In May ENGIE Services carried out the replacement of the cooling equipment for Park One Bratislava. The new, compact equipment is more powerful, more efficient and more environmentally friendly compared to the previous cooling machine.
The reason for the replacement was damage to the original chiller, which was located on the roof of the Park One building, located in the city centre. Park One is a multifunctional building, located between 1 May Square and Kollárovo Square, with a significant presence of office space.
In addition to the supply and installation of the cooling equipment, the replacement project also included the design of the solution itself. Due to the financial difficulty and unprofitability of repairing the damaged equipment, especially in terms of complicated logistics, the ENGIE team proposed to the client the supply and installation of a new, more modern and energy-efficient cooling system. These attributes were met by the new Carrier* compact chiller, which achieves higher operating efficiency thanks to its scroll compressors and Greenspeed intelligent system. A further advantage compared to the original machine is the use of a significantly lower refrigerant volume. A more environmentally friendly R32 refrigerant is used for cooling, which achieves lower GWP and CO₂ emissions. The weight of the new equipment is lower and, thanks to its smaller dimensions, it fits perfectly into the existing space without the need for further modifications.
The actual delivery and installation of the refrigeration equipment was preceded by several weeks of preparation and coordination of all involved components and partners. “At the beginning of the project everything had to be planned in detail. From the layout of the installation site, ensuring all subcontractors were involved and the location of the crane, to the design of the transport routes of the trucks counterbalancing the crane and the refrigeration plant itself. Based on this design, we subsequently approached the borough for approval of the transport routes and temporary closure of adjacent streets. After obtaining all necessary permits, we secured temporary signage and ensured that no cars were parked on the streets surrounding Park One during the replacement date. Because of this, we had to start the phased street closures a few days before the swap,” František Burda, ENGIE Services Project Manager, describes the preparation of the whole exchange.
During the last week of May, the ENGIE team disconnected the existing technology and cabling from the chiller. Subsequently, they removed the refrigerant from the equipment’s headers, which was transported for environmental disposal. During the replacement, the old equipment was cut in half and also sent for environmental treatment. The actual replacement was carried out on 29 May 2021. On that day, the new chiller was connected to the existing cabling and the new pipework. The plant was commissioned on 31 May 2021.
“The delivery and installation of the refrigeration equipment was scheduled to be completed by the end of June. In particular, the difficult accessibility of the site where the replacement was to take place may have had a negative impact on the deadline. Park One lies between two squares, in a tangle of narrow streets and overhead power lines. Ensuring the smooth transport of the crane and trucks with heavy equipment required not only time but also organisational skills. However, from the start of the project, it was our ambition to complete the replacement before the end of the contract period. I am therefore delighted that, thanks to the excellent organisation and cooperation of all partners, we have succeeded and the new equipment on the roof of the Park One building can now serve its purpose,” concludes František Burda.
*Technical parameters of the new Carrier compact refrigeration equipment:
- Cooling capacity – 924kW (6/12°C, 35°C inlet temperature)
- Weight – 4291 kg
- Dimensions (L x W x H) – 7186x2253x2324
- Refrigerant volume – R32 (65kg)
- Number of circuits – 2
- Number of compressors – 8 (variability 125 – 924 kW)
- Noise level – 66 dB (10m)
- Number of fans – 12