Analysis
Climaveneta S.p.A

CONTROL UNIT

The FOCS and FOCS-CA units fitted with two screw compressors feature the innovative CLIMAVENETA W3000 control unit.
The units fitted with 3 and 4 compressors use the CVM3000 control unit instead: the new W3000 control unit will shortly be available for the entire FOCS and FOCS-CA range.
The main characteristics and innovations of the new control unit are connected with the following:

User Interface.
Machine management.
Interfacing with supervision system and BMS, FWS.
Service.
Remote keyboard.


User interface

Located on the outside of the electrical panel and protected by a transparent cover, the user interface is easy to access.
Together with a graphic display for reading and writing control parameters, the interface also comprises a mimic panel for real-time visualisation of compressor operating status and any compressor / circuit faults.
Up to 10 chillers, joined together with suitable communication cables, can be managed from just one keyboard (local or remote); the maximum distance between the keyboard and the furthest unit must not exceed 200 m.



A mask offers access to five main menus:

Unit menu: displays the temperatures of the water entering and leaving the evaporator/recuperator (if fitted).
The main functions include the display of cooling circuit high and low pressure values and compressor discharge temperatures; compressor and pump (if fitted) operating hours are also displayed.

Setpoint menu: sets the operative setpoints of the unit

I/O menu: displays the status of the digital inputs and outputs

Clock menu: displays the current date and time as well as the weekly/daily unit programming

User menu: defines the methods for adjusting the unit and the limit (min. and max.) setpoint values.
It can also enable/disable setpoint modification from an external contact/signal, switch on and off the unit from an external contact/supervision, limit power output (demand limit) from an external signal, etc..
Access to the user menu is password protected.

Press the “Alarm” button to access the

Alarms menu: identifies and resets any active alarms (e.g.: phase sequence, high/low temp. of evaporator inlet water, low water flow rate, low water content in system, compressor, fan or pump (if fitted) overload, etc.).



Machine management

The standard software of the W3000 control units comprises special control algorithms which boost energy saving and assure maximum system reliability.
All the management activities of compressor starting / stopping times, which are based on the management of compressor operating hours and relative hourly rotation + FIFO logic, work towards this aim.
Fan management, performed on the basis of condensation pressure values, is also optimised in order to boost power saving and assure silent running, compatibly with operating conditions that do not affect the efficiency and reliability of the system.
Chilled water temperature adjustment is based on a proportional logic and affects the evaporator inlet temperature.

Hourly compressor rotation + FIFO
X
Compressor operating hours management
X
Ventilation adjustment
X
Proportional adjustment of inlet water temperature
X

Unlike CVM3000, the new W3000 control unit also manages the available resources at the thermoregulator from an external contact (Demand limit).
Moreover, thanks to the installation of an expansion board, the following can be directly managed from the control unit:

- Dual setpoint from an external contact
- Setpoint regulation from an external signal (40..20 mA)

or

- On-board pump control (optional)*

*Simultaneous setpoint regulation and pump management requires the installation of 2 additional boards.

In particular, as regards the on-board pump assemblies (optional), the W3000 control unit now controls pump rotation and stand-by with a microprocessor, with automatic starting of stand-by pump if a fault develops in the primary pump, as well as controlling rotation according to the number of operating hours.

The new W3000 control unit also features integrated compressor management:

- No-load start management.
- Control of compressor discharge temperature with control (if fitted) of liquid injection.

The following functions are also managed:

- Phase sequence control.
- Remote on/off.
- Cumulative fault alarm

The FOCS and FOCS-CA units are fitted with phase sequence relays and volt-free external contacts for remote on/off and cumulative fault alarm reporting.

Compressor power is adjusted by moving the relative slide valve.
Standard step adjustment is particularly suitable for plants with greater thermal inertia.
The W3000 control unit will shortly be able to control infinite adjustment of the compressor distribution chamber (optional):
infinite power adjustment is recommended for systems requiring elevated adjustment precision.

If required, electronic thermostat valves can also be controlled (optional).
A special driver connected with the W3000 control unit allows controls these using a dedicated software application totally developed by Climaveneta.
The electronic expansion valves offer limited overheating of the refrigerant leaving the evaporator without danger of fluctuations, thereby boosting system efficiency and reducing the risk of reverse liquid flow.
Electronic thermostat valves are particularly advantageous in operating conditions with low external air temperatures, where considerable savings in power draw can be obtained.

Limitation of resources available at the thermoregulator from an external contact
X
Dual setpoint from an external contact
OPT
Setpoint variation from an external signal 4-20 mA
OPT
Pump control
OPT
Second pump control
OPT
Phase sequence control
X
Remote on/off with external volt-free contact
X
Cumulative fault alarm
X

Up to 5 daily operating time bands can also be set up from the control unit; machine on/off and different setpoints can be set for each time band according to requirements.


Programmable timer function
Par
Operation with dual calibration point linked to programmable timer
Par

As regards interfacing with supervisions systems and BMS, please consult the relative chapter.
Future developments of the W3000 control unit will involve installing a particular version of the software for integrating the control and management of a system comprising more than one Climaveneta energy-raiser unit (up to a maximum of 5).
Similarly to CVM MASTER, units of different construction types and potentials can be joined together: this makes it possible to integrate chillers and heaters to provide hot and cold loads at the same time or separately for seasonal requirements. The integration of these units perfectly satisfies the various requests for heat and/or cold and assures elevated power saving by selecting the operating sequence of the most suitable system resources. This context of integration clearly includes control of any pumps on the chilled water circuit and, if required (depending on the types of integrated machines), on the hot water circuit.



Interfacing with supervision systems and BMS

The new W3000 control unit interfaces both with Climaveneta–De’Longhi supervision systems and with many of the BMS systems currently available on the market.

Similarly to the other control units for Applied line units, the W3000 is compatible with the innovative supervision system.

Climaveneta FWS (Field Web Server)

As regards the other main BMS systems on the market, W3000 is compatible with:

- METASYS®
- MODBUS®
- LONWORKS®
- SIEMENS®
- TREND®


by installing the relative dedicated interface boards or an RS485 interface board.


Local/remote supervision through browser and FWS
OPT
Interfacing with Metasys Johnson Controls
OPT
Interfacing with Modbus protocol
OPT
Interfacing with Bacnet protocol
OPT
Interfacing with LonWorks network
OPT
Interfacing with Siemens
OPT
Availability of protocol specifications
X

Climaveneta FWS (Field Web Server)

The FWS supervision system allows systems (from 1 to 200 units) to be monitored without having to install any additional software to dedicated supervisor PC's. A normal browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.), in fact, is used to communicate with the system. This is normally already installed on the PC. If not, it can be downloaded from the Internet free of charge.
The Web Server “FWS”, the heart of the system, is installed between the supervisor PC and the Climaveneta units.


The FWS and PC communicate with each other through the Ethernet (LAN). If the system is already connected via a local network, simply install the FWS board to the network to access it from any PC connected to the LAN. If no local network (LAN) has been installed, there will be just a direct connection between the FWS and the PC.



The units and the FWS communicate with each other via an RS 485 local network (a serial board must therefore be fitted on the units). The maximum distance between the FWS and the furthest unit must not exceed 1,000 metres.
Some of the main variables involved in the management and adjustment process of the heat raisers can be displayed with the browser of the supervisor PC (e.g.: unit status, compressor status, operating method, operating setpoint, main temperatures, etc.). The main parameters can also be modified (e.g.: operating setpoint and relative proportional bands, unit operating mode, etc.).
Daily/weekly programming can be set on each unit.
Weekly planning allows two different time bands to be managed on a daily basis. These feature independently customisable times.
Five time bands can be set for each day of the week.
The operative setpoints can be set for each time band.
Though the setpoints can be modified from the supervisor PC, temperatures can always be adjusted on each unit. This ensures that all the units in the system continue to work even if the supervisor is disabled.

Alarm events are logged for each unit by storing the date/time/code/description of each fault and the relative reset date/time.
Access to FWS is protected, of course, and users must enter their login and password before being able to use it. Various types of user profiles can be created. Which parts of the system and what information can be accessed are defined for each profile.
The supervisor user interface has been organised like a website. In the standard version, the system information is divided into several pages that can be dynamically accessed by means of links. The information on each page is organised into a table.
On request, and if the complexity of the system allows, the pages may be customised. Pictures (photos, for example) may be added and the main system descriptions and link references can be customised. Sensitive areas can be created next to the pictures (photos of the units, for example) in order to link the screens giving further information about the units.

If the FWS is connected to the Internet, the supervision software can be updated and/or modified online. The FWS works correctly even if it is not connected to the Internet. In this case, the software must be updated/modified from a PC connected to the system LAN.

On request, it is also possible to configure the Climaveneta Technical Assistance notification function on the FWS. This function makes it possible to exploit the full potential of the Service software via the Internet; additionally, if one of the Climaveneta units signals an alarm, the FWS sends an e-mail to the Climaveneta Technical Assistance service indicating which unit/system is involved, the date and time, the alarm code and the description. The same message can be sent to a GSM cellular phone via SMS, if required.

Equipment not supplied by Climaveneta can be controlled through volt-free contacts. Temperatures can also be read with NTC probes. When the electrical panels are installed, enough terminal boards must be fitted and enough free space left for additional boards. This feature is not included in the standard version of the supervisor, of course, and feasibility will be assessed on a case-by-case basis depending on the specifications provided by the customer.

The FWS system also interfaces with the DèLonghi Touch Screen and can therefore interface with hydronic terminals and any additional DeLonghi chillers belonging, for example, to complete DeLonghi Relax® hydronic systems.





Service

The W3000 control unit software includes the Alarms Log and Black Box functions as standard features.
With the introduction of the W3000 control unit, we can proudly talk about a “second generation” of black boxes.




This new box can log data relative to up to 200 variables, acquired every 30 seconds in the 10 minutes before an event; all the above can be repeated for up to 400 separate events.
This amply exceeds the possibilities of the previous version which was limited to a decidedly lower number of acquirable events (7) and variables (20).

The software is also compatible with the Service programme: thanks to the remote Internet connection, the Climaveneta Service can remotely monitor the unit, take preventive and corrective action and thus offer the final customer a more effective and higher quality service. In the event of a fault, it is also possible to send an e-mail to the technical assistance centre indicating which unit/system is involved, the date and time, the alarm code and the description. The same message can also be sent to a GSM cellular phone via SMS, if required.

Alarm log function
X
"Black-Box" function for alarm events
X
Number of alarm events that can be memorised
200
Number of alarm events that can be memorised and printed with a PC
200




Remote keyboard

The units with the W3000 control unit can be fitted with a remote keyboard which can be used to perform all the display and setting activities performed on the main display (except for alarm resets).


Climaveneta S.p.A