How It Works
Our system uses a natural gas-fueled engine to generate chilled water and hot water. It is a form of cogeneration and is the most efficient way to produce chilled water and hot water simultaneously. It provides building owners with a reliable, proven, and cost-effective alternative to conventional electric chillers. Now Tecochill natural gas chillers are eligible for up to a 40% Federal Investment Tax Credit.
By using cheap natural gas to produce chilled water instead of expensive electricity you can reduce your electrical consumption, peak demand charges and utility bills significantly. At the same time, free “waste” heat is recovered and used to offset fuel that would otherwise have to be burned in the site’s water heaters and boilers. This allows the site’s boilers to not have to work as hard so the site’s gas bill (e.g., for space heating, domestic hot water (DHW), process hot water, pool heating, etc.) is also reduced.
Benefits
The only natural-gas engine driven chiller on the market - TECOCHILL's benefits are significant.
50%
Reduction in utility-related operating costs
50%
Reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions normally associated with electricity and hot water production
- Lowest Operating Costs - TECOCHILL systems can cut a building's cooling costs in half, by switching to affordable natural gas our chillers eliminate most of the electrical load associated with providing cooling.
- Demand Savings - TECOCHILL chillers reduce a building's on-peak electrical demand (kW) and energy (kWh) charges, especially in the summertime when electricity rates are at their highest, but when natural gas is "off-peak" and quite affordable.
- Free Waste Heat - TECOCHILL also offers optional "waste" heat recovery that is always available anytime the chiller is running. This high-quality heat source (up to 230oF hot water) literally comes for free and can be captured and put to good use. The optional repurposing of available engine waste heat is what turns a TECOCHILL into an elegant "mechanical" cogeneration system.
- More than Twice the Efficiency of Chiller Alternatives - TECOCHILL gas chillers provide the most efficient alternative to conventional electric chillers by far, with efficiencies (COP's) often double those of absorption chillers, even without taking into account free heat recovery. This means TECOCHILL operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions are cut in half as well.
- Avoid Electrical Service Upgrades - TECOCHILL chillers can help a power-hungry building maintain or add necessary cooling capacity, without gobbling up limited electrical capacity, or requiring expensive upgrades to a building's electrical service.
- Reduce Demand on Backup Power Systems - Because TECOCHILLs run on reliable natural gas and draw only minimal electrical load to operate the equipment controls, they can be operated in a blackout with minimal demand on backup power systems. This frees crucial backup power for other mission critical operations while maintaining sensitive climate controlled areas.
- Hybrid Plant Flexibility - Sometimes TECOCHILLs are applied in 'hybrid' chiller plants that utilize both gas and electric chillers in order to lower a building's cooling costs. Hybrid plants give building owners the greatest flexibility and diversity - allowing a building owner to optimize their plant by utilizing whichever type of chiller offers the lowest cost by time of day and season.
- Modular and Compact Design Eases Installation - Since no oversized pumps or cooling towers are required and thanks to TECOCHILL's compact footprint, TECOCHILLs can fit into the same tight mechanical room spaces that electric chillers do - easing installation in new and old buildings alike.