Andrews' energy efficient water heaters for HMS Raleigh

29/01/2011

Andrews Water Heaters has supplied a total of ten ECOflo high efficiency gas-fired condensing storage water heaters for a project at HMS Raleigh, the Royal Navy's premier training establishment, located on the outskirts of Torpoint, Cornwall. Here, all ratings joining the Service receive the first nine-week phase of their Naval training and, in addition, the facilities provide a range of professional training courses including seamanship, logistics and submarine operations as well as being home to the band of HM Royal Marines, Plymouth.

In a major refurbishment, the domestic hot water load - previously supplied by HTHW boilers and calorifiers - has been separated from the heating load and decentralized. This has been achieved by utilising direct-fired water heaters, thereby increasing energy efficiency and reducing long pipe-run transfer heat losses. The ECOflo water heaters have been installed in six buildings which include medical and dental facilities, as well as accommodation, catering and administrative blocks.

Each of the buildings has its own plant room, and all except one of these were existing. Consequently, it was important for consulting engineers Wessex Design Ltd. to select water heaters which not only had a small footprint for ease of siting but which were also capable of long flue runs due to the location of some plant rooms.

A spokesman for the designers commented: "To minimise the maintenance regime for the site facilities management company we needed all plant to be from one manufacturer and ideally all from the same range. Obviously, we needed to install efficient plant which meant condensing water heaters and we wanted a manufacturer with a proven track record for reliability and service. Andrews ECOflo was the preferred choice.”

Three sizes of ECOflo water heater were used in this project to supply washrooms, showers and catering facilities: six of model EC230/600, two of model EC230/960 and two of model EC380/1220. The ECOflo range is available in capacities of 230 or 380 litres and the second figure in each model number denotes the recovery rate in litres/hour through a temperature rise of 50oC. One EC230/600 was fitted in Armada Building, housing offices, two in the submarine school in Dolphin Building, two in the Medical facilities and one in the Dental block.

Two of the larger EC 230/960 were installed in Jutland Building which provides mess facilities and offices and two EC380/1220, with the larger tank capacity, serve St. Vincent Building which is an administrative block. Outputs of the three models are 35.1kW for the EC230/600 model, 54.2kW for the EC 230/960 and 71.0 kW for the EC380/1220.

All the water heaters were installed connected to existing pipework, with horizontal balanced flues and commissioned by Lorne Stewart. These high efficiency units incorporate Vitraglas® silica glass lined tanks which provides protection against the corrosive effect of hot water and guarantees a longer working life. The water heaters feature a low NOx pre-mix power burner that is quiet in operation, and a gross efficiency up to 98%, keeping running costs to a minimum.

All models incorporate Correx maintenance free powered anodes as standard, which substantially reduce service time and costs and the factory fitted Hydrojet® sediment reduction system on the cold inlet connection helps to prevent sediment build-up at the base of the tank giving a longer and more efficient working life.
This refurbishment project was delivered by VT Flagship, a company which has a unique partnering agreement with the Royal Navy, providing bespoke services including construction, facilities management and training solutions. Andrews Water Heaters is part of Baxi Commercial Division, alongside Potterton Commercial.

ANDREWS' ENERGY EFFICIENT WATER HEATERS FOR HMS RALEIGH