Hydraulic improvements to the central chilled water distribution system at the University of Illinois Chicago campus
- GLHN, Inc., Tucson, AZ (United States)
- UIC, Heat, Light and Power, Chicago, IL (United States)
This paper presents the results of an in-depth Utility Development Plan recently completed for the central chilled water production and distribution systems at the 7000 Ton, 4 million square foot campus of UIC. A physical overview of the system, its original design philosophy, and its evolution toward present day chronic hydraulic problems is described. Theoretical and practical results from a comprehensive thermal/hydraulic computer modeling effort are then reviewed. The focus of the paper is a detailed description of the primary recommendation of the study, elimination of existing building secondary pumping, rigorous conversion of existing coil bypass control strategies to modulating two-way variable flow control, and installation of variable speed direct primary pumping in the central plant. In addition to shaving close to 2 MW of peak pumping horsepower and more closely matching pumping power consumption to actual load, these modifications are projected to solve chronic pressure anomalies at the most distant buildings. In addition, the increased temperature split allowed by this conversion greatly extends the capacity of the existing distribution loop, allowing load addition. The implication of this radical distribution system modification on central plant operation strategy and chiller performance is discussed. The paper concludes with an analysis of the initial (summer 1996) successful results obtained by removal of the building pumps and interface flow control at a single large campus building.
- OSTI ID:
- 459045
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961082--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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