ENVIROMENTAL PERFORMANCE
Solar heat collectors
Some thermal solar collectors were installed in the new restaurants of the
Group. They work as a backup in pre-heating the water on the way to the
water heater, thus reducing gas consumption to heat water at an average
temperature of 40ºC.
Variable speed drives
The exhaust and extraction fans work at nominal speed, and mechanical
valves or deflectors are used to control the flow. This strangulation caused
in the flow results in high losses of load and efficiency. To change this
inefficient form of controlling the flow, we placed electronic variable speed
drives in the exhaust and extraction fans. By varying the speed - and the
consumption of the engine -, it is possible to adjust the flow without any
mechanical elements and achieve important energy savings.
Main advantages of the variable speed drives:
• Extension of the engine lifecycle, as a consequence of the reduction of
mechanic shocks and of the prolonged life of the mechanical parts;
• No need for control the power factor due to the reduction on energy;
• Ability to bypass when variable speed drive fails;
• Wide range of speed, torque and power;
• Less maintenance of the mechanical parts thanks to the reduction on
mechanical stress;
• The use of electronic variable speed drives as electrical engines of high-
-efficiency allows us to achieve an energy savings index of up to 50%.
44
