posted in - Project Updates
The third in a series about ISO 50001 and the collaboration between Innovate Energy and Public Services and Procurement Canada.
The Tunney's Pasture heating and cooling plant precedes any other development in the area now known as a building and research park. The plant supports 15 User Buildings, including Health Canada. Brent Mainville, a first-class power engineer, started working at Tunney’s Pasture central heating and cooling plant (CHCP) in 2016. With previous experience with ISO 9001 and 14001, Brent set up energy management goals to meet and exceed as Plant Chief of Tunney’s Pasture CHCP. For Fall Maintenance in 2016, some of the boilers were plugged due to poor water quality; the boilers were acid and hydro-pressure washed to clean them out and optimize operating capabilities. Brent’s ISO experience led him to implement maintenance strategies to run the Tunney’s Pasture CHCP more efficiently, like operating the boilers at a lower level in the summer, while meeting the key performance indicators necessary for the User Buildings the Tunney’s Pasture CHCP supports. Another example of Brent’s operating ingenuity references the steam traps at the Tunney’s Pasture CHCP and the User Buildings. The steam trap is an essential part of any steam system as it is the important link between good steam and condensate management, retaining steam within the process for maximum utilization of heat, but releasing condensate and incondensable gases at the appropriate time. At Tunney’s the operating team have implemented a steam eye monitoring system to identify blow through traps. A steam trap catches excess steam in a User Building and turns it into condensate, then returns it back to the plant and boilers. By recouping as much steam as possible in the traps, the plant operators don’t have to reintroduce as much city water back into the system, saving money. ISO 50001 is an effective quality management tool that can help to manage energy more efficiently, subsequently saving money and reducing emissions. The ISO dashboard at Tunney’s Pasture CHCP that allows engineers to see adjustments and energy savings in real time, promoting a desire to be part of the solution. The facilities management team of Innovate Energy, with the support of Public Services and Procurement Canada, work to ameliorate plant operations and reduce GHG emissions.
