CASE STUDY Power Generation

Regional hospital’s new surgical wing requires sophisticated electrical backup power

Posted on February 20, 2017

St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH), a teaching hospital affiliated with McMaster University, is known as a regional “center of excellence” for a variety of surgical specialties. With a 120-year history of caring for the communities surrounding Hamilton, SJHH recently expanded its specialties with a new three-story Surgical/Perioperative Tower.
Details

Who

St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton

What

mtu Series 1600 generator sets for 2 x 550 kW standby power

Why

Where

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

The engineering specifications for SJHH’s power system were very precise because of the criticality of the hospital application. The system needs to supply a steady, dependable level of power even as the load on the system changes.

Scott Boumeester - director of off-highway sales, Wajax Power Systems

The Surgical/Perioperative Tower’s 100,000-plus square feet of new construction and renovation features new surgical rooms, post-anesthesia care beds, a day surgery center and sterileprocessing department. Sensitive electronic equipment in the new unit requires equally sophisticated electrical backup power. The mtu Series 1600 generator sets are specifically designed to accept changes in loads with minimal voltage and frequency dips. This transient response — or ability to respond quickly to variations in loads — ensures that surgical procedures and patient safety will not be compromised in the event of a power failure.
“The engineering specifications for SJHH’s power system were very precise because of the criticality of the hospital application,” said Scott Boumeester, director of off-highway sales for Wajax Power Systems, the local mtu distributor. “The system needs to supply a steady, dependable level of power even as the load on the system changes.”

Power system meets code-required electrical standard


The mtu power system consists of two 550 kW generator sets that meet the electrical requirements of the Canadian Standard Association’s CSA 282/32. This standard mandates that the units provide power at a steady state within three seconds after 75 percent of the load is applied.
Each generator set is powered by a 12-cylinder Series 1600, the latest diesel engine from mtu and the first ever in its power range designed from the ground up for the power generation applications. The generator drive engine is designed with greater cylinder displacement per horsepower compared with other engines, giving it more built-in reserve capacity to handle changing loads. Standard features include EPA Tier 2 certification, ISO 8528-5 compliance at 85 percent load factor, NFPA 110 one-step load acceptance and UL recognized digital control panels.
The new Perioperative wing is part of a complete redevelopment of St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. With advances in medicine, surgical facilities and emergency standby systems, the hospital continues to fulfill its mission of excellent care for residents of Hamilton and the surrounding area.