Steam Generation at the Medical Center Company of Cleveland, Ohio

A primary way MCCo provides energy to the institutions of University Circle is through the use of steam from water tube boilers which are fired by either coal or natural gas. Steam is delivered to our customers at a pressure of 70 pounds per square inch (psig). The boilers operate efficiently providing a total steam capacity of 500,000 pounds of steam per hour at a moderately high pressure of 150 psig.

Coal Fired Boilers

Natural Gas Fired Boilers

The majority of the steam is produced by firing coal, with an average of 40,000 to 50,000 tons of coal burned annually.

The two coal boilers are rated at a production rate of 100,000 pounds of steam per hour.

Coal is burned as it moves through the boiler producing fly ash and bottom ash.

The MCCo captures the fly ash in a fabric filter baghouse. Bottom ash is removed through a vacuum system, and stored in silos until its removal.

Two of the natural gas fired boilers are rated at a production rate of 100,000 pounds of steam per hour and two at 50,000 pounds per hour.

The gas fired boilers incorporate low NOx burners which utilize special gas nozzles and a flue gas recirculation system to keep emissions within EPA limits.

The larger boilers have NOx analyzers to ensure MCCo is meeting its allowable emission limits.

Both the coal and natural gas fired boilers are maintained and optimized to assure minimal pollutant formation without sacrificing operational effectiveness, reliability or efficiency.

Future Steam Generation Capabilities

Plans are currently in place to install an additional 100,000 lb per hour (pph) natural gas boiler. This boiler will provide additional reliability and capacity to meet future expansion of our customers’ facilities.