Project Update: F&T Designs DA Tank Replacement for Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center

Deaerator tank at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH

Fitzemeyer & Tocci partnered with Dartmouth Health to design and support construction for the replacement of the central plant’s Deaerator (DA) tank at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. The project presented a unique engineering challenge: maintaining operation of the entire central heating plant, utilizing existing DA system while installing and providing startup support a new tank to ensure continuous plant performance.

F&T’s scope included the design of the new DA tank, associated piping, controls, and tie-ins to existing boiler plant infrastructure. The design prioritized phasing and operational continuity, allowing the new system to be constructed and tested without interrupting steam and condensate operations that serve critical hospital functions.

Construction required close collaboration with Granite State Plumbing and Heating and Dartmouth Health facilities staff and the construction team to coordinate shutdowns, maintain safety during hot work, and perform final cutovers. The new DA tank will enhance reliability, improve efficiency, and support long-term central heating plant resiliency.

Through proactive planning and detailed coordination, the project team successfully navigated the complex task of upgrading essential central plant infrastructure in a continuously operating healthcare environment.