Whistler Sliding Centre, Vancouver Olympic Committee, Whistler, BC Canada

The refrigeration system for the luge/bobsled run required an elaborate system of refrigeration piping set within the concrete of the foundation. Field fabrication of this system has traditionally been extremely costly.

Ideal Welders developed a concept in which the piping system could be fabricated in our shop in modules and transported to the sit in sections for installation. This concept minimized field welds, shortened the project schedule and substantially reduced capital costs.

Traditionally, bobsled runs require about 60,000 man-hours in the field. Our module approach moved 45,000 of those hours into the shop where the elements were no longer a concern.

The 1.7 km track was broken into over 130 modules, which were fabricated in-house and then shipped to the site for installation. Once our field crews had completed the field welding, a civil contractor encased the pipe frame in mesh and concrete to create the track.

The project required more than 1.1 million pounds of piping and over 27,000 pressurized pipe welds. The improved quality control enabled by shop construction eliminated field rework. Installation of the track modules, refrigerant header piping, and the refrigeration plant piping was all performed by Ideal Welders.

The installation of the refrigeration plant and the luge/bobsled refrigeration tubing was completed two years ahead of schedule and under budget. Fabricating much of the system in modules in our shop saved over $2 million in construction costs and earned Ideal Welders a Gold Metal of Appreciation from the Vancouver Olympic Committee.