Any chances retrofitting a 1965 chiller?

[LewisM]

No, I Know, but... please read the whole post in order to know why I'm asking... :rolleyes:

Hi all!. This is my very first post in this forum.

I'm a mechanical engineer and rule my own engineering company. By now I have to make an engineering offer for updating the HVAC for a 1965 building. It's fitted with a top end 1965 installation (a double duct wortinghton unit, with exhaust recovery), and, in cooling, a 90 hp (270 KW more or less) R12/R2 fedders water cooled chiller. Uhh, wait, Fedders? Yes, fedders. (see atachment)

Machine room has plenty of space but is located in the basement. Only way in and out is a 80 cm door, so, it's almos imposible to fit a whole brand new water cooled unit, so, my chances are:

Forget about it and install a brand new machine elsewhere
Retrofit the chiller with a turbocor unit


Errr... turbocor would fit and is able to "cross the door". But... how about heat exchangers ? Will they live 3 more decades?...

Regards,

Lewis

[The Viking]

Will the heat exchangers last another 3 decades?

Yes, most likely as long s the rest of the system is running perfectly with clean, moisture free refrigerant.

Is it the best option for the site and the owner of the equipment? No, without a doubt no.
By the time the labour and material has been paid for the repair, as well as the high running costs has been factored in, the owner could have paid for a new, modern, high efficiency system many times over.

:cool:

[al]

York used to make a stripped version of the LCHMM water cooled chillers, designed to be disassembled and fitted in tight spots, Carrier/Trane probably do the same, or maybe Tricool could make something?

al

[LewisM]

Thanks for the comments. Stripped unit seems fine.

I've made a deeper investigation and see the turbocor units (axima.. err mean cofely quantum units) are not so big. Just below 2 meters high and less than 1 meter wide for the 300 KW unit... I have to check that damm door again...
Obviously, an old '65 piston compressor is way below todays standars, I know, and anything you put there will pay for itself in a while. The point is that my little engineering company is fighting to win the contract and we have to make a winner proposal based on efficiency, both energetical and economical. That's why I'm setting my eye in turbocor models but trying to spend the right ammount of money for having a reliable and efficient setup. If we propose to install chiller elsewere will have to build piping and routing is not quite easy (so, expensive). That's why I am trying to explore any available options.

Cheers!

Lewis