Metropolitan Transportation Commission-Chiller Replacement

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) Metropolitan Transportation Center (MTC) was originally constructed in 1974. The original water-cooled chiller was replaced with an air-cooled chiller in 1999. Though still in operation, the chiller was experiencing numerous operational issues as it was beyond the end of its useful life. It was beginning to experience failure symptoms, including replacing multiple compressor motors. In addition, the packaged control system was obsolete and no longer supported by the manufacturer.

NFTA retained Wendel to provide professional engineering services to replace the existing roof-mounted central air-cooled chiller at the MTC. A critical component of the design development process was the selection of refrigerant and equipment. The existing air-cooled chiller utilized R-22 refrigerant. R-22 is an HCFC refrigerant that is often used in air-conditioning equipment. Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are chemicals that are used primarily as refrigerants. Unfortunately, releases of HCFCs deplete the Earth’s protective ozone layer and contribute to climate change. The stratospheric ozone layer shields the Earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. Emissions of certain synthetic chemicals, including CFCs, halons, and HCFCs destroy the ozone layer and have created an “ozone hole” over the South Pole. Through the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone layer, the United States committed to a collaborative, international effort to regulate and phase out ozone-depleting substances. R515B for the replacement air-cooled chiller was ultimately recommended through an evaluation of refrigerant options.

During the design development, an evaluation was also conducted to select the best equipment for the project that met the facility’s needs while also considering the impacts on energy usage and the ability to leverage incentive programs. The Smardt chiller was recommended as its efficiency was 23.30 IPLV, which exceeds the Energy Conservation Code of New York State required efficiency by 44% and also significantly exceeds the “BuildSmart NY” program goals of 10% beyond NYS Energy Code requirements.

According to the 2020 NYS Building Code, the dunnage system can be re-used without structural analysis if the proposed chiller is at most 5% heavier than the existing chiller. The proposed system would exceed this 5% threshold, so Wendel also completed a preliminary structural analysis of the facility. Wendel’s in-house engineers were able to perform this analysis and associated design.