Steinway Installing World's Largest Solar Cooling System

January 26th, 2009 by Ariel Schwartz

Steinway & Sons recently announced that it is installing the world’s largest solar-powered rooftop system to dehumidify its factory and protect the pricey pianos inside. A grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority helped fund the $875,000 system, which is a beta site for the tri-state area.

Steinway’s system pumps solar-heated water into an 80 ton double-effect absorption chiller that acts as a heat exchanger. The chiller removes the heated water, and cool air is left for dehumidifying. In the winter, steam from the system will be used to heat the factory.

If you want to get a firsthand look at the solar cooling system, it will be finished next spring at Steinway’s Queens, NY headquarters.

Photo Credit: CC licensed by Flickr user ***Fanch The System!!!***









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