Vital utilities, such as steam, enable hospitals to run safely, while mitigating sources of contamination risk.
Steam is a powerful and highly efficient thermal energy transfer fluid – steam itself is natural and, once all the available heat from steam is used, you are left with water in the form of condensate.
From boiler, to point of use, a steam system audit can highlight the areas hospitals should consider when looking to improve steam system efficiency. Some of these steps can be very simple, for example steam quality testing to EN 285, and steam trap surveys which highlight failure and condition. Testing steam quality, the dryness, superheat, and non-condensable gases are a requirement of EN 285. Steam quality testing can be a good measure of system performance and an indicator for thermal efficiency, especially relevant for steam sterilisation. When looking at steam systems, there are many actions that can be undertaken to lower emissions.
Knowledge partners, such as SPIRAX SARCO, are available to provide expert advice, with engineering best practice, and a steam system audit approach. Ultimately, steam system audits are vital to understand the health and wellbeing of the complete plant.
