LU-VE supplies 12 SDHLF for the “T1 Tower”

LU-VE has supplied 12 dry coolers (the SDHLF 241 C model) for the T1 Tower, an office-block skyscraper in Courbevoie (Faubourg de l’Arche), near “La Défense” business district to the west of Paris. At a height of 169 metres (185 metres with the metal support structure of the antennae), it is the second tallest building in the La Défense district after the Total Tower and the fifth tallest in Paris. Designed by French architectural firm of Valode & Pistre, the tower was conceived as a folded glass plate which gives it the profile of a wind-filled sail. Work on the T1 Tower began in 2005 and was completed in 2008. From 2010 it will be completely occupied by the offices of Gas De France–Suez, the fourth largest group in the world in its sector – the production and distribution of electricity, natural gas and renewable energy. The installation of the equipment for the treatment and conditioning of the air was undertaken by the Cofely company, a subsidiary of GDF–Suez.

All parts of the T1 Tower are connected – as are numerous other sky-scrapers in the La Défense district – to an enormous local central unit for the production of hot and cold water which is used to climatize the offices. The towers of the area have heating and cooling plants, but these are connected to a centralized remote climatization unit.

This does not apply to data processing centres which, for safety reasons, require autonomous equipment. In fact, the LU-VE dry coolers exclusively service the CED-Data Centre. There are 12 SDHLF 241 C units, with copper/copper coils. Equipped with highly energy-efficient EC (Electronic Commutation) fans, the SDHLF range (the high-tech super model with liquid refrigerant and twin coils) is distinguished for the excellent efficiency of its heat exchanger, for its high power at low air flow, for the low electrical energy absorption of the motors and for its extremely quiet running. The SDHLF 241 C dry coolers supplied to the T1 Tower have, like all the dry cooler range, performance levels which are certified by Eurovent. The special feature of the installation in the GDF-Suez skyscraper is that – contrary to normal implementation procedures – the units were supplied un-assembled.

The 12 LU-VE SDHLF 241 Cs were in fact assembled directly on-site, on the top of the T1 Tower at a height of 169 metres because the site crane had been dismantled at the end of the civil engineering work and the service hoists could not reach the roof. The idea of using helicopters had to be abandoned due to rigid anti-terrorism laws making it difficult to obtain permission to fly over. So the only remaining choice was to take the units to the roof and assemble them there one by one, right on the summit of the skyscraper.

The main characteristics of the V units with single fan-rows in the SDHL range are:

• maximum height 1,665 mm: high capacity in limited space
• 32 models from 30 to 584 kW, double exchanger coil
• from 1 to 7 fans, Ø 900 – 1,000 mm
• low noise operation and reduced energy consumption.

The extraordinarily efficient performance of the SDHL heat exchanger is due to the optimum combination of special profile fins and internally helically-grooved tubes. All models in this line of LU-VE products are available with different circuits, Alupaint^® fins in painted aluminium or, alternatively, with copper fins (like those installed in the T1 Tower).

The SDHL range can be used for water cooling, free cooling and for cooling other liquids.