Feature
Story
Temporary-Cooling
Solutions:
Plan ahead to meet performance
requirements
Michael McGraw, Manager, YORK Rental Solutions, Engineered Systems Group, YORK International Corp.
Temporary cooling is called for in a
variety of situations. Although
rental temperature-control equipment is frequently associated with emergencies, it is also quite common in a
number of planned applications where
cooling is critical to business operations,
providing comfort or protecting tempera-ture-sensitive manufacturing processes
and mission-critical facilities.
Developing a proactive contingency
plan is the best way to minimize associated risks and downtime. Some actions
that are included in a good plan are
identifying cooling requirements and
occasions where temporary cooling is
needed, selecting a supplier, and preparing the site for installation of temporary
equipment. Implementing these actions
well in advance of the need will keep
service disruption to a minimum.
Contingency Plan Benefits
When a cooling system goes down
unexpectedly, the time required to overhaul the system or replace the equipment
can have significant financial consequences. Immediate replacement is need-
ed to avoid costly downtime and to keep
the building or process operational. A
temporary system can restore a building
or process to operation quickly, especially
if a planned emergency response is in
place.
A temporary system can restore a
building or process to operation
quickly, especially if a planned
emergency response is in place.
The benefits of a contingency plan
include the following:
1. Allows cost savings/avoidance. Having
a contingency plan reduces time associated
with sourcing and determining temporary
requirements and minimizes unexpected
costs. The result is a proactive versus
reactive approach.
2. Provides fastest return to ‘normal’
mode. With a plan, temporary connections
(electrical and mechanical) are identified
and installed prior to an emergency situation; equipment locations, permits, etc.,
are also identified. This allows for the
quickest possible installation of a temporary chiller and resumption of cooling
service.
3. Reduces/manages customer risks. A
contingency plan assists both the temporary-cooling customer and vendor by providing a game plan for solving the problem
at the most critical hour. Preparing for
alternate cooling during an emergency
will lessen the likelihood that a disaster
will disrupt business.
Planned Applications
In addition to emergencies or
unplanned downtime, rental equipment
is an excellent option for planned situations. There are many applications for
rental equipment. Some of the most common include:
Routine maintenance. Temporary systems provide an excellent way to supply
cooling during planned equipment
maintenance, eliminating time pressures
to get the primary-cooling system back
on line. Operations can continue while
maintenance procedures are performed,
reducing expense and downtime.
