RIVERA, A.; QUITIAQUEZ, W.; SIMBANA, I.    QUITIAQUEZ, P.. Study of Steam Generation and Distribution in a Hospital to Improve Energy Efficiency Using Thermography, Ultrasound, and Gas Analyzer. []. , 20, 2, pp.72-80. ISSN 2602-8492.  https://doi.org/10.37116/revistaenergia.v20.n2.2024.601.

This investigation studied the energy efficiency of a steam system in a hospital, considering the procedure in ASME EA-3-2009 standard. This is the standard for the energy assessment of industrial steam systems and aims to enhance the energy efficiency and sustainability of industrial steam systems by identifying opportunities and providing recommendations to optimize system performance. The obtained boiler energy efficiency was 80.29 %, by applying an energy balance, reaching 15.33 kW for heat losses in the distribution pipes. Two consistent improvement alternatives were proposed, starting by unifying the pipe diameter of the kitchen area of 5 m, generating a reduction of heat loss from 828 to 600 W, which represented a total annual energy saving of around 2.4 GJ/year. The investment cost is USD 47.40, considering the achievement of the break-even point after 9 months, where the insulation of the pipes with glass wool was considered second and it generated a reduction in losses of 5.98 kW, representing a total annual energy saving of about 62.91 GJ/year, which corresponds to approximately USD 1 672. The expenditure for insulating a 49 m pipe amounted to USD 462, factoring in both the NPV calculation and potential savings. The breakeven point was achieved within roughly 4 months, underscoring the economic advantage of implementing the two suggested improvement measures.

: Energy efficiency; shell boiler; heat transfer; steam; NPV.

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