Since 1950, Gillan & Hartmann, Inc. has provided creative, economical, and energy efficient designs for our clients in planning and development of specifications for boilers, chillers, electrical systems, utilities, equipment, and appurtenances with a broad and extensive experience in the installation of complex systems and operations in Colleges/Unjversities, K-12 schools, apartment/condominiums, complexes/campuses, office buildings, hospitals, long term care, pharmaceutical, industrial/high- tech. and governmental facilities. System plants, central and distribution systems. and industrial/commercial equipment, and campus-wide HVAC/steam, hot water, chilled water systems, and utilities – including cogeneration and geothermal applications – have been designed to service a wide range of applications and facility services. Highlights of central plant and distribution systems at various facilities include the following.
New and renovation construction of boiler and chilled water plants
Central generator stations and co-generator plants
Power and signal/low voltage systems distribution duct banks and cabling
Heating hot water, stream, condensate and chilled water campus-wide distribution piping and plant systems equipment
Ground penetrating radar, trenching, shoring, and surface restoration
Analysis of campus steam demand for sizing, efficiency development of performance and base loading, and sequencing of boiler operation
Coal stoker, fuel oil and natural gas boiler design
Coal and biomass storage and material handing
AST and UST fuel oil tanks, containment, flow control, fire safety, monitoring, leak detection, delivery, and EPA regulations
Decommissioning of coal power plants. chimney removal. and design of hazardous material abatement
Utility Master Planning and Facility Assessments
Equipment supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems
Campus-wide high pressure steam analysis for distribution piping systems for remaining service life
Air Emissions – DEP Title V Operation Permitting
Domestic water, fire service, natural gas and utility campus-wide piping distribution systems
Fair Acres Geriatric Center
Lima, PA
Fair Acres, Delaware County Geriatric Facility, provides independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing care, administration, and facilities in 18 buildings for more than 900 residents. Facilities include: a mid-rise apartment building; nursing/assisted living buildings; full service laundry; an administration building; food service/kitchen building; power house and maintenance facilities on 210-acre campus. Gillan & Hartman, Inc. has been providing prime professional mechanical, electrical, and plumbing planning, design, and construction services at Fair Acres since 1982.
In 1995, Gillan & Hartman was commissioned to address the Department of Health regulations to provide air conditioning for the elderly population in the residence buildings. The initial task was to provide a feasibility study to determine the most cost effective and energy efficient means to facilitate production and delivery of air conditioning. The analysis resulted in a central chilled water plant and campus-wide chilled water distribution system. Calculations indicated 1,500 tons of total cooling and it was determined that three different types of chillers would yield an average energy savings of $72,000 per year in electrical demand costs by avoiding the Utility Company’s winter racket charges. To implement the construction to meet the requirements of Fair Acres, the project was designed for three phases of construction.
Fair Acres Site Plan & Three Phase Air Conditioning Implementation Plan
Phase I
Remove the decommissioned boiler in Building 8 (Boiler Plant) and install a new 500-ton gas-fired absorption chiller in the footprint of the old boiler. Construct an addition to Building 8 to house new campus chilled-water pumps and install a new cooling tower on the roof. Run underground chilled-water pumps and install a new cooling tower on the roof. Run underground chilled-water piping to Buildings 5 and 7. Install fan coil units in patient rooms and air handling units in the basement for ventilation air and corridor conditioning of Building 5.
Phase II
Install underground chilled-water piping to Building 1. Install fan coil units in patient rooms in Buildings 1 and 7, and air handling units in the basement of both buildings for ventilation air and corridor conditioning. Convert existing heating system to hot water by installing steam to hot water heat exchangers.
Phase III
Renovate Building 10 (the old coal boiler plant) to provide a new 1000 ton chiller plant and cogeneration system. The cogeneration system included a 450kW gas generator with cooling tower, controls, catalytic converter/silencer, heat recovery silencer, steam separator, blowdown, and equipment access platforms where the generator jacket heat produced the high pressure steam that was fed into the boiler plant and fed a three pressure steam absorption chiller. Install a new 500-ton electric centrifugal chiller and a new 500-ton high efficiency natural gas-fired absorption chiller. Install a cogeneration system capable of producing electricity and generating steam for use in both summer and winter. Renovate Building 8 by removing the existing steam absorption chiller and connecting Building 8 to the central chiller water system; rehabilitate the HVAC system. Extend the underground chilled-water system to Building 6, connect Building 8 to the central system, and continue to operate its two vapor-compression chillers for back-up.
G&H provided design and construction of the following projects to complete the new campus-wide air conditioning system and modernization of the steam plant campus-wide system:
- Performed campus wide high pressure steam analysis for distribution piping systems located in boiler plant, piping tunnels and buildings for supply of high pressure steam, high pressure condensate and low pressure pumped condensate return, and system traps. The evaluation included ultrasonic piping wall thickness measurements for determination of remaining service life. Provided design and bid documentation for replacement of steam/condensate piping, trap replacements and new condensate pumps.
- Provided upgraded electric drives for three 450HP water tube high pressure boilers, base loading sequence and control upgrades that consisted of removal of the higher firing and brick stack, provision of dedicated stacks, new controls, deaerator, condensate pumps, blowdown separator, chemical feed, water softener system, duel fuel control and monitoring, stack oxygen trim, and monitoring, trending and alarming.
- Provided new aboveground fuel oil tanks with transfer oil pumps, double wall piping and leak detection.
Facilitated the PA DEP Air Quality testing for the cogeneration system exhaust emissions in accordance to DEP and EPA standards and regulations for air permitting which was achieved for the project.
Loysville Youth Development Center
Perry County, PA
The project encompasses complete replacement of the 700 HP steam boiler plant, including complete replacement of the fuel oil underground storage system that serves the facility campus, residential housing and administration buildings. Project requirements included the following:
- Analysis of campus steam demand for sizing, development of performance and flow rates loading and sequencing of boiler operation.
- Removal of the built-in-place brick fire boxes plus heat exchanger bodies, feed water system, oil pumps, air compressors and appurtenances, and underground fuel oil storage tanks.
- Two new 200 HP fire-tube steam and steel fire-tube boilers with new controls, deaerator, condensate pumps, blowdown separator, chemical feed water system, feedwater system and fuel oil system.
- More than 10,000 gallons underground fuel storage system with tank platforms, transfer oil pumps, fill pump station, leak detection, tank sequencer, fuel transfer system between tanks and buildings.
- 12.5 KV standby emergency switch over of all loads.
Provision of a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) for boiler control of fuel area, variable speed combustion air, parallel positioning plant system, drafting and flue fan safeguarding and monitoring, trending and alarming. The new SCADA tied the existing ESCO boiler into a total plant system.
Bloomsburg University – Lower Campus Medium Voltage Distribution System
Gannett Fleming, Inc. has been commissioned as Prime Professional to provide services of all design, bid-document preparation, bid participation, construction observation and Consultant responsibilities for the upgrade of the entire existing Lower Campus medium voltage distribution system, including transfer of all loads, and provisions for future needs.
The existing lower campus 5kV and 15kV medium voltage electrical systems/infrastructure required upgrading with the scope of work including the following:
- Demolition of existing feeder system from a loop system
- Creation of new double radial distribution system
- Providing updated site survey (and updated topographic map) for replacement of the existing campus 15kV cabling
- Updated one-line drawings and system modifications for the entire lower campus
- New manholes and hand holes where necessary
- New electrical duct banks modifications and building
- Removal and abandonment of manholes, as-built record condition
- Identify and coordinate building service, transformer, installation, and code compliance egress
GAF Engineers also performed site observations where necessary with regard to vehicle traffic and civil/site issues. The intent of the project is to provide a completely new system of switching, loop, and distribution to feed the entire lower campus. The project included all new cable, manholes and duct bank conduits where needed were present, supporting some existing installed cables.
Naval Supply Base
Mechanicsburg, PA
The Naval Support Activity, Mechanicsburg, PA is one of the largest, specialized supply facilities in the world. The facility is responsible for more than 400,000 items, maintains in excess of $15.5 billion in inventory, has more than 2,000 employees, and occupies several hundred acres. Buildings include specialized warehouses, administrative buildings and housing.
Gillan & Hartmann as Prime Professional designed new grounding for the 69 kV Service Yard including three 69kV-13.2 kV Substations. G&H applied the CDES Computer Simulation to model Current Distribution, Electromagnetic Interference, Soil Structural Analysis and resulting Grounding requirements. The use of the computerized modeling resulted in grounding provisions compliant with safety guidelines outlined in IEEE Standard 80-2000 “Guide for Safety in AC Substation Grounding”.
The phased design required complete restoration and modernization of the antiquated, deteriorated Life Safety Deficient 69 kV Substation Yard Grounding System. Control of the potential fault duration also required adjustments to 13.2 kV circuit breakers’ settings to reduce the level of energy transferred during faults. Critical Security Provisions to isolate/protect unauthorized entrance were completed in compliance with U.S. National Department of Defense Standards.
Additionally, G&H provided engineering and design for complete renovation, restoration and reliability improvements to campus 13.2 kV distribution loops. The design included provision of additional medium voltage transfer switches, extensive new underground lines installed along existing streets, new 13.2 kV switchgear equipment, modifications to selected building distribution equipment, and electrical coordination of all overcurrent relays for 13.2 kV Circuit Breakers, current limiting fuses, and low voltage service entrance equipment. At the Navy’s request, Ground Penetrating Radar was used to map existing conditions, used by G&H to generate detailed underground profiles depicting uncovered existing underground utilities, the new medium voltage ducts and new manholes.
Residences/Dormitories/Classroom Buildings
Lincoln University, PA
Commissioned to provide engineering and design services to: upgrade the existing 33kV substation from 5,000 kVA single service to 7,500 kVA double ended service; modify existing underground dual radial distribution to accommodate substantial increase in campus electrical loads due to addition of new buildings and major renovations, including addition of air conditioning, to multiple existing buildings; addition of variable automatic capacitors for power factor improvement; addition of two (2) 1,500 kW, 4.16 kV generators and a new paralleling bus to achieve 100% campus back-up; coordination with the electric utility to allow paralleling the facility’s generators to the utility service.
Careful scheduling provided for changeover and installation to be accomplished with only two short duration interruptions of campus electric service, as required by new connections to the electric utility line.
Located in southern Chester County PA, Lincoln University has a current enrollment of approximately 2,000 students. The University offers academic undergraduate study in the arts and sciences as well as graduate programs in human services, reading education, mathematics, and administration.
St. Joseph Hospital & Medical Center
Paterson, NJ
St. Joseph Hospital & Medical Center, a 792-bed, acute care facility, was founded in 1867, and is organized and operated under the auspices of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth. It is the largest private medical center in New Jersey. Provided engineering, design and construction administration services for installation of two 1.1 MW cogeneration plants at St. Joseph Hospital.
The project included extensive modifications and additions to both hospital service entrances, one rated 13.2 kV and one rated 4.16 kV. New switching and transformation were added to the medium voltage distribution system to connect both services to the new co-generation plant.
Additional underground 13.2 kV lines were installed throughout the campus to complete the new upgraded distribution system. The upgraded generation system required new close transition automatic transfer switches and modifications to the emergency distribution system coordinated with the electric utility requirements. Upgrades and modifications were also provided for the secondary distribution for integration with the new system distribution.
Also included in the project was an expansion of the existing 13.2 kV service entrance switchgear, and 480 V auxiliary service for two new 1000-ton chiller and an associated building to house equipment. Projects completed by G&H have allowed the hospital to achieve annual energy savings of more than $1.5 million, and careful scheduling provided for changeover and installation to be accomplished with no interruption of the electric service.
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA
Provided mechanical engineering, planning and design for the underground steam and chilled water piping extension and expansion for Swarthmore College Campus. The $1.0 million project involved assessment of heating and cooling loads for existing and future buildings to determine projected chilled water and steam flows and design of utility piping. Projects completed include the following:
- Trenching, shoring, lawn, paving, and sidewalk restoration
- Steam and Condensate Piping
- Chilled Water Supply & Return Piping
- Service manholes
Sussex County Airport
Georgetown, DE
Assessed the requirements for code complying fire protection systems for the Sussex County Airport, including the availability and capacity of water utilities, and comparison of low, medium, and high expansion foam systems, foam-water sprinkler, and foam water spray.
Following completion of the assessment and approval by cognizant authority, G&H was engaged to complete design. Phase I was the routing of piping and valving of the site water system to serve the buildings in accordance with NFPA 409 standard on aircraft hangars, including NFPA-11, NFPA-13, and NFPA-16. were used as design guidelines. Phase II provided the design of Fire Protection administration/terminal building, and fuel storage area.
Additional Representative Projects:
- Montgomery County Housing Authority, Norristown, PA Veterans Affair Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
- Academy House, Philadelphia, PA
- Embreeville Center, Coatesville, Chester County, PA
- West Chester University, Chester County, PA
- Philadelphia Naval Ship yard (PSNY), Philadelphia, PA
- City of Philadelphia, PA – 16 Fire Departments
- Philadelphia Prison System, Philadelphia, PA – Detention Center
- Lincoln University, Lincoln University, PA
- Harrisburg State Hospital, Harrisburg, PA
- Sussex Correctional Institution, Georgetown, DE
- Pennsylvania State Police Driver Examination Centers, Bedford & Cumberland Locations, Phoenixville Hospital, Phoenixville, PA
- Miners Memorial Hospital, Coaldale, PA
- River Park House Condominium, Philadelphia, PA
- 2601 Parkway Condominium, Philadelphia, PA
- Park House, Royersford, PA
- United States Postal Service, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania Station, PA
- Delaware State Hospital, New Castle, DE
- Bell Atlantic Office Building, Philadelphia, PA
- Naval Inventory Control Facility, Sussex, DE
- Hospital for the Chronically Ill, Smyrna, DE
- K-12 Schools, including School Districts
Pennsylvania – Big Spring, Boothwyn, Bristol, Central Bucks (Lenape, Pine Run and Linden), Lancaster, Lower Merion, Pennsbury High School East and West Campus, Reading, Williamsport
New Jersey – Carteret, Clearview, Galloway, Greater Egg Harbor Regional, Harrison Public, Piscataway, South Harrison, West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional