Mechanical testing
We run chillers, CRAH units, pumps and fans at each load step and measure what they deliver, so you know every unit meets its design duty before handover.
- Proves
- Each unit delivers its design capacity
- When
- After start-up, before integrated testing
- Method
- Your approved test scripts and specification
- You get
- A signed report of design and measured values
What the test proves
A chiller or CRAH unit can start, run and show no alarms while still falling short of the capacity it was selected for. In a data hall, that shortfall shows up on the hottest day, with the IT load at its peak.
We run each unit at the load steps in the test script and record temperatures, flows, pressures and power. Every reading is compared with the equipment schedule and the manufacturer's data, and the unit passes or fails.
What we test
The test scripts set the exact steps. These are the units and checks they usually cover.
Chillers
Capacity and efficiency at each load step
CRAH and CRAC units
Cooling capacity, airflow and fan power
Air handling units
Airflow, coil duty and pressure drop
Pumps
Flow, head and power against the pump curve
Fans
Airflow, pressure and power against the fan curve
Duty and standby
Units swap over and restart as designed
Safeties and alarms
Trips and interlocks respond as designed
Condition after the run
Noise, vibration and temperatures checked
Test each unit before testing them together
Integrated testing assumes every chiller, CRAH unit and pump already meets its duty. A weak unit found then holds up the whole programme.
Start-up
Each unit is started by its manufacturer on permanent power.
Performance test
Units run at each load step while we measure. This is where we come in.
Defects closed
Anything short of design is fixed and retested.
Integrated testing
All systems run together through simulated failures.
Handover
The owner receives the plant with its test records.
Before we arrive
Send this list to your site team. A unit that is ready on the day is a unit that gets tested on the day.
Start-up signed off
Each unit has been started by its manufacturer, with no open alarms.
Heat load in place
Load banks or a real heat load, enough to run each unit at every step.
Test scripts approved
Scripts, schedules and manufacturer's data, approved by your commissioning agent.
Controls engineer on call
Someone who can change setpoints and override controls while we test.
Access and witnesses
Safe access to each unit, and your commissioning agent invited to watch.
What the report includes
Every test ends with a signed report, ready to attach to the commissioning record. Your commissioning agent gets the same copy you do.
Ask for a sample report
Mechanical test report
- 1Units tested, with an equipment schedule extract
- 2Test scripts and load steps
- 3Capacity, flow, pressure and power at each step
- 4Results against design and manufacturer's data
- 5Punch list of anything that did not pass
- 6Equipment serial numbers and calibration dates
- 7Signatures of the tester and witnesses
Questions contractors ask
Which equipment do you test?
Chillers, CRAH and CRAC units, air handling units, pumps and fans. If a unit has a design duty on the equipment schedule, we can test it against that duty.
Where does the heat load come from?
A new data hall has no IT load yet, so the test runs on temporary load banks. The test plan says how much load each step needs.
What if a unit falls short?
We record the readings, check the setup with the manufacturer's engineer and add the unit to the punch list. Once it is fixed, we retest it.
How long does it take?
It depends on the number of units and load steps. Once we have the equipment schedule and the scripts, the test plan gives you an estimate.
Other tests we run
- Duct leakage testingPressure tests that show each section of ductwork leaks less than its class allows.
- Room integrity testingDoor-fan tests that show whether a suppression room will hold its agent for the full hold time.
- Testing, adjusting and balancingAirflow and water flow measured and set to the design rates on the approved drawings.
- Electrical testingInsulation, protection and load tests on switchgear, transformers, UPS and generators.
Book mechanical testing
Send the equipment schedule, the test scripts and your target dates. We reply with a test plan and a quote.