Energy and Water

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 40^oF.
• Minimum CWS Flow: 200 GPM (winter)
• Maximum CWS Flow: 3,800 GPM
• Daily average: 1,000 GPM
• Minimum CWS Temperature 40^oF (4.4^oC)
• Maximum CWS Temperature 54^oF (10^oC)

Emergency Storage Tank: Capacity 538 TR at 40^oF (6.456 x 10⁶ BTU/H at 4.4^oC)

• This 120,000 gallon (456,000 L) underground tank features Eutectic Salt Cells that freeze at 47^oF (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 180^oF 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: 140^o F (60^o C)
• Maximum supply temperature: 180^o F (82.2^o 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 33^oF and 80^oF) 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 6^o to wet bulb, 11^o range.  Towers frequently run a closer approach to minimize condensing pressure on the chiller.