Auto Plant Slashes Cooling Costs 40%, Earns $500,000 Utility Rebate

Auto Plant Slashes Cooling Costs 40%, Earns $500,000  Rebate

GM upgrades a critical manufacturing plant with no downtime using tekWorx innovative hydronic design and adaptive optimization solution with a short two year payback

Facility Bio

  • Spring Hill, TN
  • 7 million ft²
  • Vehicle assembly, power train manufacturing and stamping operations
  • 27,000 tons cooling capacity

Situation

  • Central plant serving all manufacturing operations
  • Mission critical cooling production, no downtime permitted during upgrade
  • Primary-Secondary system with typical conditions and associated performance:
    • low CHW ΔT
    • high kW/ton
    • High system pressure
  • Outdated PLC plant control system; no optimization or automation

Solution

  • Convert plant hydronic configuration to Integrated Primary-Secondary® with modulating bypass valve
  • Convert condenser pumps to variable flow
  • Implement adaptive Control Engine Optimization(CEO®) system on new Rockwell PLC platform
  • Execute detailed project planning and transition schedule to avoid cooling production interruption
  • Establish VPN connection for remote monitoring and maintenance support

Results That Exceed Client Expectations

Financial Savings

  • $729,000 in annual savings
  • Eligible for $500,000 TVA Utility Rebate
  • 2.8 year payback
  • 1.2 year payback with rebate

Energy Impact

  • 11,100,000 kWh saved annually
  • .31 kW/ton energy efficiency improvement

Operational Benefits

  • Equipment experiences less wear and tear
  • Operators freed up for other tasks
  • Automated system now controls all plant equipment
  • ChillerCheck® alerts staff to take preventive maintenance actions
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