Perfect Partners for Medical Vacuum Systems

Case Study

Background: Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 02-01 provides guidance to designers, installers and maintainers of medical gas pipeline systems. Medical Vacuum pipeline systems provide immediate and reliable suction for clinical needs and in support of surgical procedures. Medical vacuum pumps installed in accordance with the HTM have historically been of an oil-lubricated, fixed-speed, rotary vane type. All pumps are designed for high frequency stop/start or continuous operation with at least three pumps forming the set, providing a robust and resilient source of supply. The guidance determines that pumps be designed to meet the maximum theoretical demand of the hospital. Accordingly, they are over-sized in relation to the peaks and troughs of normal daily demand. Pressure for Change: As part of a wider Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust energy-saving initiative, SHJ encouraged the Trust to consider the adoption of variable-speed technology. The result was a prototype arrangement in which an Elmo Rietschle VSI Twister VSI 300 variable-speed vacuum pump was selected and installed by SHJ alongside an existing triplex rotary vane pump set.

Perfect Partners for Medical Vacuum Systems

The Outcome: The 7.5Kw Twister is the duty pump, it is operating under independent control and runs continuously, taking the lead in meeting the constantly fluctuating hospital demand. The 11Kw fixed-speed pumps remain in a state of operational readiness should demand exceed the output of the variable-speed machine. Should this prove to be the case, they will follow the traditional sequential control arrangement, ramping up the available capacity in sizeable steps to meet the increasing demand. The Twister is smaller, lighter, quieter, cheaper to maintain and significantly more energy-efficient than its big brothers. Initial assessments indicate that annualised savings from energy alone will amount to over 8,000 per annum. The Next Stages: The success of this project has given an added boost to the suggestion that this new arrangement could be extended to serve the total demands for vacuum across the entire hospital campus, which is currently met in part by a second duplex vacuum pump set in the New North Block. A vacuum link line will shortly be installed to connect the two separate distribution systems. Once completed, this will allow the North Block plant to be decommissioned, delivering further energy, maintenance and plant replacement savings. The final stage in the process will be to fully integrate the variable-speed machine into one common and fully-integrated control arrangement with the fixed-speed machines. It is envisaged that the central vacuum system will then comprise one variable-speed pump and two fixed-speed pumps operating as a triplex. This will set a new standard for the NHS, balancing the obvious benefits of variable-speed technology in situations of constantly changing demand with the traditional NHS reliance and dependence on rotary vane pumps. Further work has to be done in determining the ideal control arrangement but it is possible that a smaller rotary vane pump will run continuously to meet the hospital base load, with the variable-speed machine stepping in to meet the fluctuating hospital demand. The third machine is expected to be held in reserve to provide maintenance relief and to meet rare situations of exceptional demand.