T.E.N. Steam Line,
Hartford, CT
Client: The Energy Network
Engineer: Legnos & Cramer
Contract Value: $3,252,424

The City of Hartford signed a contract with The Energy Network (TEN) to provide 250º F hot water and 40º F chilled water for a new medical school near the Hartford Hospital. To get chilled water, R.H.White installed a new 1,500 ton electric chiller, new distribution pumps, and 2400 lf of 20” diameter supply and return lines – all through downtown Hartford. The hot water is produced by re-routing an existing 10” steam line into five new heat exchangers in a new heat exchanger building located on the Institute of Living (IOL) campus. There were two very difficult street crossings undertaken; one was 12 feet deep, 12 feet wide, and 44 feet long through 6 feet of ledge, and passed under 10 utility lines. All crossing work was completed at night.

The hot water and chilled water piping was manufactured in Denmark and was shipped to the job by ocean container ship containers. The carrier pipe was thin-walled European pipe, which was very difficult to weld to U.S. standards and required stringent certification of welders. The carrier pipe was pre-insulated and installed at the factory inside the outer casing pipe. This meant that about 250 joints had to be insulated by RHW personnel, a very exacting job that took about two hours per joint to complete.

This was a fast-track project that had to be completed in 25 weeks – about $128,000 per week or $25,600 per day.