One of the nation’s most well-known historic battleships recently was refurbished with a VRF system (variable refrigerant flow system).
A team of technicians from Jacksonville Heating Contractors, Jacksonville, N.C., installed a 20-ton heat-recovery system, which provides heating and cooling for the wardroom, guest bathroom, employees’ offices and catering room. The wardroom is where officers would dine on the ship and has been converted into a meeting space and museum area complete with many features from the original ship.
The VRF system includes seven cassette units and seven high-wall indoor units connected to two outdoor heat-pump units mounted on the starboard side of the ship.
“This was a unique project and an honor for our team to participate in,” says Randy Ramsey, owner, Jacksonville Heating Contractors. “This ship is a symbol of our region and is a destination for so many. It’s a great feeling to know that our work will help keep visitors comfortable aboard this floating museum.”
The keel of the USS North Carolina was laid in October of 1937 at the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn. At the time, the ship was the first battleship to be constructed in 16 years.
During her commissioning on April 9, 1941, she was considered the world’s greatest sea weapon. Armed with the most powerful systems of that age, the ship’s wartime complement consisted of 144 commissioned officers and 2,195 enlisted men, including about 100 Marines.
During World War II, the ship participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific area of operations and earned 15 battle stars. In the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in August 1942, the USS North Carolina’s antiaircraft barrage helped save the carrier USS Enterprise.
Today, moored on the Cape Fear River in downtown Wilmington, N.C., the ship welcomes approximately 300,000 visitors a year and is one of the most popular attractions in the region.
Materials
Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heating and cooling solution: Carrier