Chiller Plant Optimization Saves Energy

chiller plant

The Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research on the University of Maryland campus cut energy use an average of 30 percent by optimizing its chiller plant.

When the University of Maryland committed to reducing its energy consumption 20 percent by 2020, James Johnson, director of facilities and lab services, had to find a way to make the 110,000-square-foot Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) more efficient.

The biggest target was the facility’s environmental stabilization plant, “as big an energy pig as there was out there,” says Johnson. The plant was only five years old and had few operational issues, but a consultation with Optimum Energy engineers revealed that optimizing each piece of HVAC equipment individually, as part of the whole system, could increase efficiency considerably.

Johnson also wanted to improve reliability and redundancy. IBBR connects top scientists in interrelated fields to perform world-class bioscience and biotechnology research that leads to real-world advances, and anything that stabilizes lab environments furthers the mission. Plus, Johnson had to ensure the facility’s two 450-ton, variable-speed electric centrifugal water chillers — which provide 3,800 hours of cooling annually — would work at optimal levels regardless of outside conditions, from icy winters to steamy summers.

To accomplish these goals, IBBR converted to an all-variable flow plant, with Optimum Energy’s OptiCx™ Platform as the optimization and control layer. OptimumLOOP ™ software calculates the most efficient operation of the chilled water system and optimizes plant performance in real time, dynamically adapting to changes in load, weather and occupancy to yield the lowest possible kW/ton while maintaining the optimal temperature.

In the first year, output almost doubled — yet IBBR cut energy use by an average of 30 percent.

“Prior to optimizing, in 2014, the plant baseline was about 0.9 kW/ton. By the end of 2015, it was 0.57–0.65 kW/ton,” Johnson says. “I’ve got a plant that is running at absolute maximum efficiency.”

optimumenergyco.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • University of Connecticut Upgrades Basketball Facility’s AV Systems

    The University of Connecticut recently partnered with Metinteractive to upgrade the AV systems of the Gampel Pavilion basketball facility on its campus in Mansfield, Conn., according to a news release.

  • Texas A&M Adds ALPR Technology to Parking Solutions

    Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, recently integrated automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) technology into its parking services and enforcement strategies, according to a news release. The university’s Transportation Services division deployed Genetec AutoVu ALPR to manage the campus’ 36,000+ parking spaces.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2025 New Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning is now accepting entries for the 2025 New Product Awards! The program’s goal is to honor the outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products and services are particularly noteworthy in helping to improve K–12 and Higher Education learning environments.

  • Illinois Elementary School Breaks Ground on Campus Expansion

    Heather Hill Elementary School, part of Flossmoor School District 161 in Palatine, Ill., recently broke ground on a new addition to the school focused on student support and security, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers for the expansion as part of a longer-term facility planning and modernization initiative.

Digital Edition