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Heat Recovery Generates Significant Energy and Cost Savings at Cancun Resort
Ecochillers Corporation
Heat Recovery Generates Significant Energy and Cost Savings at Cancun Resort
Crown Paradise Cancun, a popular resort in Mexico, hired Ecochillers, a manufacturer of chillers and condensing units, to provide a more efficient heating system that better meets their needs. With the help of a SWEP heat recovery solution, they obtained a reliable and efficient system with low maintenance and very noticeable savings in energy and costs.
SWEP DB400Hx142 models installed as on-site condensers for heat recovery
Case details
Before the installation of SWEP BPHEs (Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers), the resort had no heat recovery process in place. Instead, they were using a boiler that operated day and night at full capacity for all their hot water needs. The previous solution sent hot water from the condenser outlets to a cooling tower for the heat to then be dumped – wasting the heat. At the same time, water for the pools and hotel's water tanks were being heated by the boiler system. The resort leadership knew that there had to be a more energy efficient way to provide this heating, so they decided to enlist the help of Ecochillers to suggest a more resourceful, effective and economical solution.
As part of the solution, four SWEP DP400x142 models were installed as evaporators on site that now help cool the water supply to the Trane chiller. Evaporator inlet temperatures are 52°C (126°F) and outlet temperatures are 30°C (86°F). The chiller now operates more efficiently with the lower outlet temperature of the SWEP BPHEs.
In addition to the BPHEs being used as heat recovery in this system, there are also (18) SWEP Minex Titanium units installed that assist in the chlorinated water pool heating aspect of the heat recovery process. The SWEP Minex units have now made it possible for the pools to reach 28°C (82°F) and the hot tubs to reach 38°C (100°F) in just 5 hours and maintain pool temperature. Now, instead of sending hot water from the condenser to a well or tower, the SWEP BPHEs carry heat to a water heating loop. This 50°C (122°F) hot water output is split between heating the pools and providing water for the hot water tank that is used to supply the rest of the resort.
Since the installation of SWEP BPHE, the pools now reach the desired temperatures
As an added benefit, the new design reduces the average temperature of the water returning to the condenser from 40°C to 35°C (104°F to 95°F). With this reduction, the condensers are more efficient and can reduce the flow rate of the condenser water pump due to the greater temperature difference between the two sides. The chiller's cooling capacity is also increased with the lower supply water temperature.
Results and conclusion
With the heat recovery process now in place, and thanks to SWEP BPHE, the boiler currently only operates at 20% of its capacity for a few hours a day. This optimized solution provides hot water 24 hours a day for the 600 rooms, swimming pools, kitchens and 12 restaurants, while the boiler now only operates to generate steam for the on-site laundry. Further advantages resulting from this new highly efficient system include:
Chiller discharge pressure reduced by 5% Reduced maintenance costs for boilers and condensate water pumps 20% energy savings on water pump with less GPM per ton required
In addition to providing a more sustainable and energy-efficient solution, Ecochillers and SWEP were also able to reduce customer costs by up to $180,000 USD per year. SWEP is proud to have collaborated with Ecochillers on this project and we look forward to future opportunities like this where we can recover heat and help provide more energy-efficient solutions in processes around the world.
