Northwest Louisiana War Veterans Home
Location
Bossier City, LA
Mechanical Contractor
Consulting Engineers
Aillet, Fenner, Jolly, & McClelland Inc.
Challenge
The existing steel, closed-loop, fluid coolers that served the facility had reached the end of their life cycle. The metal casings were rusted, causing leaks; and the coolers were no longer functioning as originally designed. The owner was considering replacing the existing fluid coolers with upgraded, stainless-steel, fluid coolers to increase the life of the new equipment. However, stainless-steel, closed-loop, fluid coolers can be cost prohibitive.
Solution
In lieu of doing an exact replacement, the owner opted instead for Reymsa’s open-loop, all-fiberglass, cooling towers with intermediate, stainless-steel, plate-and-frame heat exchangers. The new open-loop towers required smaller motors than the closed-loop ones; and the plate-and-frame heat exchangers were more efficient than the coils in the closed-loop, fluid coolers. The open-tower/heat exchanger design was also a lower first cost than the stainless-steel, fluid coolers.
Outcome
The overall total fan-and-pump motor horsepower was reduced from 95HP to 40HP. In addition, the new Reymsa fiberglass cooling towers are more corrosion-resistant than similar stainless-steel models, and were furnished with a 15-year, parts-and-labor warranty on the fiberglass casings and basins. The project first cost was also reduced by over 30%.
In summary, the combination of the Reymsa open-loop fiberglass towers and the plate-and-frame heat exchangers provided Northwest Louisiana War Veterans Home with a more efficient system, improved equipment life expectancy and reduced risk with better equipment warranty – all at a significant first cost savings.
Equipment
• (2) Reymsa RT Fiberglass Cooling Towers
• (2) Armstrong Vertical In-line Pumps
• (2) Stainless Steel Plate and Frame Heat Exchangers