Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System
Central Plant - Utilities Infrastructure at Valley Medical Center

Project Description

Salas O'Brien was the engineer-in-charge of two projects for Valley Medical Center. The Central Plant Expansion including all mechanical, electrical and plumbing design encompassing the addition of a 1200-ton steam-fired absorption chiller, cooling tower and connection to the existing electric Chiller Plant rated at 2400 tons. This project included design, construction administration, OSHPD approval process and submittals, field visits and reports, and site coordination for the medical gas system upgrade for the Central Plant. Rebates applications for this project were completed and approved and the plant was completed in 2006. Integration of Combined Heat & Power (CHP) plant, in design development, utilized a natural gas turbine generator interconnected to the hospital medium voltage (4160V) electrical distribution system.

In December 2005, the schematic design for the 1 MW Cogeneration project was initiated and includes an economic analysis and feasibility study, construction cost estimates and site analysis. Integrated into this project were emergency generator impacts and diesel storage requirements.

The long term relationship with this client brings various projects including the Pharmacy IV modernization, review of duel fuel conversion for existing Caterpillar generator, Thermal Energy Storage Study, and absorption chiller options.

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