Alternate Cooling Methods for Industrial Plants

Abstract

Cooling in industrial facilities has traditionally been performed by mechanical vapor compression units. While it remains the standard, recent concerns with the rising cost of electricity and environmental legislation restricting or outlawing CFC refrigerants has caused many plants to evaluate existing cooling methods. This paper presents case studies on alternate cooling methods used for space conditioning at several different industrial facilities. Methods discussed include direct and indirect evaporative, desiccant, and absorption cooling. Cooling effectiveness, operating cost and investment are also presented. Data for this evaluation was collected from clients served by Georgia Tech's Industrial Energy Extension Service, a state-sponsored energy conservation assistance program.