Energy Conservation - Grande Cheese
“As we look forward to this cost savings over time we realized that we would have gone in the same expensive wasteful direction if we had not met with Rohde Brothers, Inc. The solution that they provided in two of our locations is exactly what we’d hoped for, and that is pretty challenging to come by in today’s business environment.”
In just 7 ½ months, Rohde redesigned, engineered and implemented an ammonia refrigeration system expansion, with integrated controls, using the existing infrastructure. The plan was to save the client’s capital in installing a much more effecient system that not ony uses less energy, but requires much less maintenance to operate between service oriented repairs. The design needed to be changed to reduced the amount of ammonia in the system while still providing the proper cooling needed for their cold storage facility. The benefit of lower pressure operations were felt by keeping the system out of the threshold of the EPA’s PSM Program, saving $30k in consulting fees.
Customized Solution:
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Rohde’s redesign eliminated the high-pressure receiver and significantly reduced the ammonia charge required in the system. Rohde’s design reduced it to 7,000 lbs. from the initial base bid of 14,000 lbs.
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Variable frequency drives on all components including the two new 150 HP compressors.
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Low discharge pressure design that allowed the system to run at much lower pressure in the cooler months.
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Redesign of all the expansion devices such that high pressure liquid was not required to get the liquid into the various evaporator coils.
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Eliminated the need to change relief valves every five years by redesigning to remove surge drums.
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Coil circuiting designed to carry oil back to the recirculation vessel to drain at a single point in the ammonia room rather than several points on the roof.
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Saved the client over 38% in electrical costs and significantly reduced maintenance and operating costs.
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Gas costs reduced by 5-10% with significant reduced maintenance costs.
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· Eliminated the need for a full Process Safety Management program (PSM) and $30,000 in consulting fees by reducing charge holds below EPA and OSHA thresholds.