Optimizing Campus Cooling Systems with Electromagnetic Flow Meters

Meeting the Demands of Continued Growth

The university has seen considerable growth in recent years with undergraduate applications in 2023 exceeding 58,000. This growth has dramatically increased the demand for heating and cooling, placing additional strain on the aging infrastructure of the existing HVAC system.

In order to support campus growth, updates to their systems were required to enhance efficiency and improve sustainability. This was achieved in the following ways:

• Cooling Tower Renovation: The renovation of the three existing cooling towers to improve performance and reliability.
• New Chillers Installation: The installation of three new 3000-ton chillers to increase cooling capacity.
• Chilled Water Distribution Expansion: The installation of new underground chilled water distribution and stormwater piping, which will connect to the existing systems, enhancing distribution efficiency.
• Stormwater Collection System: A 250,000-gallon underground stormwater collection tank is being installed to capture and reuse stormwater, reducing the university's impact on the city's stormwater infrastructure. The stormwater will also be used to create the make-up water for the cooling towers, reducing the use of municipal water.

The Need for Flow Monitoring

The integration of flow monitors was vital to this project, as the university required a reliable and robust solution capable of delivering high accuracy in zero straight run conditions. To meet these requirements, the team selected the ModMAG M2000 Electromagnetic flow meter for its dependable performance and durable design. Free of moving parts and flow obstructions, it requires almost no maintenance, making it ideal for demanding campus environments. With an accuracy of ±1% and the ability to operate without long straight pipe runs, these meters, equipped with BACnet technology, offer seamless integration into existing building management systems (BMS). By delivering continuous real-time flow data, these meters empower facility managers to quickly identify and resolve system inefficiencies, supporting long-term energy-saving and sustainability goals.

Results and Benefits

The implementation of the electromagnetic flow meters allowed the university to:

• Increase Pump Efficiency: Through real-time flow monitoring, the university could identify when flow rates were too high. Adjusting the flow rates to the optimal level has given them the power to prevent over-pumping, leading to improved pump efficiency. These modifications will protect vital components, increase system longevity and reduce operating costs.
• Optimize Chiller Staging: Advanced flow monitoring has enabled facility managers at the university to track actual flow demand in real-time. Monitors revealed that demand for cooling was significantly less at night. This meant that chillers could be staged down (turned off) at this time to avoid unnecessary operation, reducing both energy consumption and operating costs.
• Improve Primary Flow Systems: Detailed flow analysis provided by the M2000 flow meters allowed the university to identify that the flow rate of the chilled water within the system was too high, contributing to low Delta T syndrome. By adjusting the flow rates and maintaining the correct levels, operators could achieve optimal Delta T and avoid over-pumping, improving system efficiency.

Supporting Growth with Smarter HVAC Infrastructure

For the team at this leading university, this state-of-the-art flow monitoring solution has revolutionized their HVAC system. Providing the tools and data visibility to allow facility managers to fully optimize their assets and significantly reduce their operating costs, this solution delivered an efficient and sustainable system, which will meet the needs of the growing campus community for many years to come.