Geo at the Nature Conservancy’s Disney Wilderness Preserve — Kissimmee, Fla.

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Disney’s Everglades nature preserve consists of 3,500 acres of restored wetlands and is home to 1,000 species of plants and animals. The Conservation Learning Center consists of a visitor center and both indoor and outdoor research labs to carry out the preserve’s nature conservation and study programs. It was designed to be a sustainable building and incorporates a number of “green” features, including geothermal heating and cooling.

Two years ago, after 20 years of operational life, the Conservation Learning Center’s heat pumps began to break down and were in need of replacement. In situations where there is poor ground water quality, installers Symbiont Service Corp. needed to explore closed loop plate heat exchangers where water is returned to the underground aquifer with no change in chemical composition.

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The geothermal system’s open loop wells and piping were deemed operationally sound, so Symbiont selected Bosch Thermotechnology’s five FHP ES Model WSHP as the replacement units, manufactured in Bosch’s Fort Lauderdale facility.

ES models are two-stage water-to-air heat pumps with a two-speed scroll compressor and an ECM constant airflow fan motor for ultra-efficient, quiet performance. The ES’s ECM fan motor is factory programmed to vary the airflow based on the stages of compressor operation resulting in up to 60% in additional energy savings and a greater comfort level comfort.

IMAG7061Crews installed a total of five ES units, 3 to 5 tons in range, in the Center’s attic, providing a total of 20 tons capacity.

Project was conceptualized third quarter 2014 with assistance to the Nature Conservancy Wilderness Preserve from Hub friend Jay Egg of EggGeothermal Consulting, Kissimmee, Fla.

Crews needed to complete the work with customers in mind, as the center is open year-round and is free to the public for hiking and nature watching.

Installing contractor, Symbiont, needed to replace existing PVC water distribution piping with HDPE fused pipe to comply with local code and installed a Bosch-supplied stainless steel hose kit.

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According to Symbiont Sales Manager Mike King, “The installation of the ES units went very smoothly. We placed two vertical ES units in the attic space above a classroom and three horizontal units above the Center’s office area.”

Daniel Cole, the Preserve’s Facilities Coordinator, worked with independent geo consultant Jay Egg, Symbiont and Bosch’s Florida regional sales manager Chris Galvin on the upgrade project and reports that “there were no major disruptions to the facility’s daily operations during the work period.”

Symbiont Systems also replaced existing PVC water distribution piping with HDPE fused pipe to comply with local code, and installed the Bosch-supplied stainless steel hose kit.

— Bosch Thermotechnology’s FHP ES Model WSHP

 

 

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