Gas Engine-Driven and Absorption Chillers
Natural Gas Cooling Program at CERL
In 1993, Congress allocated funds to demonstrate the feasibility of installing natural gas cooling equipment at installations within the Department of Defense (DOD). The procurement funds were distributed among the Tri-Services with the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center (NFESC) and the US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) to develop and manage the Navy and Army/Air Force programs, respectively.
In 1994, Congress allocated additional funds to demonstrate the feasibility of installing natural gas cooling equipment at installations within the DOD. Again, the equipment procurement funds were distributed among the Tri-Services with the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center (NFESC) and the US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) to manage the programs.
In 1995, Congress allocated additional funds to continue the demonstration of natural gas cooling technologies. The funds were split between the Tri-Services as before, with the Navy receiving a larger portion to demonstrate natural gas cooling at NFESC selected sites and at NAS Atlanta, GA. In addition to the Congressional appropriated funds, the DOD authorized FEMP funds to demonstrate Two-Wheel Desiccant Dehumidification Systems at DOD installations. CERL was authorized to manage the program and requested that NFESC provide assistance with locating Navy sites and with the development of each sites desiccant project.
Approximately one-third of all energy consumption and two-thirds of total energy expenditures at Department of Defense (DOD) fixed facilities are electricity related. Summer air conditioning loads account for 30-60% of the total energy expenditures. Natural gas is another major energy resource available to DOD fixed facilities. However, it accounts for only 38% of the fuel consumed and only 20% of the total energy expenditures.
The apparent high cost of electricity is a result of peak cooling loads which can occur over short periods of time and can cause high fluctuations in the utility load profile. Utility companies must therefore operate their expensive and inefficient peaking plants to meet this demand. This extra cost is passed to the consumer in the form of Time-of-Day and seasonal variation rates, seasonal variations in demand charges and/or a ratchet clause.
These energy costs at DOD fixed facilities can be reduced by conserving electrical energy or by replacing electrical consuming devices with alternate fuel driven mechanisms. Absorption chillers, engine driven chillers and desiccant based air conditioning units are all being evaluated as possible alternatives to electric cooling equipment.
Listed below are the US Army and Air Force Installations that have benefited from the Natural Gas Cooling Program.
US Army Installations |
Chiller Capacity |
US Air Force Installations |
Chiller Capacity |
|
Ft. Huachuca |
(2) - 145 ton absorption
chillers |
Robins AFB |
(2) - 1310 ton gas
engine-driven chillers |
|
Ft. Dix |
(1) - 340 ton absorption
chiller |
Davis-Monthan
AFB |
(2) - 650 ton gas engine-driven
chillers |
|
Ft. Eustis |
(1) - 350 ton gas engine-driven
chiller |
Utah ANG |
(2) - 55 ton gas engine-driven
chillers |
|
Ft. Bliss |
(1) - 50 ton gas engine-driven
chiller |
Youngstown-Warren ARB |
(1) - 125 ton gas engine-driven chiller |
|
Ft. Polk |
(1) - 570 ton gas engine-driven chiller |
Hanscom AFB |
(1) - 750 ton gas engine-driven chiller |
|
Ft. Jackson |
(2) - 700 ton gas engine-driven chillers |
|
|
|
Ft. Riley |
(2) - 350 ton gas engine-driven chillers |
|
|
|
Ft. Hamilton |
(1) - 25 ton gas engine-driven chiller (1) - 125 ton gas engine-driven chiller |
|
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