Thermal Solutions Products, LLC

Summary

Thermal Solutions Products is a member of Burnham Holdings, Inc., the parent company of fourteen subsidiaries that are leading domestic manufacturers of boilers and related HVAC products and accessories (including furnaces, radiators and air conditioning systems), for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Subsidiaries of Burnham Holdings, Inc. provide high-value, high-quality products backed by superior service. Products are manufactured at plants in the East, South, and Midwest. The largest subsidiaries of Burnham Holdings, Inc. market under eight well-established brand names that are differentiated by product line and markets served.

Challenge

Third party witnessed testing was required for Thermal Solutions Products to obtain efficiency certification for its Solaris and Evolution model boilers and water heaters. The testing parameters specified that a narrow range of water temperatures be maintained during the evaluation and that the equipment received return-water temperatures less than 80°F, or at about 70°F, depending on the type of efficiency test being performed. Challenged at times in the past with using its equipment to maintain consistent water temperatures, as well as with producing the necessary cooling during the summer months, Thermal Solutions sought a rental chiller that would meet the certification specifications. A five-month search for a rental equipment provider had left the company frustrated. A few vendors never returned calls. One vendor took over a month to provide a quote for equipment that wasn’t properly sized for the job. Another seemed eager to receive the business, but put little thought into what was required to complete the job, offering little technical support for equipment setup and operation.

Solution

As they continued their search to find a complete solution they could feel confident about, Thermal Solutions Products reached out to Trane Rental Services. The next morning they were provided with a number of technical considerations developed by a Trane process engineer, followed by a formal quote. The Trane team had full understanding of the challenges Thermal Solutions faced and the importance of the testing. Thermal Solutions Products also felt confident that Trane would provide the needed support throughout the testing period.

Specifying the optimal equipment
Recognizing how unique their challenge was, a Trane process engineer carefully reviewed the requirements and provided crucial input to ensure the equipment would perform as necessary in order to get the results needed during the boiler and water heater efficiency testing. Trane was in constant communication and responded diligently to numerous iterations and changes until a final decision from the testing authorities allowed Thermal Solutions to settle upon the optimal equipment size.

Reliable, efficient and user-friendly
Engineered for reliability and efficiency, a compact Trane 120-ton air-cooled rotary chiller was installed, along with a 350 kW Trane generator. The controls on both the chiller and generator were extremely easy to use, allowing for a quick, easy start-up each morning and simple adjustment if needed.

Results

The Trane 120-ton chiller and 350 kW generator met the boiler and water heater witnessed tests requirements, allowing Thermal Solutions to obtain efficiency certifications for its Solaris and Evolution boilers and water heaters. “The setup was sized well, so we were able to test a unit larger than anticipated and still maintain the consistency for the smaller units tested,” said Josh Lefever, Thermal Solutions Product Development Engineer. “The chiller had two separate banks of refrigerant compressors that allowed for greater modulation. Final fuel costs were about a third of what we anticipated because the chiller and generator rarely had to run at full capacity.” “For a chiller vendor, ours was a unique job and Trane provided what was needed to complete it successfully,” added Lefever. “From sales and engineering to field service and technical support, Trane was quick to respond to our needs and their attention to detail was unparalleled.”

About Thermal Solutions Products, LLC

Thermal Solutions Products felt confident in the complete solution Trane Rental Services offered. A Trane process engineer provided crucial input to ensure optimal chiller performance during the efficiency testing.