University of Iowa (Engie North America) Adopts the Helios Tube Cleaning System the Oakdale Plant Chiller Expansion
The University of Iowa (Engie North America) has expanded its commitment to sustainable, efficient energy operations by adopting the Helios Automatic Tube Cleaning System (TCS) at its Oakdale Utility Power Plant. This installation marks another step in the university’s broader strategy to optimize energy use, reduce operating costs, and extend the performance life of critical cooling infrastructure.
About the Oakdale Plant
The Oakdale Utility Power Plant, located on the Oakdale Campus/UI Research Park, is a trigeneration facility that plays a vital role in powering, heating, and cooling campus operations. The plant’s advanced design allows the university to maximize capacity without adding new buildings or expanding the footprint of the existing facility.
Key features of the Oakdale Plant include:
- Four natural gas boilers
- Two natural gas reciprocating engine generators
- Three chillers and two satellite chillers
- Diesel generator for backup power supply
Located on the Oakdale Campus/UI Research Park, The Oakdale Utility Power Plant is a trigeneration facility that plays a vital role in powering, heating, and cooling campus operations.
This combination of equipment enables the plant to provide uninterrupted energy services for the campus’ research and academic facilities. The trigeneration approach not only enhances efficiency but also strengthens resiliency by ensuring the campus can maintain critical operations during power disruptions.
Why the Helios TCS?
Chillers are at the heart of cooling operations, and their efficiency can be significantly reduced by fouling in condenser tubes. Traditional manual cleaning requires downtime, labor costs, and introduces energy penalties between cleaning intervals. The Helios Tube Cleaning System solves these challenges by keeping tubes continuously free of biofilm, scale, and debris—all while chillers remain online.
For the University of Iowa, this translates into:
- Improved energy efficiency: Maintaining optimal heat transfer reduces kWh consumption.
- Lower operating costs: Automatic cleaning eliminates many of the expenses associated with manual maintenance.
- Extended equipment life: Keeping condenser tubes clean reduces mechanical stress on chillers.
- Reliability: Supports uninterrupted cooling for mission-critical research and academic facilities.
Supporting Sustainability Goals
The Oakdale Plant is already a model of energy efficiency, and the adoption of Helios TCS strengthens its role in helping the university meet ambitious sustainability objectives. By preventing tube fouling and improving chiller performance, the system reduces the plant’s carbon footprint while supporting the university’s commitment to responsible resource management.
Looking Ahead
The Helios TCS installation at the Oakdale Plant demonstrates how leading universities are turning to advanced, automated solutions to optimize their district energy systems. With more campuses across the country facing rising energy costs and sustainability mandates, the University of Iowa’s leadership provides a proven example of how innovative technology can align with long-term operational and environmental goals.
