Epsilon recently began field-installation of a large Off-Site Constructed (OSC) process chilled water system for an automotive plant in Coahuila State, Mexico. This 6,000 ton system (seen here in our final assembly plant in Kingston, Ontario, prior to shipment) is configured to standards developed for this client on prior Epsilon projects; not only is it engineered to optimize energy efficiency over the 12-month operating period, but it’s designed to be easily maintainable while respecting strict automotive work safety rules.
The chiller system includes four (4) 1,500 ton 460 V chillers with VFD driven compressors for high efficiency at lower winter ambient temperatures, and utilizes a combination of recycled and reclaimed water sources for tower makeup water. All normal maintenance work can be done with hand tools, with no need to use fall tie-offs or utilize lifts for access.
Considering the site location, why not stick-build the entire system with lower cost local labor? Skilled tradesmen (particularly mechanical and electrical) are in very short supply, even if hourly labor costs overall are lower than in the US. OSC that utilizes a proven design by an experienced supplier results in a better quality project overall at a known reasonable cost. The OSC approach addresses the schedule and performance risks associated with fabrication and erection by local suppliers with limited skillsets and experience. The reduced skilled labor demand for the utility system helps to free-up those scarce trades for other work that must be done in the field.
