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Franklin Farms enjoys significant annual energy savings from extensive process cooling upgrade
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Business Situation Franklin Farms, Inc. is a Connecticut-based commercial supplier of mushrooms and mushroom-based products, including Franklin's new Portabella and veggie burger, to supermarkets and restaurants throughout the country. Franklin had worked previously with Northeast Utilities over a three-year period to take advantage of Northeast's Energy Action Program (EAP). Northeast Utilities had allocated $750,000 for Franklin's energy conservation improvements within a specified time. The core improvement was to be the installation of a wetside economizer. This piece of equipment would allow Franklin to use condenser water during the winter to provide cooling for the mushroom beds without using electric chillers. But Northeast Utilities' deadline for this and other improvements was coming fast. SavageALERT, a PPL Company, was called in, and after meeting with Franklin and Northeast Utilities was chosen to provide a design/build solution.
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BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
BUSINESS SOLUTION By working closely with Franklin on the design aspect of the project, SavageALERT enabled the client to cut some engineering costs and fast-track the project. The wetside economizer was installed, upgrades were made to the compressors and refrigeration equipment, and the electric motors were resized on the fan coil air handling units. SavageALERT also helped solve the other refrigeration system problems. A filtration system was installed in the condenser water circuit to minimize fouling in that system. A problem arose concerning what to do when the outdoor winter temperature rose above 38 degrees - when air could no longer sufficiently cool the water coming from the wetside economizer. SavageALERT devised a solution by redesigning the valving and controls for the condenser water, allowing the electric chillers to come on-line. "SavageALERT was a company that would listen to what our specific needs were," says Franklin's Mike Tules. "What's more, they were very aggressive in coming up with the solutions we wanted." All work by SavageALERT was completed on schedule, allowing Franklin to meet Northeast's rebate deadline. What's more, the extensive redesigns and upgrades were implemented with minimal disruption to Franklin's varied phases of on-going mushroom production. Franklin is now enjoying significant energy savings annually, with most of the savings coming from the wetside economizer. Currently, Franklin is considering SavageALERT for the job of replacing the farm's centrifugal chiller plant. "I was extremely pleased with SavageALERT's thorough project management, and their mechanical installation team," notes Tules. "It's very satisfying to have had SavageALERT come in, design and build a project that yielded that savings originally projected." "SavageALERT has the commitment to do the job that needs to be done," concludes Barton. "This is just one of 16 projects they've accomplished for us since 1982. We've always been happy, and see no reason to go anywhere else." |
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"SavageALERT was a company that would listen to what our specific needs were..."
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© 2004 PPL SavageALERT |
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