About This Project
PNE, Vancouver – Home of the Vancouver Giants (WHL) –
- Running on REALice®: 45F water and 21F Ice temperature
- FortisBC Verified 340GJ Natural Gas Savings
PNE has two Ice Arenas in Operation:
- Coliseum (16,000 seating capacity and home of the Vancouver Giants from September to April)
- Agrodome (3500 seating capacity and used for Community Ice from September to March)
REALice® System was installed in the Agrodome in January 2014.
Electrical and Gas Savings at the PNE Agrodome
87000
PNE’s kWh Estimated Savings with REALice®
340
GJ Verified savings with REALice®
Before REALice® was installed
- Zamboni 520 has a 200 US Gallon tank (approx. 150 US gallons of hot water used per ice flood)
- Zamboni averaged 12 ice floods/day or 2160 ice floods/year which equated to over 324,000 gallons of hot water previously used per year
- Hot water for ice floods was previously between 120 and 140 degrees F
- Ice temperature set point was 18 degrees F
- Agrodome hot water system could not keep up with shower water demand for user groups when Zamboni required hot water for ice floods (building was not originally designed as a Community Ice facility)
After REALice® system was installed
- Community Ice User groups have requested less ice floods due to a more durable ice surface
- Ice makers use only cold water for ice floods (45 degrees F)
- Ice temperature set point increased to 21 degrees F
Costs Savings & Benefits
- Ice System compressors have approximately 25% less run time
- Hot Water Boilers have approximately 50% less run time
- Community User Groups consistently have hot water for showers
- Ice System Compressors and Hot Water Boilers have an increased life expectancy
Transition Process and Starting to Work With REALice® System
- Ice specs and equipment run times were logged prior to REALice® System being installed for future comparison purposes (December 2013)
- PNE staff installed REALice® System and monitoring equipment (December 2013)
- “Old” ice was shaved out (approx. 1”) and REALice® was installed between December 23 and 27, 2013 when no ice users were in the building
- User groups commenced using REALice® on January 2, 2014
- Ice Techs slowly decreased ice flood water temperature and increased ice
temperature set points until optimum ice conditions were obtained
- Ice Techs adjusted Zamboni speed during ice floods
Perception from Stakeholders
- The initial reaction from Ice Techs regarding the installation of REALice® System was mixed
- After the REAL ice transition period, Ice Techs are now convinced that REALice system makes a clearer and more durable ice surface
- Ice Plant Operators immediately noticed less equipment run time
- Management looking for ways to reduce energy use were very pleased with the results
- Feedback from Community Ice user groups has been very positive commenting that the ice quality is excellent