CARBON REDUCTION
and a focus on vendor production drawings for checking and verification, and stage 7 use and feedback. Throughout, we engage with appropriate authorities to establish compliance.
The challenges Each new project has its own individual challenges to be overcome. Among the biggest challenges at King’s Lynn were the floor loadings for the substantially heavier new processing equipment, alongside developing a plan for installation during construction, while maintaining existing production on the rest of the site. Recipharm’s FM technical projects manager Alfred Cook, who is responsible for the capital pipeline for facilities, explains: “The plant was originally designed and built for device assembly equipment so to introduce the latest state of the art moulding equipment required significant change both in terms of additional height to accommodate the robotic modules/arms – at least an additional five metres above the equipment – and in meeting the loading needs of the new machinery.” The ceiling height was taken up to six
metres, with two metres to house plant duct work etc. This was relatively straightforward as the space existed already and it meant the space was being utilised more efficiently. Cook continues: “Originally the machinery we had in place weighed on average three tonnes per machine and the floor designed to take 15.0kN/m2
.
However, now we were populating the environment with 15 new machines of roughly 16-20 tonnes each, so the best part of 150/200 tonnes.” The teams revisited how the floor was originally designed. Essentially a block and beam type arrangement floor, an assessment took place of the position of the main beams, where the new presses could be installed without causing an issue with the structural integrity of the floor itself, and how to spread the load. “We were fortunate that the building
construction worked with how we intended to run our operation and how we could configure the layout. We managed to place the machines in some clever locations, dissipating the load. We undertook our own structural analysis initially, and then BES verified the structural integrity to support the findings, not least as the first machine to be placed weighed 19 tonnes with its robotic assembly next to it. It’s fair to say that when that was installed it was a bit of a heart stopping moment, but after the first
Cleanroom remodelled and refurbished to house the latest assembly capabilities.
and heaviest machine was in, it gave us all a lot of reassurance!”
CO2 reduction targets
As part of Recipharm’s sustainability goals, the company wanted to reduce fossil fuel usage across the site as well as reduce energy levels. Originally the installation of gas boilers
was considered; however, this would have involved new gas supplies, roadworks, and the associated disruption of introducing gas to the site. Following consultation, the suggestion was to use dry air and heat source pumps. An evaluation of several new technologies followed. Cook adds: “Although we were sticking with electric, it was from a sustainable source. Also, the new equipment had high energy ratings, so savings were going to come from improved efficiencies there too.”
Overall, the area was also downgraded
from a clean room to white room or red area, so this meant it would require less energy to run. HEPA filtration was no longer required, which in turn reduces the amount of power and greater energy efficiencies than previously. Another saving was to come through building services improvements and the ability to utilise waste heat from the process systems for use in the HVAC plant. The new chillers and air source heat pumps feature new standby capabilities as well as an innovative recovery chilling process.
An initial assessment of the current plant and equipment was undertaken
Each new project has its own individual challenges to be overcome
92
along with enhanced calculations to determine whether the existing HVAC plant was suitable to be reused. The added factors of phasing, and the requirement to keep part of the building operating as ‘business as usual’, were also incorporated within the mechanical design.
Significant services works involved the
reconfiguration of existing HVAC systems with new mechanical services plant, responsive to the external climate, and with minimal carbon footprint. Room sizes were reviewed to reduce the air volumes and reduce energy consumption. Relevant calculations and modelling to ensure energy efficient measures were optimised wherever possible within the scope of the project. The additional specialist systems comprised a building management system, process chilled water reverse osmosis (RO) system, process vacuum, and process compressed air systems and sprinkler system.
Thermal modelling A thermal building model was produced to assess the building’s thermal profile, enabling us to provide the correct equipment and plant sizing, while taking account of dynamic changes throughout the year. One of the key parameters was to ensure the main process rooms were stabilised within a set temperature profile. It was agreed that several existing air handling units and associated HVAC equipment could be retained and reused, while ductwork pipework, low temperature hot water (LTHW) and chilled water, compressed air, domestic hot and cold water, and sprinkler system were stripped out. Air handling unit 1 (AHU01) was dedicated to the moulding room only and modified to suit the new
IFHE DIGEST 2024
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