Presented by Phil Mader, P.E.

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Water Conservation

• Presented by Phil Mader, P.E.

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Recirculating Process Chilled Water With Leak
Prevention Introduction
The BMS Wallingford Facilities Engineering
Department in conjunction with EHS has developed
and installed a new Recirculating Chilled Water
System with Leak Prevention in our chemical fume
hoods. The new system replaces the use of our
domestic water system used our hoods to cool
glass condensers in reflux procedures.
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Recirculating Process Chilled Water With Leak
Prevention
1. This new recirculating system was designed to
meet researchers needs for reliable steady state
flow conditions.
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Recirculating Process Chilled Water With Leak
Prevention

• The system includes a newly designed leak
  prevention system which improves electrical and
  fire safety.
• The new leak prevention system reduces flooding
  and associated losses of office equipment,
  emergency maintenance work hours and valuable
  data, (electronic and paper bound).

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Recirculating Process Chilled Water With Leak
Prevention
3. The new system saves valuable natural
resources including drinkable water, energy and
cost of treating potable water as sewage waste
discharge, and building supplies, (ceiling tiles,
paper stock, ect).
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1. Lab Cold and Chilled WaterPressure
Temperature Data
Recirculating Process Chilled Water With Leak
Prevention

• Colder steady state water conditions lead to
  faster procedures.
• System pressure fluctuations lead directly to
  water leaks.

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2. Recirculating Process Chilled Water with Leak
Prevention Saftey

• If a system is difficult to use, people will
  find a way to get around it or disable it.
• Researchers are already 100 consumed with their
  work without adding another complicated
  mechanical system for them to learn and use.

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2. Recirculating Process Chilled Water With Leak
Prevention
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Recirculating Process Chilled WaterWith Leak
Prevention
BMS benchmarked available units and found
thebenchmark unit bulky, consuming valuable hood
space.
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Recirculating Process Chilled Water Leak
Prevention Safety
1. Electronic parts are exposed to corrosive and
potentially explosive atmospheres in hoods.2.
Outlets are oppositely switched.If we want to
have a, fail safe (powered open) solenoid valve
with a switched heating element, an additional
splitter (power strip) is required.
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Recirculating Process Chilled Water Leak
Prevention Benchmark Unit Assessment

• The benchmark unit test findings include
• Unit consumed valuable exhaust hood space.
• Unit is dangerous with exposed outlets and valves
  in hood atmosphere.
• Unit was complicated to use and did not function
  to meet minimum BMS Research requirements.
• Conclusion unit can not be used for the current
  application.

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Recirculating Process Chilled Water Leak
Prevention
Boiler Room Guy Facilities Engineering and
Maintenance?
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BMS Developed Recirculating Process Chilled
Water System with Leak Prevention Components For
Chemistry Hoods
PCHW Alarm Light
PCHW Activation Switch
PCHW Control Valve
PCHW Hood Outlet
PCHW Hood Outlet
Chemistry Hood Elevation
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Recirculating Process Chilled Water Leak
PreventionOperating Procedure
1. Chemistry Apparatus is set up, i.e. (Condenser)
Use Snap-Ring Clamps From Lab Stock Room on all
hose connections. (Be sure to use proper size)
2. Flip Activation Switch On
3. Open PCHW Control Valve
Refrain from using clamps that may not hold up to
30 PSIG
4. Run Procedure When complete, shutoff switch
valve
Light turns on only when system is in alarm
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Recirculating Process Chilled WaterLeak
PreventionAlarm Operation
If glassware breaks or hose slips off 1. The
supply water will be shut off 2. The alarm light
will turn on 3. An alarm will be generated in
the operations center, (operations staff may be
contacted at x2000 to give specific directions in
responding to alarms during off hours)
Flipping Activation Switch Off then On will reset
the system.
There is a 30 second adjustable time delay to
allow water to prime the apparatus at start-up.
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Recirculating Process Chilled WaterElectric
Power Control
Hoods are now being ordered with a switched power
receptacle, wired to the Variac/heating element
and a J-box which can accept a RIB, (Relay in a
Box).
The receptacle is tied into the leak system.
Upon loss of process water flow, the power to the
heating element will be shutoff .
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3. Recirculating Process Chilled Water with Leak
Prevention Annual Cost and Savings Data
Current total site use is 83MM gallons per year.
Current renovations should reduce domestic
consumption by and additional 5.8MM Gallons per
Year by 2005.
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3. Recirculating Process Chilled Water with Leak
Prevention System Cost Data
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Recirculating Process Chilled Water with Leak
Prevention Summary
The BMS Facilities has increased productivity and
conserved water and energy resources by the
following

• Developing a recirculating chilled water system
  to replace the domestic water cooling system,
  which meet the specific needs of our research
  customers.
• Developing a leak prevention system which
  increases the efficiency of chemistry experiments
  with an improved level of saftey while reducing
  our impact on the environment.

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Recirculating Process Chilled Water With Leak
Prevention
Any Questions?
Please feel free to forward any questions or
comments. Thank you,Philip J. Mader,
P.E.philip.mader_at_bms.com