Carrier in London ground source project
UK: Carrier has supplied three high-performance chillers for what is believed to be the largest open loop ground source project of its kind in the UK.
The new Riverlight district cooling and heating scheme on the banks of the River Thames in Battersea, London, is being developed by regeneration specialist St James, a member of the Berkeley Group. The development comprises 812 residential apartments, including 116 shared ownership units, retail sites, restaurants, bars, leisure facilities and a child day-care centre.
Designed and installed by ground source system designer and installer IFTech Ltd, the environmentally sustainable scheme comprises eight deep water wells linked to the chillers and heat pumps.
The three Carrier AquaForce 30XW HP 500kW chillers supply six multi-storey buildings with comfort cooling and hot water from a central plant room, linked to a series of boreholes. This enables the transfer of cooling and heating energy to and from aquifer groundwater, boosting efficiency and significantly reducing carbon emissions.
The chillers are equipped with an enhanced control system, which optimises the system for production of hot water or chilled water. This in turn connects to and integrates with the site’s BMS, for even greater efficiency and control.
The chillers operate in heating, cooling and mixed modes.
In heating mode, the screw compressor-based water-cooled liquid chillers produce hot water up to 45°C, and can operate with a coefficient of performance of more than 6.5.
In cooling mode, the system produces chilled water for comfort cooling, using ground water as a condensing medium and transferring energy via compact brazed plate heat exchangers.
In mixed mode, the system provides a combination of cooling for the building while also catering for the domestic hot water requirements.
Use of three operating modes ensures that performance and efficiency is optimised across the chillers’ range, and comfort conditions are maximised for building occupants.
Nick Boid, managing director of IFTech Ltd, said: “Riverlight is a very important project for us, and we are proud that it is the largest open loop ground source system in the UK. It demonstrates the practical and environmental benefits of the approach, in terms of improved energy efficiency, lower carbon emissions, reduced running costs and improved indoor comfort for those living there.”
John Foster, who headed up the project for Carrier, commented: “It is the first district heating and cooling scheme Carrier has been involved with in the UK. However, given the demand to reduce energy use and cut carbon emissions, plus the drive to build new homes in city centres, we are keen to participate in pushing forward the boundaries of technology in this promising area in the future.”
The final phases of the Rivelight project were recently completed, and the developer has announced that all apartments have now been successfully let or sold.
