Eastern Treatment Plant – Power Station Ventilation Upgrade

Client: Melbourne Water Corporation

Scope

Through the design and construct team Aqua Metro Services, we completed the design and installation of an evaporative cooling system for Melbourne Water’s Eastern Treatment Plant power station. The evaporative system was to augment existing ventilation as well as provide cooling capacity.

Over 30% of ETP’s power requirements are generated from the cogeneration power station. The heat load within the power station building is excessive for operations and maintenance personnel, with temperatures regularly in excess of 50 oC.

The existing system consisted of filtered ventilation fans only, with no cooling capacity. External air was distributed through three levels of the power station building by fans located in the in the building’s basement. Previous remedial ventilation works had not been successful at reducing the engine room temperatures to satisfactory levels.

The installation of a supplementary evaporative cooling system was identified as the preferred solution in MWs options assessment.

As part of detailed design, a 3D CAD model was developed from existing drawings and a drone photo survey. The model was used to improve tie in of the new equipment into existing spaces and was critical during the safety in design and constructability reviews. It enabled improved consideration of maintenance access and potential equipment and construction clashes.