Bell Helicopter / Textron – Drive System Test Laboratory, Grand Prairie, TX

Project Size- 37,775 SF

Features- 15 MegaWatt Power Capacity

Medium Voltage Switching, Distribution and 5,000HP Motor Drives

Process Cooling Water System

Extremely Demanding Heat Load

Project Description-

For more than 20 years, Summit has been trusted by Bell Helicopter to design MEPT systems for Bell’s most critical facilities, including Drive System Test Laboratories.  Used to test the world’s most complex and unique gearboxes, these buildings have extremely demanding MEP requirements.  From medium-voltage drive motors, to massive heat-load cooling and internationally procured testing systems, these buildings are the type of projects the best engineers dream of.  Working with equipment and system providers from around the world, as well as local utilities and other entities, Summit delivered a uniquely challenging design to suit and exceed the owner’s needs for years.  Summit coordinated with equipment suppliers to exceed the owner’s goals on both acquisition timelines and budget.  Summit sought out equipment from global suppliers in order to ensure the building was complete and operational in accordance with a strict and aggressive project timeline required to meet the Army’s contract requirements.

The electrical design included two new medium-voltage services, bringing 15 MegaWatts to the relatively small 37,775SF building.  This gives the building a power density of 400 Watts per square foot, exceeding that of most high-density data centers.  Summit designed the entire medium voltage distribution system, from the two new utility meters all the way to the new medium voltage drives.