Hunt Midwest Ammonia Compressor Energy Rebate Retrofit
Through an innovative approach to this ammonia energy project, P1 Service’s Industrial Ammonia Refrigeration team beat rebate projections and ultimately earned Hunt Midwest rebates of more than $120,000 based on annual electrical savings of more than 920,000 kWh for the SubTropolis underground business complex in Kansas City.
SubTropolis is the largest underground business complex in the world, created through the mining of a 270-million-year-old limestone deposit. In the mining process, limestone is removed by the room and pillar method, leaving 25-foot square pillars that are on 65-foot centers and 40 feet apart.
P1 Service partnered with Clear Results and Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) for the Hunt Midwest-owned SubTropolis facility upgrade. The project consisted of removing two old rotary vane compressors, installing a new Frick screw compressor, and installing an all new PLC control system.
“The energy savings come from “off cycling” all the ammonia compressors during peak demand times,” Michael Schram, Industrial Ammonia Refrigeration Service Manager, explained. “This is a different approach than the conventional method of kilowatt hour savings.”
Schram notes the team was also able to cycle freezer fan coil units to capture additional rebate dollars.
The project was design-built in-house, and entailed an ammonia screw compressor install, PLC control integration of the ammonia engine and the installation of a 40,000 sq. ft. freezer.
P1 Service put its single-source capabilities to work, including building technologies, design-build, electrical construction, and mechanical construction.
Due to the expertise of P1 Service, Hunt Midwest received rebates from two KCP&L rebate programs. Under the Custom Business Energy Efficiency Program, Hunt Midwest was awarded $100,000 for 605,000 kWh of savings, and under the Block Bid Program, they were awarded an additional $20,688 for 923,282 kWh.
