Situation

Talk about a persistent problem, for thirty years the central air conditioning system at Dow Chemical’s world headquarters in Midland, MI failed to work properly, causing hot and cold spots throughout the million sq. ft. of buildings. Unusually high utility and maintenance costs compounded the problem. When Dow Chemicals World Headquarters Facility Manager, Tom Klumpp, decided enough was enough, he turned to ATIGROUP for a uniquely comprehensive solution.

“I interviewed other large full-service mechanical contractors” says Tom, “and they each had the same solution: just replace the chiller. ATIGROUP’s engineering staff was the only company that approached the problem for the perspective of understanding the entire system before recommending a solution”. ATI took a holistic approach to solving Dow Chemical’s problem. Director of Engineering Services, Mike Wacyk explains: “before recommending a solution, we first had to understand why the original system never worked right, especially since the central chilled water plant capacity was near 3000 tons. Replacing the chillers might have been the simpler solution, but it wouldn’t have provided the long-term resolution Dow was looking for.”

Solution

In keeping with ATIGROUP’s integrated approach to problem solving the first task was collecting field data so as to understand how the original system design compared to the existing system in operation. Over a period of three weeks ATI’s engineers visited Dow’s facilities and gathered information on the existing network of chillers, pumps, and piping. What ATI’s engineers discovered was significant, various piping configurations and subsequent modifications over the years had dramatically and negatively impacted system performance. The negative impact was that the central air conditioning system no longer worked the way intended in the original design.

Once ATIGROUP had the facts in hand, the second task was creative problem solving. Together ATI’s engineering team sketched potential new system designs until they had a design that offered the best long-term solution while reducing Dow’s owning and operating costs.

Design –Build Construction on a Fast Track
With a new system design approved by the Dow Chemical Corporation ATIGROUP had less than six months to complete the major system retrofit. “Our biggest challenge, given the size and scope of the project was completing the work before the system would be needed in the spring” said Mike Wacyk. “Given the massive size of the equipment that had to be moved into the facility, it was critical that we plan methodically for each stage of work. Even more important, our on-going commissioning during the job ensured that the system was constructed the way we designed it.”

Tom Klumpp agrees ATIGROUP had all their ducks in a row. “ATI was very proactive about scheduling shutdowns and tie-in’s during installation, which proved to be essential in the elimination of disruptions to office occupants throughout the installation process” Besides improving system capability and minimizing disruptions to the office staff, Tom had another goal that he expected ATI to meet. “The original system had to be drained of water every spring and fall to eliminate the risk of freezing in the pipes. To solve this specific problem, ATI had to design the new system that would not require the system to be drained. ATI designed a system to recycle the steam condensate and keep it at sixty degrees in the winter so it wouldn’t freeze. This new design also reduced Dow’s operating and maintenance costs by 10%.

ATIGROUP remains committed to ensuring Dow’s central system continues to meet expectations.

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