West Hay Medical Center

Improved Operation, Comfort, and System Modernization

The facility’s cooling system was experiencing operational and maintenance problems for a number of years. There were numerous compressor failures and oil return issues interrupting system operation.
We provided an assessment of the system with multiple options and cost estimates to address the issues. Based our report, the owner opted to replace the cooling system with a new chilled water system.

The new system design included:

• Two new air-cooled chillers
• New chilled water pumping system and chilled water piping
• New chilled water-cooling coils with modulating control valves

The system provides a level of redundancy, as the two air cooled chillers are connected in a common piping loop that can serve both air handling units. In the event of a failure of one chiller, the second chiller can serve both air handling units. Key features of this system include simplicity of the chilled water piping when compared to refrigeration piping, reduced maintenance, and fully variable capacity control for comfort and proper dehumidification. Another key attribute is the ability to operate at lower minimum airflows without freezing up the cooling coils.

We provided support during construction, and then provided commissioning services (both in person and via the Building Automation System’s remote access) to ensure proper operation.