(click image to enlarge 42k .jpg) John Crowfoot, right, Western's Rocky Mountain Regional Office facility manager, and Jimmie Key, a contract specialist, show off the reason why their complex in Loveland is such a cool place to work: Two new chillers and associated water pumps were installed at the RM Administration and Dispatch building in June.

Western chiller system replacement increases efficiency at Loveland facility

Employees at Western's Rocky Mountain Regional Office were able to keep cool throughout the summer, thanks to a new, more efficient chiller system.

RM replaced two chillers and associated water pumps at the Loveland, Colo., Administration and Dispatch building in June. The old system's reciprocating compressors were replaced with 140-ton screw-type compressors that are more accurately controlled to match the cooling load. This feature will reduce energy consumption for the chillers by an estimated 25 percent.

The replacement followed the failure of the existing 20-year-old chillers, but Western's employees working in the building didn't have to sweat the changeover. The control center was without cooling for about two hours for required piping changes. The rest of the work was completed without impacting the comfort of those in the building.

The project included:

• replacing two chilled water pumps.
• installing walls, doors, and lighting and sprinkler modifications to provide a refrigeration machinery room with a refrigerant monitoring system.
• installing control systems for the new equipment, and monitoring and control systems for selected existing pieces of equipment and building areas.

The control work was expected to be completed in September, making all cooling plant information available on the HVAC Metasys computer. From the computer, operators will be able to monitor data and operate chillers and air handlers as well as exhaust fans and pumps.

With the new chillers, RM will be able to keep its cool for years to come.