A new Mitsubishi
Electric e-series
chiller system has been chosen for Jaguar Land Rover’s principal design
facility in Worcestershire.
The new system was
brought in as part of a major refurbishment with the overriding aim of
improving on the energy efficiency of the old system.
Chiller systems have
been used to deliver controlled cooling to buildings for decades, but with an
increasing focus on energy efficiency and running costs, Mitsubishi Electric
developed its e-series modular chiller to provide a low-carbon, cost-effective
option. Its unique modular approach allows up to six individual units to be
connected, providing a system capacity from 90kW to 540kW. This approach
reduces space requirements and simplifies lifting and installation.
Mel Baynham at
Jaguar Land Rover explained that the Mitsubishi Electric system was the clear
frontrunner for several reasons: “We looked at a number of chillers, but the
Mitsubishi Electric system met all of our requirements including next day
delivery.”
The system comprises
two inverter driven compressors that allow it to operate between 8%-100% of
capacity.
“We pushed for
modular due to the fact that if a unit went down we would be able to keep the
system running while that module was being repaired. It also needed to be a
highly efficient system capable of looking after a design office containing
2,000 people”, added Mel Baynham.
The new, fully
operational system ultimately provides a more comfortable working environment
for its 2,000 members of staff in its Research and Design building; a critical
factor for ensuring productivity. By having a broad operating range, advanced
inverters and sophisticated controls, the e-series can deliver exceptional
part-load efficiencies, which is where it will primarily operate. The balance
of comfort and cooling performance will allow the car manufacturer to focus its
efforts on refining automotive technologies at a significantly reduced energy
cost.
Jaguar Land Rover’s
new cooling system was designed by Norvent Pipework and the installation was
carried out by IDS Electrical. The system consists of eight EACV-P900YA-N
e-series cooling-only chillers, plus eight MELCOBEMS MINI interfaces, which
provide individual indoor unit connections to a third-party Trend Controls
Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) via RS485 by either Modbus RTU or
BACnet from a common platform.
