A Texas School District Learns How SCALEBREAK® Saves Money
Facility Maintenance
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, energy costs are second only to personnel costs in K-12 school district operating budgets nationwide. To reduce energy consumption district-wide, a Texas School District committed to finding ways to become more efficient with their buildings, both in new construction design and in existing buildings.
The program’s goals are to reduce energy costs and provide economic, environmental, and educational benefits to improve student performance. An immediate opportunity to reduce energy costs was identified in a chiller plant at a local school. The school facility has two 500-ton and two 300-ton chillers, and with a simple inspection, there was evidence of scale buildup on the tubes.
After a physical review, it was identified that the tubes had approximately 0.012” (about 1/64”) of scale in the tubes. Even the lightest coating of scale can have a considerable impact on heat exchange properties, and at this level, the scaling was moderate fouling causing significant efficiency loss. The school district contacted Goodway Technologies to discuss ScaleBreak® descaling solutions. Goodway descaling expert Tim Fregeau worked with a mechanical contractor to determine the type of descaler best for their systems and the volume needed to get the job done most effectively.
Along with consultancy from Goodway, the mechanical contractor completed the job quickly in a few days. The results spoke for themselves. The HVAC Manager for the school district was able to report success in the cleanings. “We did all four chillers with wonderful results at the end. The efficiency gains have resulted in an annual energy savings of about $16,000.”
