What is being hailed as the first totally carbon dioxide (CO2)-based refrigeration system for an ice skating rink has been installed at the Marcel-Dutil arena in Saint-Gédéon de Beauce, Quebec, Canada.
CO2 refrigerant is used for the rink’s primary and secondary refrigeration functions.
Rich Parent — former National Hockey League goalie, and vice president of marketing for Inno-Glace, a systems integrator in the business of building and retrofitting energy-efficient ice arenas — says it produces much higher quality ice.
Consulting engineer Roche Ltd. collaborated with Inno-Glace to have a natural refrigeration system powered by carbon dioxide which provides a stronger and more reliable ice. Another company that made the installation possible was Roche Ltd. Roche’s initial contribution was to first believe in the system’s possibilities, and commit to participate. Roche worked with CSC Group, Inno-Glace, and other refrigeration companies to adapt the CO2 system to the rink, including positioning the main piping from the mechanical room to the rink, as well as the layout of the piping in the rink.
CSC is the sole shareholder of the CSC Group, which employs over 130 workers in 11 affiliate companies located throughout the Provinces of Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes. They work primarily in the fields of manufacturing, maintenance and installation of refrigeration systems.