Spirax Sarco secures leaks at Holme House Prison 26 July 2010

Problems with flash steam emissions and leaking hot water have evaporated since Spirax Sarco replaced corroded steam equipment as part of a laundry refurbishment project at Holme House Prison in Stockton.

Site manager David Blyth says that when the service was shut down for the installation of new machinery, Holme House opted to upgrade the associated steam system in the boiler house, where corrosion had been causing growing maintenance headaches.

"We knew we could carry out temporary repairs, but it made sense to go for a more permanent solution while the laundry was out of action," he explains. "Otherwise we would have faced ongoing maintenance problems and downtime, which we definitely can't afford when we run the laundry as a business."

The first target was the boiler blowdown system, which had been discharging to a pit beneath the floor. "Corrosion allowed flash steam to come back up through the floor into the atmosphere, which was causing concern," he says.

Similarly, corrosion had left the boiler feedtank leaking hot water into the boiler room. "We were losing water and chemicals, as well as facing the potential safety issue of scalding water dropping down into the room," says Blyth.

Spirax Sarco supplied a new blowdown vessel and feedtank, which had to be built in place, because of restricted access in the boiler room.

In addition, corrosion had taken its toll on steam pipework and ancillaries in the 14 years since Holme House opened, so Spirax Sarco stripped out and replaced any other affected equipment. The entire project was accomplished during the scheduled three-week shutdown.

Brian Tinham

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