The Sint-Andries Hospital in Tielt is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. And they should be able to pull out all the stops to celebrate that anniversary. Thanks to the combined efforts of ATS and its subsidiary SDM-Projects, the entire power distribution system has been thoroughly renovated since March. The replacement of the existing UPS was the signal for the installation of a reliable, future-proof total concept for the critical power supply.

The current buildings of Sint-Andries Hospital, which accommodate 323 beds, date back to the 1980s. "The electrical system was already overhauled in 2007," recalls Laurens Aernout. That was the year he officially started working there, after having previously done holiday jobs there. "But the technical installation never quite kept pace with the evolution that the hospital underwent. We started to reach our limits more often," says Aernout. The UPS system in particular required more and more maintenance and repairs. "To ensure the reliability of the network, replacement was therefore necessary."

Redundancy at every level
Specifications were drawn up in collaboration with Jan Vos from engineering firm MEIVO. "In a particularly thorough manner," says Colin Debruyne, BU manager at ATS Power Quality. "But with an openness that allowed us to offer a concept with added value." The common thread? SDM-Projects, a subsidiary of ATS, specializes in critical power supply. What's more, SDM-Projects is the market leader in energy-critical installations in hospitals. Together, they are the perfect tandem for Sint-Andries Hospital.

Better TCO with battery-powered UPS
Sint-Andries Hospital wanted to switch from a flywheel-based UPS to a battery-based system. "For a better TCO (Total Cost of Ownership; the sum of direct and indirect costs). This is a move that many healthcare institutions are now making," De Man notes. This is mainly due to the limited capacity and the challenges with maintenance and repairs associated with flywheel technology. "By opting for batteries, the emergency systems here now have five minutes to start up instead of a few tens of seconds. That means they can make two or three attempts to become operational. More than enough, because the majority of interruptions in the grid are micro-interruptions. Interruptions lasting more than 5 minutes are rare," adds Debruyne. ATS took a close look at the entire power distribution system to get a good overview of the existing situation and propose the best possible solution. "For the new UPS, we opted for four 250 kVa units from Legrand, connected in parallel. This ensures redundancy at all times."

Highest level of operational reliability
ATS built the new UPS together in a prefab container. But the replacement involved much more than simply removing the cable from the old UPS and connecting it to the new one. Much more. "That's why we chose ATS," says Aernout. "They have the technical expertise and manpower to bring everything together." The starting point was to guarantee the highest level of operational reliability for Sint-Andries Hospital right from the design stage. Everything that comes before and after, from panels and cabling to even the medium-voltage cabin, was therefore included in a fully automated concept that communicates seamlessly with Schneider Electric's building management system. De Man: "In the event of incidents, employees can make their own decisions, but everything is connected in such a way that the control system continues to perform all the necessary functions and safety measures. So if blind panic were to arise, the correct electrical interlocks are always guaranteed. It's those details that make the difference."

Open collaboration and communication
Everything had to be perfect before the plug was finally pulled in March. The technical team from Sint-Andries Hospital was therefore invited to the factory for the delivery of the installation. "That way, you can see how the whole concept works," explains De Man. "We can simulate all actions and notifications in a virtual environment, so that the entire control system is validated before we go to the site." It was clear that Aernout and his colleagues from the technical department were also fully committed to this collaboration.

Synchronized collaboration
That was necessary. There was only one week to complete the entire replacement without compromising the hospital's operations. "We followed the 1979 Royal Decree to the letter and took all necessary precautions. During the actual switchover, for example, we were unable to use our operating rooms. Ambulances were therefore diverted," says Aernout. Project manager Arne Van Quaethem acted as conductor to ensure that all ATS services and subcontractors worked together synchronously: cooling, ventilation, hoisting, cabling, panel construction, etc. "The new power and control panels were installed in place of the existing UPS and integrated into the installation. The existing 1,000 kVA emergency generator could also be reused, provided the necessary adjustments were made to accommodate the new controls." A mobile UPS based on flywheel technology from Luminus Solutions provided the bridge. But that didn't go without a hitch either. The Sint-Andries Hospital is located in the middle of a residential area. To limit the noise, ATS built soundproofing around it. Thanks to the expertise of the medium-voltage team, which took on the bulk of the cabling work and assembly of the UPS, the planned timing could be respected.