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University of Virginia
South Chiller Plant Addition
Charlottesville , Virginia
Completion: 2008
Size: 11,000 GSF
Cost: $15,500,000
The University of Virginia retained AEI to design an addition to the
existing 4550 ton South Chiller Plant and 16,200 ton-hr Thermal Energy
Storage (TES) system. This plant will serve critical loads in the rapidly
expanding Health Care and Medical Research (MR) area on campus. The new
two-story plant is designed for an ultimate capacity of 6,000 tons, with
an initial installation of 4000 tons of electric centrifugal chillers.
This plant is located in the area between the MR-4 building and the existing
South Chiller Plant and TES tank.
The project involves several major challenges, the most significant
of which is finding space to locate the plant in this congested part
of campus. In an effort to minimize the footprint of the building and
resulting land area required, the plant is configured with the chillers
on level one, pumps and other supporting equipment on a second level
and the cooling towers on the roof.
Another challenge is how to integrate this new plant with an existing
4,500 ton plant nearby such that these two plants and the TES operated
as one. To accomplish this goal, the design incorporates a common primary
loop connection between the plants and consolidated distribution pumps
in one location.
A third challenge involves the environmental impact of the plant on
the surrounding buildings. The adjacent MR-4 building contains sophisticated
MRI equipment that is very sensitive to vibration and rotating devices.
Additionally, the new plant is in close proximity to a residential area.
AEI’s design strategically located the building and major equipment
to minimize the impact on the MRI and the cooling towers were designed
with extensive noise reduction devices to mitigate the impact on the
neighborhood.
AEI is providing overall project leadership/management of a team of
professional consultants to overcome these challenges. In addition, AEI
is providing the detailed MEP design, including developing creative solutions
for the following:
- Plant layout in a very tight building that does not sacrifice
maintenance access
- Economical use of existing building space for new distribution
pumps
- Distribution pipe routing through a congested area of campus
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