Notes On Hospital Heating

Abstract

THE following notes are given so that the question of heating hospitals JL erected on the pavilion system may be discussed hy those having to deal with the subject. Although the notes are deficient in many important points, the author makes no apology for introducing a subject in which so many failures have occurred, as the sooner the more economic methods of heating are generally recognised the better.Had research been undertaken at the public expense years ago, many hundred times tlie cost of such research would have been saved in the fuel which has been needlessly expended. Unfortunately, this research has bcen left to private enterprise, a slow and unsatisfactory means of solving the problem, especially where many of the ideas essential for economy could not be protected. The following may be mentioned amongst the methods of heating adopted :-1. Hot TVate2-.-Tliis, properly applied and where excessive encrustation does not take place, is economical, but its application is limited as-.(a) It does not contain available latent heat, so that its range of heating is small.(L) It has to be generated at a level below that of the building to be heated, or pumps must be installed; and-(c) It is difficult to ensure a proper distribution of flow throughout the different buildings. 2. Steam zc~tcle~~ Hi~77c Pressure was introduced t,o obviate these objections as far as possible, but the result obtained involved the following loss of heat :-(a) Leakage in the pipes and fittings due to excessive expansion. (b) It necessitated the introduction of steam traps, in which a . large amount of heat is wasted. (c) Excessive radiation.