That’s One Big Heat Exchanger!

With an expansion of the existing Central Plant, Ainsworth Associates Mechanical Engineers worked as the prime design consultant assisting Carson Tahoe Hospital in adding the Sierra Surgery Center to their existing campus 4-pipe distribution system while also increasing mechanical system redundancy and efficiency across the campus. Part of the design includes a new plate/frame heat exchanger to provide water-side free cooling on temperate days. To minimize the approach (the lower the “approach” between the hot and cold-water streams represents efficient heat transfer) and to accommodate campus loads, a 30,000-pound plate/frame heat exchanger is being installed in the existing central plant. Representing the largest Danfoss Heat Exchanger installed in North America, much care and expertise was needed to crane the unit into a building that doesn’t have a large enough door to accommodate the unit standing upright.