Mechanical Option
Revised Final Proposal
(click here)
01.18.2016
Mechanical Depth Analysis
As can be seen from the name of the building, the Michigan Food Court is one that serves a significant amount of food on a daily basis. It can be stated such as most Food Courts there may be leftovers as well as a significant amount of food wasted by patrons. After research that was conducted, food that is considered leftovers can be used to produce fuel and electricity for a building. This process is of creating both fuel and electricity is called combined heat and power. The combined heat and power is created through a machine process called anaerobic digestion. After running the energy model for Technical Report 2 to obtain the correct amount of fuel sources for the building, it will be compared to the amount of food that is needed for the anaerobic digestion process to fuel the building on a day to day basis. The waste starts out by going through a grinding and mixing tank. It is then fed to the pre-heat tank which will then pass through to the anaerobic digester. The anaerobic digester will lead to the production of biogas that will go through a biogas purification module. After the purification module is when the biogas goes to the combined heat and power generator which will lead to the fuel and electricity that will assist the building.
Through calculations and excel spreadsheets, the purpose of this proposed design is to determine how many tons of food will be needed for the peak design day. By using waste food to convert to food, it is a viable option not only use the food wasted from occupants of the building but to see about paying other local restaurants for food as well as.
Breadth Analysis- Lighting/Electrical
With the significantly large windows on the Michigan Food Court, it can be observed that daylighting may be a substantial use of light coming into building. With the CHP unit, producing both fuel and electricity, the redesign of the lighting/electrical system is to implement daylight sensors within
the building. By calculating the daylight coming into the building, the daylight sensors would sense the light coming into the building. By implementing daylight sensors in the building, the lights in the building will not turn off if there is enough daylight coming into the space.
When the lights are turned on within the building, the CHP unit will use the electricity produced from the unit to power the building. By using the electricity from the CHP unit, the Food Court will not need to pay and/or use electricity from the city. If there is enough daylight coming into the building and the lights do not turn on, then the electricity produced from the CHP unit will be put into the surrounding grid.
Breadth Analysis- Environmental & Acoustic
The environmental and acoustical analysis are incorporated together as the acoustics of the digester will affect the surroundings. This means that the digester may affect the occupants of the Food Court with the loud noises that it produces. The other way the anaerobic digester affects the
surrounding area is through emissions.dThis analysis will break down the noise levels that the digester produces so that one can see if
the digester has to be surrounded by absorptive material. The absorptive material will cost a significant amount of money but in the end, will limit the amount of sound pressure levels heard by surrounding people. Calculations will be used from both A E 309 and A E 458 to analyze the sound levels coming from the equipment.
Analyzing the emission rates will be determined through calculations from A E 552. By analyzing the emissions of the new proposed equipment design, this can be compared to the emission rates of the local plant that the Food Court already obtains its fuel sources from. Any attempts to cut down the
emissions produced from the anaerobic digester will be implemented.
Masters Analysis
Since the proposed redesign is for a combined heat and power system A E 551, Combined Heat and Power System Design for Buildings, will be incorporated into the analysis. Another Masters course that will be used to influence the work on the redesign process will be that of A E 558, Centralized Heating Production and Distribution Systems. The third Masters course that will be consulted for information is A E 552, Air Quality in Buildings. This material will assist with the environmental breadth analysis.