Chillers for Ice Rinks in Ukraine: The Case with TRANE and the Largest Arena in Kyiv

Chillers for icerinks in Ukraine: TRANE and ice arenas in Kiev

Prepare the sled in summer and the cart in winter – in the ice arena industry this proverb has a literal meaning. A mistake in the timing of equipment procurement can turn arena preparation into a technical collapse: with an ice rink area of 1 800 m² the heat load can reach 380-400 kW, with an area of 2 500 m² – 420-450 kW. The thickness of the ice layer from 30 to 50 mm directly depends on the power of the equipment and heat flows. To maintain an ice surface temperature of -5 °C in intensive operation, a refrigerant flow rate of 0.08-0.1 kg/s per 1 kW of cold and a chilled water flow of 0.035-0.045 m³/s per 400 kW unit are required.

With a total load of 150-160 kW, the additional cooling cycles and maintaining even ice increase the unit’s energy consumption by 10-15 % during peak hours. The average annual energy consumption of a chiller for a 1,800 m² ice rink is 450-500 MWh, for a 2,500 m² facility it is 600-650 MWh. For small private arenas with an area of 600-900 m², a chiller with a capacity of 200-250 kW, refrigerant consumption of 15-20 kg/h, water flow rate of 0.02-0.025 m³/s is required, which ensures an average ice thickness of 35-40 mm at a surface temperature of -5 °C and a minimum temperature difference across the arena of ±0.5 °C.

Niche of ice arenas and ice rinks in Ukraine

The average arena area is 1,500-2,500 m². For a 1,800 m² arena, the design load on the cooling system reaches 380-400 kW. The main parameters of heat inputs are:

– Lighting and lighting fixtures – up to 35 kW; the total power of all lamps, spotlights and decorative lighting in a 1,800-2,500 m² arena is taken into account. These devices create a constant heat flux, which must be compensated by a chiller to maintain an ice temperature of -5 °C.

– Visitors and spectators – up to 25 kW; heat output from a person is assumed to be 70-100 W per person. With 200-250 visitors at a time, this gives up to 25 kW of heat load, which increases the requirements for chiller capacity and coolant flow rate.

– Solar radiation and envelope – 40-50 kW; this includes direct solar radiation, heat gains through glass facades, windows and walls. These flows vary throughout the day and require dynamic control of the cooling supply.

– Moisture condensation – up to 30 kW; released from visitors’ breathing and ice melting, especially when the air temperature in the hall is above -2 °C. This latent load increases the refrigerant and electricity consumption of the chiller.

– Open gates and doors – up to 20 kW; every time the doors are opened, outside warm air flows inside, creating localised heat peaks. This load can be as high as 25 kW during peak hours if the arena is heavily used.

The total additional load reaches 150 kW, which requires a 350-450 kW chiller with an energy efficiency ratio (EER) ≥ 2.8. The energy consumption of a chiller unit for a 1,800 m² arena is about 450-500 MWh per year, and the average energy operating costs are 55-60 % of the total owner’s costs. The payback period for commercial operation is 3-5 years.

The autumn season (15 September to 30 October) forms the peak demand. During this period, the demand for ice rink chillers increases 2.5-3 times compared to the annual average. Late order reduces the probability of receiving the required model to 30-40%. And for EVROPROM ‘s regular customers up to 60 %, including warranty support.

Customer and partnership history with EVROPROM

The client is a private investor who has been developing a network of ice rinks and ice arenas throughout Ukraine for several years. His projects cover more than 25 facilities in different regions, including the largest arena in Kiev with an area of over 2,500 m² and smaller private ice rinks from 600 to 900 m². The client’s main objective is to ensure consistent ice quality and energy-efficient operation of the equipment. Thanks to the partnership with EVROPROM, he receives an accurate load calculation for each facility, selection of the optimum power of TRANE chillers from 200 to 410 kW, as well as a set of Olympia and Zamboni ice machines. The client monitors ice surface temperature (-5 ±0.5 °C), layer thickness (30-50 mm) and energy consumption (450-500 MWh per arena per year) to minimise operating costs, maintain an EER ≥ 2.8 and forecast project payback in the 3-5 year range. Trusted relationships with EVROPROM ensure timely equipment deliveries, service support and prompt resolution of any technical issues.

Within this project EVROPROM supplied more than 10 TRANE chillers. For each chiller unit the required capacity was calculated: from 268 kW for small arenas to 410 kW for the largest arena in Kiev. For an ice rink area of 1,800 m², the heat load is 380-400 kW, and for an object of 2,500 m² – 420-450 kW. A chiller with a capacity of 200-250 kW is sufficient for private areas of 600-900 m².

There are 4 Olympia and Zamboni ice harvesting machines in operation at the same time. Each machine treats between 1,400 and 2,000 m² per cycle, which helps to maintain smooth ice and minimise energy consumption. On average, one machine treats 6-8 arenas per month with standard skating intensity. For large arenas, the ice treatment time does not exceed 45-50 minutes per cycle.

In total EVROPROM serves more than 25 rinks and ice arenas throughout Ukraine. The average area of the facilities varies from 600 m² to 2 500 m², which requires individual load calculation and equipment selection. The total cumulative load of all facilities exceeds 8 MW, with an annual energy consumption of 450-500 MWh per arena. For the customer, this allows them to plan operating costs and forecast a payback period of 3-5 years.

Ice arenas and projects in Ukraine

The largest project was a skating rink in Kiev with an area of more than 2,500 m². It utilised a 410 kW chiller to ensure even distribution of cooling. The average energy consumption of such facilities is 650-700 MWh per year and the chilled water load is 0.035-0.045 m³/s for a 400 kW unit.

Small and medium-sized facilities (areas 600-1,200 m²) use chillers with a capacity of 200-300 kW, with a refrigerant consumption of 0.08-0.1 kg/s per 1 kW of cooling and a compressor load factor of 0.85-0.9.

TRANEtechnology in operation

The client relies on TRANE equipment due to high reliability and efficiency of scroll compressors, which demonstrate stable operation even under intensive load. The chillers of this brand are designed for operation in the range of outdoor temperatures from -15 to 35 °C, which makes it possible to maintain the optimal condition of the ice surface all year round without additional refrigeration backup systems in the context of saving money.

The refrigerant consumption for the 400 kW chiller is 32-40 kg/h, the water flow rate through the heat exchanger is 0.04 m³/s, the temperature at the evaporator inlet is -9 °C, at the ice arena outlet -5 °C.

Ice harvesting machines and operation

The quality of an ice rink is directly dependent on regular and correct ice maintenance. To maintain an even surface and optimum layer thickness, ice machines are used to cut unevenness, distribute water and create a smooth surface.

The client has four machines in operation: the Olympia ST95, Olympia Millennium and Zamboni 400. Each of them is capable of treating between 1,400 and 2,000 m² per cycle, which allows a stable ice thickness of 30 to 50 mm to be maintained, even under heavy use.

These machines reduce freezing energy consumption by up to 12-15% per season, allowing TRANE chillers ranging from 268 to 410 kW to operate at optimum efficiency with heat loads of 380-450 kW for an arena of 1,800-2,500 m². Each ice machine treats between 1,400 and 2,000 m² per 45-50 minute cycle, distributing 500 litres of water per pass and maintaining an ice thickness of 30-50 mm with a ±2 mm variation.

With an attendance of 200-250 people at a time, the heat output is up to 25 kW, and from lighting fixtures up to 35 kW; solar radiation adds 40-50 kW, condensation 30 kW, and open doors 20 kW.

Ice machines compensate for these additional 145-160 kW of heat fluxes, reduce the amount of ice recycling from 6-8 times per day to 3-4 times, and allow the chiller’s energy efficiency ratio EER ≥ 2.8 to be maintained throughout the season.

Outcomes and value of the partnership with EVROPROM

EVROPROM provides equipment supply, installation, commissioning and service support. For 11 years, the company has serviced more than 40 ice arenas in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, ensuring the reliability of refrigeration systems.

Key advantages for customers:

– Access to global brands and proven models of equipment;

– Accurate engineering calculations and selection of units to suit the facilities;

– Budget savings due to optimisation and durability of equipment.

In this project EVROPROM proved to be a reliable engineering and service partner. The company provided the selection of more than 10 TRANE chillers and 4 Olympia ice machines with precise load calculation for each arena – from private ice rinks with the area of 600-900 m² to the largest facility in Kiev with the area of more than 2 500 m². Б

Thanks to professional design and commissioning, the total load of up to 450 kW is compensated evenly, the ice temperature is kept within a range of -5 ±0.5 °C, and refrigerant and water consumption is optimised by 10-15 %. The EVROPROM service guarantees minimal downtime and maintains an energy efficiency ratio of EER ≥ 2.8 throughout the season.

This comprehensive approach allows the customer to save 55-60 % of operating costs for electricity, and the payback period of the facilities does not exceed 3-5 years. Reliability of equipment, accuracy of calculations and promptness of deliveries make EVROPROM a key partner for all ice arena refrigeration projects in Ukraine.

Author of the article:

Svyatoslav Ovcharenko, Sales Manager

11.09.2025