U of M Combined Heat and Power Retrofit

Citing their obsolete boilers and growing energy demands, the University of Minnesota turned to Harris for help with the installation of a state-of-the-art combined heat and power plant for their Minneapolis campus.

Due to zoning and permitting constraints, the new turbine, heat recovery system and modern mechanical systems had to fit in the historic Old Main Heating Plant. To head off space issues and potential clashes, Harris and its partners relied on 3-D modeling to detect and resolve clashes, so the project could proceed within time, space and budget constraints.

The installation of the 225,000-pound, 25-megawatt turbine took precise planning and teamwork. The floors of the historic building needed to be replaced and reinforced to accommodate the weight of the turbine as it transitioned into the building. Harris relied on a remote control goldhofer to bring the turbine safely down an embankment to the building. A crane and then a hydraulic slide system helped ease the turbine slowly into the building.