Optimizing Boiler Rooms with 3-D Modeling
A hospital in Nashville, Tennessee had (3) aging Kewanee Boilers that plagued the maintenance staff with downtime. This hospital used a combination of hot water for hydronic heating and steam to generate domestic hot water. The challenge was to eliminate the steam system and run the plant solely on hot water. However, the plant needed to produce 3 different temperatures for building heat, sterilization, and domestic hot water. To add to the complexity, the existing boiler room was very small and congested and the plant had to stay in operation during the demo of the old units and installation of the new equipment.
The Solution
Boiler Supply devised a solution that consisted of (3) new Cleaver-Brooks Flexible Watertube Boilers to supply the main hot water demand. The domestic hot water load would be carried by (2) Camus DynaFlo instantaneous domestic hot water heaters. By using (3) 5.0 MMBTU boilers and (2) Domestic Hot Water Heaters, the plant will have 100% redundancy. Careful planning with the removal of the old units and installing the new equipment will provide reliable plant operation and heat to the hospital during construction.
3-D Modeling Boiler Rooms
Like most boiler plant projects, the more we can efficiently configure the boiler and ancillary equipment, the more we can potentially reduce piping, materials and arrange the room for optimal maintenance. To solve the space issue at this particular hospital, Boiler Supply used 3D Solid Modeling Technology software to ensure the new equipment will fit. By building a scale virtual model of the existing boiler room, we can then drop the new equipment to decide the best arrangement. We can also connect pumps, valves and piping to further illustrate how the completed boiler room will look and function.
3-D Modeling capability is not something that most equipment suppliers can provide. This extra layer of service gives confidence to the engineer, designer, contractor and customer to clearly understand the conditions and expectations of the boiler plant.
Advantages of 3-D Modeling
- Map out the best use of space for equipment and piping and promotes the development of efficiencies
- Communicates the plant layout and potential changes to avoid design issues and loop in all parties involved
- Reduces lead times, errors and cost by understanding ahead of time all facets
- Keeps your project on track
Contact Boiler Supply for complete boiler room support solutions.