Project Title:

West Refrigeration Plant Expansion & Boiler Plant Modernization

Client:

The Architect of the Capital

Location:

Washington, DC

Summary:

The Architect of the Capitol Central Refrigeration Plant and Boiler Plant are undergoing major renovations, additions, and improvements.  The renovation project includes the addition of three (3) 5,400 ton chillers, primary/secondary chilled water pumping systems, new electrical gear, new state-of-the-art distributed control systems for both steam and chilled water.  A new building to house the equipment is to be constructed adjacent to the existing West Refrigeration Plant.  The new plant constructed is approximately $72,000,000.

The Capitol Power Plant provides chilled water and steam to the U.S. Capitol Building as well as various House and Senate Buildings on Capitol Hill.  Ross Infrastructure has developed independent chilled water, steam, and co-generation master plans for the Capitol Power Plant and the associated distribution systems.

RI has provided design oversight of all plant projects.  Detailed design has been provided for 6,000 tons of chilled water in the ERP, two new deaerators, and miscellaneous improvements to the steam generating system.  A new Distributed Control System (DCS) will be utilized to control all functions associated with the new chilled water plant and its interconnection with the existing West Refrigeration Plant.  The DCS will also provide control of seven (7) boilers with a total generating capacity of 620,000 pounds per hour (pph).  The DCS is designed to be redundant to provide uninterrupted control to various items within both the steam and chilled water plant. 

Ross Infrastructure is currently performing boiler combustion and emission tuning on all seven boilers located in the existing Boiler Plant.  The tuning of the existing boilers has greatly reduced the fuel usage of the Boiler Plant.  The result from this effort is an estimated $1.4 million in annual fuel savings with no additional capital cost. Ross Infrastructure (RI) is providing on-site Construction Administration, Commissioning, and Operator Training of the new plant.  RI is also evaluating the present plant operations and providing recommendations to improve plant efficiency as well as increase plant reliability.