The Chatter 2021

Strengthening Powerful Connections

By Jennifer Miller & Mark Maulucci

A/Z Corporation recently completed a critical initiative for one of the lead designers and manufacturers of semiconductor products. With a global footprint, their products can be found across data center, telecommunications, and industrial and defense applications. Their customers depend on high-quality, robust products with no margin for error while ensuring maximum performance.

Due to the critical nature and growing demand for the products they provide, any disruption to the manufacturing process is not an option. Subsequently, they identified the need to improve its energy efficiency and resiliency at its headquarters in Lowell, Massachusetts. As a result, the company teamed up with Renew Energy Partners and A/Z to develop a combined cooling, heat, and power (CCHP) facility, also known as a trigeneration plant.

A/Z acted as the design lead for a GE Jenbacher 2.6 mW natural gas-fueled engine generator, including a heat recovery steam generator to produce low-pressure steam and jacket water heat recovery equipment. The team was also responsible for installing a new 295-ton hot water absorption chiller and cooling tower and integrating the new CCHP system into the existing manufacturing plant. The heat recovery measures in the new CCHP aim to increase thermal efficiency from 55 percent to 75 percent in the winter months, improve the efficiency of the absorption chiller, and reduce the overall system payback period.

“A/Z was tasked with a critical infrastructure project where disruption to any manufacturing operations was not an option,” said Richard Drake, PE, Director. “Critical to the project was coordinating tie-ins with manufacturing shutdowns as well as achieving the completion date to receive utility incentives. Our team collaborated with numerous partners to install the equipment without impacting sensitive operations and successfully performed the work within the shutdown periods. Our entire team was the key reason the project was a success!”

The new CCHP system includes a 15kV custom switchgear, 630kW TESLA powerpack, allowing the facility to seamlessly transition from the grid to islanding mode with no power interruption. The facility is also equipped for full black start capabilities, which helps improve power reliability during local utility outages. In addition to aiding in cost and energy savings, the CCHP facility also contributes to the client’s sustainability goals by significantly reducing CO2 emissions and other pollutants.