PROJECT: MIDEL for cold start-up solution | Canada
ESTER TYPE: MIDEL 7131 synthetic ester
PURPOSE: Reliable operation and start-up in cold temperatures
[ OVERVIEW ]
In the snowy hills of Ontario, Canada, the Blue Mountain Ski Resort is an obvious tourist attraction for the area. But when evaluating the power supply of snow-making equipment, which has become so pivotal to dealing with shorter winter seasons because of climate change, the owners of the park had to consider another local attraction – the Niagara Escarpment; an area of spectacular rock cliffs comprising multiple natural features. The biodegradability of the transformer fluid thus became a key factor in safeguarding this important natural asset. “The Escarpment is a valuable local resource and we need to protect it in all areas of our operations.” mentioned Lindsay Ayers, Director of Environment and Planning for Blue Mountain Ski Resort. “When it came to installing a vital power supply asset, we knew it had to be filled with a fire-safe, biodegradable insulating liquid able to operate in our cold climate.”
[ SITUATION ]
A new transformer was required to supply power to the resort’s snow making equipment and ski lifts, so it would need to be reliable on start-up and operate effectively in a cold climate, mitigate the risk of fire for nearby guests, and also importantly ensure that no damage to the natural environment would occur should accidental spillage of associated insulation fluids happen. The transformer, manufactured by Ontario-based Northern Transformer, was a critical asset operating in a very cold climate. Northern offer different liquid options for their transformers, including both natural (vegetable oil) and synthetic esters.
[ RESULT ]
Colin Mark, head of Sales and Marketing at Northern Transformer, said “Transformers operating in this region face a substantial challenge: the cold. At Northern we offer different liquid options for our transformers, including both natural (vegetable oil) and synthetic esters. For this project, however, we specified synthetic ester. With a pour point of -56°C, it was an ideal liquid for when we need to start up the transformer on freezing mornings on the mountain. The best solution was to use MIDEL 7131, a synthetic ester liquid that offers effective cold weather performance along with total fire safety and biodegradability.” Sustainability and safety are critical concerns for businesses today. MIDEL transformer liquids address those issues by delivering fire safety, biodegradability, improved reliability and allowing the transformer to perform safely at higher temperatures.”
“When it came to installing a vital power supply asset, we knew it had to be filled with a fire-safe, biodegradable insulating liquid able to operate in our cold climate.”– Lindsay Ayers, Director of Environment and Planning, Blue Mountain Resort
The use of MIDEL ester fluids in these sectors supports the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
