Finning UK & Ireland (Finning) has supplied a combined heat and power (CHP) solution to the Boston Scientific manufacturing facility in Cork, Ireland, delivering energy-saving efficiencies of up to 23,328kWh of primary energy per day.
The site, which manufactures more than 5.6 million life-saving devices for the company’s cardiology, rhythm management and vascular group, endoscopy, and urology and pelvic health divisions, has invested in an 800kW gas fired CHP unit to help cut energy costs, improve operational efficiencies and increase sustainability.
The CHP system generates electricity on-site while also capturing the usable heat that is produced during this process. In contrast with conventional means of generating electricity, which are typically only 40 per cent fuel-efficient with all the potential heat energy simply going to waste, CHP technology can increase a site’s energy efficiency dramatically, with Boston Scientific now achieving a total efficiency rating of 87.7 per cent when compared with conventional electricity generation.
Featuring a containerised, highly efficient Cat® CG132-16 natural gas-fired generator set with an electrical output of 800kWe at 400 volts, the system will also generate up to 406kWt from the engine’s water jacket circuit and 450kWt from the exhaust, providing low temperature hot water that can be used for the site’s utility building services and manufacturing processes.
Offering a payback period of less than three years, Niall Ahern, Facilities Engineer at Boston Scientific, explains: “We began the process of looking to improve our operational efficiencies more than two years ago, with CHP offering the best all-round investment for us in terms of cost, efficiency and sustainability.”
The 800kW unit is a fuel-efficient energy technology, capable of providing for 80-90 per cent of the facility’s electrical requirements at weekends and 60-70 per cent of electrical requirements during the week, depending on demands. It helps power a range of utility equipment, humidifiers, air handling units and compressed air systems, as well as Controlled Environment equipment and lighting.
“We were impressed with the quality of Finning’s workmanship,” Niall adds, “including the company’s knowledge and expertise when it came to commissioning and setting up the installation of the CHP unit. The integration of the CHP plant was one of the largest, most complex projects to be delivered at our site in Cork last year, and we expect it will continue to provide a good return on investment.”
To support its CHP technology offering, Finning also provides maintenance packages to customers, with Boston Scientific signing a multi-year agreement. Backed by a dedicated team of expert technicians, which are on-call 24/7, 365 days a year, maintenance packages can include remote monitoring, emergency call-outs, scheduled services and overhauls, an in-house fluid analysis service and genuine spare parts.