Challenge
Because the facility must be prepared to maintain essential operations during utility disruptions, the hospital required a monitoring and control solution it could trust to ensure the reliability of its backup generator fuel oil supply system. Clear visibility into fuel levels, transfer operations, and overall system status ensured the emergency generators would be ready whenever backup power was required.
This solution also needed to communicate with the hospital’s current Building Management System, allowing fuel system data to be displayed on the same interface used to monitor other building assets. This would provide a simple, accessible way for engineering staff to oversee the backup power infrastructure.
Background
A large teaching hospital on the West Coast of the United States serves more than one million residents and plays an important role in delivering emergency and specialized medical care. Facilities of this scale must maintain continuous operations to support patient care, emergency response, and other critical healthcare services.
As a critical facility, the hospital must remain operational during utility outages resulting from extreme weather events, wildfires, or periods of high electrical demand. Reliable backup power is essential to maintain continuous operations.
Implementation
The EVO™ serves as the central control, collecting and displaying data from across the main storage tanks and generator day tanks. Integrated with the Building Management System, fuel oil system information is presented through a common interface, allowing engineering staff to monitor conditions alongside other critical building systems and quickly identify potential issues before they escalate.
The system also provides the flexibility to adjust programming over time, allowing alarm conditions and operating parameters to be redefined as the engineering team becomes more familiar with the site and as operational requirements change.
Franklin Electric’s EVO™ Series fuel management system, and its array of probes and sensors, were installed alongside FE PETRO® Submersible Turbine Pumps to provide pressure-based fuel transfer and supply, giving the engineering staff complete visibility into the backup generator fuel oil supply system.
FE PETRO® Submersible Turbine Pump
The combination of an EVO™ console and FE PETRO® pumps provided the hospital with advanced tank control capabilities through direct Turbine Pump Interface™. This allows the system to actively manage and automate fuel movement across the site rather than simply monitor conditions.
The system was programmed to automatically fill day tanks from the fullest main tank, monitor fuel transfers in real time, and allow operators to switch transfers between tanks as needed to maintain a consistent and reliable generator fuel supply.
EVO™ Series Console
Franklin Electric’s Critical Power Solutions Provide:
Uptime Assurance
By providing clear visibility into tank levels, fuel transfers, and potential leak conditions, the system helps identify issues early and supports reliable fuel distribution across the site. This ensures generators have the fuel they need to operate without interruption, strengthening overall system uptime.
Intelligent System Design
The system was implemented to fully support the hospital’s operational requirements from day one. As operating conditions and site requirements change, programming and control logic can be refined to align with evolving needs, allowing the system to remain effective over time.
Intelligent Fuel Management
With visibility into tank levels, the engineering team can schedule fuel deliveries more efficiently and ensure generator fuel supply remains within appropriate operating ranges. Configurable alarms and notifications alert staff when conditions reach defined thresholds, supporting more proactive management.
Centralized System Visibility
Fuel system data is displayed through the Building Management System, allowing operators to monitor tank levels, fuel transfers, and system status through a single interface. This provides a clear and accessible view of the backup power infrastructure.
Conclusion
By implementing Franklin Electric’s solutions, the hospital established a reliable, fully integrated fuel management platform to support its backup power infrastructure. Fuel system data is integrated into the Building Management System, providing centralized visibility through a common interface. Programmable alarms and system controls help ensure fuel is available and properly managed during utility disruptions.
With improved oversight of fuel conditions, more efficient fuel management, and the ability to adapt as operational needs evolve, the hospital can maintain confidence in its backup power readiness and continue delivering uninterrupted care to the communities it serves.
