Executive Summary
A large commercial building faced significant energy efficiency challenges with its chiller plant. Energeia conducted a comprehensive audit of the chiller system, identifying substantial opportunities for energy savings. Through strategic recommendations, including the replacement of existing chillers with a more efficient model, Energeia projected annual energy savings of 2,52,000 kWh, equivalent to approximately ₹27.72 lakhs in cost savings.
Key Stats
Monetary Savings Annually
Energy Savings Annually
CO₂ Emission Reduction
Customer Overview
The client is a major commercial building in Hyderabad, India with a seven-story structure requiring substantial cooling throughout the year. The building’s chiller plant plays a crucial role in maintaining comfort for occupants across various seasons.
The Challenges
- Aging Infrastructure: The existing pump systems were operating with outdated technology and reduced efficiency.
- Energy Inefficiency: Fixed-speed pumps were unable to adapt to variable load demands, leading to significant energy wastage.
- Operational Limitations: Lack of precise control over pump speeds resulted in suboptimal performance and increased wear and tear on equipment.
- Maintenance Challenges: Aging equipment posed increasing maintenance challenges and costs.
- Environmental Impact: The inefficient systems contributed to higher than necessary CO₂ emissions.
Energeia’s Solution: E-Chill Optimization
The chiller plant audit revealed several challenges:
- Inefficient Energy Usage: The existing chillers were operating at a high specific energy consumption of 1.2 kW/TR, well above their design specification of 0.72 kW/TR.
- Oversized Equipment: The installed chillers were significantly oversized for the current load.
- Low Part-Load Efficiency: The chillers were consistently running at 30-50% load, where screw chillers are less efficient.
- Poor Cooling Tower Performance: The cooling tower approach was above 9°C, much higher than the ideal 2-3°C range.
To address these challenges, Energeia proposed a comprehensive solution:
- Chiller Replacement:
- Replace the existing Chiller with a Premium Energy Efficiency Chiller with Unit Mounted VSD of a lower capacity.
- Variable Speed Drive in Pumps:
- The inclusion of a VSD allows for better part-load efficiency, addressing the issue of low-load operation.
- Cooling Tower Optimization:
- Targeted improvements to reduce the cooling tower’s approach temperature.