The State University of West Georgia
TRANE HELPS CAMPUS BUILDING KEEP NOTEWORTHY ROOFLINE NOTEWORTHY
A SIGNATURE ROOF LINE MERITS A SPECIAL SOLUTION FROM TRANE
The Education Center Annex at the State University of West Georgia boasts a striking roofline, and they certainly could not be blamed for not wanting it diminished in any way. So when they were searching for a new stand-alone chiller, one of their requirements was architectural unobtrusiveness. In addition, the system would have to meet widely divergent load demands, offer high efficiency to hold down costs, be affordable enough to meet the current tight budget and be capable of unmanned operation. An ironically tall order for a system that wasn’t supposed to go on the roof.
The choice for West Georgia was relatively simple when they turned to Trane. A single Trane screw chiller with five modular TRANE Climate Changer™ air handlers and a single duct VAV system gave them exactly the results they were looking for. The chiller, a 125-ton Trane Model RTWA with two Helirotor screw compressors, has a compact footprint so it could be installed in a small lower-level mechanical room. Apart from literally fitting their need, the screw chiller also offers the inherent ability to operate at partial loads—down to 20 percent of rated capacity. This made it ideal for a multiuse building with cooling loads that fluctuate significantly—not just seasonally with the academic calendar—but from hour to hour as well. This efficient operation at part load is enhanced by the use of a modern electronic refrigerant expansion valve (EXV) to reduce head pressure and allow the chiller to use less power.
Although the Trane screw chiller fit the bill perfectly there was concern about the noise it might make. There are office spaces and conference areas on the floor just above the mechanical room and a noisy piece of machinery would be disruptive to building operations. But, according to Lynn Agan, West Georgia State College’s Asst. Director of Facilities Engineering, this hasn’t been the case, “It turned out not to be a problem. In fact the cooling tower fans are more noticeable than the chiller…Frankly, the sound levels are lower than I expected.” The Trane screw chiller’s performance and efficiency have been so impressive, it is no longer the only one on campus. The University’s School of Business now has a 70-ton Trane air-cooled screw chiller, and a 110-ton air-cooled screw chiller was added to the recently completed Downs Hall Dormitory. Is there any higher endorsement than a repeat order?
Multiuse educational facility.
43,000 square feet.
125-ton Trane Screw chiller
Five Trane modular Climate Changer air handlers
VAV system.
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