Albert Lea Ice Arena - Albert Lea Minnesota

Albert Lea Ice Arena City of Albert Lea
Parks and Recreation Department
221 East Clark Street
Albert Lea, Minnesota 56307-2496

December 30,1996

Hy-Save, Inc.
18448 SE Pine Street
Portland, Oregon 97233-4859

Russ,
In the spring of '93, the Albert Lea Ice Arena underwent major rink floor renovation as a part of this process the rink floor refrigeration system was changed over from a Holmsten ( direct, or flooded ) system to an indirect system. In consideration of the decreased operating efficiencies inherent to the indirect system it was decided to explore all the options available to overcome these deficiencies. As a part of this upgrade the city installed two HY-SAVE LPA pumps. The results were amazing! Operating head pressures went from 210 - 225 PSI. down to 105 - 130 PSI., during cold weather operation and depending whether one or two compressors were operational. Compressor head temperatures dropped dramatically and the decreased noise level in the compressor room is greatly appreciated. Not only are the compressor run times reduced, the BAC cooling tower's heat load has dropped considerably. This has really helped reduce the scale buildup, in fact, the cooling tower scale has virtually disappeared. With the extremely hard water here in Albert Lea, that's a real accomplishment. This has also reduced our water treatment chemical usage. We traditionally have used 15 gallons of treatment every ten days. Now we are using 15 gallons every 20 - 30 days, which has also helped cut our operating costs.

Last summer both compressors were given a top end overhaul and an oil change. The valves and their related parts were worn but their was no sign of discoloration from excessive heat. Compare this to rebuilds previous to the HY-SAVE addition, where we found broken valve springs, cracked and blued valves, worn out valves, discolored valve cages, and residue from over- heated compressor oil.

At present, our local power company calculates that we are saving $800.00 per month on average in electricity costs. Add to this the reduced wear and tear on the refrigeration system, the increase in ice making efficiency and added refrigeration capacity, and reduced water treatment cost. Needless to say the City of Albert Lea is pleased with the results.

Sincerely,
Dawn MH Thompson
Recreational Director

Albert Lea Ice Arena
The Albert Lea Ice Arena
Project Photos