Energy Savings on Hospital Facilities with Panametrics
Hoffman building technologies teams with HICAPS to enhance energy and flow management in VA hospitals across the U.S. Hoffman Building Technologies began as the controls division of Hoffman & Hoffman, a technology leader since 1947 in providing high quality HVAC and energy management products. Today, more than 1,000 buildings in the Carolinas and Virginia utilize the company’s designed control systems and technology. Established in 1984, HICAPS helps clients meet design, construction and related challenges by professional project management, construction, and engineering solutions. For more than 25 years, HICAPS have served as both a prime and subcontractor to Federal, local and state governments, and worked with diverse commercial clients, including OEMs, contractors, hospitals, manufacturers, educational institutions, and owners.
As an expert provider of critical airflow systems suitable for specialized applications such as laboratories, clean rooms and isolation rooms, Hoffman & Hoffman sought a highly effective way to monitor and measure campus energy usage and flow rates of steam and chilled water.
Panametrics' DigitalFlow™ DF868 Ultrasonic Liquid Flow Meters and PanaFlow MV80 Vortex Flow Meters were selected to provide a reliable and accurate solution for monitoring the campus energy usage and flow rates of steam and chilled water as part of the airflow systems at a number of VA hospitals across the southeastern United States. Panametrics offered training for the Hoffman field team, and a dedicated customer service rep provided reliable production shipping schedules to keep the project on track.
“Panametrics offered hands on set-up training at their production facility for our field team and the installation and set-up was better than any other ultrasonic product we tested. When we needed help, the field support team was available and responded in a timely fashion.” Ryan Kerfien, LEED AP, CEM Hoffman & Hoffman, Inc.
Hoffman & Hoffman collectively installed more than 350 Panametrics flow meters over the course of two years.
• Using clamp-on flow transducers, Panametrics DF868 flow meters enable the company to measure flow rates or transit time through metal, plastic and even concrete-lined pipes without ever penetrating the pipe wall. This saves them valuable downtime and greatly reduces installation costs.
• Panametrics' Panaview software provided a quick and easy way to configure and verify the meter parameters, using a laptop computer, offering consistent and efficient setups.
• Each installed PanaFlow MV80 Vortex flow meter includes a built-in flow computer for measuring volumetric flow, temperature, pressure, density, energy, and mass flow -- all using a single meter.
• Vibration isolation is now possible through Panametrics' advanced design and digital signal processing.
• The ability to conform to MODBUS communication standard (applies to both meters).
Following the installation of Panametrics' flow meters, Hoffman & Hoffman was able to get an accurate baseline for steam and chilled water usage across campuses and establish standards for tracking and optimizing energy usage.
• With hands-on support from Panametrics' engineers, product specialists and senior managers, Hoffman received the timely support they needed throughout the project.
• Hoffman also noted significant savings through reduced installation costs, wiring runs and services support.
• The company realized energy savings benefits through the accurate measurement of both temperature and mass flow, simultaneously.
• Additionally, Panametrics' DF868 and PanaFlow MV80 Vortex meters helped Hoffman Building Technologies conform to the MODBUS communication protocols, allowing its control systems and hardware to communicate via the network.
• Hoffman & Hoffman cites the reliability of Panametrics' flow products and ease of use as a key benefit.
Learn more about our DF868 Flow Meters