CHILLER REPLACEMENT PROJECT PROVES TO BE COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY One of two, 600-ton dual stage absorption chillers is prepared for its journey to the subbasement of WVU's Engineering Sciences Building. (Camp Hill, PA) - In 1999, after struggling to maintain a 40-year-old existing chilled water plant in the subbasement mechanical room of West Virginia University's Engineering Sciences Building in Morgantown, school officials decided to explore installing a new system. Although complex in nature, WVU's project requirements were simple: replace the existing system with technologically advanced, high-performance equipment sized to accommodate future renovations and expansion. "The original equipment failed to function properly," said John Sommers, senior construction project manager at WVU. "Maintaining the system proved to be extremely time consuming and costly because temporary chillers had to be installed each time work was executed on the main system. We were interested in reviewing options that would expand our cooling capabilities while providing a user-friendly and cost-effective solution." Letters soliciting interest were submitted to various engineering firms, and after reviewing project experience, performance and industry reputation, Brinjac Engineering was called on to conduct a thorough study to determine how to best achieve WVU's specific objectives. As part of the initial study, Brinjac Engineering developed and evaluated equipment and location options. After analyzing the results, the design team recommended the replacement of the two, 450-ton single stage absorption chillers with two, 600-ton dual stage absorption machines. A crane is positioned to lift the chiller above the shaft before carefully lowering it through the existing ventilation duct. "We recommended the high-pressure steam equipment because it would increase the building's chilled water capacity and operate more efficiently, while keeping within the university's original budget," said Doug Stouffer, project manager for Brinjac Engineering. "We also determined that placing the chillers in the same location as the existing machines was the most cost-effective solution." Although an appropriate location, the team was faced with the difficulty of developing a plan to transport and maneuver the massive equipment into the mechanical room in the subbasement of the building. The only feasible access was through an existing ventilation shaft. The awarded contractor, Wayne Crouse of Pittsburgh, PA, refined Brinjac Engineering's methodology for positioning the chillers in the airshaft, and together they carefully crafted and finalized the installation details to ensure an effective and safe process. The first step was to clear space for the new chillers by dismantling the existing units. Next, a crane was positioned to lift each 600-ton chiller above the shaft before carefully lowering it through the ventilation duct. Once in the basement, pneumatic floats were used to maneuver the equipment into position. In addition to the customary job site visits during construction, Brinjac Engineering was also responsible for sub-contracting the testing and balancing of the new central plant equipment. "We are very pleased with the outcome of this complex project," Sommers explained. "The chillers are not only capable of cooling additional square footage, but perform more efficiently and are easier to maintain." "Brinjac Engineering met all of our objectives while demonstrating a high-level of professionalism and expertise. We look for a firm that will act in our behalf to make sure the final specifications are followed. The design team took responsibility for the project from start to finish while keeping the lines of communication open. They were very responsive to our needs, and we look forward to working with them on future projects at WVU." The massive equipment is transported and maneuvered into the mechanical room in the subbasement of the building. Providing engineering services to educational facilities is an area of expertise at Brinjac Engineering. The firm has design experience with colleges and universities across the tri-state area including, Pennsylvania State University, the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the Lehigh University and Bucknell University. "Although the actual installation was unique, the project was successfully completed within the original schedule," said John Brinjac, president of Brinjac Engineering. "We define success as simply meeting our client's objectives while ultimately providing a cost-effective solution." Brinjac Engineering, one of Pennsylvania's largest and leading engineering consulting firms and named one of the nation's top 30 firms by Building Design & Construction, has fully staffed offices in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley. For further information on Brinjac Engineering, visit www.brinjac.com. ### For more information or additional copies of this feature article, please call Karen Gross at (717) 975-2148 or visit www.hersheyphilbin.com.

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