A problem with a water pump in Florida left a hospital without AC temporarily.  As one might imagine, things can get quite uncomfortable in the Florida heat when air conditioning systems aren’t cooperating.  For patients who are bed ridden, with little other choice but to sit and swelter, life can quickly get quite miserable.

Fortunately, the problem was quickly corrected, once it was determined that the issue stemmed from a faulty water pump.  A chilled water pump, to be more exact, was discovered to have failed after over-pressurizing.  This led to a mechanical failure at the energy plant located in close proximity to the hospital, which meant that the medical facility went without air conditioning while quick emergency repairs were completed.  In total, the patients were only left without temperature control for just over two hours.  The situation might have been much worse, and the hospital spokespeople quickly issued a statement regarding the quick action of those in charge of making it all happen so quickly and efficiently, adding that they are always in favor of acting in a manner that will ensure the health and wellbeing of the patients that they care for.

Chilled water systems are usually operated by maintaining loop temperatures, and pumps are usually controlled by systems differential pressures. It appears in this case, a differential pressure switch may have faulted and caused the pump to over shoot the set point, causing damage to the system. SRP controls provides reliable pressure transmitters that can be installed in such inhospitable environments.  These transmitters are plug and play and can be integrated into any existing system. Affordable and durable, these transmitters will stand the test of time and could prevent further problems like those faced by this facility.

Unfortunately, there is one lasting impact that came as a result of the loss of AC – the CT scanner is down until further notice, which has meant that patients must be transferred to another nearby hospital.  The story is told at length on WFLA.com.