Metropolitan Industries | Metropolitan Industries

July 5, 2012

Equipment Upgrades Bring Pump Station Efficient Operation

In addition to the equipment we supplied to the Joe Orr Road Lift Stations of Chicago Heights, Ill., Metropolitan was also chosen to supply equipment to the 71st Street Stormwater Pump Station in Bridgeview, Ill. The control and power distribution equipment was housed in a prefabricated concrete building with outside dimensions of 10’6” in length and 10’4” in width.

The addition of variable frequency drives will provide the pump station with efficient operation, which will lead to energy savings for the customer.

Three Hydromatic model S12L4000 non-clog pumps with 100’ cords and silicon carbide seals were supplied. Each pump has a capacity of 3142 GPM at 29.2’ TDH for a total pumping capacity of 9,426 GPM when operating in parallel. Each motor is rated at 40 HP, 1150 RPM, 460 volts, 60 Hz and three phase. A 125 kW natural gas, sound attenuated Caterpillar generator was also included in the equipment package.

Metropolitan’s Keith Girup said Metropolitan was contacted to take part in the project at its inception, and that the eventual place where the building would be placed and function had much to do with its overall design.

“This pump station is on the southwest side of Toyota Park on 71st Street in Bridgeview where an IDOT viaduct is being constructed so that traffic can flow under the railroad tracks,” said Girup. “The pumps will displace stormwater during rain events to prevent the viaduct from flooding.”

Girup said additions of variable frequency drives and enhanced controls with SCADA components will provide the municipality with both energy efficient operation and alarm notification if procedure encounters a malfunction.

Control upgrades were made at Metropolitan and the building was shipped fully assembled and ready for installation.

“This station has been designed with variable frequency drives which will vary the speed of the pumps to match the rainfall event,” said Girup. “By varying the speed of the pumps, the motors will only consume the amps needed to match the influent rate, thus saving on electrical costs.”

For more information, please contact Keith Girup at 815-886-9200, ext. 264 or sales@metropolitanind.com.

Iowa Weslyan College Upgrades Heating System, Decreases Carbon Footprint

June 13, 2012

Campus Heating System Upgrade at Iowa Wesleyan College Helps Lower Costs While Decreasing Its Carbon Footprint

Iowa Wesleyan College is a private liberal arts college located in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Metropolitan Industries recently installed new packaged boiler systems in five campus buildings to bring the school a more cost-efficient heating system.

In its distinctive role among the many institutions of learning in America, Iowa Wesleyan College adheres to the ideals of its founding vision of social justice and human welfare on the local and international level by seeking to decrease its carbon footprint. In an attempt to bring a cleaner, greener and a more cost efficient heating system to their school, Iowa Wesleyan, in conjunction with Energy Systems Group, decided to replace their existing, centralized hydronic heating system with several more efficient, complete packaged boiler and primary piping pump systems from Metropolitan Industries.

ESG designed a system so that each building’s heating system would have equipment pre-assembled and manufactured for ease of installation. ESG decided Metropolitan Industries, the leading manufacturer of complete boiler and primary piping pump systems, was the right supplier for equipment development and construction. The campus heating system upgrades also included additional geothermal heating/cooling facilities.

“After a few discussions about the design, we decided to provide high-efficiency, pre-packaged hybrid boiler systems assembled on prefabricated skids with the associated primary piping and pumps,” said Metropolitan’s HVAC Sales Manager Matt Brickey. “This type of design would allow for ease of installation by the contractor and reduce installation time dramatically. We realized moving the prefabricated system through the tight hallways and doorways posed a challenge, so the system was designed so that it could be manufactured in a way that split the skid in three different spots allowing for easier moving and maneuvering around tight spaces.”

The custom designed and engineered boiler systems were installed in five campus buildings: The McKibbin Dormitory, Student Union, Science Hall, Campus Library and the newly-renovated Chapel. In the McKibbin Dormitory and Student Union, hybrid boiler systems with heat exchangers were also packaged on the systems to satisfy the domestic hot water load.

High efficiency air separators manufactured by Spirotherm® were utilized to remove unwanted air that may have found its way into the system during the installation process. Spirovent® technology is designed to address all forms of air (entrapped, entrained and dissolved) that can be found in closed loop systems and remove nearly all of it. The coalescing medium creates a low velocity area inside the Spirovent® that allows air bubbles to rise and dirt to sink. There are no strainers, filters or replacement parts that can potentially become clogged. The flow always remains constant, without a high-pressure drop.

The end result is increased distribution efficiency, component life and heat transfer capabilities, along with decreased oxygen-based corrosion and pump cavitation, and the elimination of air related noises within the entire piping system.

A packaged boiler system prior to installation. This system was installed at Iowa Weleyan’s Library.

In regards to Iowa Wesleyan’s energy consumption concerns, the primary reason for utilizing a modulated conventional boiler AND a condensing boiler is simple–together they are more efficient, have a lower initial cost and last longer.

For Iowa Wesleyan, the implementation of the hybrid boiler system was the ideal solution for their new campus heating system. They were able to save some upfront costs by purchasing a “standard” efficiency boiler, but were still able to benefit with the energy savings through the use of the high efficiency condensing boiler when conditions would allow.

Combustion air temperature also affects the net efficiency of the combustion process. Cold combustion air will absorb more energy released from burning the fuel than warmer combustion air; meaning colder combustion air reduces the efficiency of the appliance.

Lower return water temperatures and lower flue gas temperatures provide the best condensing operation. The condensing boilers recover the latent heat that is usually lost by harvesting the energy that is created when the water vapor in the flue gas is turned into a liquid.

When a customer’s boiler system is more efficient, it will not only save the customer money each year, it will also decrease their carbon footprint. The efficiency of the boiler system in part depends on the temperature of the return water. When the return water temperature is 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54.4 degrees Celsius) and above, the control system will run the conventional boiler. At 129 degrees Fahrenheit (53.9 degrees Celsius) and below, the control system will run the condensing boiler. The savings are maximized in temperate climates where winters are cold and summers are warm.

When the system uses the condensing boiler, the amount of usable, sensible heat that is generated is significantly larger than that of a conventional boiler system–creating true system efficiency.

Why not just use condensing boilers?

It may seem as if the perfect boiler system would simply use condensing technology. But if return water temperatures are too high, the condensing boiler will be only as efficient as a conventional type boiler. In a condensing boiler, when the temperature of the return water is too high and the air temperature is too cold, it will not allow a condensing boiler to operate in condensing mode. Initial capital costs can be reduced with a hybrid system by combining a lower cost conventional boiler with a premium efficiency condensing boiler.

Due to Iowa Wesleyan’s upgrades, carbon emissions are expected to reduce, which will translate into savings in total energy costs.

Every customer’s needs are unique and Metropolitan can tailor the solutions to meet your needs.

“What’s nice about these systems is that they’re completely customized to the client’s needs,” said Brickey. “Metropolitan Industries can configure the piping, boilers and system components in any manner to ease the installation process for a new or retrofit application.”

In the case of Iowa Wesleyan College, the savings are significant.

For more information regarding HVAC products, please contact Matt Brickey at 815-886-9200, ext. 266 or sales@metropolitanind.com.

Hybrid Boiler System Package and Primary Pump System

New hybrid boiler system package and the primary piping pump system recently installed at Iowa Wesleyan’s Science Hall.

June 6, 2012

Metropolitan Supplies Equipment Upgrades to Lift Stations

At Metropolitan, we can supply all equipment needed to keep your pump station functioning as efficiently as possible. Our adaptability and knowledge of new technologies give us the ability to supply the most cutting-edge equipment, which can extend the life of a system and save end users funds.

Metropolitan was recently chosen to supply all equipment associated with the upgrade of the existing stormwater and sanitary lift stations for the Joe Orr Road lift stations of Chicago Heights, IL. The new lift stations include a number of up to date accessories and were housed in a large prefabricated concrete building.

The equipment supplied by Metropolitan was housed in a large prefabricated concrete building that included both a control room and a generator room.

Metropolitan’s Keith Girup said a number of factors contributed to the customer’s decision to make the upgrades.

“The project was done to replace an existing dry-pit type sanitary lift station that was over 30 years old,” said Girup. “The design was chosen to eliminate the confined space environment as well as improve the operational efficiency, thus improving safety and reducing cost of daily operations.”

The stormwater lift station contains two Hydromatic model S4N300 submersible non-clog pumps, each with a capacity of 150 GPM at 20’ TDH. Each motor is rated at 3 HP, 1750 RPM, 230 volts and 60 Hz. One submersible level controller and five level switches to control on, off, override and alarm levels were also provided with the stormwater station.

The sanitary lift station contains two Hydromatic model S4MVX750 submersible non-clog vortex explosion pumps, each with a capacity of 375 GPM at 28.5’ TDH. Each motor is rated at 7.5 HP, 1750 RPM, 230 volts, 60 Hz and are explosion proof at Class I, Division I, Group C and/or Group D locations. One submersible level controller and five level switches to control on, off, override and alarm levels were also provided with the sanitary station.

The equipment supplied gave the customer the ability to operate both stations, creating a cost-effective solution for lift stations upgrades.

The prefabricated concrete building measures at 20’ L x 8’ W x 9’ H (outside dimensions). The building is comprised of a 36” x 84” single door for the control room and a 72” x 84” double door for the generator room. A Caterpillar 55 kW generator was also included.

Girup said the way in which the total system operates makes the application distinctive and efficient.

“This project is unique because the controls and generator are capable of operating the sanitary lift station as well as the nearby stormwater lift station,” said Girup. “By discussing the options and costs associated with also upgrading the stormwater lift station simultaneously with the sanitary lift station, the owner and engineer were able to make an educated decision to upgrade both lift stations and reap the benefits of twice the improved technology more cost effectively.”

Girup said Metropolitan’s involvement in the project can be attributed to a long standing relationship with the City of Chicago Heights, IL and project engineer.

“Metropolitan has been a trusted partner for the owner and engineer for many years and we were contacted at this projects’ inception,” said Girup. “We were instrumental in assisting with the design which included budget number preparation used for grant funding acquisition.”-

For more information please contact Keith Girup at 815-886-9200, ext. 264 or sales@metropolitanind.com.

June 30, 2011

Air-gap System critical component at Nuke Facility

Metropolitan Industries supplied a large air-gap break tank system that isolates processes from the source water feed for the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington.

The Manhattan Project was the effort, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, which resulted in the development of the first atomic bomb during World War II according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Hanford Site near Richland, Washington, was one of the main locations for the project due to its isolation and its proximity near the Columbia River, which could supply sufficient water to cool the nuclear reactors that produced plutonium during World War II.

The Hanford Site is now the focus of cleanup efforts which is the mission of Prime Contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company. They are tasked with cleaning up waste sites and treating contaminated groundwater to ensure a healthy future for the Columbia River. To accomplish this goal, CH2M HILL is currently working on groundwater treatment and remediation efforts under way through Hanford’s 100 area and Central Plateau, which includes a total of 11 groundwater operable units.

The task of this project is enormous with on-going efforts to remediate 39 waste sites and more than 250,000 tons of soil left behind by operations on the Hanford Site; installing 327 wells across the site that will extract, monitor, and remediate contaminated groundwater; and treating 625 million gallons of contaminated groundwater to slow further migration toward the Columbia River.

Metropolitan Industries, Inc. participated in the remediation process by supplying a large air-gap break tank system that isolates processes from the source water feed for the 200 W Pump & Treat facility at Hanford.

Working together with Project Engineer CH2M Hill located in Englewood, Co., University Mechanical Contractors located in Mukilteo, Wa., and Metropolitan Representative PumpTech, Inc located in Moses Lake, Wa., Metropolitan Industries supplied a custom-designed triplex, pressure booster system with air gap protection for the potable water supply, a 2,100 gallon tank with a system capacity rated for 580 gallons per minute.

“This is a large air gap system,” says Mike Tierney, national sales manager who oversaw design and production of this project. “We are always asked if we can build large air-gap systems and this is evidence that we can,” he said. According to Tierney, air-gap systems typically range anywhere from 100-200 gallons per minute. This system is triple that capacity at 580 gallons per minute.

Other features of the system include a U.L. listed control panel with intuitive operator interface and touch screen control. Metropolitan Industries is one of the few pump system manufactures with a U.L. control panel shop in-house. This capability reduces costs while increasing quality.

Prior to shipping, Metropolitan verified the system in their test lab to ensure precise operation in the field. With the added value of system testing, the contractor simply had to make their connections, which dramatically reduced their startup time.

Shipment of the large system occurred early second quarter of 2011. Metropolitan was pleased to be part of such an important environmental project. For more information about air-gap break tank systems, please contact Mike Tierney at 815-886-9200 ext 234.

November 17, 2010

Reduce Boiler Fuel Consumption by 50 Percent

HVAC Sales Engineer Matt Brickey operates the new boiler system during start-up of the system.

The life blood of any commercial building is the mechanical systems running behind the scenes that include domestic water booster systems, fire suppression pump systems and HVAC systems.

Of the three mechanical components, HVAC is by far the largest consumer of energy due to the sheer nature of how they are specified and designed. The school of thought in the HVAC community is size everything for peak demand without considering demand fluctuates, especially during warmer months when demand is at the lowest.

The biggest misconception when specifying a boiler system is, “If I specify a boiler at 90% efficiency then the plant will operate at 90% efficiency.” This is false because during light load conditions, such as during warm months, boiler efficiency becomes random which results in poor overall, “cycle” efficiency. In other words, “Seasonal Efficiency,” is only 50-80% of measured efficiency resulting in no realized energy savings during the warm months when your boiler runs less.

Metropolitan Industries, Inc., located in Romeoville, Ill., has a solution that reduces boiler fuel consumption by 20-50% using a patented procedure that addresses seasonal efficiency, which increases cycle efficiency therefore reducing fuel consumption dramatically.

Case Study – Multi Occupancy Condominium

A great example of this technology was demonstrated by the work done at a 139 unit Condominium located in Will County, Ill. At the request of the owner, the building name and location of the project is to remain confidential.

To address the leaking heating pumps located in the ceiling, Metropolitan had the contractor move them to floor level for easier inspection and service.

The existing system had two problems the first being the plant ran inefficiently due to the boilers being the sole heat source for the domestic water. Due to this, they operated all year round, even during the summer months. The inefficient design operated by pumping city water and boiler water through a shell and tube heat exchanger mounted near the ceiling. Since there was no way to prevent gravity flow of hot water through the heating system return lines, the radiation caused the building to stay warm all year, even in the dog days of summer. This resulted in increased fuel consumption and increased electrical consumption as well because air conditioners witnessed an additional load imposed by the uncontrolled flow of unwanted heat from the boiler plant and needed to run overtime.

The second problem was the existing heating pumps were leaking and had been since day one. There were eight zone pumps serving four zones. Three zones were for space heating and the other zone for domestic hot water heating. The reason why they leak was because they were mounted near the ceiling without the proper supports. This made it difficult to service the pumps given a technician need to perform the work on a ladder.

Green Performance Solution

To solve the inefficient operation of the plant, Metropolitan Industries installed a “summer boiler,” sized to the requirements of the domestic hot water heating system. This allows the owner to turn off the boiler completely when a heating load is non-existent. The result is energy savings up to 50% because the new boiler system handles the small summer loads efficiently and eliminates short cycling and cycle losses.

The summer boiler is so efficient that the owner can run it year round for more efficient domestic water heating meaning the building can now be heated with only one boiler in all but the most severe weather promotes more efficient boiler loading for improved energy performance.

Green Distribution Solution

To address the issue of the leaky heating pumps, Metropolitan moved the domestic water heat exchanger and blending valve to floor level for easier inspection and

Pictured is the variable-speed, duplex domestic water booster system with total system capacity of 220 GPM at a system pressure of 95 PSI.

service Workers no longer needed to climb on ladders when servicing the heat exchanger or blending valves. This not only improves staff and contractor safety but reduced maintenance costs overall due to the easier and less expensive service.

One of the biggest benefits is the control over domestic hot water temperatures. No longer will they have spikes or drifts of temperature irregardless of no load or light load conditions. The elimination of spikes in temperature was important given residents were at risk for being injured.

There were benefits as well with the relocation of the heat exchanger and blending valves to the floor. For one, it reduced the safety hazards associated with working on ladders when servicing the heat exchanger or blending valves improving contractor safety. Also with the new pumps, the constant leaking was eliminated.

Realized Energy Savings

With the installation of the “summer boiler”, new heat exchanger and blending valve, the building owner realizes a 20-50% reduction in fuel consumption on any given day depending on load conditions. The entire package combines indirect water heating, condensing water heating and the blending valve function all into one complete system. Metropolitan Industries is the only company currently providing this technology. For more information, contact Matt Brickey at 815-886-9200 ext. 266 for a complete analysis of your system.