Boonthavorn, a major Thai retailer of tiles, bathroom sanitary ware, kitchens and home decor, applied THERMAL-XR® graphene coating to chiller Unit 1 at its Ratchada store in Bangkok and measured a 10.00% reduction in energy use, translating to an estimated saving of 383,057 THB per year and a return on investment of under 1 year.
Case at a glance
| Customer | Boonthavorn Retail Corporation Public Company Limited |
|---|---|
| Location | Boonthavorn Ratchada (Unit 1), Bangkok, Thailand |
| Site type | Home improvement retail store |
| Equipment | Air-Cooled Chiller |
| Brand | Carrier |
| Capacity | 200 tons |
| Model | 10HA401 |
| Equipment age | 15 years |
| Energy savings | 10.00% |
| Cooling efficiency | 1.340 → 1.206 kW/ton |
| Annual cost saving | 383,057 THB/year |
| Return on investment | < 1 year |
Background
Air conditioning is one of the largest electricity costs for a large-format store, where showrooms must stay cool for shoppers and staff throughout long trading hours. Over time, condenser coils lose heat transfer efficiency, which forces compressors to work harder and increases energy consumption. At Boonthavorn’s Ratchada store, chiller Unit 1 is a Carrier air-cooled chiller with a capacity of 200 tons, which has been in service for 15 years.
The solution: THERMAL-XR®
THERMAL-XR® is a graphene-enhanced coating from Graphene Manufacturing Group (GMG), designed to deliver superior heat transfer and protection for heat exchanger coils. The coating was spray-applied to the condenser coils of the air-cooled chiller, with no change to the equipment itself.
Results
Energy use was compared before and after coating:
- Electricity usage: 2,365 kWh/day before coating vs 2,128 kWh/day after
- Electricity cost: 319,214 THB/month before coating vs 287,293 THB/month after
- Carbon emissions: 385 tons CO2/year before coating vs 346 tons CO2/year after
- Cooling efficiency: 1.340 kW/ton before coating vs 1.206 kW/ton after
- Annual saving: 383,057 THB per year
- ROI: < 1 year
These results equal an energy saving of 10.00%, with the chiller using about 10% less power for every ton of cooling it delivers.
Takeaway
Unit 1 at Boonthavorn Ratchada shows that coating a 15-year-old chiller can still cut electricity costs by more than 380,000 THB a year and pay for itself in under a year. Together with Unit 3 at the same store, it shows consistent results across multiple chillers on one site.
Want similar results at your site?
Get in touch with GMG to discuss your cooling equipment, or find a THERMAL-XR® applicator near you.
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: +61 7 3063 6638
- Find an applicator: graphenemg.com/graphene-products/THERMAL-XR®/find-an-applicator
Measured energy savings presented in this case study are not predictors of future installation results. Estimated savings should be considered as estimates. Standard GMG disclaimer applies. All contents copyright © Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. All rights reserved.