case study - trane.com · offices, space for music instruction, a dance studio, dining facilities,...
TRANSCRIPT
ChallengeThe James McVean College Center, one of Jefferson
Community College’s eight permanent buildings, houses
offices, space for music instruction, a dance studio, dining
facilities, a fitness center, the 478-seat Sturtz Theater, and a
large multipurpose gymnasium, used for athletics and other
events, such as the college’s graduation ceremonies. While a
perfect venue for a variety of college activities, the aging
McVean Center was in need of serious renovation. Originally
built without air conditioning, a combination of direct
expansion split systems and window air-conditioning units
had been installed in portions of the building over many
years. The college wanted to centralize cooling to improve
efficiency and increase comfort for its students, faculty and
guests, all on a limited budget.
SolutionJefferson Community College consulted with its engineer
regarding the needed upgrades. While the college wished to
increase its cooling capacity by more than fifty tons, adding
electrical capacity would require a substantial, and costly,
utility upgrade that could jeopardize project approval. One
way to add cooling without extra power: increase system
efficiency. In addition, the engineer did not want to place an
undue burden on a reduced facility staff. A water-cooled
system would require water treatment and additional
equipment to be maintained, while an air-cooled system
Jefferson Community CollegeIce-enhanced air-cooled chiller plant manages peak demand, eliminates need forelectrical upgrades • Watertown, New York
The mission of Jefferson Community College is to advance the quality of life of its students and the community through excellence inteaching, innovative services, and community partnerships. Along with its credit-bearing programs, the college offers a variety of workshops,seminars, and cultural events including theatre, lectures and art exhibitions, and provides personal, academic and vocational counselingservices for both students and the community. The college’s service area is largely rural, with the US Army 10th Mountain Division at nearbyFort Drum, and agriculture and tourism the dominant industries. Spurred by a high unemployment rate, enrollment at Jefferson CommunityCollege has grown nearly 30 percent over the last seven years, as area residents retrain to expand their employment opportunities.
might not be efficient enough. The engineer suggested a
chilled-water plant with ice storage and requested
competitive bids.
Trane proposed the EarthWise™ Ice-Enhanced Air-Cooled
Chiller Plant. Based on previous experience with Trane, both
the college and the engineer knew they could rely on Trane
as a single source for professional consultation, systems and
services. The engineer was also thrilled with the simplicity of
the system design. Trane was selected to partner with the
college and the engineer on the upgrade.
Jefferson Community College sought to upgrade the decentralized
air-conditioning in its James McVean Center with a centralized system
offering higher efficiency, additional capacity and lower maintenance
requirements--without upgrading their electrical infrastructure.
February 2014Case study
A simple, highly efficient, quiet design
With a pre-engineered standard system configuration,
integrated with a system controller and operator interface,
the Trane EarthWise™ Ice-Enhanced Air-Cooled Chiller Plant
simplifies the design and implementation of a system typically
considered complicated. A 90-ton CGAM air-cooled scroll
chiller, supplemented by four CALMAC IceBank® thermal
energy storage tanks and a Trane system completion module,
serve the desired 200-ton peak cooling capacity, with
increased comfort and a better learning environment.
Managing peak demand
The EarthWise Ice-Enhanced Air-Cooled Chiller Plant builds
ice at night during off-peak hours when the building cooling
and power load is low. Shifting the time when cooling is
created allows the college to take advantage of lower-cost,
off-peak electricity, as well as milder outdoor conditions for
improved system efficiency. During the day, the ice and the
chiller work together to cool the facility. The ice tanks and
the downsized chiller help the college manage peak electrical
demand and avoid a costly substation upgrade.
Optimizing performance
Building operators use a Tracer™ SC controller to manage the
EarthWise System. With a click of a button, facility managers
can monitor equipment, make set-point changes, manage
alarms and decide whether to melt, make or preserve ice.
Tracer SC dashboard screens make reporting and
programming adjustments simple, at a workstation or with
remote access via devices such as smartphones or tablets. The
campus uses Tracer ES™ software to integrate the variety of
control systems currently in use at the college and help them
make enterprise-wide decisions.
ResultsA Trane EarthWise Ice-Enhanced Air-Cooled Chiller Plant has
allowed the Jefferson Community College to nearly double its
cooling capacity while decreasing utility costs. The efficient
system provides the college with load shifting flexibility to
help manage peak demand, avoid a costly electrical
substation upgrade, and take advantage of lower cost
off-peak electricity. Comfort has been enhanced, and with
the chillers working mainly at night and further away from
occupants, sound levels have been reduced.
“We haven’t fully tested the chillers to see what kind of loads
they can handle. In most instances so far, we have been able
to use ice-only to cool the facility,” said Bruce Alexander,
Director of Facilities, Jefferson Community College. "We want
any renovation we do to be as ’green’ as possible. The
EarthWise system is aligned with our green initiatives."
“Overall our utility bills have gone down," said Dan Dupee,
Vice President for Administration and Finance, Jefferson
Community College. “Trane has been very responsive and
great to work with."
Four CALMAC IceBank® thermal energy storage tanks work with a Trane
90-ton air-cooled scroll chiller to meet the college’s capacity needs and
manage peak loads.
Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) advances the quality of life by creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments. Our people and our family of brands—including Club Car®, Ingersoll Rand®, Thermo King® and Trane®—work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings; transport and protect food and perishables; and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. We are a global business committed to a world of sustainable progress and enduring results.
ingersollrand.com
We are committed to using environmentally conscious print practices. ©2014 Ingersoll Rand CASE-SLX377-EN February 11, 2014