Contact Us | Our Company | Careers | Site Map
The concept is fairly simple; use groundwater from the underground reservoir or aquifer, which is always at a constant temperature of around 52°F to cool our plant in the summer and cool the machinery all year round, and use the waste heat from our processes to heat the plant in winter. We pump water from the ground to power our AC system and cool our cast film extrusion lines and CI drums for our presses.
By using a closed-loop system, whereby the same water we abstract from the ground is returned to the ground having passed through a series of heat exchangers, the water is returned untouched by any process before it returns to the aquifer. The project not only reduces Multifilm's carbon footprint by ensuring the plant consumes less energy, but also saves us more than 25% of our annual electricity costs.
All of this is being described in a document which is to be produced monthly – as Multifilm’s ‘Carbon Statement’ and an example of the format of this document will be made available shortly.
Below is a "photo-blog" of the progress
on the installation of the geothermal system.
Clive Maidment, our project manager and
energy consultant presents the finalized
plan to our team in April 2009.
Clive is a consultant that
specializes in energy-saving projects. He can be reached
via email at clive@maidment.eu
Well drilling commenced in May 2009.
We will use water from seven separate wells in two locations.
Close-up of the drilling. The water is down at 300 feet, and the Midwest soil is ideal for this type of application.
Supply and rejection lines are piped in
under the floor.
Supply and rejection lines are brought into the building in October 2009.
The heat exchangers and the control panel will go in the space to the left.
Halfway done! The three supply lines from
the wells are in place.
January 2010, the copper piping arrives that will distribute the water throughout the plant.
Hundreds of yards of copper pipes to
transport the water around the plant are mounted in
the ceiling by our contactor team.
The pipes connect to air-handlers that are lined with coils and fans that will blow cold or hot air around the plant.
February 2010, rejection and supply lines are in place and the floor is filled back up.
Pressure valves are temporary placed on the supply lines to make sure we have enough water flow to handle our needs.
February 18, 2010, the pump motors arrived today...
...as did the heat exchangers!
Now starts the real
challenge: connecting
the giant puzzle of pipes, pumps, heat-
exchangers and controllers!
March 4th, the first copper pipes are attached.
Slowly making progress.
March 10th, the pumps are connected.
Mid-March, the control panel has arrived and is put in place.
