Sales / project developer Jørgen Bakke Skauge at PTG in Bergen is proud that the group has contributed to creating perfect temperatures for the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (HI). It is thereby helping to ensure good scientific results with Norway’s most important marine species. View a film from the project at the foot of this report.
One of the HI’s four research stations stands at Austevoll on the edge of the North Sea south of Bergen. It ranks among Europe’s largest and most advanced facilities for studying marine species at every stage of their lives. A specially designed energy plant from PTG is now helping to optimise this work.
Margareth Møgster, a research technician in the HI station at Austevoll, needs correct and stable temperatures to secure good research results.
When PTG won the contract to supply the energy plant for the HI station, the most important consideration was the quality of the delivery. Correct and stable temperature management is crucial for ensuring the best possible research results.
PTG’s SuperChillers ready to be integrated in the Austevoll station. Purpose-built at PTG’s Tromsø department, these heat pumps are intended to keep temperatures stable and correct for the various life phases of marine species.
“We’re utterly dependent on the marine species we study being at the right temperature in every phase of their lives,” explains station manager Kjetil Stensland. “An energy plant which fails to work as it should can destroy research work worth several millions of kroner.”
He adds that quality, and the great attention paid by PTG to the environment through the use of environment-friendly refrigerants, were important reasons why it won the contract.
Station manager Kjetil Stensland is pleased that the new energy system is now integrated in the research station at Austevoll.
Fry are now being produced in the research station’s halls, with ongoing studies covering several different species of fish and crustaceans.
In recent weeks, too, installation of and training with the PTG plant have been under way. This facility will help to ensure that these species thrive and that a perfect temperature produces the best possible research results.
HI technician Tor Arne Klepsvik (left) receiving detailed training from Eirik Himle, one of PTG’s refrigeration technicians.
Sales / project developer at PTG in Bergen, Skauge is confident that everything will work as intended.
“We’ve delivered two SuperChiller heat pumps to the HI station, and these supply very specific temperatures for fish research,” he explains.
“They can both heat up and cool down the water. This plant has been specially manufactured at our factory in Tromsø, and will ensure that the water temperature is stable and completely correct for marine species at different stages of their lives.”
Sales / project developer Jørgen Bakke Skauge at PTG in Bergen.
The delivery
- Perfect temperature with the energy plant from PTG.
- Two SuperChiller heat pumps, each supplying about 320 kW of heat at 4/0°C and 20/24°C, ethylene glycol.
- Frequency transformers on all compressors and pumps, and pumps on the heat-pump rig.
- Full automation/control system from PTG’s own automation department in Tromsø.
- Hook-up of new and existing piping systems.
- Project management of sub-deliveries, such as welding of stainless steel pipes (RoJo), plastic piping (Akva Group), insulation (Isolasjonsteknikk) and electrics (Austevoll Elektro).
The Austevoll station of the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research is one of Europe’s largest and most advanced facilities for studying marine species at all stages of their lives.