District Energy Now

Volume 12 Number 4 November 1996

Welcome New Members!

We hope you will join us in welcoming the following new members of IDEA!
Paris Koulogeorgas
Managing Director
Accu Flow Technologies
PO Box 812
Addison, IL 60101-0812
(708) 543-8191
(708) 543-8193 fax

Tim Martin
National Sales Manager
Maurine Wright
Sales & Marketing Administrator
Adams Valves, Inc.
10649 Haddington #160
Houston, TX 77043
(713) 973-2490
(713) 973-2788 fax

Ian Beaver
President
Admiral Conservation Services, LLC
3 Blueberry Hill Road
Redding, CT 06896
(203) 544-7190
(203) 544-8712 fax
referred by Paul McKeon, Riverbay Corporation

Bo Peterson
Mechanical Engineer
Dartmouth College
Facilities Operations & Management
6111 McKenzi Hall
Hanover, NH 03755
(603) 646-1790
(603) 646-1205 fax
referred by Steve Mischissin, Stanford University

Mark A. Widaski
Senior Project Manager
Houston Lighting & Power Company
PO Box 1700
Houston Industries Plaza - 27th Floor
Houston, TX 77251-1700
(713) 207-6900
(713) 207-9600 fax
e-mail: 103336.513@compuserve.com
referred by Bonnie Ernst, HL&P ESCO

Mark Basford
Director, Industrial Sales
Turbopower Inc.
14820 NW 60th Avenue
Miami Lakes, FL 33014
(305) 820-3225
(305) 820-0404 fax

David L. Millay
Assistant Director
University of Delaware
Maintenance Center
Newark, DE 19716
(302) 831-2619
(302) 831-8675 fax
referred by Hemant Mehta, Syska & Hennessy

Ralph Kreiger
Manager Engineering
University of Missouri - Kansas City 1011 E. 51st
Kansas City, MO 64110
(816) 235-1368
(816) 235-1355 fax

Calendar of Events

Safety, Environment & Operations Workshop
November 7-8, 1996
Radisson Plaza Hotel, Minneapolis, MN
Contact: (202) 429-5111

Distribution and Measurements & Controls Workshop
November 13-15, 1996
Red Lion Hotel, Omaha, NE
Contact: IDEA (202) 429-5111

10th Annual IDEA College/University Conference
February 19-21, 1997
Omni Hotel Charlottesville, Charlottesville, VA
Contact: IDEA, (202) 429-5111

28 th Biennial Congress and International District Heating Expo
June 9-11, 1997, Arnhem, The Netherlands
Contact: Euroheat & Power - unichal, phone 41 1 211 3635, fax 41 1 221 7063 or E-mail: euroheat@access.ch

88th Annual IDEA Conference & Tradeshow
June 14-17, 1997
Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, CA
Contact: IDEA, (202) 429-5111

Cooling Compendiums Now Available

IDEA has compiled papers about district cooling issues in 10 new compendiums that are now available for purchase.

The topics include: Research and Development/New Technology for District Cooling; Cogeneration and District Cooling; District Heating and District Cooling; Case Studies of District Cooling; Thermal Storage and District Cooling; Metering, Instrumentation and Control of District Cooling; Environmental Issues of District Cooling; Major Equipment and Components for District Cooling; Efficiency Issues of District Cooling; Economics, Financing and Planning of District Cooling.

The compendiums are for sale for $250 each to members of IDEA and $500 each to non-members. A 20% discount will be given when 5 or more compendiums are purchased. (The price includes shipping.)

For more information or to purchase the compendiums, contact Jason Harbonic at IDEA, (202) 429-5111, (202) 429-5113 or e-mail: idea@sba.com.

Reports Available from DOE

The following publications are available without charge from the Department of Energy:
  1. Quantitative Heat Loss Determination by Means of Infrared Thermography- The TX Model
  2. Efficient Substations and Installations
  3. Bend-Pipes
  4. Managing a Hydraulic System in District Heating
  5. A Review of European and North American Water and Treatment Practices
  6. Guideline to Planning and Building of District Heating Networks
  7. Execution of Connections to Pipelines in Operation
  8. District Heating Piping With Plastic Medium Pipes Status of the Development and Laying Cost
  9. Advanced Energy Transmission Fluids for District Heating and Cooling
  10. The National Action Plan for District Heating, Cooling and Cogeneration
  11. The DOE District Heating and Cooling Program: A Decade of Accomplishments
  12. 1992 National Census for District Heating, Cooling and Cogeneration
  13. Engineering Analysis of the Use of Compression Refrigerants in the Thin Polymer Icemaker
For copies of any of these documents, contact Floyd Collins of the Department of Energy via E-mail at: Floyd.Collins@hq.doe.gov, or Fax at 202-586-0784.

Oil Demand Expected to Rise

Currently the United States consumes over 17 million barrels of petroleum each day. This is about 25 percent of the world's total consumption, yet the U.S. has less than 5 percent of the world's population. Imports supplied about 50 percent of the U.S. domestic consumption in 1995. With consumption growing at over 1 percent a year and domestic production declining by about 1.4 percent annually, the Energy Information Administration predicts that by the year 2000, imports will account for 56 percent of our consumption and will exceed 60 percent by the year 2010. With this comes a significant transfer of wealth - reflected in the balance of payments. For 1995 the net transfer totaled just over $48 billion for crude oil and petroleum products.

By the year 2010, two-thirds of the oil traded on the international market will come from the Persian Gulf, a region of political instability. Additionally, the rapid growth of economies among the world's developing nations, particular in east Asia, means competition may greatly increase for petroleum on the world market. To the extent that this occurs, increased global demand could lead to higher real energy prices in the United States, especially for oil.

One approach to reducing demand would be to expand the use of combined heat and power systems, as many European countries and the Japanese have done. Some argue that another approach, would be to raise the cost of energy through taxes. The value of combined heat and power systems tied to district energy systems, is that success in developing cost-effective technologies that achieve improved fuel economy, could reduce the demand for oil, without resorting to government command and control measures.

Houston District Energy Plant Will Solve CFC Issue

In an article in the October 7, 1996 issue of Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News, the decision process of building a new central heating and cooling plant in Houston is discussed.

The article states that the "economic realities forced the county to investigate construction of a new central plant." They needed to consider the inefficient equipment that they currently have and its use of CFCs that would continue to draw criticism.

Lockwood Andrews Newman, Inc. (LAN) evaluated the situation and recommended using thermal storage but a more traditional plant was decided upon. CES/Way International, Inc., an IDEA member, was selected as the developer with their sister company, Way Engineering as the prime contractor.

The new plant will serve eight existing county buildings (including the Central Jail and Criminal Justice Center) and three additional buildings are expected to be added. It "will be a one-story building of tilt-up construction, with louvers on the side for air intake. Outside will be parking spaces and trees to meet landscape ordinances." The plant will have six 1,200-ton Carrier chillers with capacity for a seventh, and three 1,500-hp steam boilers. The sixth chiller and the third boiler will act as back-up. A seventh chiller may need to be added if the county adds additional buildings or more computer facilities to the system. The county expects this facility to take them 20 or 30 years into the future.

New Cogen Plant Planned for Poland

Southern Electric International, a subsidiary of Southern Co., and a Polish electric power firm plan to build a modern power and heat generating plant in Poland.

This will be Poland's first power and heat generating plant to use gas as its energy source. The cost of the project is estimated at between $70-$80 million. Construction on the project in Zamosc, southeastern Poland, will start next year with expected completion in 1998 or 1999.

IDEA Working with Cities for Climate Protection

As part of its effort to increase awareness and knowledge of district energy, IDEA is working with the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) campaign. CCP was launched by local government leaders from all over the world at a Municipal Leaders Summit on Climate Change in 1993. In the U.S. the program is coordinated by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and Public Technology, Inc. with support from the Environmental Protection Agency. Over 40 local governments in the U.S. participate by developing and implementing action plans to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Legislative Director Mark Spurr is working with CCP officials to incorporate information about district energy in the "toolkit" of information provided to participating cities, and with CCP is exploring other options for working jointly to catalyze development of district energy systems.

District Energy on TV?

The media is beginning to pay attention to the climate change issue, and IDEA is working to encourage coverage on district energy. At a recent meeting, Legislative Director Mark Spurr met a producer from Peter Jennings' ABC news staff and learned that they are planning to produce a one-hour special on climate change. Spurr described the contributions that district energy can make to greenhouse gas reduction, and noted that IDEA is in the process of developing a video. He provided follow-up written information to ABC News, and is working to bring some district energy coverage, including video footage, into the program.

Nalco Opens Manufacturing Plant in China

Nalco Chemical Company, an IDEA member, recently announced the opening of a $3.5 million manufacturing facility, warehouse and distribution center in The People's Republic of China. The new facility, which includes administration offices, is located in the city of Suxhou, Jiangsu Province, 70 miles west of Shanghai.

This is the latest action of the cooperative joint venture between Nalco and CITIC Chemicals, a wholly owned subsidiary of the China International Trust Investment Corporation. The joint venture, named Nalco Chemical (Suzhou) Company, Ltd., was formed in April 1995 to market water treatment and process chemical products and services to customers in China.

People in the News

Unicom Thermal Technologies of Chicago, Illinois, recently announced the expansion of its core management team. Russell R. Reynolds joins Unicom Thermal Technologies as construction and operations vice president. Promotions within current management include: John Mitola to sales and marketing vice president, A. Stanley Gent, to engineering vice president, and Carol M. Sherman to chief administrative officer.

Thermal Engineering Group of Hendersonville, Tennessee, has named Glenn A. Swinehart as vice president in charge of corporate engineering and design. Swinehart will provide direction and support on engineering evaluations, life extension analyses, plant expansions and project development.

San Diego Utilizes Satelite Storage

With thermal energy storage being the hot topic in new district cooling systems today, it is interesting to hear how San Diego Power and Cooling, an IDEA member with a 25 year old system, is able to adapt. Unlike the new systems in Baltimore and Chicago which have been designed with thermal energy storage tanks, San Diego Power & Cooling Company serves 2 million square feet of some of the areas largest users of air conditioning.

The San Diego system has incorporated satelite storage tanks in individual buildings. Koll Center is a 350,000 square foot office tower which has a 500,000 gallon water storage tank. Chilled water is purchased from San Diego Power & Cooling at night, when rates are lowest, for use during the day, when rates are highest. This building systems has a three year simple payback, and has the lowest costs service per square foot of any other high-rise in downtown San Diego.

MIT Receives Cogeneration Project of the Year Award

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an IDEA member, received the Cogeneration Project of the Year Award from the Cogeneration & Competitive Power Institute of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) during its August conference in Somerset, NJ.

The new cogeneration plant employs a 22 MW ABB GT-10A combustion turbine in conjunction with ah supplementary oil/gas fired recovery steam generator. In combination, the turbine and HRSG produces approximately 90% of the electricity and thermal energy used at the Institute.

IDEA would like to congratulate MIT on receiving this award!

Coming in District Energy ...

First Quarter 1997

  • The Customer's Perspective: BOMA on Environmental Regulatory Issues
  • Environmental, Health and Safety Compliance Management Systems: Does Your Company Need One?
  • Reducing Air Emissions Through District Heating and Cooling
  • A Profile in Environmental Compliance: Birmingham's Coal-Fired Steam System
  • Are Your Steam Traps Wasting Your Product?
  • District Energy Space - Showing off new additions to systems in the past year.

Detroit Edison Plans Steam System Changes

Detroit Edison, an IDEA member, plans several million dollars in improvements to its downtown steam heating system and will retire a portion of its steam distribution in fall 1997.

"The portions of the steam distribution system we will retire date back to the 1920s and are not performing according to industry standards," said Robert J. Buckler, Detroit Edison senior vice president. "By making these changes, we can improve service for customers who will remain on the system. For customers who will not receive steam after next fall, we will help with replacement options and offer financial incentives."

Under its plan, Detroit Edison will replace a portion of its Cass Avenue steam line between Canfield and York avenues to better serve customers in the Wayne State University and Cultural Center areas. The utility expects to spend an estimated $18 million on both the improvements and customer assistance efforts.

The utility will meet with each affected customer to discuss the various options. Detroit Edison plans to offer these customers financial incentives to defray 50 percent of their new equipment costs. The nearly 160 customers affected by the changes will have more than a year to install an alternative system.

Cool Times Features an Article on District Cooling

The September/October 1996 issues of Cool Times featured an article entitled "District Cooling: Natural Advantages for Multi-Building Air Conditioning" by Trevor Frith of York International, an IDEA member. The article extols the benefits of district heating, but is centered around district cooling system at Toronto District Heating Corporation, also an IDEA member. The system will produce chilled water to cool an expansion of the Toronto Convention Centre and nearby buildings.

Toronto District Heating Corporation boasts the third largest municipal heating system in North America, operating three primarily natural gas-fired steam plants with a total capacity of 1.5 million pounds per hour of steam. The company also manages 15 km of distribution pipes in downtown Toronto.

Princeton's Cogen Plant Performs Successful Tests

On October 4, 1996 at 9:11 p.m., the new Princeton Cogeneration Plant's generator was synchronized to the PSE&G grid for the first time. With an initial demand of approximately 4 MW on the west side of campus and an increase to 5 MW in an hour, the plant was able to increase its output to 14 MW and export almost 10 MW of electricity to the grid. This first test period lasted almost two hours. Although there is still substantial work and testing remaining, this event marked a successful completion of an important milestone for Princeton.
Graduate students working on their Master's Thesis's are available to perform projects with district energy companies.

If you are interested in finding out how you can help an engineering student and your company simultaneously, contact Gordon Bloomquist at the Washington State University Energy Program, (360) 956-2016 or E-mail: bloomquistr@wsu.edu.

IDEA would like to thank the following companies for their generous sponsorship of the 11th Annual Cooling Conference
  • Atlantic Thermal Systems
  • Johnson Yokogawa
  • Kattner/FVB District Energy, Inc.
  • Trigen-Peoples District Energy Company
  • Unicom Thermal Technologies
  • York International

Return to IDEA home page.