Challenge
Trane was called to address an urgent issue with a 1.1 MW RTAC300 chiller used for comfort cooling in an office building in France. The chiller was leaking refrigerant and had lost almost all its R134a refrigerant charge.
This situation required immediate assessment and action to limit downtime and restore cooling to the building. The customer needed a quick and effective solution to avoid discomfort for the building's occupants and potential disruptions to their operations. Additionally, the customer was concerned about the environmental impact of the refrigerant leak and sought a more sustainable solution to align with their sustainability and decarbonization goals.
Solution
The Trane service team responded swiftly, recommending an immediate solution to ensure a comfortable environment for the building's occupants.
They delivered and installed two rental chillers (1 x RTAD 150 and 1 x Sintesis Advantage CGAF 100) to provide temporary cooling. Concurrently, a comprehensive chiller audit was performed. Given the chiller's age and relatively good condition, the customer agreed to invest in a control retrofit and a refrigerant upgrade to R513A, which has a lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) than R134a. The retrofit included:
- Upgrading controls from CH530 to Symbio UC800.
- Replacing R134a with R513A (300 kg).
Additional procedures such as solenoid valve and valve body replacement, evaporator suction line treatment, electronic expansion valve replacement, and various electrical component upgrades.
Results
Thanks to the customer's trust in Trane's OEM expertise, the service team provided immediate assistance and a comprehensive range of Trane Building Advantage repairs and retrofit solutions. The control retrofit improved communication capabilities and unit control, ensuring future spare parts availability. The refrigerant retrofit to R513A maintained the same performance and capacity as R134a, future-proofing the installation and reducing the risk of suffering from refrigerant shortages.
Furthermore, instead of scrapping the unit, Trane revived and reused it. This helped the customer maintain the chiller and extend its operational life. By embracing a model of circularity, Trane avoided premature scrapping of usable equipment, reducing waste and benefiting the planet.
Overall, Trane's intervention minimized downtime and enhanced the sustainability and reliability of the customer's cooling system.
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