Thermal Fluids News: New Terminal at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Helps Passengers Take the Heat

New Terminal at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Helps Passengers Take the Heat

Midland, MI - September 07, 2005

If you've ever sat on an airplane waiting at the gate and felt your temperature rising because the cooling system wasn't turned on, try booking your next flight through Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The new state-of-the-art International Terminal D, which just opened on July 23, is the world's largest post-9/11 airport facility expansion and features all the latest technology designed to ensure passenger security, convenience and comfort. Among these is a new terminal-based, centralized air conditioning system, which allows planes simply to pull up to the gate and hook directly into the airport's HVAC system, keeping passengers cool and comfortable, even in the middle of a record-breaking Texas heat wave.

A far-reaching project that has been five years in the making, the $1.2 billion, two- million-square-foot DFW International Terminal D is destined to be a favorite among international travelers, with amenities and technological advances such as "curb to nose" Wi-Fi Internet access, an 8,100-space parking garage that uses smart technology to direct passengers to the nearest available parking space, and 67 retail and restaurant venues. The sophisticated security system includes $4.68 million in additional communication systems and a $13.5 million baggage screening upgrade, which will dramatically reduce the amount of time passengers spend in the security screening process.

According to Steve Roth, director of communications, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, "More than 13 million travelers will pass through our terminal this year. Our goal is to make their short visit here as safe, stress-free and enjoyable as possible. Certainly having a comfortable environment both inside the airport and while waiting for takeoff is an important part of their overall experience."

At most airports, aircraft sitting at the gate are cooled by portable auxiliary power units (APUs), which consist of air compressors powered by small jet engines. The APUs are driven from one aircraft to the next on a truck or flatbed as planes land and pull up to the gate. Limited fleet resources and the challenge of coordinating fleet deployment in the midst of unexpected gate changes and changing flight schedules can result in passengers sitting on an aircraft that is docked at the gate, engines turned off, with no APU in sight.

At the new DFW Terminal D, however, each gate is equipped with a coupler that allows the plane to pull up and easily connect directly into the terminal's pre-conditioned air HVAC system within minutes, cooling the bridges and jetways and keeping passengers and crews cool and comfortable. In addition to eliminating the need for APUs and their associated fuel and maintenance costs, the innovative new HVAC coupler connection keeps the number of vehicles and personnel on the tarmac to a minimum, an important safety and security consideration in today's airport environments.

Centralized HVAC systems are a growing trend among large-scale facilities like airports because the industrial grade equipment used permits the selection of more robust and energy efficient equipment. Centralized systems have fewer refrigeration compressor circuits and controllers, leading to less frequent and less expensive maintenance operations. These systems are also better designed to handle the fluctuating cooling and heating requirements of airport terminals. "Centralization of the utility system in one section of the airport, rather than having it spread out over a much wider area, has a number of overall benefits," noted Jonathan Schwartz, associate principal, Carter & Burgess, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas. "In addition to its significant energy efficiency and subsequent cost savings, the centralized utility system serving the new DFW terminal offers the airport improved reliability, controls, and ease of use capabilities."

The innovative HVAC system at DFW uses DOWTHERM* SR-1, an inhibited ethylene-glycol heat transfer fluid from The Dow Chemical Company. DOWTHERM SR-1 is commonly used in process heating and cooling, as it offers excellent low-temperature pumpability and low viscosity, allowing it to travel easily over long distances through small piping. The new HVAC system uses water-cooled industrial grade chillers as part of the pre-conditioned air HVAC system and incorporates 240,000 gallons of DOWTHERM SR-1 fluid.

"DOWTHERM SR-1 is the best choice for environments such as the DFW Airport terminal that have extremely demanding energy requirements. It is equally efficient at both ends of the heating and cooling spectrum, and with minimal maintenance and regular fluid checks, is able to sustain its efficiency over long time periods," noted Pete Pendergast, marketing manager, Dow Heat Transfer Fluids. "The Dallas/Fort Worth international terminal is a truly state-of-the-art facility and we are pleased that our fluid is part of this exciting and innovative HVAC technology."

Dow is a leader in science and technology, providing innovative chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services to many essential consumer markets. With annual sales of $40 billion, Dow serves customers in 175 countries and a wide range of markets that are vital to human progress: food, transportation, health and medicine, personal and home care, and building and construction, among others. Committed to the principles of sustainable development, Dow and its 43,000 employees seek to balance economic, environmental and social responsibilities. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.

For additional information on DFW International Airport log on to www.dfwairport.com.

For additional information on DOWTHERM* SR-1, inhibited ethylene-glycol heat transfer fluid from The Dow Chemical Company, please go to www.dowtherm.com.

®™^* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow

For Editorial Information:

Holly LaRose-Roenicke
The Dow Chemical Company
(989) 638-7703


Applications Products Technical Library Global Support Services Fluid Selection Assistance Order Online Contact Us News Center Where to Buy Thermal Fluids Home	New Terminal at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Helps Passengers Take the Heat Midland, MI - September 07, 2005 If you've ever sat on an airplane waiting at the gate and felt your temperature rising because the cooling system wasn't turned on, try booking your next flight through Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The new state-of-the-art International Terminal D, which just opened on July 23, is the world's largest post-9/11 airport facility expansion and features all the latest technology designed to ensure passenger security, convenience and comfort. Among these is a new terminal-based, centralized air conditioning system, which allows planes simply to pull up to the gate and hook directly into the airport's HVAC system, keeping passengers cool and comfortable, even in the middle of a record-breaking Texas heat wave. A far-reaching project that has been five years in the making, the $1.2 billion, two- million-square-foot DFW International Terminal D is destined to be a favorite among international travelers, with amenities and technological advances such as "curb to nose" Wi-Fi Internet access, an 8,100-space parking garage that uses smart technology to direct passengers to the nearest available parking space, and 67 retail and restaurant venues. The sophisticated security system includes $4.68 million in additional communication systems and a $13.5 million baggage screening upgrade, which will dramatically reduce the amount of time passengers spend in the security screening process. According to Steve Roth, director of communications, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, "More than 13 million travelers will pass through our terminal this year. Our goal is to make their short visit here as safe, stress-free and enjoyable as possible. Certainly having a comfortable environment both inside the airport and while waiting for takeoff is an important part of their overall experience." At most airports, aircraft sitting at the gate are cooled by portable auxiliary power units (APUs), which consist of air compressors powered by small jet engines. The APUs are driven from one aircraft to the next on a truck or flatbed as planes land and pull up to the gate. Limited fleet resources and the challenge of coordinating fleet deployment in the midst of unexpected gate changes and changing flight schedules can result in passengers sitting on an aircraft that is docked at the gate, engines turned off, with no APU in sight. At the new DFW Terminal D, however, each gate is equipped with a coupler that allows the plane to pull up and easily connect directly into the terminal's pre-conditioned air HVAC system within minutes, cooling the bridges and jetways and keeping passengers and crews cool and comfortable. In addition to eliminating the need for APUs and their associated fuel and maintenance costs, the innovative new HVAC coupler connection keeps the number of vehicles and personnel on the tarmac to a minimum, an important safety and security consideration in today's airport environments. Centralized HVAC systems are a growing trend among large-scale facilities like airports because the industrial grade equipment used permits the selection of more robust and energy efficient equipment. Centralized systems have fewer refrigeration compressor circuits and controllers, leading to less frequent and less expensive maintenance operations. These systems are also better designed to handle the fluctuating cooling and heating requirements of airport terminals. "Centralization of the utility system in one section of the airport, rather than having it spread out over a much wider area, has a number of overall benefits," noted Jonathan Schwartz, associate principal, Carter & Burgess, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas. "In addition to its significant energy efficiency and subsequent cost savings, the centralized utility system serving the new DFW terminal offers the airport improved reliability, controls, and ease of use capabilities." The innovative HVAC system at DFW uses DOWTHERM* SR-1, an inhibited ethylene-glycol heat transfer fluid from The Dow Chemical Company. DOWTHERM SR-1 is commonly used in process heating and cooling, as it offers excellent low-temperature pumpability and low viscosity, allowing it to travel easily over long distances through small piping. The new HVAC system uses water-cooled industrial grade chillers as part of the pre-conditioned air HVAC system and incorporates 240,000 gallons of DOWTHERM SR-1 fluid. "DOWTHERM SR-1 is the best choice for environments such as the DFW Airport terminal that have extremely demanding energy requirements. It is equally efficient at both ends of the heating and cooling spectrum, and with minimal maintenance and regular fluid checks, is able to sustain its efficiency over long time periods," noted Pete Pendergast, marketing manager, Dow Heat Transfer Fluids. "The Dallas/Fort Worth international terminal is a truly state-of-the-art facility and we are pleased that our fluid is part of this exciting and innovative HVAC technology." Dow is a leader in science and technology, providing innovative chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services to many essential consumer markets. With annual sales of $40 billion, Dow serves customers in 175 countries and a wide range of markets that are vital to human progress: food, transportation, health and medicine, personal and home care, and building and construction, among others. Committed to the principles of sustainable development, Dow and its 43,000 employees seek to balance economic, environmental and social responsibilities. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. For additional information on DFW International Airport log on to www.dfwairport.com. For additional information on DOWTHERM* SR-1, inhibited ethylene-glycol heat transfer fluid from The Dow Chemical Company, please go to www.dowtherm.com. ®™^* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow For Editorial Information: Holly LaRose-Roenicke The Dow Chemical Company (989) 638-7703
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