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Kapuskasing Sports Palace

70 Brunelle Road North, Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada P5N 2L8

In this Northern Ontario project, TRAK International consolidated the twin-sheet pads and connected the 5-sheet curling rink such that all ice surfaces are maintained, and spaces heated, from the main ice plant. The retrofit system improved the operating conditions and assures playable ice on the seven surfaces with no downtime. While the addition of Combined Heat & Power (CHP) Co-generation to assure continuous electricity may not always be applicable in different locations, the onsite power generation and ability to provide all the power needed to the facility during power outages has helped protect the ice and assure community services even after long grid-power outages. TRAK undertook the initial study and then the design/build project at a capital cost of approximately $2.5M. Complete heat recovery from all ice surfaces and onsite power generation now goes to heating flood water, dehumidification reheat, space heating, snowmelt and shower water. We typically still have excess heat and were in the design-build process of the new pool that would be entirely heated from the ice facilities and the onsite power generation when municipal funding was put on hold. The features of this project are specific to its northernly location and its energy reliability and cost factors.

TRAK Heat Pumps at Kapusksing Arena

New Central Ice Plant Heat Pumps

Heat is energy efficiently drawn out of the North Arena, South Arena and Curling Arena floors by new modular TRAK Heat Pumps (HPs). The heat energy gathered while making ice is used or stored, rather than thrown away. 

The facility operation is coordinated and optimized by a new modern energy management and control system.

TRAK CHP Controls at Kapuskasing Arena
TRAK Controls Panel at Kapuskasing Arena
TRAK Controls Panel open at Kapuskasing Arena

New Energy Management System Controls - CHP & Heat Pumps

Kapuskasing Arena CHP
CHP Efficiency.png

New Dry Cooler

New CHP Co-generation

TRAK CHP Controls Interface

Most of the electricity for the facility is made onsite by a new natural gas Combined Heat and Power (CHP) cogeneration plant. The CHP plant generates electricity in parallel with the grid but will continue to provide all the heat and power needs during grid power failures.

High-temperature heat from the CHP adds to the heat collected by the heat pumps. This energy is used to heat flood water, shower water, arena spaces, snowmelt and is ready for other purposes such as the future swimming pool. The CHP + HPs at the Kapuskasing Sports Palace work together to cost-efficiently assure power and ideal facility conditions.

Heat can also be rejected at the new water-conserving dry cooler that replaced the fluid cooler. In peak winter, the dry cooler is also used for “free” ice making and helps avoid powering on some of the compressors.

TRAK Dry Cooler at Kapuskasing Arena

Dry Cooler Installation

In warm weather, the cool ground temperature enhances the efficiency of the heat pumps. Vertical boreholes of the GeoExchange Field go to depths of 400 feet, well below the frost line. Heat stored in the ground can assist later in the winter.

Project Value: $2,500,000

Project Engineers: Jeff Maxwell & Andre Bourget

Client Contact: Sylvain Payeur; former Manager of Capital Project and Development., Town of Kapuskasing. Mobile Telephone: (705) 367-0175 .

TRAK GeoExchange Borehole Drilling

Drilling the GeoExchange Field

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