A Trusted
Steam Specialist

Success Story

Precision Equipment Improves Air Handling Unit

Correct Steam Traps & Pressure Power Pumps Keeps the OR AHU Running at Royal Columbian Hospital.

The Royal Columbian Hospital is the oldest hospital in the Canadian province of British Columbia and one of the busiest in the Fraser Health Authority. Royal Columbian Hospital is a major tertiary care facility known for trauma care, neurosurgery, and open-heart surgery.

The operating rooms require 100% make up air and a project to upgrade the air system with a new energy efficient one was undertaken with a new rooftop AHU installed. Problems arose on the shoulder seasons with the freeze stats shutting down the air handler under certain outside air conditions. A call was made to Andrew Reynolds to investigate and provide a solution. Upon investigation two major issues were discovered. The steam coil selection was correctly chosen to be freeze proof tube with a tube design, however the 1 ¼” tubes as per the performance data were actually constructed as 5/8” tubes. Secondly, the condensate would backup in the tubes due to lack of vacuum breakers, undersized steam traps and back pressure on the condensate system.

The solution was to replace the freeze proof tube with the correct size, install vacuum breakers, correctly size the steam traps and have a steam powered condensate pump return condensate back to the boiler room.

The results are the AHU now runs under all load conditions and the freeze stats not locking out the system. Chris Nicol from Fraser Health reports the system is performing consistently and reliably.

 

Did You Know?
Use Feedwater Economizers for Waste Heat Recovery

A feedwater economizer reduces steam boiler fuel requirements by transferring heat from the flue gas to incoming feedwater. Boiler flue gases are often rejected to the stack at temperatures more than 100°F to 150°F higher than the temperature of the generated steam. Generally, boiler efficiency can be increased by 1% for every 40°F reduction in flue gas temperature. By recovering waste heat, an economizer can often reduce fuel requirements by 5% to 10% and pay for itself in less than 2 years.

About Us

Client Testimonial

I have worked with Andrew for a number of years on many successful steam heating and condensate recovery projects in the Fraser Health Authority. I have found him to be an excellent resource on steam systems and he is always willing to share his knowledge. He presented a full day seminar on steam topics to our operating engineers which was well received. Andrew has participated in many BC CHES Trade Shows and has also been a guest speaker. I would not hesitate to recommend Andrew to help you with any of your steam system requirements.