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Out of Box Idea for Heating and Cooling
A 120-acre medical campus served by the largest lake-coupled geothermal system
in the United States has been recognized for technological innovation by the
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
The system at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington, Iowa, also is
one of the first applications for use in a hospital.
"The owner's charge to the design team was a comfortable and easy to maintain
acute care hospital that conserved energy and lowered existing costs," Warren
Lloyd, P.E., project manager, said. "The uniqueness of the campus is the lake-coupled
geothermal system that heats and cools the buildings."
The system was one of two projects that was awarded a first-place Technology
Award during ASHRAE's 2002 Winter Meeting in January, 2002.
The ASHRAE Technology Awards recognize outstanding achievements by members
who have successfully applied innovative building design in the areas of occupant
comfort, indoor air quality and energy conservation. Their designs incorporate
ASHRAE standards for effective energy management and indoor air quality. Performance
is proven through one year's actual, verifiable operating data.
Lloyd earned first place in the health care facilities, new, category. He is
principal at KJWW Engineering Consultants in Rock Island, IL.
The 1,500-ton geothermal system uses a 15-acre manmade lake that also serves
as a storm retention basin and as the thermal sink and heat sink for the system.
The system includes 105 coil banks with 4,200 feet of piping each lying near
the bottom of the 12-foot deep lake and acting as heat exchangers.
Two 150-horsepower pumps move water from the bottom of the lake through plastic
piping into the buildings. The pumps move more than 5,000 gallons of water per
minute through a re-circulating piping system. The water passes through more
than 800 heat pumps that provide individual room control in offices and patient
treatment rooms, according to Lloyd.
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