Two brand new, state-of-the-art boilers arrived at Royal Jubilee Hospital from Virginia today (July 18).
Each boiler weighs about 33 tonnes, and is about the size of a shipping container. They will replace the three current boilers installed in 1966.
The facilities team at RJH has been anticipating this event for 18 months, says Brett Street, facilities, maintenance and operations technical services manager at RJH.
“The old boilers did a good job for us, but they are at the end of their life,” Street said. “With the new technology and design, digital controls and lower emissions requirements, we think the new boilers will be 20 per cent more efficient, resulting in a 15 to 20 per cent reduction in natural gas consumption.”
The boiler system at the RJH campus produces steam at 125 pounds per square inch of pressure. This is then converted to hot water for faucets, and to heat 1.5 million square feet of floor space. Steam is also supplied across the system to sterilize operating room instruments and to help humidify a number of buildings on site.
Total cost of the project is $6.5 million, with the Ministry of Health kicking in nearly $4 million and the Capital Regional Health District contributing more than $2 million.
