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“ The project was expensive but the system is efficient and effective.
Perhaps more importantly, it is reliable so we are able to get our job done.
There are as much savings in intangibles as in other hard dollar fuel savings.”
Ed’s
grade for the project was straightforward as usual:
1.The results are good, and
2. TrueLeaf met all of their commitments and representations.
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General Manager, John Wilson
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— Ed
Craig,
Owner,Woodbridge Gardens
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Woodbridge Gardens founded in 1971 by owner Ed Craig
and based in Lodi, California, is a large producer of foliage,
perennials, herbs and other potted crops. Woodbridge consists
of three locations in California and Washington with 700,000
square feet of greenhouses and over 20 acres of outdoor
growing area.
Al Zylstra had worked
with Ed and General
Manager, John Wilson,
to provide Argus Controls
with the primary focus
on energy efficiency,
especially managing an
aging steam heating
system.
So, when Ed called for help with some
additional heating equipment, Al
suggested having TrueLeaf complete an
energy audit. Ed agreed and the energy
audit revealed an overall fuel use
efficiency of 44% to 55%, confirming
that there was much room for improvement,
a lot of energy dollars were being
wasted. This, along with the need to
make major costly repairs to the existing
steam boiler convinced Ed that it
was time to take a serious look at
replacing the existing system that had
served him well for many years with
an updated hot water system.
TrueLeaf engineers got
busy and came up with
several design alternatives
for Ed and John to review.
With mild daytime temps even during
winter, it was critical that the boiler
system be able to scale very precisely
to match the actual heating loads,
particularly the small and intermittent
heating loads frequently experienced
during the day. Woodbridge chose
TrueLeaf high-efficiency boilers configured
in multiple boiler arrays. These
boiler arrays were located in three
locations throughout the facility to
allow for smaller and shorter piping
runs, smaller pumps, and faster
heating response. The boilers were
stacked in one of the larger arrays to
conserve space. |
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A key factor in the
boiler system was the
need for an alternative
fuel source to allow
Woodbridge to continue
on a money-saving
interruptible natural gas
supply. Since high-efficiency boilers
use only natural or LP gas, it was
decided that the boilers would operate
on natural gas and a back-up LP gas
supply would be installed. Ed elected to
incorporate an air injection system into
the LP gas line that allows LP gas to
burn in boilers set up for natural gas.
This makes the fuel switch fast and
simple when the call comes.
The heat distribution
in the greenhouses used
virtually every product in
the TrueLeaf tool box.
Converting some steam unit heaters to
hot water and adding more; adding
gas fired unit heaters where running
pipes wasn’t practical; installing TrueLeaf’s
Duofin and Starfin pipes under benches and in basket lines;
and supplying hot water to existing and new MicroClimate
heating tubes on benches were all employed to get the job
done depending on the crop and the cost. The installation
was completed by Ray Pound of Ag-Con Construction.
John Wilson says, “the most important overall benefit was the increased
uniformity and consistency of heat. It enhanced production while reducing the
fuel bills substantially.”
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