Cresstec – REED (Regulating Energy Efficiency Device)

good-design-award_gold-winner_rgb_blk_logo
  • 2021

  • Engineering

Commissioned By:

Cresstec

Designed In:

Australia

The Regulating Energy Efficiency Device (REED) is a revolutionary energy saving and leak mitigating technology developed for commercial HVAC-R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration). REED was designed around the second law of thermal dynamics utilising normally wasted energy to improve system efficiency whilst eliminating refrigerant leaks. A sustainable technology which can significantly reduce emissions.


view website

  • CHALLENGE
  • SOLUTION
  • IMPACT
  • MORE
  • The world requires refrigeration and air conditioning for nearly every aspect of modern life. From food production and storage, data and telecommunications, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, mining, and environmental control. Vapour compression refrigeration and air conditioning is a simple and effective solution that has been around for decades. But there are problems, it is the largest single sector user of electricity globally and the refrigerants used are normally environmentally destructive. The design challenge was to invent a new way of using energy which is normally wasted during operation to optimise system performance in a way that was novel to the industry.

  • The theoretical basis for the REED design is on application of the second law of thermodynamics. It was discovered that the energy created from the compressor work could be stored instead of being lost during normal system operation in the form of pressurised liquid refrigerant. The brief was met and exceeded when we discovered a passive way to store this energy without requiring additional work from an external pump by utilising the systems compressor during normal operation. Additionally, a bi product of the invention allowed us to detect system micro leaks of 0.01% in real time and mitigate these leaks by adjusting system pressures until rectified.

  • HVAC-R is essential, but a major cost to business and strain on the environment. Asset owners are always looking for ways to reduce operating costs. REED's novel functionality save's energy in a completely different way. REED is extremely effective as a stand-alone device within the HVAC-R environment, however, also can function in coordination with any current energy saving technologies being employed to date, compounding these energy savings. REED is not only able to reduce the operating costs to business but also protects the environment through reduced energy requirements and its ability to detect harmful refrigerant micro leaks at a level not previously seen and actively mitigates these leaks. REED technology (Patent No: US 10,401,063 B2) revolutionises the way refrigerant is optimised and managed in vapour compression refrigeration and air conditioning systems with energy saving of up to 27.6%. "…With mass adoption of the REED technology, in Australia alone, would be the equivalent of removing 1,300,000 cars annual CO2 emissions from the atmosphere."

  • - Retrofit design - Simple installation - 2 pipe connection (plug and play) - Only uses a maximum 120 watts for up to 500kW of plant size. - Stored Energy Boost (SEB) - Like a refrigerant battery for HVAC-R systems. - Dynamic Charge Optimisation (DCO) - Continually optimises the refrigerant charge level for any given system load or external environmental conditions. - Fail safe design (enclosed system) - no detrimental effects in event of system failure. - Extremely intuitive and user-friendly software. - 24/7 real time (500 ms) monitoring and system alerts. - Smart: Predictive learning algorithm - improved functionality the more data the system collects. - Cabinet doors hinge or lift off, with the accumulator sliding forward for ease of serviceability. - IP67 rated for superior protection (Electronics). - Able to read additional sensors for custom solutions. - 'Master' and 'Slave' design enables additional REED systems to be added to control larger HVAC-R systems.