Challenge
A leading manufacturer of plastic tubes and containers for the pharmaceutical industry needed to find a short-term rental solution to cover its manufacturing operation while two existing chillers were being repaired.
The chillers had failed and required major repair works that were expected to take up to three months. Under the mandatory tender process, the company sought quotes from three different suppliers. Two were contractors known to the company and already had units on site however Trane was new and not yet an official supplier.
The customer has a massive plant in Plymouth with around 15 chillers in operation to provide cooling during manufacturing processes. To replace the two faulty chillers, the customer needed the rental solution to provide cooling capacity of 1.1MW to keep the system at 6°C setpoint during production.
Solution
The Trane Rental team took a comprehensive approach to the customer’s issue and made it a priority to understand all their needs rather than simply provide a like-for-like chiller replacement.
Trane Rental determined that, in addition to wanting a very cost-effective solution, the company was also keen to reduce energy consumption as well as limit disruption to the site’s logistical requirements. Trane’s competitors were proposing the installation of two units to replace the two faulty units, but Trane Rental recommended a single, larger unit that could easily match the capacity of the two broken chillers. This would also have the benefit of taking up a smaller footprint on site.
Trane Rental installed a brand new Sintesis air-cooled chiller RTAF 305 using R1234ZE, a low GWP refrigerant. The unit was supplied promptly from Trane Rental’s brand-new facility in Basingstoke – loaded in the evening and installed the following day.
Results
The company was delighted with Trane’s comprehensive and thoughtful approach and the team’s RTAF chiller recommendation.
The RTAF is an air-cooled screw chiller that is smart, reliable, energy-efficient and quiet. As the rental unit was brand new, this means the customer is benefiting from the very latest technology and energy efficiencies. The customer is also getting the opportunity to utilise the latest equipment on site in active production processes.
The RTAF provides Trane smart control and interface combined, with a 7-inch touchscreen display and remote monitoring functionality. The unit also offers outstanding energy efficiency. Thanks to the success of this project, the customer has now set Trane up as a direct supplier and is in discussion regarding future projects.
