Following are some of the major HVAC equipments used in the hotels industry:

i. Centrifugal Compressor.

ii. Screw Compressor.

iii. Semi-hermetic reciprocating air-cooled Compressor.

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iv. Scroll-air/water cooled Compressor.

v. Cogeneration plants.

vi. Energy wheel.

vii. Heat pumps for water heating.

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viii. BMS for plant and cooling unit such as AHU’s and FCU’s.

ix. Modular cold storages.

x. Quality air-conditioning & ventilation system for kitchen. Laundry.

The Importance of Good Maintenance of Utilities:

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Since electricity is not generally used for heating hospitality facilities although in some temperate areas small plants may use heat pumps. HVAC costs will be of two types: electricity costs for Ventilation and air Conditioning and fuel costs.

Usually oil or gas, for space heating. Of course, a complete cost de­scription of a human comfort system would include the initial costs of insulation since more insulation implies lower fuel and electricity costs.

The best possible fuel efficiency attainable will be a function of the fuel itself and the heating plant. For example, fuel that is preached burned in a hotter environment.

Or broken up into tiny droplets or pieces, will burn more effi­ciently. But only hospitality operations that carefully follow the preventive main­tenance procedures will reach these levels of efficiency.

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The basic approach to heating system decision making is to measure both initial system costs and estimated yearly operating costs and to apply net present value discounts to the latter. The system featuring the lowest overall costs on present value basis can be chosen.

As one might expect, systems featuring lower fuel costs tend to have higher initial plant acquisition costs. Of course, the length of life of plant and nonfuel heating plant operating costs such as maintenance should be considered.

At the same time, it should be recognized that nonfinancial or at least non quantifiable considerations may have an effect on the heating system choice. If certain fuels create more pollution than others, and some localities impose strict pollution controls. Some systems will be more difficult to maintain.

This cost may be captured in the yearly operating cost calculation, but, in cases where employees do not have the required maintenance skills; additional training or outside contract costs will have to be borne. Certain types of fuel storage may be more difficult or hazardous on one property than another.

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No formulas or hard and fast rules can be made regarding these variables: in some cases it will be worthwhile and necessary to use a system that does not have the lowest overall cost.

In no case, however, will sloppy maintenance be a reasonable approach. For safety, energy conservation and other saving effects (e. g” longer lasting equipment), as well as for revenue effects, good maintenance is needed.

One might suppose that once a heating plant is in place, the fuel selection decision has been made until a new heating plant has to be purchased. This is not strictly true. Plants may be converted to use another type of fuel or even to use two types of fuels with only minor adjustments between switches.

The cheapest and most common “convertible” heating plant can be switched between oil and gas. Since both fuels are fluids, converting from one to the other is not overlay difficult.

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Where conversion is an option, the maintenance engineer will be responsible for monitoring the costs of the two types of fuels and calculating whether switching from one fuel to the other is worthwhile.