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Shands Hospital Turns to Corzan CPVC for Replacement Chilled Water Line

Over the past few years, Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fla., has been expanding dramatically, with the addition of cancer treatment center and a cardiovascular and neurological services center. But less visible have been some key renovations to the existing 35-year-old hospital tower, a 1-million-square-foot general care facility with 600 medical and surgical beds, that are just as vital to the facility’s ability to conduct quality patient care.

Among those renovations was replacement of an aging chilled water line for the cooling tower that supplies the air conditioning system. Elsewhere on the property, steel water lines were degrading and leaking, to the tune of a 10,000-gallon-per-day water loss. Eventually, the chilled water line was among those found to be leaking.

The project team was able to temporarily re-route the water to an alternate line while it replaced the main line. Rather than replacing it with another metallic line, the team selected Corzan CPVC, whose valves and fittings are designed to meet the temperature, pressure and size requirements of commercial heating and cooling systems.

Along with the material’s reliability, Project Manager Mark Dykes says part of the decision to specify Corzan was the ability to use mechanical joining techniques. Such cut-groove techniques involve cutting a groove into the pipe then connecting the two pieces with a specially designed fitting. Along with speeding installation, it also allows for future alterations quickly, avoiding having to shut down the system for days at a time.

“Ease of handling was another factor,” says Dykes. “We were working within an occupied hospital. With Corzan, I didn’t have to weld, get hot work permits or shut down the fire alarms. It made things easier.”

“CPVC also is lighter,” Dykes adds, “and we could take advantage of space available in the ceiling and other tight spaces.”

Corzan CPVC has a proven track record in industrial and existing field installations, and offers a combination of benefits ideal for commercial hot water heating and cooling systems. Unlike metallic materials, Corzan CPVC is corrosion resistant, easy and low-cost to install, and has a lower heat transfer through the pipe wall. Compared to other plastic options, Corzan CPVC offers resistance to photo degradation and creep stress, along with lower-cost, straightforward installation.

In addition, pipe and fittings made from Corzan CPVC are inherently less prone to biofilm growth than other materials. They can withstand ASHRAE 188 Guideline decontamination without risk of damage, making them an ideal option for hospital and many other sensitive commercial environments.

Click here to learn more about Corzan CPVC for HVAC applications.