'Water Source' heat Pumps Prove Their Mettle on the Water
When WaterFurnace dealer Len Muller of ThermAll Company in Kirkland, Washington, received the call regarding a cruise ship from Seattle's Pacific Fisherman Shipyard, he recalls thinking it was "a little unusual." ThermAll and its predecessor have been installing GeoExchange systems in the Puget Sound area for ten years and are recognized as experts in lake loop systems. they have installed closed loop systems for many waterfront homes and even Seattle Houseboats, but no one had ever inquired about a ship.
The sight seeing ship, Spirit of Columbia, was in the shipyard for major modifications. Here new owners had decided to add a complete third deck and pilot house as part of a major retrofit for her new cruising grounds of the Columbia river and coastal Pacific Northwest. Their plan was to air condition the new cabins and pilot house with WaterFurnace water source heat pumps.
An Unusual Past
Thermall's inspection revealed a surprising story behind the request for help. It was one thing to want a new Spectra SX unit for the new cabins and pilot house, but they were surprised to find four, older 5-ton WX models already installed. A quick check of their serial numbers revealed that the units were at least four year years old. "But what really amazed us," recalls Len, "was that all the WX units were on an open loop system which had been drawing unfiltered seawater through the units for over four years." There were no air filters being used either. "The seawater had corroded through elbows on the copper water lines, but the coaxial heat exchangers, which were cupronickel, were basically okay. To top it off the remote thermostats weren't designed with that kind of an environment in mind."
John Farlow, ThermAll's field superintendent, states, "we were pleased to discover that after a slight acid cleaning of the coax and some miscellaneous tune-up work, the old units worked just fine. I always knew WaterFurnace built a quality piece of equipment, but this just cemented my opinion."
In contrast, when WaterFurnace was asked to provide the HVAC system for the ex-Presidential yacht, Sequoia, a titanium plate and frame heat exchanger was used to isolate the WaterFurnace system form the corrosive effects of seawater.
While ThermAll repaired the existing units and altered some of the ductwork to Coast Guard specifications, the new deck and pilot house had been prefabricated off site, barged over to the ship, and craned into place. Working in very tight quarters, they then installed a new horizontal Spectra SX 3-ton heat pump right under the raised pilot house deck. Temperature is now controlled throughout the ship by separate thermostats in the pilot house utilizing remote sensors in different zones. "That way the captain can easily control the system," says John. He continues, "Working to Coast Guard spec was difficult, but it was really different for our crew. I think they enjoyed it."
A WaterFurnace Spectra unit shown installed below the pilot house is one of five WaterFurnace units that provide the heating and cooling for the Spirit of Columbia.
Comfortable for Guests and Crew
Working on a tight schedule, ThermAll signed off on a ship shape HVAC system which met all Coast guard specifications just days before the ship sailed. A year later, Spirit of Columbia was back at the yard for her annual overhaul where a pleased Captain Leigh Reinecke reports that she has been more than satisfied with the WaterFurnace system on board. Our guests have remarked to us how comfortable they are ,even during the unusually hot summer days we had last year,: she says.
Alaska Cruise Lines is so satisfied with ThermAll's work that they have asked them to work on another cruise ship. A highly unusual installation has been a success, leaving everybody concerned in a win-win situation and proving that water source systems can be effectively used for innovative applications.
"In my territory, we've done everything from small houseboats here in Seattle to large waterfront estate homes with ocean loops in British Columbia. I think any type of water source application merits serious consideration," concludes WaterFurnace Territory Manager Gerard Del Monte.
Facility
· 200 foot-long cruise ship
· Open Loop (sea water)
· 5 units
· 23 HVAC Ton
Location
The Spirit of Columbia cruise ship sails on the Columbia River and along coastal Pacific Southwest.
Contact Information
WaterFurnace International, Inc.
In USA: 9000 Conservation Way, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46809, 1-800-222-5667
In Canada: 2943 Rainwater Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, L5N 6K8, 1-800-463-8108
http://www.waterfurnace.com/
Taken with permission from the US Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium, http://www.geoexchange.org. Copyright reserved by GHPC.