Introduction

In collaboration with W. Tieleman B.V. early 2020, STULZ realized a large project for the Corendon Mangrove Beach Resort in Curaçao. There were a number of challenges in this sunny location that needed attention.

With this project, STULZ was able to demonstrate that it belongs in several areas of climate control by offering the complete package for comfort solutions. The service, air handling units, comfort airconditioning and control technology have worked together seamlessly to bring the project to a successful conclusion for both STULZ and the customer.

The customer

W. Tieleman B.V. is a building and construction company that takes care of several projects for hotels on national and international basis. The company takes care of projects in construction, infrastructure and landscaping. The company is responsible for the entire process. As two international operating companies, STULZ and W. Tieleman B.V. matched well and this international project could be completed in an efficient way.

The challenges

At first, the location was a factor that STULZ had to deal with. Not only regarding communication, but also the transport of the eight air handling units and 500 air conditioning units to Curaçao were a point of attention.
In addition, the controlling technology was new to the local installer, therefore, additional support was required. Local weather conditions also played a role during the project. Due to the high humidity, the different capacities, the installation of the units and the control technology needed extra attention.

In consultation with the installer, there were a number of requirements that the STULZ solution had to meet. The air handling units had to compensate the extracted air in the kitchens with fresh air and cool it back so that the heat load in the building increased minimally by fresh air. In addition, the biggest challenge was to make the ClimaPac air handling units suitable for transport in sea containers. This was particularly a task for the units for larger air volumes, which was successfully completed.

The solution

To keep the entire project on the right track, STULZ has sent several service technicians from The Netherlands to Curaçao for, among other things, adjusting the control technology, installing the air handling units, airconditioning units and overseeing the VRF project in general.

STULZ was able to realize a solution with eight air handling units with a nominal inlet temperature of 25°C. This keeps the kitchen temperature workable, but on the other hand, not unnecessarily much energy is used for the refrigerator. This greatly benefits the overall efficiency. A lower inlet temperature costs a lot of energy due to the high humidity on the island. Hence the choice for 25°C.

The air handling unit has an EC fan which is controlled in three steps by the controlling of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in combination with the STULZ CompTrol DC. The compressors are inverter controlled and therefore slow down as soon as the sun sets. In this way, the cooling in the hotel can be provided in an energy-efficient manner. In addition to the air handling units and the aforementioned control technology, STULZ was responsible for the supply of various comfort airconditioning units from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Because this is a solution for a hotel, the was chosen for redundancy, ie several smaller efficient systems of the KX series. As a result, the units in the hotel will not fail if an unexpected malfunction occurs in the system, and the solar panels still fit on the roof, which could not have been the the case when all kinds of separate splitting systems were used. The beautiful and quiet FDK indoor unit was chosen for the individual hotel rooms, making accessibility during maintenance optimal.

The FDTC and FDT indoor unit has been chosen for the ‘living areas’ such as the offices, the restaurant and the shops of the hotel because they have the best air distribution, without eliminating everything above the ceiling. In addition, the control technology from S-Klima has been applied, so the rooms never get warmer than 30°C, in addition to the comfort, this is important for the equipment present in the hotel room. In addition to this smart control, the energy consumption of each outdoor unit is also carefully monitored so that any errors or excesses can be detected by the local installer as quickly as possible.