project
53
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2
3
4
1.
2.
3.
4.
he says.
The Witbank Student Accommodation building comprises
926 units and was previously heated by a series of
dozens of 100 litre individual geysers. This antiquated
system was removed to make way for a modern
centralised hot water heating system, he explains. Elsey’s
company was responsible for designing the heat pump
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
The 45kW Firefly heat
pumps.
Air exhausts were fitted to
the Block B units to stop a
short circuit in the air cycle.
Integrated Energy and
Environmental Solutions are
the local manufacturers.
The two 10 000ℓ heat
accumulator tanks in Block
B. The water is never
used and remains in the
atmospheric tanks, as it is
the heating medium.
and heat accumulator systems in the basement of the
building along with the infrastructure pipework.
Energy efficiency
“The brief was to supply a central hot water supply
system,” says Elsey. “The advantage of putting heat
pumps in a basement is that it is like a cave: the
temperature is constant and this means you get a better
Continued on page 55 >>
November 2016 Volume 22 I Number 9