Steam Turbine Chillers are a Great Choice

for CHP Summer Thermal Load

Brian Smith
Johnson Controls, Inc.
Company Confidential

The Two Challengers

Absorption Chillers

Packaged Steam Turbine

Driven Centrifugal
Chillers

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The Match
Round 1- First Cost
Round 2- Efficiency
Round 3- Installation
Round 4- Footprint & Weight
Round 5- Flexibility
Round 6- Serviceability
3

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Round 1 Cost

In what Hollywood movie did this famous

boxer have a cameo appearance?

Company Confidential

Round 1 Cost

In what Hollywood movie did this famous

boxer have a cameo appearance?

ANSWER: Hangover Part 2

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Round 1 - First Cost

First Cost

Absorption

Packaged Steam Turbine Driven

Centrifugal

Absorption has an edge over steam turbines at 1500-tons

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Round 1 - First Cost

First Cost

Absorption

Packaged Steam Turbine Driven

Centrifugal

Steam turbine chillers have the advantage in larger sizes

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The Match
Absorption

Round 1- First Cost

Round 2- Efficiency
Round 3- Installation
Round 4- Footprint & Weight
Round 5- Flexibility
Round 6- Serviceability

Company Confidential

Steam
Turbine
-

Round 2- Efficiency
6.7 lb. / ton-hr.
5.9 lb. / ton-hr.

Absorption

Packaged Steam Turbine Driven

Centrifugal
1500 TR Chiller

Steam Turbine uses 14 % less energy

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The Match
Absorption

10

Round 1- First Cost

Round 2- Efficiency
Round 3- Installation
Round 4- Footprint & Weight
Round 5- Flexibility
Round 6- Serviceability

Company Confidential

Steam
Turbine
1

Round 3 - Installation
1500 TR
Packaged Steam
Driven Turbine
Centrifugal Chiller

Absorption Chiller

2800 TR

Ships in 2 pieces
and bolts together on site
Ships in multiple
pieces

Multiple units in
multiple pieces

And requires field welding assembly

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The Match
Absorption

12

Round 1- First Cost

Round 2- Efficiency
Round 3- Installation
Round 4- Footprint & Weight
Round 5- Flexibility
Round 6- Serviceability

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0
0

Steam
Turbine
1
1

Round 4- Footprint and Weight

30 ft

10ft

PackagedAbsorption
1,500 TR
Steam Turbine(3,500
kW)

12 ft

1,500 TR
(3,500 kW)

19ft

Steam turbine chiller is half (53%) of the absorption chiller

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Round 4- Footprint and Weight

Steam
Turbine

Installed Weight
84,000 lb
(38,180 kg)

Installed Weight:
115,000 lb Absorption
(52100 kg)

1,500 TR (3,500 kW)

Steam turbine chiller is 30,000 pounds lighter

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The Match
Absorption

16

Round 1- First Cost

Round 2- Efficiency
Round 3- Installation
Round 4- Footprint & Weight
Round 5- Flexibility
Round 6- Serviceability

Company Confidential

0
0
0

Steam
Turbine
1
1
1

Round 5 - Flexibility

Chilled Water Down To:

Tower Water Down To:
Tower Water Up To:

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Company Confidential

Steam
Turbine

Absorption

36 F

38 F

2 C

3 C

<55 F

>68 F

<13 C

>20 C

100 F

100 F

38 C

38 C

Round 5 - Flexibility
Steam Pressure Comparison 1500 TR Chiller
60 to 300 psig
Packaged Steam Turbine Driven Centrifugal

60 to 150 psig
Absorption

30

60

90

120

150

psig

180

210

240

270

Steam Turbine Driven Centrifugal

Benefits from Superheat Steam
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Company Confidential

300

Round 5 - Flexibility
Variable Primary Flow System Capability
Automatic Isolation Valve

Primary Pumps

Chiller 1
Chiller 2
Chiller 3

Typical load with 2 way valve

Bypass
Valve

Flow Meter

Steam Turbine- flexibility to handle rapidly fluctuating loads and operation

Absorption- Sensitive to rapid changes

Steam Turbine Can Save Considerable Energy with VPF

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Round 5 - Flexibility

20-30 minutes to start from a cold start

While, Steam Turbine can warm-up without

circulating warm chilled water first
However, Absorption requires flow through

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The Match
Absorption

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Round 1- First Cost

Round 2- Efficiency
Round 3- Installation
Round 4- Footprint & Weight
Round 5- Flexibility
Round 6- Serviceability

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0
0
0
0

Steam
Turbine
1
1
1
1

Round 6 Serviceability

TRUE or FALSE
Sylvester Stallone was not only the
star of Rocky, but also the writer.

ANSWER: TRUE
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Round 6 Serviceability
Conventional Technology
Leak Checking
Corrosion Issues

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The Match
Absorption

24

Round 1- First Cost

Round 2- Efficiency
Round 3- Installation
Round 4- Footprint & Weight
Round 5- Flexibility
Round 6- Serviceability

Company Confidential

0
0
0
0
0

Steam
Turbine
1
1
1
1
1

Steam Turbine Scores a Technical Knock-Out

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Company Confidential

University of Missouri at Columbia Columbia, MO

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Company Confidential

Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA

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Company Confidential

University of Connecticut Storrs-Mansfield, CT

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Company Confidential

Summary

The fight is won or lost far away from

witnesses - behind the lines, in the
gym, and out there on the road, long
before I dance under those lights.
- Muhammad Ali

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