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Design review of on-board air-conditioning systems for the Royal Navy

REQUIREMENTS

As part of our commitment to the Royal Navy for continued through-life support of their installed equipment, Lightfoot was tasked with carrying out a detailed review of the air-conditioning and associated systems as the equipment OEM. This included upgrade options that embraced new technologies and a full obsolescence review.

The Royal Navy’s Installed equipment was over 25 years old, which lends itself to obsolescence issues and costly bespoke solutions for spares. The vessels were also operating in extreme ambient temperatures and humidity levels compared to the design parameters of the equipment when they were installed in the vessels, and so an Air-conditioning review was required.

What was delivered?

Lightfoot reviewed all historical operating data and failure rates. Using Root Cause Analysis Lightfoot was able identify suitable changes in the design that would mitigate future equipment failures int he Air Conditioning. Additionally, as part of the design review, Lightfoot, identified those design changes that would increase the equipment operating parameters to cope with the much wider ambient and humidity operating conditions.

What were the benefits?

Lightfoot reviewed equipment and component availability and used this information to produce an obsolescence report. Where shortfalls were identified, suitable (fit, form and function) replacements were found and detailed. This included full manufacturing drawings and specifications where no alternative components were available. This availability of current and future parts requirements ensured the continued equipment operations.

ALL CASE STUDIES

Greenstem high temperature heat pump

RTU/DVRU – Low pressure, high boiling point refrigerant recovery & transfer

The Lightfoot International Limited (LI) Refrigerant Transfer Unit (RTU) is a CE marked Refrigerant Transfer Unit which has been specifically designed to recover, transfer, or charge low pressure, high boiling point refrigerants such as R245fa and R1233zd (E), in a liquid or vapour state from any RACHP system.

The RTU can be used to charge/transfer refrigerant between clean systems or in support of a full system recovery operation when coupled directly into a DVRU (the RTU MUST be connected in line with the DVRU to carry out a full system recovery). This coupling of the RTU and DVRU will enable the complete Deep Vacuum Recovery of the RACHP system, and other types of specified refrigerants. The unit can be operated by one refrigeration engineer.

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Lightfoot Technician, Luke Haile (Left), with Futraheat employees after a training day conducted at their facilities.

RTU/DVRU

Futraheat approached Lightfoot in January 2024 requesting assistance with the charging and recovery of R-1233zd(E) from their Greensteam High Temperature Heat Pump system.

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