100 Years of Trane History

Engineers Newsletter

providing insights for today’s hvac system designer

volume 42 –1

An Applications Engineering Perspective

The formative years

Reuben Trane worked for his father as a

plumber's helper for a year after

graduation from high school in 1905,

earning enough money to fund his

engineering education at the University

of Wisconsin. Upon graduation with a

Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical

engineering in 1910, Reuben first worked

for three years as a sales engineer with a

Milwaukee machine tools firm before

returning to La Crosse in 1913. That same

year, Reuben, along with his sister Stella

and his father, incorporated The Trane Co.

to manufacture steam valve traps that

James A. Trane had invented in

connection with a vapor heating system.

Initially, the business included

contracting, as well as manufacturing and

sales of heating specialties, and the

design and distribution of Trane heating

systems. The primary products of the

decade included vapor heating products,

steam heating specialties, the direct

return trap patented by Reuben in 1917,

and a condensation pump line in 1918.

In 1917, Emil H. Erickson joined The

Trane Co. from the Ford Motor Co. and

persuaded Reuben Trane to focus on

equipment manufacturing. The company

discontinued its contracting business to

concentrate on heating systems and

specialties. In 1918 Erickson was asked to

oversee the new 5,000-square-foot

manufacturing operation. It was noted

that Erickson dug into his own pocket to

help purchase the first machines for the

new plant.

1920s: Growth, innovation and

seminal tenets

Frank Hood, Reuben's brother-in-law,

joined the company in 1920. During this

decade, the direction of the company was

shaped by ideas, inventions, and business

strategy. The year 1925 exemplified this

and was pivotal for two reasons—one

product focused and the other business

inspired.

Reuben wanted to design a heating unit

that could replace and improve upon the

cast iron radiator. Realizing the need for a

lighter material and better heat

conductivity, he turned to copper. Using

this new material, he created a new finned-

tube design that would become today's

ubiquitous coil. Once the coil design was

complete, he turned his attention to a new

cabinet. The cabinet was specifically

designed to circulate air without a fan

using the properties of natural convection.

This seemingly simple change transformed

the industry, but not immediately.

Two daunting factors had to be overcome:

manufacturing and distribution.

In 1864, a young James A. Trane

immigrated from Norway to La Crosse,

Wis., with his parents. He married Mary

Miller in 1880 and opened a plumbing

and heating shop on Pearl Street in 1885.

On Sept. 13, 1886, his son Reuben was

born.

Figure 1. James A. and Reuben Trane

The Trane

Engineers Newsletter

has been

providing insight into HVAC system design

for more than 40 years. This issue is quite

different from our typical technical focus.

As Trane begins its second century of

operation as a company, Applications

Engineering wanted to look back at the

first 100 years and share some technology

highlights with you. The research helped us

understand how Trane worked with our

readers—consulting engineers, design-

build contractors, and technical owners—

to develop, refine and offer various

systems throughout the years. We hope

you find it interesting and invite you to join

in the anniversary celebration.

2 Trane

Engineers Newsletter

volume 42–1 providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer

Manufacturing. The Trane Co. did not have

the manufacturing facilities to build the

entire unit, and cast iron radiator

manufacturers were not interested in

manufacturing a product that could replace

their primary business. This led to The Trane

Co. building the cabinetry and working with

partners to manufacture the heating

element.

Distribution. Due to the convector’s

appealing aesthetics, a major proponent of

the convector was the architectural

community. Up until this time, the majority

of business was sold through wholesalers.

However, the demand for a variety of

cabinet types and colors was not conducive

to wholesaler stocking methods. It became

evident that another distribution method

would be needed to successfully sell in the

market.

To address the demand, in 1925 the first

“Trane assistant branch office manager

class” convened. It was comprised of 16

young men who were trained in La Crosse.

The graduates would become assistants to

those already functioning as field

manufacturer's agents, or managers for the

larger Trane wholesaler customers. This

program evolved into the industry renowned

Trane Graduate Training Program, which is

still going strong today.

The patent for the convector was filed in

April of 1926, and the first was installed in

the residence of J.E. Humrick, the Trane Des

Moines, Iowa, office manager on Oct. 28,

1926. Combined with steam heating

specialties and pumps, Trane furnished both

the units and all system components. The

first of the allied products combined a

horizontal propeller fan with a square coil.

Realizing the need to manufacture the new

convector completely in-house,

manufacturing was expanded. A second

factory would be built in La Crosse.

1930s: Expansion, education and

development

The Trane cooling coil—the core of Trane air

conditioners—was invented in 1931.

Reuben Trane and engineer Reuben

Anderegg investigated using a fan coupled

with cold water running through a convector

coil for comfort cooling. A well was drilled

on the property and cold ground water was

pumped through the coil. In 1931 the first

Trane cooling coil was installed at the

Indiana Theater in Indianapolis and a similar

unit in the Realto Theater in Louisville, Ky.

The Great Depression did not significantly

affect Trane business until 1932, at which

point more man-hours were invested in

researching new applications. This was the

year that the term Climate Changer™ was

used for the first time—applied to an oil

burning furnace.

Products included strainers on the aircraft

carrier USS Yorktown, railroad air

conditioners, unit heaters and ventilators

and many other specialties. By 1935 Trane

offered direct-expansion cooling coils that

permitted air conditioning to be installed in

locations where cold water was not

available, such as Houston. In 1936 variable-

speed, direct-current motors allowed unit

heater fans to be operated at five different

speeds—so the “recent advent” of variable-

air-volume terminal units should not be a

surprise!

TurboVac product launch. In 1938, during

its 25th anniversary, The Trane Co.

announced the TurboVac™ chiller design—a

semi-hermetic, direct-drive, low pressure (in

a vacuum) centrifugal chiller (Figure 3). Its

packaging, simplicity (compared to field-

erected chillers), and reliability helped Trane

become an air-conditioning industry leader.

The simplicity and reliability of centrifugal

chiller design became a company tenet.

“The arrival of the TurboVac was huge, and

it deserved a marketing plan equal in

scope.”

To nationally market the new chiller, Trane

sponsored the greatest golf marathon in

history, chronicled in King of Clubs.

Traveling in “The Trane of the Air” DC-3

Skysleeper, Reuben accompanied golfer

J. Smith Ferebee to eight different cities

coast-to-coast in just four days! While

Ferebee golfed 600 holes, Reuben Trane met

with engineers and architects in each city to

help them understand how the TurboVac

chiller would improve building air

conditioning.

Educational products. To provide support

and expand the technical content of Trane

educational offerings, the company hired

William Goodman, an eminent air-

conditioning consulting engineer. Under his

guidance, after three years of development

and an investment of $40,000, Trane

published its 325-page

Air Conditioning

Manual

in 1938 and sold copies for $5. In

1936 Trane offered a psychrometric chart

and the “Trane Air Conditioning Ruler” for a

dollar. “Weather Magic” debuted in 1937, a

periodical written for architects, engineers,

contractors and select industrials. In later

years “Weather Magic” evolved into a

broader marketing campaign.

Leadership changes. On Jan. 24, 1936, the

first generation of the company, James

Trane, passed away. Emil Erickson assumed

his position and Donald C. Minard, a

member of the 1925 student class, became

a vice president.

As with all U.S. companies, entry into World

War II led to the departure of many of the

young men on The Trane Co. roster to the

services—and also changed the direction of

the company.

Figure 2. Members of the first “Trane assistant branch office manager” class

Figure 3. Reuben Trane and the TurboVac

The King of Clubs

by Jim Ducibella, p.43

providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer Trane

Engineers Newsletter

volume 42–1 3

1940s: A change of focus, and

base product improvements

World War II forced many manufacturing

firms, including The Trane Co., to change

their focus from consumer and business

products to manufacturing processes to

support military production.

The Trane Co. leaders and engineers

subsequently found that with slight

modifications, some of their heating and

cooling equipment was well-suited for

process work. For example, an evaporative

condensing unit was modified to cool

quenching oil, a process used in small arms

ammunition manufacturing.

While examining business opportunities,

Trane learned that the U.S. military required

a rather unusual heat exchanger. An airplane

needed to cool air from its supercharger by

using outside air. American planes were

designed to perform best at sea level with

90 degrees F temperature conditions for

pressure. At altitude, performance was lost,

putting pilots and missions at risk. While the

supercharger could establish the proper

pressure, in doing so a great deal of heat

had to be transferred through a heat

exchanger (intercooler). The initial design

using copper and a cement-like material to

“stick” heat exchanger plates together was

unsuccessful due to the pressures

experienced.

Trane turned to brazing aluminum as a

possible solution—something that had not

been done before. Working closely with the

Aluminum Co. of America, a very lightweight

aluminum was precoated with brazing

material during manufacture. Then, using a

salt bath method, Trane was able to braze an

entire intercooler with its many plate pairs

simultaneously. These intercoolers allowed

the U.S. planes to maintain performance at

higher altitudes. Later the same concept was

used to produce a heat exchanger for the

first man-made vehicle on the moon, the

lunar rover.

Trane supported other government projects

including aluminum tubes manufactured for

the Manhattan Project; and Operation Polio,

where a wall fin was airlifted, under the

authorization of Secretary of War Kenneth

Royall, to a new Emergency Polio Hospital in

Greensboro, N.C.

The following are quotes from interviews with peers of the former inventors:

• Robert Miner. “

Bob had genius for understanding how stuff worked. The load limiting capability he developed

allowed chiller motor voltage to be crept up on. This significantly reduced the requirement for chiller safeties and

allowed Trane to get to maximum capacity.

”

• Reuben Trane. “

Reuben Trane and Dr. Willis Carrier founded and built an industry that allows habitation,

productivity and tight process control even in the hottest and most humid climates

.”

• Chester Ware. The oft-used quote was, “

Heat would not transfer without Chet Ware's specific approval.

”

• Dave Eber. Dave allowed us to “

take no prisoners

” beginning in 1980. He set up a “

skunk works

” to allow projects

to proceed without oversight. This allowed engineers to innovate and invent.

Trane inventor Total

patents

1st patent

date

Last patent

date

Patent description

Robert G. Miner 43 1936 1972

Chiller controls, absorption refrigeration, induction

units, and self-contained air conditioners

Reuben N. Trane 31 1916 1953

Pumps, humidifiers, heat exchangers, and (of course)

the convector

Robert E. Utter 24 1983 1997 Scroll compressor design, heat exchangers

Chester D. Ware 23 1960 1985

Heat transfer, multi-stage economizers, heat

recovery

Robert W. Helt 22 1986 2012 Temperature, unit and airflow control

James C. Tischer 18 1984 2001 Chillers, fans, compressors

David H.Eber 17 1966 2003

Compressors, oil-free liquid chiller, refrigerant

monitoring devices

Peter A. Kotlarek 17 1989 1998 Compressor design, bearing protection

Stephen S. Hancock 16 1998 2012

Centrifugal blowers, heat exchangers, residential

air conditioning

Arthur L. Butterworth 15 1978 2003 Bearing design, lubrication, oil-free chiller

Paul C. Rentmeester 15 1978 2008

Product and compressor controls, sensors,

diagnostics, and protection

Alan G. Butt 14 1958 1984 Heat exchangers

H. Kenneth Ring, Jr. 14 1978 2008

Variable air volume, air distribution, controls, flow

measurement, valve and chiller evaporator design

Brian T. Sullivan 14 1991 2011

Chiller variable frequency drives, controls and

components

Dave M. Foye 14 1984 2012 Controls, compressors, air handlers, terminal units

Lee L. Sibik 13 1995 2001 Scroll, screw and centrifugal chiller control

William A. Smiley III 13 1988 2009 Fan design, flow measurement, acoustics

G. Jeffrey Hugghins 13 2000 2012 Furnace design, control systems

James M. Porter 12 1966 1974 Absorption refrigeration design and control

Otto A. Labus 11 1949 1959 Air diffusion and registers, radiators

Daniel R. Crum 11 1992 2010 Screw and scroll compressors

Sean M. McCoy 11 2011 2012

System and product controls to increase stability,

flexibility, and adaptability

John C. McNabney 10 1968 1976 Air distribution, heat exchangers, fan control

Michael D. Carey 10 1991 2002 Lubrication system design, condenser design

Sean A. Smith 10 1998 2012 Chiller controls and design, heat transfer

Trane Inventors

“If the choice were mine, I'd rather lose my business--but keep my engineers together.”

- Reuben Trane

Given Reuben Trane's direction, this

Engineers Newsletter

could not be published without covering the engineers

whose genius and talent created the industry products, systems, controls, and devices. Here we chronicle Trane

inventors with at least 10 U.S. Patents (as of November of 2012). Following that we share thoughts from their peers.

4 Trane

Engineers Newsletter

volume 42–1 providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer

Much like today, these years saw significant

emphasis on water and material reduction. A

New York law disallowed “once through”

well water since the reservoirs could not

support air conditioning and maintain a

supply of potable water. This requirement

remains at the forefront of sustainable

practices today, notably in American Society

of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-

conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard

189.1. The use of copper was restricted by

U.S. Copper Regulation M12 Amendment 1.

This required innovation to maintain heat

transfer while using materials with less

effective heat exchange properties.

As hostilities were ending, Trane began

making plans for the future. Throughout the

war effort, the employees had gained

additional knowledge, more equipment and

better tooling. The Trane Co. explored the

manufacture of new products, which led to

significant invention and innovation.

Beginning in 1946, Trane embarked on

designing both new centrifugal and

reciprocating compressors. In his 1948

leadership speech, Reuben Trane stated that

the company would introduce centrifugal

chillers with a range of 50 to 200 tons—or

perhaps even 300 tons!

1950s: Astounding investment

and expansion

At the 1951 American Society of Heating

and Ventilating Engineers (ASHVE)

exposition in Philadelphia, Trane displayed

many new products including centrifugal

chillers, reciprocating compressors, self-

contained air conditioners, backward-

inclined and forward-curved fans, gas unit

heaters, and multi-zone climate changers.

An operating 75-ton Trane CenTraVac™

centrifugal chiller was on display, as were

operating fans and lighted fan curves to

explain how the system worked.

Industry education continued through the

publication of air-conditioning design

applications for various processes such as

baking, brewing, poultry incubation and

candy-making. The new medium of

television began to take off and Trane made

its TV debut when Bob Leilich of the

Baltimore sales office was interviewed on

the

Johns Hopkins Science Review

In May 1954, a new laboratory dubbed the

“House of Weather Magic” was dedicated.

In attendance was Robert LeBaron, assistant

to the secretary of defense, who, during his

address, made a plea for “The Peaceful

Atom.” Within three years, the House of

Weather Magic would double in size. To

date, the building has been expanded three

times.

Prior to the death of Reuben Trane on

Sept. 7, 1954, the first “non-Trane” chief

executive officer (CEO) was named—

Reuben's brother-in-law, Frank Hood. The

decade also saw the passing of Emil

Erickson, and Donald C. Minard became the

first company President not related to the

Trane family. Under the leadership of

President Minard and CEO Hood, business

boomed.

The 1950s were a decade of unprecedented

growth. In 1951 the two millionth convector

was sold, and just five years later the total

exceeded three million (Figure 4). By 1956

sales increased by 1426 percent over the

past decade (industry sales were “only” up

393 percent). A new Trane UniTrane fan-coil

line was announced. The first 300-ton

centrifugal chiller was sold in 1953, and by

1955 chillers as large as 600 tons were

shipping.

Trane heat exchangers were used on

America's first supersonic bomber, the

delta-wing B-58 Hustler, and also on the

Convair Jet 880 airliner—one of which was

owned by Elvis Presley and christened the

Lisa Marie. A new residential line and a

turbine-driven, open-drive CenTraVac chiller

premiered in 1958. Absorption cold

generators were announced in 1959—used

significantly through the 1960s and 70s and

during the Cold War.

1960s: Growth and stabilization

The last family tie to the early stages of The

Trane Co. was broken when Frank Hood

passed away. As the company embarked on its

second half century, Donald Minard became

the CEO and Tom Hancock was named Trane's

president.

The Trane Co. continued to move forward. In

response to consulting engineer demands,

templates for CenTraVac chillers were made for

placement on drawings. Technology started to

aid business speed via the new punch order

handling service. Education moved into high

gear with the first publication of the

Air

Conditioning Clinics

—HVAC training designed

to cover basic theory on topics from the

refrigeration cycle to psychrometrics, and

even compressor disassembly and reassembly.

An important industry step was taken—

support for the Air-conditioning and

Refrigeration Institute (ARI) 210 residential

certification program that helped ensure

owners received equipment that delivered

promised performance. System innovations

included a central heat pump system designed

for the American Embassy in India by Clarence

Ringquist (later manager of Applications

Engineering)—strikingly similar to the Central

Geothermal Chiller System introduced by

Trane in 2011.

New absorption cold generators as large as

1,475 tons were announced, as were 5-

through 15-ton rooftop units (expanded to 60

tons later this decade). Centrifugal chiller

evolution continued with the PCV

CenTraVac—sometimes called the

“sidewinder” because its compressor was

sideways. A new air-cooled cold generator

chiller was announced. It had been tested

down to 0ºF ambient starting conditions.

In recognition that acoustics was becoming

more important to the industry, a separate

acoustic laboratory was built with rooms

isolated by springs so that external vibrations

did not affect the acoustic measurements. A

175-pound person walking from one corner of

the room to another deflected the

tremendous weight of the room 3 ½

thousandths of an inch!

Job types ranged from pig farrowing to high-

tech brazed aluminum heat exchangers used

in the nuclear armed Talos missile system and

the U.S.S. Albany. Trane also cooled Titan II

missile launching facilities. Significant projects

included the Boeing plant—claimed to be the

world's largest structure—and the Jefferson

National Monument (St. Louis Arch).

Figure 4. The three millionth convector

providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer Trane

Engineers Newsletter

volume 42–1 5

External technology changes again prodded

the company's evolution. During the 1969

Air-conditioning, Heating and Refrigerating

(AHR) Exposition in Chicago, computerized

selections of centrifugal machines were

performed right on the show floor! Data was

transferred from a typewriter on the floor to

a computer in downtown Chicago, then back.

1970s: Education and efficiency,

efficiency, efficiency

Trane placed significant emphasis on

education during this decade. In 1971, Mal

Laitinen was hired to oversee the Graduate

Training Program (GTP). Laitinen would

train approximately 3500 GTP students over

the course of his 39-year career.

To help educate the industry, acoustic

seminars were developed and delivered in

offices. In addition, a number of educational

pieces comparing economics of various

systems were produced. A 99-slide, four-

hour Fan Seminar was released. At the end

of its first half century, Trane Applications

Engineering published the first

Engineers

Newsletter

“

When is a BI Fan Quieter than

an FC…and Vice Versa?”

A new product, the VariTrane™ air terminal

device, was introduced in 1971 and built in

the company's new plant in Rushville, Ind.

Along with other variable-air-volume (VAV)

providers, Trane helped a new, energy-

efficient system permeate the industry.

The year 1973 was a tumultuous one. The

U.S. experienced a significant economic

shock when the Organization of the

Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

imposed an oil embargo in October of that

year. This event galvanized the HVAC&R

industry to concentrate on energy efficiency.

The Trane Co. launched its Conserve Energy

By Design campaign in that same month.

Providentially, earlier that year at the

February AHR exposition in Chicago, the

company had announced a two-stage

absorption cold generator that was

40 percent more efficient than the single-

stage unit, as well as a new, computer

simulation tool, Trane Air Conditioning

Economics (TRACE™).

Originally a TRACE analysis was performed

by filling out a paper manual and mailing it

to La Crosse, Wis., to be run on a mainframe

computer. During the decade, TRACE-Direct

became available through a time-sharing

service via McDonnell Douglas. This greatly

reduced the time required to perform

analysis and allowed engineers to examine

the energy savings and financial payback of

various systems. Later this decade, TRACE

version 500 was released and incorporated

more energy saving options.

Air-cooled CenTraVac™ chillers were

introduced for cooling in water-deprived

regions. To help make systems more

efficient, heat recovery CenTraVac chillers

were often installed, and new rooftop and

unitary heat pump models became available

to reduce HVAC system energy use. In

addition, “N stamped” products were

certified for the growing nuclear energy

industry. Eddy current clutch variable-speed

drives were announced for use on

centrifugal and “Q” fans—this dovetailed

well as variable-air-volume systems became

an efficient system of choice.

Trane chilled-water systems were installed in

the United Services Automobile Association

(USAA) headquarters in San Antonio, Texas.

At three million square feet, it is one of the

longest buildings in the world. (Later in

2007 Trane controls were used to connect

and further reduce energy use of the

“double ended” chilled-water system by

interfacing its north and south chilled-water

plants.)

Importantly, leadership made the visionary

decision to combine HVAC equipment and

controls when Trane purchased Sentinel

Electronics in 1978. This launched the

company into providing systems control

through versions of its Tracer™ building

management system, which continues to

this day.

1980s: System advancement and

business changes

Following significant increases in product

efficiency in 1980, the “Trane for Energy

Fitness™” campaign was launched via ads in

magazines, the

Wall Street Journal

, and on

television. E.G. Marshall (of

The Defenders

television show fame) was the spokesman

(Figure 5).

In 1983 Trane increased its presence by

purchasing General Electric's residential

HVAC division.

Then, after more than 70 years as an

independent business, The Trane Co. was

enveloped by the business climate of the

day: mergers and acquisitions. Following a

number of unsuccessful takeover bids by

others, Trane became a division of American

Standard in 1984. To serve the market more

nimbly, Trane moved to a “business unit”

concept where the company's various

products and systems were run almost as

independent businesses. New facilities were

built in Pueblo, Colo. (helical rotary or

“screw” chillers), and Macon, Ga. (self-

contained units). Trane also purchased

Command Aire water (and ground) source

heat pump system operation near Waco,

Te x a s .

On the product front, the newly designed

three-stage CenTraVac chiller was unveiled

in 1982—helping reach unprecedented

efficiency levels. Small rooftop units were

designed for higher efficiency and the

Penthouse (outdoor) Climate Changer™ was

introduced. Another significant innovation

was the “Modular” Climate Changer that

allowed stacking of modules. Without

significantly increasing costs, this allowed

the split dehumidification configuration still

used in dedicated outdoor air units today.

The primary emphasis throughout this

decade was system integration. Trane used

its Building Automation System (BAS)

division to offer Integrated Comfort

Systems, becoming an industry innovator by

providing complete product and control

systems offerings. One of those systems was

Direct Digital Control/Variable Air Volume

(DDC/VAV)—a very efficient system then

and now. This was applied with air-handling

units, self-contained units, and rooftops.

Technology and industry issues also moved

the company forward. TRACE 600 made its

debut, allowing the industry the full power

of energy analysis on a desktop computer. In

addition, electronic data transfer from

TRACE to the popular AutoCAD® design and

drafting system was announced.

Figure 5. Trane Energy Fitness campaign

6 Trane

Engineers Newsletter

volume 42–1 providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer

1990s: Industry issues,

leadership and growth

This decade saw Trane long-term industry

investments recognized in many ways.

Industry issues and standards. Atmospheric

issues began to be addressed with Trane

taking the long-term holistic position (in

1991) that energy efficiency, ozone

depletion, and global warming all needed to

be considered.

ASHRAE Standards 62.1 (ventilation), 90.1

(energy), and 15 (refrigerant safety) were

significantly changed and these updates

made their way into building codes. Another

standard, 135 (BACnet™), defined data

communication protocols for building

automation systems. Trane employees

participated on many of the industry's

standards writing committees.

Due to the Montreal Protocol and the Kyoto

Protocol, the balance between energy use,

ozone depletion and global warming gained

momentum and the transition to alternative

refrigerants was completed in developed

countries. There was also significant

environmental activity, such as the

promotion of the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star

Showcase Building program, in which Trane

was also active.

Products. Trane air-cooled helical-rotary

(screw) chillers and a new absorption chiller

design helped to round out system

offerings, and large and small rooftop lines

were improved. Trane CenTraVac™ chiller

performance reached 0.50 kW/ton full load

performance at ARI standard conditions for

the first time—on its way to 0.45 kW/ton.

In March of 2002 at the Earth Technologies

Forum and Executive Summit in Washington

D.C., Trane announced its S-Series

EarthWise™ CenTraVac chiller, which was

the first chiller in the industry to use

refrigerant as a lubricant.

In addition, the Trane Duplex™ chiller, up to

3,750 tons, was introduced and used in

many district cooling applications. In

response to ASHRAE Standard 62.1, airflow

measurement became more important and

the company found that by using the airflow

technology from its VariTrane™ VAV boxes,

outdoor airflow could be measured. Outdoor

Climate Changers™ were re-designed, as

were the water-source/ground-source heat

pump and self-contained lines.

Systems. System energy reduction was a

high priority. The Spallation Neutron Source

research laboratory near Oak Ridge, Tenn.,

used high-efficiency Trane chillers. Stockton

College's ground-source heat pump system,

one of the largest ground-source systems at

the time, used Trane heat pumps. Variable-

speed drives became more prevalent as their

costs were reduced, and were used on many

system components. This led to system

energy reductions, for example by balancing

cooling tower fan and chiller power, and the

shifting of chilled-water systems to variable

primary flow. These new system controls

required significant updates to Trane unit

controllers and Tracer™ system controls.

Employee recognition. Employee loyalty

was exemplified as many people who had

reached their 40th year with the company

were portrayed in internal publications.

Noteworthy are three field sales engineers

who retired during this decade after topping

50 years of service: Jack Lozier

(Philadelphia), Jim Mack (Lexington, Ky.),

and Herb Krupp (St. Louis).

Engineers Newsletters Live. During the 90s,

Trane installed satellite telecommunications

for internal training (TRACE™ 700 and

System Analyzer™). As system education

became more important, this new medium

was expanded to include customer

education. Sher Peterson, chiller marketing,

broadened the use of the satellite network

for system training by extending the

Engineers Newsletter

concept. On August

18, 1999, the “Low Dollar Chiller Plant,”

debuted the

Engineers Newsletter Live

(ENL)

series—viewed in Trane offices by

more than 1,800 customers. Featuring David

Peters, then with Southland Industries, and

Trane Application Engineers, the 90-minute

live broadcast covered reducing chilled- and

condenser-water flow rates in systems to

reduce both installed and first costs of

chilled-water systems.

Since then, 45 ENLs have been viewed by

more than 66,000 consulting engineers,

technical owners, operators, contractors and

architects. Subjects have ranged from

acoustics to ground-source heat pumps,

high-performance schools, ASHRAE

Standards, and environmental programs

such as LEED®.

2000–Present: Technical and

sustainable leadership, and a

look toward the future

The last 13 years saw growing impetus

toward sustainability. The U.S. Green

Building Council's Leadership in Energy and

Environmental Design (LEED®) building

rating program grew—which influenced

building, system, and product design.

Substantial education through

Engineers

Newsletters

and

Engineers Newsletter Live

events continued. Control system

integration and capabilities increased due to

ASHRAE Standard requirements as well as

the desire to reduce system energy use.

BACnet™, Modbus, and LonTalk™

communication protocols were all available

in new versions of automation systems.

Business changes also occurred. By 2007

annual air conditioning sales and services

topped $7.4 billion. Trane, Inc., became a

public entity after American Standard

Companies divested other portions of its

business. On Dec. 15, 2007, it was

announced that Trane would merge with

Ingersoll Rand. The merger became final in

June of 2008.

System and product investment and

introduction continued during this time as

the company again responded to customer

and standard requirements, as well as the

impact of the sustainability movement. New,

small chillers were redesigned for high

efficiency. A new packaged Climate Changer

significantly reduced air leakage. Variable-

speed technology was applied to both the

compressors and fans of water-source heat

pumps. These significantly higher efficiency

levels were also coupled with ground-loop

heat exchangers to deliver extremely high

efficiency systems. Single-zone VAV rooftop

units down to 3 tons were announced; this

Figure 6. Trane EarthWise™ Ice-enhanced, Air-cooled

Chiller Plant

providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer Trane

Engineers Newsletter

volume 42–1 7

exceeds present ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and

California Energy Code requirements. These

units utilized variable-speed compressors

and fans.

At the system level, Trane announced

EarthWise™ systems, which are pre-

configured systems that include controls,

packaged pumping (when applicable) and,

for the first time, system catalogs (Figure 6).

At the Dallas AHR Exposition in January of

2013, Trane introduced many new

products—most notably, our newest

centrifugal chiller, the CVHS. This high-

efficiency chiller expands upon 75 years of

centrifugal compressor history and is the

second generation of the company's oil-less

design.

Sharing the first century of Trane has been a

great privilege for us. We hope you've

learned from, been inspired by, and enjoyed

the historical diversion. As we move forward,

we look forward to getting your continued

feedback to provide you with the right

applications and systems materials that

allow your business to grow.

By Mick Schwedler, manager, applications engineering;

Eric Sturm, applications engineer; and Jeanne Harshaw,

program manager, Trane. You can find this and previous

issues of the Engineers Newsletter at www.trane.com/

engineersnewsletter. To comment, e-mail us at

comfort@trane.com

For more information on Trane historical achievements

visit www.trane.com/100years.

Trane and ASHRAE

Many Trane employees have served in various capacities for the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-

Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), from the Society level to local chapters. In addition, a number of Trane employees

have been recognized at the Society level.

ASHRAE Hall of Fame:

“

The ASHRAE Hall of Fame award recognizes deceased members who made milestone contributions to industry

growth. Inducted individuals must have been a society member and shown technical or academic distinction.”

Reuben N. Trane (1997)

Presidential Members:

“ASHRAE recognizes and applauds all Society Presidential Members for their dedicated service to ASHRAE. These

men … all gave selflessly during the years of their presidential terms, putting their personal lives on hold in order to

serve the Society.”

Neil Patterson (1993-1994) Manager, Applications Engineering

Jim Wolf (2000-2001) VP Government Affairs

Lee Burgett (2005-2006) VP Engineering

Bill Harrison (2008-2009) District Manager

ASHRAE Fellows

“The mission of the [College of Fellows of ASHRAE, Inc.] is to serve as ambassadors to enhance ASHRAE’s technical

image internally and in the community at large through activities such as transferring ASHRAE-generated technology

and knowledge; mentoring students, engineers and educators to increase their awareness of ASHRAE activities;

sharing knowledge or experience with the grassroots organization, such as chapter presentations; communicating

ASHRAE recommended practices to resolve current industry problems; and supporting ASHRAE governance in

conducting special technical activities.”

Clarence Ringquist (1975): System design and education

Neil Patterson (1984): System design and energy conservation; education

Bill Landman (1989): Chilled water system design and optimization; education

Floyd Hayes (1991): Thermal systems expertise and alternative refrigerants

Stephen Trelease (1992): Ground-source heat pump system design and optimization

Richard (R.O.) Hunton (1993): CEO at Hunton Group

Carl Speich (1993): Compressor reliability and acoustics

Lee Burgett (2000): Chiller design and innovation, alternative refrigerants

Art Hallstrom (2000): Airside system design, control, optimization, and acoustics; education

Dennis Stanke (2007): Ventilation and indoor air quality (IAQ) expertise; education

Exceptional Service Award

“Established in 1998, this award recognizes members who have served the Society faithfully and with exemplary

effort.”

Jim Wolf (2003) VP Government Affairs

Art Hallstrom (2007) Airside Applications Manager

ASHRAE Standards Achievement Award

“Each year the Society recognizes the outstanding efforts of a single volunteer in the area of standards development.

The Standards Achievement Award recognizes excellence in volunteer service and serves to heighten general

membership awareness of, and interest in, standards activities.”

Dennis Stanke (2010) SSPC 62.1 Chair

Mick Schwedler (2011) SSPC 90.1 Chair

ASHRAE Distinguished Service Award

“Established in 1962, this award recognizes members who have served ASHRAE faithfully and with distinction on

committees or otherwise given freely of their time and talent on behalf of the Society.”

Benny Bootle, Jr. (1981) District Manager

Carl Speich (1985) Staff Engineer

Neil Patterson (1988) Applications Engineering Manager

Jim Wolf (1991) VP Government Affairs

Jim Porter (1996) Staff Engineer

Tom Williams (1997) Sales Manager and Sales Engineer

Art Hallstrom (1998) Airside Applications Engineering Manager

Bill Landman (1998) Applications Engineering Manager

Lee Burgett (1999) VP Engineering

Bob Doerr (2000) Senior Principal Chemist

Don Eppelheimer (2002) Senior Principal Applications Engineer

Bill Harrison (2003) District Manager

Don Brandt (2005) Account Manager

Mick Schwedler (2008) Applications Engineering Manager

Journal Paper Award

“The Journal Paper Award annually honors the best paper or article published in ASHRAE Journal.”

Dennis Stanke, January 2005, “Single-Path Multiple-Zone Systems Design”

John Murphy, October 2011, “High-Performance VAV Systems”

Engineers

Newsletter

LIVE!

For event details and registration

contact your local Trane office.

Upcoming 2013

Single-Zone VAV

Systems

All-Variable-Speed

Plant Control

Trane

Engineers Newsletter

volume 42–1 ADM-APN046-EN (March 2013) 8

Trane believes the facts and suggestions presented here to be accurate. However, final design and application decisions

are your responsibility. Trane disclaims any responsibility for actions taken on the material presented.

Tra ne,

A business of Ingersoll Rand

For more information, contact your local Trane office or

e-mail us at [email protected]

www.Trane.com/bookstore

Learn HVAC design strategies and earn credit

Air conditioning clinics. A series of educational presentations that teach

HVAC fundamentals, equipment, and systems. The series includes full-

color student workbooks, which can be purchased individually. Approved

by the American Institute of Architects for 1.5 (Health, Safety and

Welfare) learning units. Contact your local Trane office to sign up for

training in your area.

Engineers Newsletter Live. A series of 90-minute programs that provide

technical and educational information on specific aspects of HVAC design

and control. Topics range from water- and airside system strategies to

ASHRAE standards and industry codes. Contact your local Trane office for

a schedule or view past programs by visiting www.trane.com/ENL.

On-demand continuing education credit for LEED® and AIA . These 90-

minute on-demand programs are available at no charge. The list of HVAC

topics includes many LEED-specific courses. All courses available at

www.trane.com/continuingeducation.

Engineers Newsletters. These quarterly articles cover timely topics

related to the design, application and/or operation of commercial,

applied HVAC systems. Subscribe at www.trane.com/EN

Application manuals. Comprehensive reference guides that can

increase your working knowledge of commercial HVAC systems. Topics

range from component combinations and innovative design concepts to

system control strategies, industry issues, and fundamentals. The

following are just a few examples. Please visit www.trane.com/

bookstore for a complete list of manuals available to order.

Central Geothermal Systems discusses proper design and control of

central geothermal bidirectional cascade systems that use borefields.

This manual covers central geothermal system piping, system design

considerations, and airside considerations. (SYS-APM009-EN, February

2011)

Chilled-Water VAV Systems focuses on chilled-water, variable-air-

volume (VAV) systems. To encourage proper design and application of a

chilled-water VAV system, this manual discusses the advantages and

drawbacks of the system, reviews the various components that make up

the system, proposes solutions to common design challenges, explores

several system variations, and discusses system-level control.

(SYS-APM008-EN, updated May 2012)

Water-Source and Ground-Source Heat Pump Systems examines

chilled-water-system components, configurations, options, and control

strategies. The goal is to provide system designers with options they

can use to satisfy the building owners’ desires.

(SYS-APM010-EN, November 2011)