When the original long-serving CIAT chiller on the roof-top of the company’s head office building in Finchley, north London, came to the end of its operational life, CIAT UK was commissioned to come up with a cost-effective, like-for-like solution.

The new system is based on a high-efficiency AQUACIAT Power chiller (LD ST 1250C), with a cooling capacity of 342.5 kW. Based on smooth-running hermetic scroll compressors, the fully packaged air-cooled chiller offers excellent energy efficiency plus low noise operation. Efficiency is enhanced by the use of an all-aluminium micro-channel heat exchange coil, and axial condenser fans with composite blades with an optimised aerodynamic profile.

“We were keen to have a like-for-like replacement as the previous CIAT chiller had proved very reliable over many years of service,” said Natalie Chapman, senior facilities manager at Pentland Brands. “We worked closely with the CIAT UK team throughout the project, and were very pleased with their attention to detail and the quality of the final result.

 “In particular, we appreciated the emphasis on health and safety at every step of the process, which was a vital element in the project as the building remained fully operational throughout the changeover.”

The project included decommissioning and removal of the existing chiller, and installation of the new unit on the roof-top of the five-storey building. Due to space restrictions on site, this required use of a 45-plus-meter-reach crane for removal of the old chiller and positioning the new unit in its place.

The phased plan, managed by CIAT UK, included installation of new pipework, insulation, valve strainers and electrical connections, including trace heating and cabling and connection to the Building Management System (BMS). Finally, the company commissioned the new chiller and carried out balancing of chilled water flow rates across the system.