Power specialist Powertecnique has recently completed work to provide emergency power to the UK’s internationally renowned NHS Blood and Transplant centre (NHSBT) at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.
NHSBT manages voluntary donations for blood, tissues, organs and stem cells for patients across the UK. NHSBT supplies around two million units of blood a year to hospitals in England and north Wales and last year received 3,500 organ and 4,000 tissue donations and banked 2,200 cord blood units from across the UK.
Powertecnique replaced two 40-year-old generators from the site before fitting a new 500kVA genset to support the facility in the event of a power outage. The new generator is configured with a control system to allow short term mains synchronisation for a no break return. The generator will automatically start in the event of a mains failure to support the building load.
New double-skinned pipework with leak protection was laid between the generator and fuel system. A probe in the pipework system picks up any sign of rising fuel levels which raises an alarm to signal a fuel leak. During the installation, 4,000 litres of fuel were sent through a portable fuel polishing system which removes contamination and water from the fuel.
Fuel polishing has become increasingly more important since the introduction of the EU biodiesel regulations. Diesel engine fuel contamination by foreign bodies such as water, dirt and bacterial growth can lead to the formation of a sludge that causes generators to fail during a power interruption.
Given the price of fuel, replacing contaminated fuel is more expensive than ever, but Powertecnique’s solution that allows diesel can be polished on site and returned to the fuel tank, completely eliminates the expense of replacing fuel.
Powertecnique were contracted by Munro Building Services who have worked on the Addenbrookes’ site since the early 1970’s. Powertecnique will support the installation with a two year maintenance contract for the generator and fuel system.
