The University of Michigan will continue its on-going efforts to operate its facilities in the most energy efficient and environmentally sustainable fashion by demonstrating the use a cooling water treatment product recently approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The innovative emulsion is expected to eliminate the need to use more toxic chemicals and improve the energy efficiency of the systems treated. The project is under way at the Palmer Commons building on the Central Campus and will continue throughout the remainder of the year.
During the demonstration, small amounts of the product, Mexel 432/0, will be injected into recirculating cooling tower water to address a number of fouling problems that can adversely affect operations and energy efficiency. The system selected for treatment is a recirculating cooling tower and chiller with an estimated volume of 25,000 gallons with the greatest cooling load in the warmer months of the year. University engineers will closely monitor system operations using a number of established performance indicators. These results, along with economic and environmental factors, will be analyzed and compared to historical data for an overall evaluation of the project.
The University of Michigan’s energy services include the Central Power Plant (CPP) which generates and processes four main services to the University Central and Medical Campuses; steam, electricity, compressed air and domestic hot water, and energy systems for heating and cooling facilities throughout the University. The Central campus has more than 100 cooling tower systems that could benefit from similar treatment. The systems in the Palmer Commons building also supply cooling demanded for other nearby buildings.
After installation of the project, Mexel USA President Mary Wolter Glass stated, “We are very pleased to be able to partner with the expert facilities professionals at the University of Michigan to demonstrate the efficacy of our product to service campus needs. We are certain that Mexel 432/0 will improve the environmental performance, efficiency of heat transfer, and economic return of the cooling tower–chiller systems treated. We look forward to working with the University for many years to come.”
Through use of leading-edge technology and facilities, Palmer Commons provides planning, meeting, programming and general gathering needs of the University and Ann Arbor communities. Palmer Commons offers flexible conference and meeting space, accommodating up to 274 people including a 140-seat auditorium Forum Hall, a 1400 square-foot atrium, and a 3200-square-foot divisible multipurpose room. A café provides food service daily as well.
Mexel USA, LLC
Mexel USA, LLC, is the exclusive importer and supplier of Mexel® filming amine emulsion water treatments to the U.S. Mexel USA offers products manufactured by Mexel Industries SAS, France, as well as design, installation, and/or operation of the water-treatment systems. These emulsions are based on extensive research and development and produced from organic substances to be safe for the environment. Mexel 432/0 is a registered biocide with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These products have been used in the U.S. for over seven years in more than 50 facilities, and world-wide for two decades. Successful applications range from commercial and institutional building to large power and industrial plants in once-through cooling and cooling tower systems. For more information on Mexel please visit http://www.mexelusa.com.
University of Michigan
Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the University of Michigan is one of the most distinguished universities in the world and a leader in higher education. It is one of a small number of public institutions consistently ranked among the nation’s best universities, and is regularly in the top three of the country’s public institutions, with over 51,000 students and 5,600 faculty at three campuses. The University is a leader in research and implementation of environmentally responsible and energy efficient technologies. The Campus boasts one of the largest health care complexes in the world, the best university library system in the country, and the some of the best computer access for students and faculty of any campus in the world. For more information on the University of Michigan’s Central Power Plant please visit http://www.plantops.umich.edu/.