>B< MaxiPro used by D-STAL Electrical in 16-storey Adelaide student block

Background

The 428-bed, 16-storey Blue Sky complex is one of the largest developments of its kind in the state. The project involved the installation of an air conditioning system, with refrigerant pipework from each floor to the rooftop.

Products

A highly complex air conditioning system in a prestigious new student apartment block in South Australia has been installed with the help of >B< MaxiPro press fittings manufactured by Conex Bänninger.

The 428-bed, 16-storey Blue Sky complex in Adelaide’s City Business District (CBD), completed in February 2018, is one of the largest developments of its kind in the state.

Mechanical services provider D-STAL Electrical, of Royal Park, Adelaide, was commissioned to carry out the installation, which featured 35 VRV heat reclamation systems feeding 454 fan coil units from the ground floor to level 15.

D-STAL company director Damien Staltari said: “The complexities in installing refrigerant pipework from each floor to the rooftop needed extensive planning and patience. “The density of floors, issues with space and ceiling height, sealed risers and the congested rooftop meant we had to look for an alternative to traditional jointing methods.”

Conex Bänninger’s >B MaxiPro, specifically designed for air conditioning and refrigeration applications, provided the answer. As a flame-free press solution it meant there was no need for hot works permits, unlike for traditional brazing, with the faster speed of installation also increasing productivity levels.

>B< MaxiPro can be used up to a maximum operating pressure of 4800 kPa, with a permanent maximum operating temperature of 121° C.

Damien said: “Without the >B<MaxiPro press fittings the D-STAL Electrical team would not have been able to deliver the high standard of work achieved, which was noted by the consultant.”

Project Manager/Estimator Brady Felton explained: “For the Blue Sky project there was a big push from the client to get the job done before Christmas 2017 so the builder compressed the program to hit that target. “The builder gave us 11 days per floor to first-fix our high-level pipes; each floor had an average of 30 FCUs (fan coil units). “Using the >B< MaxiPro fittings we were able to knock the floor off in 8 days. Getting it done quicker than the program enabled us to get a head start on the next floor.

>B< MaxiPro also helped us out on the pipe riser. We had 34 x 3 pipe VRV systems running up the riser to the roof and the builder gave us 15 days to get 80 to 90 pipes from level 10 to level 15. “It was a massive push but with no need to purge/weld we were able to prepare, crimp and clamp the pipe in roughly a third of the time. “Through a combination of pressure from the builder and the quick install procedures we were able to be very efficient.”

“Using >B<MaxiPro when work space is at a premium is a safer method, as the use of flame in these circumstances could be hazardous to the installer.”

Conex Bänninger’s 3-point-press system provides reliable, permanent joints and as a mechanical joint it eliminates the need for a nitrogen purge during the jointing process.

The IBP Group company recommends the use of ROTHENBERGER ROMAX 4000 press tools and jaws for all press installations. >B<MaxiPro jaws are easily identifiable by their pink label, logo and jaw size. For the Blue Sky installation, the Wingfield branch of merchant Reece HVAC-R supplied the >B< MaxiPro fittings, along with training and certification.

>B< MaxiPro fittings come with a fifteen year warranty, providing the official training programme is undertaken and the installation is made in line with manufacturer’s guidelines (refer to full terms).

Dave Dickson added: “With the installation ease and speed that >B< MaxiPro provides, compared to traditional techniques, means contractors can be confident they have a solution that meets demands in shorter time frames, increasing productivity."

>B< MaxiPro can be used with hard, half hard or annealed copper tube conforming to EN12735-1 or ASTM-B280. The innovative press system can be used with many refrigerants, including R1234yf, R1234ze, R32, R134a, R404A, R407C, R407F, R410A and R507.