CCSU Cuts Costs with Gas
A top the 8 floor of James Hall, a residential dormitory on the New Britain campus of Central Connecticut State University, sits a new Tecochill, gas engine chiller installed to cool the facility for this year’s incoming class.
The university had previously had a Tecochill system and it was time for an upgrade with new gas engine technology that offers better heat transfer with a “flooded evaporator”.
Shipped and installed within a week the STX 200-ton chiller is actively engaged today performing its cooling duties. The gas-engine chiller is housed in a penthouse above the dorm originally designed for the CH-170 model that has existed for many years. A wall of the penthouse was removed to replace the CH170 with the new STX 200. FREE Heat reclaimed from the engine will be used to warm the outside air providing ventilation to the halls of the building. A savings to the University will be realized because a very inefficient means has been used to condition the outside air up to this point.
The University hopes to recoup some of the cost of the new chiller with an incentive from the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund which rewards users for becoming more efficient in their energy usage. Gas engine chillers have approximately the same footprint as electric chillers, are quieter and extremely more efficient.
The Tecochill system uses only single phase power; it consumes only 2.7 Kw, uses safe 134A refrigerant, exceeds Connecticut’s ultra-low emission standards, contributing to a greener Connecticut, and offers consumers better dehumidification and heat recovery savings.