Evco Mechanical was hired by Hudson Troy Towers to renovate their central cooling plant, which included a steam absorption chiller, forced draft cooling towers, circulating pumps for cooling tower water, and central plant controls. The original system was over 30 years old and was in dire need of replacement before the start of the next cooling season. To complete this work as a turn-key design-build contract, including all mechanical, electrical, and controls work, they chose Evco Mechanical.

Many Improvements

The new cooling central plant design included many improvements that will deliver significant energy savings for the building. There are also benefits such as an increased lifetime the new equipment and systems can provide. This new system design incorporates a new Trane Centra-Vac™ Chiller, BAC™ Cooling Towers, Taco™ Pumps, and Kelvyon Plate-And-Frame heat exchangers, as well as new a Delta Controls ™ Building Automation Systems. A unique feature of this project is the conversion of the original steam-absorption cooling plant into a new plant powered by electricity. Energizing the new Trane chiller required the installation of new electrical power infrastructure at Troy Towers, including a new 480 V utility service, new electrical switchgear, and feeders for the new equipment.

Not Without Some Challenges

As you can see by the photograph, and throughout the video, Mother Nature decided to test our installation team more than most installations.

The location of Troy Towers along the picturesque cliffs of Union City also posed significant challenges and risks for the rigging and delivery of the new equipment. Attached to the sheer side of the Hudson River cliffs, the location of the cooling tower and cooling tower pumps is on a structural platform.

Likewise, the chiller mechanical room is only accessible for equipment delivery via a temporary ramp built within the parking garage. The rigging complexity of the project, coupled with the technical requirements of a new electrically powered plant, make this renovation at Hudson Troy Towers uniquely suited for Evco Mechanical.

This job also required our expertise working with a sizable electrical component, as the installation involved a new 480V, 1200A electrical service complete with a PSEG transformer and pad outside the building. Further, we installed a suite of indoor gear with a meter and a large distribution system to energize the new chiller, the cooling towers and all the pumps.

This project illustrates Evco Mechanical’s ability to perform full-size electrical installations alongside a massive renovation.