Project Implementation
We are on the final stages of completing our report for the UBC Farm centre. Certain aspects of our research have proven to be difficult to complete. More specifically, our evaluation of energy flow and heat production in a kitchen could not be accurately quantified. Because the Farm’s commercial kitchen is still in the early planning stages, we have been required to make assumptions, resulting in less precise research than we initially planned. Nonetheless, we were able to complete these tasks by modifying our plan: rather than using specific numbers that may be inaccurate, we chose to compare various appliances in relation to each other. In this way, we have been still able to use this research to justify our heat recovery designs. Our conceptual designs have been finalized; to ensure our designs are feasible, we have received external input from an expert in heating and refrigeration systems.

Final Design Summary:
Our primary goal was to create conceptual designs to recover heat from the future farm centre’s commercial kitchen. As steps to complete this design, we studied appliances that will be used in the farm centre to determine the best sources of recoverable heat and the most effective uses of the recycled heat.

Water was selected to receive the recycled heat; it will absorb heat more efficiently than air and it will be used year-round. The walk in freezer, cooler, dishwasher and laundry machine produce significant amounts of recoverable heat. As shown in the sketch below, the components of these appliances that emit heat will be contained in an insulated container full of highly heat conductive fluid. Pipes carrying fresh water to the water heater will also pass through this container to be preheated before reaching the water heater. This will reduce the amount of energy required by the water heater to raise the temperature of the water.

Heat Recovery Design Sketch (higher temperature is indicated by the colour red, lower temperature is indicated by the colour blue)

Project Outcomes
Next week, we will be submitting a report to our client with the following contents:

1. Energy Flow in the Kitchen
2. Heat Recovery Designs 
3. Recovered Heat Implementation
4. Case Studies of Heat Production/Use in Similar Situations
5. Final Recommendations for the new UBC Farm Centre

Project Background and Goals

The UBC Farm is a learning institution managed by the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems. They are currently in the planning stage of building a new farm centre which will include classrooms, a food processing area, a dining hall, and a commercial kitchen. Our focus is on the commercial kitchen, which will be used by local farmers, community members, and Food & Nutrition LFS students. The kitchen will meet food safe standards. This, in combination with the demand for local food, will ensure that the kitchen will experience a lot of use; it is expected to be used six days out of the week or roughly 75 hours per week.

UBC Farm (Source: http://ubcfarm.ubc.ca/about/farm-features/)

Their building is still in the design stages; our CIVL 202 CBEL group has been asked to contribute conceptual designs for a heat recovery system for their commercial kitchen. The UBC Farm has a focus on sustainability and as a result they are exploring energy efficient options. During our meeting with Veronik Campbell, the Academic Coordinator for the UBC Farm, she provided us with a preliminary proposed layout of the building. We are to evaluate energy flow in and out of the kitchen, study how much heat is produced by similar commercial kitchens, and provide designs of how the energy could be recycled.

Next Steps

While reviewing some farm centre plans, we determined that the primary appliances that produce significant amounts of heat are two walk in coolers and one commercial size stove. However, we will study other appliances in more depth once we receive an extended equipment list from Ms. Campbell. Furthermore, we are going to research other equipment that will produce large amounts of heat by looking into pre-existing commercial kitchens.

We are currently at the brainstorming stage of our design; we are exploring methods of capturing and transferring heat, and ways of using the heat. Some possible ways of using this recycled heat is to transfer it to water, classroom space and greenhouses. Our client is also interested in directing heat to outdoor classrooms but our initial response is there are more efficient uses for the recycled heat. As a result, we will be researching heat transfer systems and energy use in spaces relevant to the new farm centre as well as selecting appropriate methods of recovering and recycling excess heat. Upon completion of the research and design process, our findings and recommendations for the new farm centre will be presented to Ms. Campbell in the form of a report. We look forward to working on the project further over the next few weeks.