Department of Commerce (DOC) National Institution of Standards and Technology (NIST) Building 226 Design and Installation of the Intelligent Building Agents Research Laboratory

This project was for the design and installation of the Intelligent Building Agents Research Laboratory for the Department of Commerce at the National Institution of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The Intelligent Building Agent Laboratory involved the installation of a scaled down Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system in room A122 of Building 226. Serving as the laboratory research apparatus, the HVAC system was designed to simulate larger commercial HVAC systems and facilitate the research and development of advanced HVAC automation and controls technology. 

The objective of the project was to provide and install a laboratory-scale version of a commercial HVAC system. The purpose of the system was for conducting scientific research and the development of advanced HVAC automation and controls technology. The scaled-down system cooling capacity was approximately 20-tons and arranged in such a manner to simulate a fully operational heating and cooling VAV system. This system will be used to research and develop a novel energy management method for real life commercial HVAC applications. The system design was arranged in such a manner that all system components (with exception of the ice tank) fit within the allocated laboratory space. 

Room A122 of Building 266 is a high bay space of approximately 50’ long and 20’ wide and approximately 20’ high. Meltech completed the fabrication and installation of a mezzanine to increase the amount of usable area in the space. Personal access to the mezzanine level was provided via a single flight of stairs integrated into the mezzanine design. Meltech also installed a two-ton overhead crane for lifting material and equipment between the mezzanine and the floor levels. 

US Army Corps of Engineers Mechanical Upgrades and Roof Repairs to the Samuel S. Stratton Veteran Army Medical Center (VAMC) in Albany, New York

Meltech completed this project for the US Army Corps of Engineers for Mechanical Upgrades and Roof Repairs to the Samuel S. Stratton Veteran Army Medical Center (VAMC) in Albany, New York. 

This design-build project took place at the Samuel S. Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany, New York, and consisted of the demolition of the existing gas and gas-vent piping, hot water heaters including all associated piping and equipment (and including temporary removal of some equipment and fixtures such as ceiling tiles), and the replacement with new hot  water storage tanks, hot water heaters, expansion tanks, pumps, copper-silver ion water treatment units, ultraviolet disinfection units, acid neutralization tanks, wiring and conduits, centrifugal pumps, electrical boxes, panel-boards and circuit breakers, prefabricated flue vent system, plumbing and mechanical appurtenances, concrete equipment pads, associated piping and water distribution system, fittings, valves, drainage troughs, carbon monoxide and gas sensors, gas meters, valves and regulators, controls for mechanical system, etc., and commissioning of all installed equipment. The project also included some roof repairs.

The contract modification work included pipe freezing for the connection work, natural gas replacement regulator, MEP changes, remote alarm for hot water, Bldg. 4 Roof Repairs and some miscellaneous piping replacements. 

Department of the Army US Medical Research Acquisition Activity Installation of New Additional Emergency Power Services for NEC Data Center Building 1422 at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland

This project was for the Department of the Army US Medical Research Acquisition Activity at Fort Detrick for the Installation of New Additional Emergency Power Services for NEC Data Center Building 1422. The project was for installation of new additional emergency power service for new data racks at current emergency power sources at Building 1422. The work included the installation of a new Power Distribution Center Units and a new uninterruptible power supply (UPS). 

In outline the project work consisted of installing new Power Distribution Center Units and new Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) units, together with associated equipment. 

Equipment installation work included the installation of:

• 500 KVA GE UPS, 480 In/Out 3, phases;
• New GE batteries in cabinet with runtime of 10 minutes at 500 KVA load, for the new UPS (above);
• 800A, 480V GE Bypass Maintenance Panel with 2-breakers, 3 phase with locks, 30 KAIC rating;
• 800A, 480V, 3 phase, 60 Hertz, 30 pole panel board – square D I line;
• 150 KVA, 480-208V, three-phase, 60 Hertz Power Distribution Center with 3-42 poles. Provided 30A, 3 pole, 208 V circuit breakers and 225A main breakers for each panel;
• 225A, 480V, 3pole, 30 KAIC, thermal magnetic circuit breaker;
• 800A, 480V, 3pole, 30 KAIC, thermal magnetic circuit breaker. 

For the system input ac power was connected to the normal source ac input of the UPS module with the battery connected to the dc input of the UPS module through the battery protective device, and the ac output connected to critical loads.

Associated work included installation of related conductor and conduit, finishing work (including equipment testing, detailing, UPS start-up and use of an outside tester) and training. Extensive start-up and field testing procedures were followed including full physical inspection of received equipment, ensuring proper phase sequences by attaching a phase rotation meter to the UPS input, output and bypass buses and observing sequences, torque testing bus and battery connections, checking each electrical bus for proper phasing and identification, checking indicator lights for proper operation and color and checking the protective device over-current trip settings. The installed system was load-tested for a continuous 24-hour period by means of resistive load banks (1/2 load, ¾ load and full load for 8 hours each) and then underwent an additional full-load burn-in period of 24 continuous hours.