Proposal

Proposal Highlights

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Design Alternatives

Depth 1: Combined Heat and Power

The first design alternative is developing a combined heat and power (CHP) system for the destination brewery. It has an ideal electric to heating ratio of 0.36 to utilize a CHP system. A relatively constant demand is also preferred for this system, and the brewery is operating 24/7. 

 

Depth 2: Energy Recovery

As previously stated, the brewery consumes a lot of energy throughout the process. This includes heating and cooling at various points. Gaining a further understanding of the brewing process and various pieces of equipment will help locate various locations in the process that energy can be recovered and/or stored for further use. The large exhaust systems in place for the brewing rooms and kitchens also provide a potential of heat exchange with incoming outside air. 

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Depth 3: HVAC Redesign

This final proposed alternative is to serve as another option to look into if one of the previous alternatives prove to be unrealistic to fully design and understand. This alternate would include the redesign of the HVAC systems in place at the brewery. The current HVAC design is made up of packaged rooftop units conditioning their respective zones. The redesign would include using one or two air handling units (AHU) to provide outside air to the separate zones in the building with their respective fan coil units (FCU). This would also require developing hot and cold water loops to the fan coil units. 

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Design Integration

Breadth 1: Electrical

The purpose of this breadth is to understand how to design the electrical equipment required for integrating the CHP system to the brewery. The CHP system shall generate electricity to be used by the building and brewing process to reduce the demand on the utility and therefore reduce the monthly utility bill.

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Breadth 2: Acoustics

The purpose of this breadth is to ensure the operation of the CHP system does not affect the building occupants. A CHP system can produce significant noise and vibration. The noise produced by the CHP will be analyzed and it will be determined if the room enclosing the system can be isolated enough or if it should be relocated outside of the building. 

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M.A.E. Integration:

One masters course that will be highly influential on this thesis is AE 551 – “Building CH&P Systems.” The knowledge learned from this course will direct the design of the proposed CHP system for the brewery. 

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