ENERGY MANAGEMENT


a RO system was being used to treat the water entering clean steam humidifiers. As part of the water reduction project, the pipe work for the existing RO system was reconfigured to treat the feed water entering the steam system. The resulting increase in steam purity and heat exchange efficiency translated into a direct increase in operational efficiency. A decrease in the dissolved solids entering the system allows the boilers to operate at higher cycles, markedly reducing the make-up and chemical treatment requirements.


Optimising chemical handling This project also involved improving chemical inventory management and operator safety. Switching from the use of chemical pails to a demand delivery service eliminated unnecessary container waste without compromising adequate dosage control. The delivery of chemicals to the point of use via on site containment tanks allowed operators to participate in higher value activities such as on site water testing and online logging. Prior to this change, team members would carry pails of chemicals up three flights of stairs to the boiler room located in the penthouse. Demand delivery minimises the number of deliveries required annually, ensures


Table 1: Annual savings as a result of the water reduction project Savings after


Water Energy


Chemicals Salt


Savings after reverse


blow down control osmosis configuration 77% 4%


33% 69%


Total annual savings


77.3% 4.3% 78% 77%


$47,548


Table 2: Reduction in water consumption as a result of the water reduction project Savings after


Savings after reverse


Daily make-up (US gallons/day) Daily blow down (US gallons/day)


blow down control osmosis configuration 84.4% 92%


84.4% 99.5%


Total annual volume saved 784,192 US gallons


that there is always inventory on site and eliminates any breaks in the treatment programme resulting from low inventory.


Conclusion The water reduction project at Headwaters is a great example of how ‘greener’ healthcare operations can be


achieved from within the facility while also optimising operating costs. Since the implementation of this project, spending on water, energy and treatment chemicals has decreased by $47,548 and the hospital has received natural gas rebates for its environmental success.


IFHE


IFHEDigest Providing insights into the vast field of healthcare engineering and facility management IFHE DIGEST 2018 47


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