‘Free’ Cooling Resources Help Save Energy

Tranter employs untapped sources of cooling media for HVAC applications serving entire population districts. From cooling tower isolation to “free cooling”—numerous benefits make this possible:

• Compact size that increases thermal capacity in space-limited retrofits
• High induced turbulence that overcomes the fouling tendencies of dirty streams
• Corrosion-resistant plates that offer long service life
• Close temperature approach of 1°C (2°F) that makes practical use of low-grade sources
• Finely tuned thermal length for efficient installations in many ways

District Cooling System Serves Downtown Stockholm

A recent Tranter solution involves the installation of seven 5-m (16-ft) tall plate heat exchangers with a total cooling capacity of 84 MW used for district cooling in downtown Stockholm, with seawater as the primary coolant. The heat exchangers handle the load in one pass because of their unusually high thermal length.

Chiller Bypass Cooling Conserves Between Seasons

In moderate ambient temperatures, using cooling tower water directly can provide adequate cooling without chillers. A Tranter Plate Heat Exchanger installed in a bypass circuit in sizable energy savings.

Pressure Breaker Cooling Zones For Tall Buildings

Dividing tall buildings into chilled water piping zones reduces static heat pressure. The close approach temperatures possible with Tranter Plate Heat Exchangers result in superior efficiency as compared to shell & tube exchangers.

Thermal Storage Via Packaged Heat Pump Systems

A Dutch provider of standardized turnkey 30–2300-kW geothermal heat pumps has placed over 200 energy systems with Tranter Plate Heat Exchangers across the Netherlands. The systems  alternatively store cold winter water or hot summer water in the groundwater,which is then used for district cooling or heating, respectively.

District Cooling From Cooled Waste Water

Tranter has supplied two plate heat exchangers to a dedicated heat exchanger station in Örebro, Sweden, that exchanges 18 MW of heat between cooled waste water and district cooling water. These exchangers were selected for their close temperature approach and 1-bar (14-psi) pressure drop. High channel velocity and shear stress reduce maintenance requirements for the waste water channel.