TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED The AquaEdge 23XRV chiller makes use of a non-ozone-depleting refrigerant and next-generation screw compressor technology
The installation of a 6 MW cooling plant by heating and air-conditioning solutions provider Carrier is due for completion in 2017.
The cooling plant will provide cooling and heating solutions to the mixed-use sustainable district project at the V&A Waterfront’s Silo District to silos No 3 to 6.
At the moment, the R2.5-billion project in the Western Cape is at a development stage where completed silos No 1 and No 2 use water from the Atlantic Ocean in the surrounding harbour to provide cooling and heating to the district.
Carrier business development manager Jaco Smal notes that the AquaEdge 23XRV variable speed screw chiller cooling plant is a highly- efficient cooling solution that achieves a coefficient of performance (COP) between 10.37 kW and 16.04 kW under various conditions. COP is a measurement of efficiency obtained by dividing the power output by the power input. The higher the number, the more efficient the system.
“By circulating seawater through heat exchangers, the system does not require cooling towers to reject heat into the atmosphere, rather, it rejects unwanted heat into the ocean. As a result, the system gains from the efficiencies associated with water cooling and avoids the pitfall of water usage through evaporation in cooling towers,” explains Smal.
He adds that the AquaEdge 23XRV chiller also makes use of a nonozone-depleting refrigerant and next-generation, patented screw compressor technology that features a tri-rotor.
“This chiller is able to use the variable frequency drive to reduce speed and optimise operation, independent of ambient conditions. As a result, it is able to precisely match building load and conserve energy, making it the most efficient chiller in these conditions,” says Smal.
In addition to breaking this efficiency barrier, the AquaEdge 23XRV features robust and flexible operation with a wide operating envelope and surge-free compression.
The innovative design and high-quality construction makes the AquaEdge 23XRV chiller – which is available is sizes from 879 kW to 1 934 kW, nominal – the most modern and efficient choice in water-cooled plants, Smal says.
The cooling plant will provide cooling and heating solutions for four new developments in the V&A Waterfront’s Silo District. The Silo District will introduce more than 35 000 m2 of mixed-use, sustainable developments, including new corporate offices, a residential development, a health club, an internationally-branded hotel, plus over 1 050 additional parking bays.
The district will sit on top of a 2 750 parking bay super basement. When completed, about 2 500 people will work in the Silo District daily. V&A Waterfront estimates that the expected nominal contribution to gross domestic product from future developments is R29.9-billion by 2027.