All Biosphere internal HAVAC and climate control needs are met using Closed Loop Water Systems.
Wilderness is comprised of the Desert, Mangrove, Savanna, Ocean and Rain Forest.
|
Electrical Peak Demands |
Kilowatts |
|
|
Biosphere 2 airtight enclosure |
1,200 |
|
|
Energy Center |
1,200 |
|
|
TOTAL |
2,400 |
|
|
Generating Capacity |
3,100 |
|
|
(fossil fueled generators) |
(including standby generator) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tons of |
Kilojoule |
|
Cooling Peak Demands |
Refrigeration |
per hour |
|
LEO |
900 |
11,400,000 |
|
Wilderness |
1,900 |
24,000,000 |
|
TOTAL |
2,800 |
35,500,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kilojoule |
|
Heating Peak Demands |
BTU per hour |
per hour |
|
LEO |
3,400,000 |
3,600,000 |
|
Wilderness |
7,000,000 |
7,400,000 |
|
TOTAL |
10,400,000 |
11,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Solar Energy (peak) Entering Glass |
BTU per hour |
Kilojoule per hour |
|
LEO |
8,200,000 |
8,700,000 |
|
Wilderness |
17,500,000 |
18,500,000 |
|
TOTAL |
25,700,000 |
27,100,000 |
Refrigeration Capacity: 600 Tons Refrigeration (TR)
- (1) – 600 TR York Centrifugal Chiller using R-134A Refrigerant. Minimum temperature 40oF.
- Minimum CWS Flow: 200 GPM (winter)
- Maximum CWS Flow: 3,800 GPM
- Daily average: 1,000 GPM
- Minimum CWS Temperature 40oF (4.4oC)
- Maximum CWS Temperature 54oF (10oC)
Emergency Storage Tank: Capacity 538 TR at 40oF (6.456 x 106 BTU/H at 4.4oC)
- This 120,000 gallon (456,000 L) underground tank features Eutectic Salt Cells that freeze at 47oF (8.3 C) utilizing the latent heat of the phase change, plus the sensible heat available in the thermal mass of water and eutectic cells to provide extra refrigeration.
Freecool Capability: Able to utilize ambient outside temperatures in winter, fall, and spring to cool the Chilled Water system closed loop via the open loop Tower Water system through a shared heat exchanger.
Heating Capacity: 20,000,000 BTU/Hr at 180oF maximum supply temperature
- Uses (2) 10,000,000 BTU/Hr natural gas fired hot water boilers
- Minimum HWS flow: 300 GPM
- Maximum HWS flow: 600 GPM
- Average flow: 400-500 GPM
- Minimum return temperature: 140o F (60o C)
- Maximum supply temperature: 180o F (82.2o C)
- Average heat taken from HWS: 1 x 106 BTU/H summer; 5 x 106 BTU/H winter
Bio-Tower Water System Cooling: 4,350 TR at cooling tower temperature (between 33oF and 80oF) or 52,200,000 BTU/Hr.
- Uses (2) 2.175 TR plate frame heat exchangers
- Minimum BTWS Flow: 2,000 GPM
- Maximum BTWS flow: 4,760 GPM
- Average Flow: 2,500 GPM
- Average heat load: 5 to 6 million BTU/Hr
Electrical Generating Capacity: 3.1 megawatt (3165 kW) total at 0.8 PF
- (1) 1,500 kW diesel Caterpillar (3516D) emergency generator
- (1) 1,500 kW natural gas Caterpillar (3608LE) low emissions standby generator
Biosphere Power Consumption: 6 million kWH annually
Energy Center Power Consumption: 5 million kWH annually
Peak Instantaneous Electric Load: 2,500 kW
Avg. Instantaneous Electric Load Biosphere 2: 570 kW
Nighttime Electric Load: 275 kW
Cooling Tower Design: 23,300,000 BTU/Hr (~6.830 kW) each tower cell
- Water Flow Rate: 4,240 GPM (16,050 L/Min.) each tower cell
- Evaporation rate to reject 23.3 x 106 BTU heat per hour: 47 GPM (177 L/Min.)
- Design approach 6o to wet bulb, 11o range. Towers frequently run a closer approach to minimize condensing pressure on the chiller.