Project Name
Biomass Boiler & Co-Generation Plant
Location
Lewisburg, PA
Project Description
Quandel Construction Group was selected as the Design-Builder for Evangelical Community Hospitalʼs new biomass boiler and co-generation plant.
The project used a carbon-neutral fuel source of green wood chips to energize a 16,738 MMBtu (500BHP) high-pressure steam boiler to support the Hospitalʼs heating and process loads. Useful efficiency of the steam boiler was increased by powering a microsteam turbine to generate 275 eKw of electricity to supply the Hospital and offset electrical power purchasing. A secondary use of the low-pressure discharge steam from the turbine drives a 600 ton absorption chiller reclaiming additional power from the boiler.
Quandel led the entire design-build effort of this highly sustainable energy project. The complexities of the project included the construction of a 2,500 square foot automated fuel storage and conveyance building, installation of owner-purchased biomass combined heat and power equipment, relocation of utilities and major structural alterations to the existing power plant. The construction was performed without any power shutdown or disruption to Hospital operations. The results were a carbon-neutral energy installation with power generation to offset the equivalent total energy needs for the Ambulatory Surgical Center—approximately 40,000 square feet.
Project Size
18,000,000 BTU/500
Owner’s Name
Evangelical Community Hospital
Architect
LeFevre Wilk Architects