CHP Case Study
Middletown Nursing Home
Opened in 1984, Middletown Nursing Home has built up an enviable reputation for comfort and care to the highest standard.
Owners Joseph Butler and Ingrid Ashmore-Butler have considerably refurbished and extended the former hotel to provide modern amenities without impacting on the traditional character of the building.
Middletown House Nursing Home & Retirement Village consists of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom houses.
"The comfort and well-being of our residents is paramount, and that approach has been at the heart of our business since day one", says Joseph. "We've built up a community based on quality of life, support and attention to our residents' needs. Constant, reliable and controllable heat is a must".
Recently, Joseph and Ingrid decided to further enhance the facilities of the complex, extending the main building and upgrading the old oil-fired heating system. The project was technically challenging, as the nursing home required constand heat and power, ideally from a single fuel.
The ILPGA explains:
"We were contacted by Frank Daly of Kinviro, a partner company of SenerTec, which manafactures the Dachs CHP system. We knew that LP Gas would provid the answer in terms of cleaner, efficient fuel, but the customer required an integrated system that met the needs of their business.
Combined heat and power provides fuel efficiency
The LP Gas powered CHP system delivers a constant 5.5kW of electricity and 12.5kW of heat. CHP is a well-established technology that allows heat and electricity to be produced simultaneously from the same fuel source - gas. CHP is now available in 'micro-CHP' systems for smaller commercial users such as nursing homes and leisure centres which demand a constant, reliable supply of heat and elecricity.
The Dachs CHP system installed at Middletown uses 20.5kW heat input to deliver a constant 5.5kW of electricity and 12.5kW of heat. In addition, it provides a backup to the solar panels that are the primary source of hot water. Efficiency is further enhanced with the installation of a 750 litre 'buffer' tank, where thermal energy is stored during low demand periods for heating and hot water and released when required.
The CHP unit provides electricity to the nursing home complex with the overall demand for electricity being reduced meaning lower costs and reduced carbon emissions. But that's not all: the CHP unit has a condenser in addition to its internal heat exchanger, extracting maximum heat from the exhaust gases.
Joseph Butler confirms that the CHP system has produced real benefits. "Working with Kinviro and LP Gas has already delivered results. It's early days, but already we've noticed a real reduction in our electricity bills. We're delighted with the new system".
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