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Gustave Roussy Cancer Institute: Topkapi at the heart of energy and environmental efficiency
To face the increase in its power needs, the Institut de Cancérologie Gustave Roussy (IGR) issued a bid for tender to find an operator specializing in power management, for the construction and operation of a new thermo-cooling plant. The primary constraint was a performance contract ensuring energy savings and sustainable development.
The system implemented in 2007 includes five cold plants and four plants running with heat pumps. The facilities produce 14 MW of heat and cold for a building area of 130,000 m², a European first for this type of facility.
Topkapi was chosen to control and monitor the plant. In addition to its ability to handle large data volumes – application with redundant servers of over 15 000 variables – it is the Webserv solution which was chosen for the client part. With it, IGR staff have access to the application through a general purpose station – PC or Smartphone – using a basic web browser, without prior installation. In addition to the real-time status of the facility, the web portal allows to view daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly operating reports generated directly in the standard html and pdf formats.
This reporting part is vital, as it is the tool evaluating the energy performance of the facility, and exchange between the operator and the IGR. This project is characterized by the consumption control target allowing to adapt the plant's operation.
Based on a typical year’s consumption of the IGR corrected by daily consumptions, an algorithm integrating the economical and technical elements of the facility – from energy pricing to production equipment available for use – determines the best combination and the consumption target.
The operating instructions are hence transmitted to the regulation controllers, and consumption results are measured and compared with the target in real time.
The reports are formatted from data logged by Topkapi (metering, alarms …) and allow to analyze the facility’s operation:
- consumption results compared to target
- number and nature of incidents
Summarized performance indicators are produced: price per MWh consumed, per MWh produced for each energy (chilled water / low temperature hot water / domestic hot water).
By comparing target indicators (those defined by modeling) with those achieved, profit sharing or penalties allocated to the operator by IGR are calculated.
Alarms are forwarded directly to IGR’s safety computer, and also sent to the operator by email for information, via the notification module built into Topkapi.
The contractual objectives have been met: the plant currently produces only the energy required, at the best cost, and in a sustainable way.
