Sociedad Chilena de Litio Ltda., Antofagasta, Chile

To get to the lithium batteries we take for granted in power laptops and camcorders takes an amazingly complex process. Lithium is a natural element but it does not occur freely in its raw state so it must be produced electrolytically causing this hardest and lightest of all metals to be valued at over $300/lb.

When the facility engineers for a major lithium producer, Sociedad Chilena de Litio Ltda., were looking to build a new processing facility in Antofagasta, Chile they immediately turned to the experience, reliability and confidence they had in Dunham-Bush and Wink Kirkman of Morgan-Kirkman Associates, NC. having used this dependable, knowledgeable team for similar plants in the United States, to produce the vital cooling necessary for this exacting process. In addition were consideration for the extremes of the environment of the new plant's location. The new plant's facility engineers worked with Wink and D/BLatin America to select the options and highly customized details required for this unique hybrid industrialized commercial IPCX1040-5 with DX evaporator, (163 TR with 50% ethylene glycol entering the evaporator at 25 degrees and leaving at 15 degrees), 300 HP TEFC motor and NEMA 4 control panel.

"This project faced a series of major technical hurdles... extremes related to the facility's location, along with the demands of its function. Each of these hurdles was met with quick, well-considered, timely solutions. If DB can meet this project's requirements, they can still do anything", Mr. Kirkman commented.

In addition, the customer required a delivery of 12 weeks; the unit was delivered in 11 weeks. Start-up was performed by an engineer from the factory with the assistance of a local service company. D/B Latin America is responsible for warranty service. The owners and facility engineers are very pleased with this unit's exacting fit to their needs and its continuing on-the-job performance.

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