Ipswich, Suffolk, UK
Ipswich Hospital – Domestic Water Boosting and Hot Water System Upgrade
Replacement of domestic hot water storage and tank-fed services with a modern boosted and instantaneous system. Removal of the massive and out-dated boiler and the installation of a newer and more efficient system.
Entire project managed in full.
Ipswich Hospital’s domestic hot and cold water system was previously tank-fed with large hot water storage vessels and an outdated boiler. This design created risks around legionella, inefficiency in fuel use, and limited resilience when demand peaked.
The hospital required a modernised system that could provide instantaneous hot water, maintain stable pressure across the site, and allow easier maintenance while reducing disruption to operations.
Solution
Olympus Mechanical Services carried out a full upgrade of the water infrastructure, which included:
Off-Site Prefabrication
Off-site fabrication of pump skids and assemblies at Olympus’s Hot Works Workshop in Ipswich. Prefabrication reduced fire and fume risk, cut down installation time, avoided hot-works permits on hospital grounds, and guaranteed higher quality control with minimal disruption.
Steam-Fed Plate Heat Exchangers
Installation of steam-fed plate heat exchangers for instantaneous hot water generation, eliminating legionella risk and improving energy efficiency.
Boosted Pump Sets
Boosted pump sets for hot and cold water, each with three pumps in duty/assist/standby configuration.
Intelligent Pump Control
Intelligent control software to rotate pumps, balance run hours, and allow one pump to be isolated for maintenance without affecting supply.
Boiler and Storage Tank Removal
Removal of the massive and outdated boiler and hot water storage tanks.
Commissioning Engineer’s Commentary
During commissioning, the exchange was noted with the engineer from KGN Pillinger, Aiden, responsible for the cold-water booster sets:
KGN Pillinger booster sets within plantroom 1 & 4 at Ipswich Hospital for the new Spirax plate heat exchanger installation project.
“The cold-water boost sets supply both hot and cold water across the hospital. They provide resilience because there are three motors constantly rotating, sharing duty evenly and allowing maintenance without interruption. The pumps boost pressure to meet hospital demand and cover resilience if one unit fails. They operate between 2.3 bar and 1.3 bar, set to 1.3 bar to achieve maximum flow. I’ve come from Canterbury today to commission and sign off the system as satisfactorily installed and compliant with regulations.”
Thank you to Aiden from KGN Pillinger for commisioning the pumps.
Commercial Gain.
Legionella risk eliminated through the removal of stored hot water.
Stable and reliable water pressure across the hospital.
Simplified maintenance with pumps that can be isolated and serviced individually.
Improved resilience with three-pump redundancy and smart rotation control.
Energy efficiency gains via steam plate heat exchangers.
Faster and safer installation achieved through off-site prefabrication at the Hot Works Workshop.
Outcome
Another fully managed removal of the old boiler, and the new system installed with support and advice, easy workflows and no hastle or stress for the team that commisioned us to do the work.
The new system provides Ipswich Hospital with a future-proof, energy-efficient, and safe domestic hot and cold water supply. By removing outdated storage tanks and boilers, introducing instantaneous heating, and deploying resilient boosted pump sets, Olympus Mechanical Services delivered a reliable infrastructure that supports critical hospital operations with minimal downtime and long-term efficiency
Partner with Olympus Mechanical Services
Looking to upgrade your water infrastructure? Olympus Mechanical Services offers expert solutions tailored to your needs. Our team is dedicated to delivering efficient, reliable, and safe systems that enhance your facility’s operations. Reach out to us for a consultation and discover how we can transform your water systems.