3M Company

Year Submitted: 2003

Process: Air Conditioning

Industry: Electronics Manufacturing

Wastes Reduced: CFC's

Equipment: Chillers

Location: Austin TX

No. of employees: 1400

Contact: Bonnie Pepin

Phone: (512) 984-5996

Description:

Three chiller units are used by the 3M Austin Center facility for air conditioning. The chillers use R-11 (a CFC refrigerant product). The purge units for these chillers were replaced with new more efficient purge units which condense the refrigerant and recirculate it into the system before the air is pumped out of the units.

P2 Application:

The highly efficient purge units were installed in August, 1991 before regulatory CFC reductions programs were mandated.

Environmental Benefits:

The resulting pollution prevention of the new purge units is estimated to be 280 pounds per year of CFC emissions.

Details of Reductions

Additional Information :

This modification cost approximately $20,000. The project also resulted in a savings of $12,000 per year in reduced maintenance and service costs for the equipment.

Source: TCEQ