The winners are selected by a third-party ASHRAE jury panel. The judges evaluate the entries based on innovative design, creativity, application, value and market influence.
The winners of the 2022 International Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Expo (AHR Expo) Innovation Award have been selected before the start of the event scheduled to take place in Las Vegas from January 31 to February 2. Winners are selected by a third-party ASHRAE jury. The jury evaluates the entries based on innovative design, creativity, application, value and market influence, and will win prizes in this event.
The finalists are selected from 10 industry categories, which represent the most innovative products and technologies that will be put on the market in the coming year. The Innovation Award program helps to serve as a measure of the industry’s year-on-year growth and shows good examples of how manufacturers can develop the industry in a unique way.
The categories of the 2022 winners are selected from the following categories, including building automation, cooling, heating, indoor air quality, plumbing, cooling, software, sustainable solutions, tools and instruments, and ventilation.
Winner: iSMA CONTROLLI SpA, iSMA-B-MAC36NL hybrid controller, supported by Niagara Framework
The iSMA-B-MAC36NL main application controller provides an integrated solution for mini-BMS. Visual effects can be displayed and controlled through HDMI output and two USB ports. These ports can be connected to the mouse/keyboard or dedicated touch of the HMI panel. The onboard M-Bus port, two Ethernet ports and RS485 port can be integrated with one device.
Winner: Danfoss, Danfoss Turbocor VTCA400 compressor
Danfoss' new VTCA400 improves the physical size and footprint of traditional centrifugal compressor designs. It uses a patent-pending hybrid compression design that combines mixed flow and radial impellers to achieve high performance and a compact footprint. When considering three compressors and a 1200 ton system, it still maintains a 10% increase in full load efficiency and a 30% increase in IPLV, which is higher than the minimum value of ASHRAE 90.1-2019.
Winners: Carrier, Infinity 24 heat pump and Greenspeed Intelligence
The Infinity 24 heat pump equipped with Greenspeed can remove four times more water than the standard system. It provides up to 24 SEER and 13 HSPF to achieve high-quality energy saving. The variable speed compressor allows it to adjust its output according to the needs of the family, and infinitely adjust between 25-100% of the capacity.
Winner: Antrum, AntrumX Indoor Air Quality Facility Monitoring System
The patented AntrumX monitors the indoor air quality of 32 spaces from one location, using a sensor for every 16 rooms. Integrating a centralized sensor for multiple spaces improves the accessibility of the sensor while ensuring better overall control. In addition, AntrumX can transport air without moving parts. Using the pressure difference between the building's air supply and exhaust, AntrumX is able to move air samples from each space to the sensor package without adding energy to the system.
Winner: Franklin Electric / Little Giant, Inline SpecPAK, multi-pump booster system
Franklin Electric’s Inline 1100 SpecPAK booster system is small enough to be hung in a small practical closet or on a wall where floor space is very valuable. The constant pressure pump of the system is quiet, compact, independent and versatile. The size of the suction and discharge headers have been adjusted to accommodate the maximum speed flow from the four pumps. It is easy to disconnect from the main panel, which allows the customer to disconnect each pump individually with minimal system interruption.
Winner: ebm-papst Inc., AxiEco 630-910 axial fan
Ebm-papst's AxiEco 630-910 combines a new impeller geometry with a rotating diffuser and optimized blade design to achieve low noise and high efficiency. The steep air performance curve provides an extraordinary pressure increase of over 700 Pa. The maximum air flow rate is up to 30,000 m³/h. AxiEco 630-910 covers a wide range of different applications, especially those where high efficiency and high back pressure are the key.
Winner: Bluon, Bluon support platform
The Bluon Support Platform is a mobile application that can be a centralized center for HVAC technicians. The system provides detailed system information, timely training, best practices and 24/7 real-time technical support. This free application provides a comprehensive unit database of 40,000 HVAC models from more than 75 brands, as well as more than 75,000 original manuals, troubleshooting guides, wiring diagrams and technical specifications, as well as the best known as "professional hackers" Practice, suitable for all situations, easy-to-use calculator for SH/SC, airflow, pressure set point and TXV size.
Winner: Enginuity Power Systems Inc. E/ONE Home Power System
Enginuity's E/ONE home power system is a modern rethinking of the classic combined heat and power system. E/ONE uses natural gas to produce electricity and heat for homes or businesses. The system can generate more electricity than the home or business needs, and the extra electricity can be sold back to the grid to create income for E/ONE owners. E/ONE also uses the reliability of the natural gas distribution network to replace traditional backup generators.
Winner: Fluke, Fluke 378 non-contact voltage true RMS AC/DC clamp meter with iFlex
The Fluke 378 FC true rms clamp meter uses FieldSense technology to make testing faster and safer without touching live conductors. The meter measures accurate voltage and current measurements through the jaws. The 378 FC clamp meter includes the PQ function, which can automatically detect power quality problems. When making FieldSense measurements, the 378 FC will detect and display power quality issues related to current, voltage, power factor, or any combination of the three.
Aldes' InspirAIR Fresh has a newly developed counterflow enthalpy core and a unique fan vortex, ensuring a significant recovery efficiency of 75% at 32F, and has been tested to meet the new CSA 439 standard. The system generates fresh filtered air through a variable speed EC motor that adjusts the speed according to the stack effect and pressure changes caused by the filter load. InspirAir is designed to provide the best fresh air regardless of filter type. ERV can be used with basic filters. When using MERV13 or HEPA filters, airflow will be significantly reduced.
The Machinery Contracting Department contributes to the relief work in British Columbia. https://www.hpacmag.com/management/mechanical-contracting-sector-contributes-to-british-columbia-relief-efforts/1004133491/
No pipe zone: the history of mini splits. https://www.hpacmag.com/features/the-duct-free-zone-history-of-the-mini-split/
The Toronto City Council considers accelerating its climate strategy. https://www.hpacmag.com/green-technology/toronto-city-council-to-think-accelerated-climate-strategy/1004133508/
Quebec's new residential fuel oil ban regulations. https://www.hpacmag.com/construction/new-residential-fuel-oil-ban-regulation-in-quebec/1004133504/
Manitoba will allocate funds to upgrade the school's ventilation system. https://www.hpacmag.com/human-resources/manitoba-to-dedicate-funding-towards-upgrading-ventilation-systems-in-schools/1004133501/