The use of steam in hospitals is incredibly varied, and can be used in wide range of areas. With so many applications, you’ll want to be sure that your boiler is up to the task.
A major use within the industry is humidification, which is needed to keep static low and patient rooms comfortable. Too dry an environment can lead to moisture loss in patients, causing cracked skin and dryness in the respiratory system. Maintaining a relative humidity between 40 – 60 % prevents these ailments, as well as helping reduce the spread of biological contaminants.
Steam is also used as a source of building heat in many hospitals, with steam heat providing an economical way to heat large building areas, allowing a facility to save money while ensuring patient comfort
Hospitals will also require a steady supply of both hot water and domestic steam for everyday use. Hot water is needed for hand basins and is critical in the need for hospital laundry, cleaning of gowns, linen, scrubs, and a wide variety of other items. Hot water is often provided using a plate and frame or tube and shell heat exchanger, utilizing the steam from the boiler. This hot water and steam will also be used in a hospital’s kitchen for cooking and dishwashing.
Perhaps the most important use of steam in and hospital application is the need for sterilization. Pure steam is needed at specific temperatures and pressures for this to take place. The high temperature and penetrating power of steam at a temperature of 280 deg F kills microorganisms on surgery equipment and clothing, leaving behind no residue. This makes steam a perfect method of sterilization for medical devices, equipment and consumables for use in operating theatres and other aseptic procedures, such as catheterization, wound stitching and bandaging.
Items are usually sterilized in a steam autoclave, under strict standards with pure dry steam having little moisture, often using clean steam generators to avoid spotting and contamination.
With our full modulation and precise temperature control, Clayton Steam Generators produce pure 99% dry steam at a constant pressure, making them the perfect choice for any hospital.