At the heart of any large institution lies the infrastructure that keeps it running smoothly. For one major university campus, ensuring that its critical systems operate efficiently is essential to supporting its mission of education, research, and healthcare. Revere Control Systems plays a vital role in maintaining and enhancing the systems that power the campus, helping it operate with precision and reliability.
Essential Systems with Widespread Impact
A major university can be much more than a place of learning; it can serve as a cornerstone for a local community, and even for an entire state. Such is the case with Revere’s partner: a thriving institution whose bustling campus, leading medical centers, and extensive research facilities serve tens of thousands daily. At the core of this seamless operation lies its partnership with Revere Control Systems, whose team is dedicated to ensuring the university’s essential systems run smoothly and efficiently. As one of the largest employers in the state, its impact is widespread. The institution boasts tens of thousands of staff members and students. Its facilities include a top-tier university, renowned hospitals—including a children’s hospital—and cutting-edge research centers; it’s a beacon of innovation and progress.
Behind the Scenes: Revere Control’s Massive Chilled Water System
Revere plays a vital role at the university by managing its expansive chilled water systems—a vast network that cools buildings across the campus, including hospital rooms, operating theaters, classrooms, and laboratories. For anyone familiar with the local climate in the southern United States, it’s easy to grasp the importance of this system. With a cooling capacity exceeding 44,000 tons, this chilled water network ranks among the largest in the nation.
These chilled water systems function like “factories,” producing and distributing the resources needed to effectively climate-control buildings across campus year-round—even in the winter. The importance of this system is especially evident in critical environments like medical facilities and research labs, where precise temperature control is essential and non-negotiable.
“When you feel cool air in a hospital room or lecture hall, that’s our work in action,” says Jarred McCain, Senior Engineer at Revere Control Systems. “We don’t just think of the university as our customer—patients and students rely on us, too. If those spaces aren’t properly cooled, it would cause immediate disruption, and that’s something we take seriously.”
Challenges and Reliability: Working Under Pressure
Maintaining and upgrading a chilled water system at the scale and complexity of this university presents unique challenges. Revere often works on equipment that cannot be shut down. The cooling needs of the campus are constant, so the team frequently works alongside running machinery, ensuring that their upgrades and maintenance do not interrupt critical ongoing services.
“We have to repair the plane in midair,” explains Gerry Guthrie, Project Manager at Revere Control. “There’s little room for error because any downtime can directly impact patients, medical staff, students, and faculty.”
Moreover, the team operates within tight timeframes. The primary window for conducting major upgrades is between September and April—outside of the region’s scorching summer months when cooling demand peaks. This limited period requires meticulous planning and execution to ensure all project work is completed on time. All of these updates included close collaboration with the university’s own contractors, as well.
Working with a government entity like this university adds another layer of accountability since public bidding processes, strict compliance standards, and detailed architectural specifications must be followed while still delivering cutting-edge solutions. Revere frequently collaborates with architectural & engineering firms to update control system specifications, ensuring the university benefits from the latest technologies available to optimize performance and reduce downtime.
Green Innovations: Driving Energy Efficiency
Revere is not just maintaining the university’s systems; they’re enhancing them. One such notable project involved optimizing 350-horsepower pumps and 100-horsepower fans, which were previously running at full capacity due to being on simple starters. These motors were operating at constant speeds regardless of demand. By integrating variable frequency drives (VFDs), Revere enabled the motors to adjust speeds based on real-time cooling needs, leading to more efficient operation. This resulted in over 50% power reduction during winter months when cooling demand naturally decreases.
“Upgrading to VFDs allows us to control the speed of motors based on actual demand rather than running them at full bore all the time,” says McCain. “This not only saves energy but also reduces wear and tear on the equipment, boosting longevity.”
Additionally, Revere Control Systems introduced a greywater system for the cooling towers—an approach similar to strategies used in the water/wastewater industry. By replacing the use of city water with untreated, non-potable water, they achieved substantial cost savings and resource conservation. Due to initial challenges with water quality, the team is currently working on adding a sand filtration system to improve the greywater’s suitability for use in cooling towers.
Revere has also been working to enhance measurement accuracy and control by implementing advanced instrumentation systems. These systems monitor key variables, such as flow rates and pressure levels, ensuring the chilled water system operates at peak efficiency. For example, instrumentation from Yokogawa and Siemens provides real-time data that allows Revere’s team to optimize performance and reduce energy consumption. Revere also installed an Ignition historian database to collect and analyze operational data for ongoing system improvements.
Unified Control: Simplifying Operations Across Campus
Understanding the complexities of operating such a vast network, Revere has focused on standardizing the human-machine interface (HMI) systems across the institution’s facilities, making SCADA more accessible and efficient. Previously, different vendors had installed varied interfaces, causing confusion among operators and maintenance staff.
“We’ve created a standardized HMI interface for all chilled water systems,” explains McCain. “Now, whether an operator is working in one plant or another, the controls look and function the same. This consistency makes operations smoother and maintenance more straightforward.”
The HMIs are built on Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PLCs and FactoryTalk View SE SCADA systems, integrating seamlessly with existing equipment.
Rooted in Community
The relationship between Revere and the university goes beyond a typical client-vendor dynamic. As local entities, both share a deep connection to the community.
“We all live and work here,” says Guthrie. “This university is in our backyard, and we’re in theirs. There’s a sense of accountability and pride that comes with that.”
This close proximity fosters a collaborative environment where Revere’s team is readily available to address issues promptly. Whether it’s a 5 a.m. call on a Saturday or a sudden equipment failure, the university knows they can rely on Revere to respond.
Moreover, Revere has a history of hiring graduates from the university, further strengthening the bond between the two institutions.
“Our investment in the university not only benefits the institution but also comes back to us in the form of talented hires,” says McCain. “It’s rewarding to see graduates join our team and contribute to the very projects that support their alma mater.”
Looking Forward: Future-Proofing the Institution
Revere Control Systems continues to work closely with the university to modernize its infrastructure. The team is updating dated equipment with new technologies, enhancing measurement accuracy with instrumentation from manufacturers like Yokogawa and Foxboro, and ensuring systems are future-proof.
“We’re not just bringing the university up to today’s standards; we’re setting them up for tomorrow,” says McCain. “Our goal is to provide them with flexible, scalable solutions that will serve them well into the future.”
Reflecting on their work with the university, the team at Revere finds immense satisfaction in contributing to such a vital institution.
“It’s rewarding to know that our efforts help keep the campus running smoothly,” Guthrie shares. “We’re not just supporting a client; we’re supporting our community.”
In powering the systems that cool the hospital rooms, classrooms, and research labs, Revere Control Systems plays an indispensable role in this university’s mission to educate, heal, and innovate. Together, they ensure that the heart of the community continues to beat strong.
Key Takeaways
- Critical Infrastructure: Revere Control Systems plays a vital role in managing one of the largest chilled water systems in the country, ensuring seamless operation for hospital rooms, research labs, and classrooms.
- Energy Efficiency: By implementing variable frequency drives (VFDs), Revere helped reduce energy consumption by over 50% during winter months, saving resources and extending equipment lifespan.
- Collaborative Partnerships: Revere worked closely with the university and its contractors to deliver effective solutions, combining expertise and coordination to meet critical infrastructure needs.
- Real-Time Control: Standardized human-machine interface (HMI) systems allow operators to monitor and manage cooling operations in real time, simplifying campus-wide operations.
- Sustainability Innovations: Revere introduced a greywater system for cooling towers, conserving resources while addressing water quality challenges with ongoing filtration upgrades.
- Community Connection: As a local partner, Revere’s team takes pride in supporting a vital institution that impacts thousands daily—students, medical staff, patients, and researchers alike.
Interested in enhancing your facility’s efficiency and reliability? Learn more about Revere Control Systems’ custom control solutions.