The brief: provide central cooling for expanding the factory
‘Cirrec asked us to design and build a central chilled water system for the factory. Among other things, this had to support the energy-intensive cooling process of the extruders’, explains project manager Rob Cruysen. The extruders heat ground plastic to approximately 280°C and turn it into granulate, which is used to make new food packaging. This heat requires efficient and reliable cooling.
High and low-temperature circuit
The new cooling solution consists of two temperature circuits:
- The high-temperature circuit of 28-32°C is used for cooling processes and devices that require less intensive cooling.
- The low-temperature circuit of 10-15°C provides intensive cooling for critical components such as extruders.
Cirrec cleverly uses cleaned sewage water (effluent water) from the neighbouring wastewater treatment plant for cooling purposes. Rob explains: ‘If that water is not cold enough, Cirrec can automatically switch to an adiabatic (dry) cooler or mechanical cooling machines (chillers). These require more energy and are therefore only used as the last step.’
Although Equans usually provides complete installations from design to implementation, this project had a different scope. ‘Cirrec requested that the detailed engineering and construction of the piping and refrigeration systems be carried out at very short notice. The cabling and controls were outsourced to third parties,’ says Rob.
He says that the biggest challenge was the parallel progress of engineering and construction: ‘Cirrec quickly counted on extra production capacity created by the expansion, so we had to start right away. We increased the production capacity in phases by installing machines and connections for future expansion. As the design was not yet fully finalised, we began constructing the pipes without knowing the exact endpoint. This required flexibility and the ability to adapt quickly.’
A platform for chillers and pumps
Ultimately, the reserved technical space was found to be insufficient for the required installations. Using a detailed 3D drawing of all the components, including the required pipeline route and control cabinets, Equans found a solution: an indoor platform construction, specially tailored to the dimensions of the chillers, pumps, heat exchangers, control cabinets, and required piping.
The pipeline route on the roof also posed a challenge. Rob explains: ‘Our original plans had to be revised after the roof structure proved unable to support the weight of water-filled pipes. We then had to design a new piping system along an alternative route, which presented the additional challenge of minimising cold and heat loss.’
Impressive cooling network
Rob is proud of the clever solutions to the technical challenges:: ‘Many existing components have been reused, such as heat exchangers, chillers and pumps. The 1.2 kilometer pipeline network has diameters ranging from DN 25 to DN 200. It is fitted with pressure-independent control ball valves to enable precise temperature control for each consumer. The components on the platform alone weigh about 20 tonnes in total. But more importantly, the installation works perfectly. The extruders and other consumers are cooled as required.’
Innovative project
The Cirrec project demonstrates how technical innovation, sustainability and customisation can be combined. By using a residual stream (cleaned sewage water) and designing the system with different temperature ranges, Equans has created a functional and energy-efficient solution. As Rob says, “We turned the system on and haven’t heard anything more about it since. It runs smoothly.’ There is no greater compliment.
