Milton Academy – Milton, MA – Emerald Environmental Technologies

Milton Academy – Milton, MA

Challenge

Milton Academy came to our local installer, Preferred Mechanical Services, with the need to replace their aging ammonia with brine plant that served the ice arena. The Milton Academy sport facility had an ice rink that was used from November through March then is repurposed for tennis. The arena is attached to the gymnasium and adjoined to the squash courts and Chapel buildings.

Milton Academy was actively searching to replace their aged ammonia refrigeration plant due to the hazardous potential of ammonia and the increasing repair/maintenance costs associated with an ammonia plant with a more energy efficient solution. In addition, because the arena was used for tennis in the off-season, the potential to provide air conditioning for the gymnasium and ice arena was a very attractive option.

The challenge was that the existing ammonia plant had an internal condenser ducted through the sidewall of the building as well as a large ammonia skid. The largest challenge at first was to remove and reinstall the systems, causing removal of metal sidewall panels for reinstallation. The squash building and chapel building were not directly attached to the gymnasium so interconnecting piping would need to be installed between the buildings.

Recommendation

Working with the design team at Preferred Mechanical Solutions, it was decided that five IC 2545 ice³ Cubes would be installed with new pumping and control systems. A BAC fluid cooling tower would be installed within the mechanical room in place of the old condenser. The increase is system tonnage would require a new electrical 480 Volt feed to augment the existing 480 Volt feed. This system would provide 135 Tons of refrigeration and or 225 Tons of chill glycol for air conditioning and a potential for 1.75 Million BTUH of reclaimed heat. Cooling and reclaim heating coils would be added to existing equipment in the ice rink/tennis courts as well as gymnasium and squash courts. The Chapel was designed with new air handling equipment to accept the warm and cold glycol for HVAC. A complete piping and pumping system was designed for a dual use two pipe changeover. This piping system was designed with both elevated outdoor piping as well as underground buried piping. This sports complex as well as Chapel would benefit from this installation year round using the reclaimed heat and added air conditioning.

Result & Benefits

Work started in the spring of 2019 while school was in session. Piping systems were the first to be installed as new equipment was being manufactured. The existing ammonia plant had in fact failed in early 2019 and a rental chiller was put in place to get through the hockey season. Both the failed ammonia plant and rental chiller were removed. Extensive flushing of the floor was performed with constant lab testing to insure the removal of any traces of contaminated brine and corrosion. The addition of the new ice³ Cube Refrigeration System was installed and integrated to the HVAC systems of the campus. Immediately ice was made for the upcoming Hockey season and rejection heat was immediately reclaimed in three separate buildings over five spaces. The entire installation and conversion was performed in six months while the school remained open for all of its programs.

The failed ammonia system and hazard has been removed, and the Academy is looking forward to having their multi-use gymnasium air conditioned for graduations and late spring meetings. The historic chapel has now been upgraded and will be airconditioned in order to serve for both Academy use and that of rentals for weddings and other events.

All is sourced from the central new ice³ Cube Refrigeration System now serving many purposes.

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