The 122.000 gt cruise ship Celebrity Solstice, with 1,426 passengers and 775 crew cabins required a sophisticated ventilation and air conditioning system with the capacity to cover the required areas as well as being compact, energy-efficient and environment-friendly. The HVAC system includes 85 air handling units, 1,600 cabin fan coil units, 110 public and 70 technical fan coil units, a special cabin area with air induction units and a separate cabin control and monitoring system.

As the second largest energy consumer on the ship, right after propulsion, the HVAC system has considerable energy-saving potential, and thus the air-handling units, for instance, have energy recovery measures. Other key elements are the modified and improved type of cabin fan coils, independent cabin monitoring and control systems and a new fan coil system for public areas.

The package supplied by Imtech Deutschland GmbH consists of technical calculation and design for the entire accommodation area. It also includes layout for all deck areas, coordination for AC rooms and trunks, delivery of main components and duct material, including the chilled and heating water system within the AC rooms. Imtech was also required to handle installation, commissioning and crew training. The energy-saving potential could be realised only thanks to close cooperation right from the start between the ship owner Celebrity Cruises, the Yard Meyer Werft GmbH and the turnkey supplier Imtech.

New fan coil units

Imtech developed a new generation of vertical and horizontal fain coil units for the standard passenger cabins on the Celebrity Solstice. These are compact and decentralised air treatment units mounted behind the sanitary block and thus accessible for maintenance from the passageway, meaning that passengers do not have to be disturbed by entering their cabins. Access to cabins is hence no longer necessary, which distinguishes this system from all other known cabin supply unit types on the market today.

In addition to the fan coil concept in the standard passenger cabins, special air induction units are used in a selected cabin area. Unlike the fan coil units, these components are equipped with an induction nozzle system for distributing the air through a cabin cooling coil without an additional fan. This means lower electrical installation costs for the yard and at the same time less maintenance for the ships’s crew.

Cabin control and monitoring system

A separate cabin control and monitoring system for all passenger cabins and some officer cabins was designed specially for Celebrity Solstice to permit direct monitoring of all functions of the fan coil unit.

Each fan coil can be individually controlled by the assigned room temperature controller. The fan coils and control valves are connected to the room temperature controller and monitored by a central computer system on board.

From there the room temperature, temperature setpoint and alarms can be retrieved, giving a good overview and helping to meet passenger requirements immediately, as well as optimising energy consumption.

Public Areas

In public areas, horizontal fan coil units are installed within the flase ceiling just above the room area that is to be serviced. This permits a tailor-made supply of cooled air appropriate for the individual requirements of each public room. An inspection hatch ensures accessibility for maintenance. The use of these public fan coils has significantly reduced the space required for A/C rooms.