and 5-ton high-efficiency Classic heat pumps.

Atmosphere’s new V-14XL, part of the Vortex Powerfans V-Series, is a 14-in. inline fan equipped with a mixed flow impeller, which the company says allows more air volume than any other comparable impeller design. The V-14XL delivers 2,905 cfm at 1,500 rpm. As the 12-in. and 16-in. V-Series, this new size is meant to ensure high performance and quiet operations. Furthermore, the heavy-gauge steel casing with the hammertone powder coat finish makes it more sound absorbent and rustproof. As with all of the Vortex Powerfans line, the V-14XL allows easy duct hook-up with the extended collar and lip.

Alerton brings its BACnet-based VisualLogic® Display (VLD), a VisualLogic controller with built-in humidity and temperature sensors and configurable touchscreen display. The VLD is meant to be an ideal solution for retrofits of thermostat installations and places where it is easier to install a single unit. A versatile, plug-and-play wireless addition provides door switch and occupancy sensor functions for customers whose décor cannot be marred with visible or otherwise intrusive cabling. The VLD enables powerful control of units while offering what the company touts as sophisticated, customizable displays and a superb user interface.

Contemporary Controls has added Tridium’s function block Sedona Framework to its BAS Remote, thereby providing the product with controller capability.

The BAS Remote is known as a versatile building automation appliance because it can function as a BACnet/IP and Modbus TCP remote I/O, a Modbus serial to Modbus TCP router, and it can be configured via web pages.

The addition of a Sedona virtual machine (SVM) in the BAS Remote allows execution of standalone control schemes while benefiting from the ease of drag-and-drop programming.

Space-Ray Infrared Heaters is showing its recently introduced positive-pressure, low-intensity tube heaters with patent-pending Innovative Tube Integrity Safety System™ (TISS) for the ultimate in fire safety protection. The recently introduced PTS/PTU Series tube heaters from Space-Ray are designed to enhance safety for building owners and give them peace of mind. The heater line is ideal for retrofitting existing push through systems and is certified for vented (sidewall or through the roof venting) or indirect vented operations, depending on application requirements. CSA-Certified, the PTS/PTU tube heaters come in natural or propane gas and use positive pressure to push products of combustion through the heavy-duty calorized aluminized or Alumi-therm steel combustion chamber.

Refrigerant Monitors

Bacharach Inc. will bring its HGM-MZ multi-zone monitor. This is a multiple-area monitoring system for low-level continuous monitoring of the CFC, HCFC, HFC and ammonia used in most commercial systems. Using stable infrared detection (IR) technology, the HGM-MZ is capable of detecting more than 35 refrigerant gases, while the system design supports compliance to gas monitoring requirements of ANSI/BSR ASHRAE 15-1994.

Testo Inc. is introducing a new digital AC/Refrigeration System Analyzer, the Testo 550, for installing, analyzing, and maintaining all A/C, heat pump, and refrigeration systems. They simultaneously measure, display and print high/low side pressure, line temperature and calculate saturation temperatures.

Desert Aire will exhibit its new vertically configured ExpertAire™ dehumidifier. Based upon the design and performance of the company’s original horizontal ExpertAire system, the unit’s reduced footprint makes it the ideal fit for tight spaces and small mechanical rooms that are often found in the field. The ExpertAire vertical unit is currently available in a lower range of tonnages from 3 to 8 tons and is available with R-410a as the standard refrigerant. One special option available on the ExpertAire vertical systems is the ability to select a premium blower motor. And another option is the availability of Desert Aire’s CA2500 controller on all ExpertAire dehumidifiers.

Heat Recovery Ventilators

Elsewhere, Fantech expands its line of heat recovery ventilators (HRV) to include the new compact VHR704R with recirculation. The unit is part of Fantech’s Green Ventilation line. The VHR704R provides 70 cfm at 0.3 static pressure and uses just 40 watts of energy. The unit features two German-manufactured ebm-papst motors that carry seven-year warranties and an aluminum core with lifetime warranty. Washable electrostatic filters make maintenance a breeze. Five-in. oval duct connections are designed with integrated airflow balancing taps. A preset defrost sequence which is activated at an outdoor temperature of 23°F (-5C) and lower makes this a full-featured HRV in a small, compact package.

The new MovinCool CM25 self-contained, ceiling-mounted air conditioner offers what the company says is the industry’s highest cooling capacity for an air conditioner of its class but at a lower cost than conventional solutions such as precision cooling systems. It has a total cooling capacity of 25,000 Btuh and a high sensible cooling capacity of 18,900 Btuh, yet its manufacturer’s suggested list price is only $6,995. The compact CM25 was specifically designed for server rooms and other spaces with dense heat loads. The unit is only 20 in. high and has an environmentally friendly, 14 SEER, made possible by an energy-saving, variable-speed inverter compressor and inverter fan motors. Other green features include R-410A refrigerant and RoHS compliance.

Filtration

AAF International is proud to exhibit the MEGAcel I filter with Helior media. Helior media used in the MEGAcel I filter is a proprietary, high-efficiency ePTFE media offering a lower initial pressure drop than conventional micro-fiberglass media. With a significantly lower operating resistance, energy consumption is less as a result of the decrease in required fan motor horsepower. This substantial energy reduction creates subsequent cost savings for the customer. The MEGAcel I filter is engineered for energy-efficient operation in a variety of applications, including health care, pharmaceutical, electronic, food processing, and laboratory environments.

GrayWolf will showcase a fully revised version of its environmental instrumentation operating software, WolfSense® 2010, which has been redesigned from the ground up. The program, in conjunction with GrayWolf sensors, transforms Windows XP/VISTA/7 notebook PCs and Windows Mobile Pocket PCs into sophisticated air quality measurement instruments. Features include a greatly improved user interface, real-time display of trend graphs during datalogging, color drawing notes, and auto-start logging that initiates trend logs at a pre-assigned time and date.

SunnyCad by Mc4Software is a complete simulation program for planning and design of solar thermal systems. The SunnyCad module calculates system performance and operating costs savings for solar hot water systems. SunnyCad was developed with direct input from engineers, planners, and roofing specialists. Users may calculate array module configurations, collector slope and azimuth, heat exchange influence, and single- or double-tank configurations.