Chiller Panel Upgrade
Advanced control system upgrade extends 30-year-old chiller life with remote monitoring capabilities and enhanced safety features
CLIENT
Commercial Office Building Management
LOCATION
Metro Atlanta High Rise Office Building
PROJECT TYPE
Chiller Control System Upgrade
FACILITY TYPE
High-Rise Commercial Office Building
The Situation
First, our team had to install several new sensors which were needed for the added features of the control panel. This work included drilling and tapping into new sensor wells. We installed and integrated the MCS panel to the chiller and we were able to eliminate the antiquated start pot overloads along with mechanical transition timers within the starter cabinet.
Our Approach
We designed a comprehensive retrofit that converted the existing high-temperature system to a modern, efficient low-temperature variable flow system. The new design provided improved efficiency while maintaining the ability to serve the existing building infrastructure.
The Work
- Conversion from high-temp to low-temp variable flow hot water system
- Installation of three 500 MBH high-efficiency condensing boilers
- Complete heat exchanger replacement and integration
- Pump system upgrades with variable speed drives
- Extensive piping modifications and control system upgrades
- Integration with existing building automation systems
Special Coordination Requirements
The upgrade required coordination with building operations to minimize disruption to office tenants. Work was scheduled during off-peak hours and phased to maintain building comfort throughout the installation process.
Key Challenges
- 30-year-old chiller with obsolete control panel
- Poor reliability and ongoing control issues
- Safety protection features not meeting current standards
- Difficulty finding replacement parts for repairs
- Customer not prepared to replace entire chiller system
Our Solution
- Installation of new MCS control panel system
- Addition of multiple new sensors for enhanced monitoring
- Drilling and tapping for new sensor well installations
- Complete integration with existing chiller unit
- Elimination of outdated start pot overloads
- Replacement of mechanical transition timers
- Integration with building automation system
The Results
Our controls and services teams were able to successfully control all chiller functions as well as integrate the MCS panel into the building automation system. This project was a huge success and our customer has a new control panel plus the ability to monitor their chiller remotely with better control and visibility from the BAS.
