4 minute read
A Sustainable Facility
DuPont constructs new manufacturing facility with energy conservation in mind
CONTRIBUTED BY DUPONT
ON NOVEMBER 6, 2023, DuPont opened its new Kalrez® Manufacturing facility, named Tralee Park Annex, in Newark, Delaware. The facility provides supplemental capacity to the existing Tralee Park site in Newark and is dedicated to manufacturing semiconductor grade perfluoroelastomer seals in a state-of-the-art ISO Class 6 Cleanroom, along with other supporting processes and facilities.
Construction on the new site included a complete building makeover to support the installation of customized equipment to extrude, mold, postcure, inspect, package and chip high performance seals for the electronics industry. The facility operates continuously and includes all necessary process utilities to power and operate the equipment, cleanroom, and HVAC systems.
Throughout the construction of the site, DuPont integrated sustainability principles and processes into all aspects of the project. DuPont installed the most energy efficient technology available, particularly with significant utility requirements for the process equipment, large cleanroom, and HVAC facilities. DuPont installed energy efficient LED lighting and automated controls to reduce energy consumption for facility lighting. In addition, two of the most significant energy reduction features include Automated Building Controls and a new type of air handler that reduces both the upfront investment cost of the facility and the energy requirements going forward.
DuPont installed an advanced Building Automation System (BAS) that monitors and controls all utility and HVAC systems. All fans, pumps, and motors are controlled by Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) to vary the power output and conserve energy, while ramping up as needed to meet the process requirements. All systems are demand-based with energy conservation the primary factor in the programming of the system. The BAS is accessible through multiple displays throughout the facility and can be accessed through network connections using workstation PCs. All air handlers also utilize 100% economizing outside air dampers, which are controlled by the BAS and save energy by drawing in additional cool air during the fall, winter, and spring months for “free cooling” of the process areas, without using as much chilled water to offset the heat generated by the process equipment. The use of VSDs, BAS control systems, and Economizing AHUs can potentially reduce energy consumption by at least 20-30%.
A second energy savings feature involved the use of large air rotation or air turnover units to provide the conditioned air in a large portion of the facility. These units move and condition high volumes of air in open spaces and replaced 10 roof-top units that were originally proposed in the project design. The air rotation units are installed inside the building at the ground level and circulate and condition up to 50,000 CFM of air, using low HP fans that achieve very good temperature uniformity. This equipment is relatively new in DuPont and enabled both upfront investment savings as well as on-going energy reduction benefits. The site has two of these units installed, which condition about 60% of the facility. The key benefits of these ARUs include:
Reduced energy usage from low HP fans
No ductwork or duct insulation cost
No rooftop support or penetrations
Fewer utility hook-ups due to less air handlers
Ground level maintenance
100% OA economizer to reduced energy usage
DuPont will continue to look for additional sustainability improvements as the facility is expanded for additional equipment planned in the future.
