ELECTRICAL RESILIENCE
IPS and UPS equipment are interconnected and integrated, ‘for complete protection and redundancy of the power supply’.
to protect it from damage caused by power outages.
n IT infrastructure: Hospitals rely heavily on IT systems to manage patient records, monitor vital signs, and communicate with other healthcare providers. These systems require a continuous and reliable power source, which a UPS provides.
n Compliance: Many countries, including the UK, have regulations and standards such as HTM 06-01 that require hospitals to have an isolated power supply and an uninterruptible power supply in place to ensure continuity of patient care, minimise the risk of injury or damage to patients, equipment, and personnel, and ensure compliance with relevant legislation.
n Continuity of care: Power outages or voltage fluctuations can cause a disconnection in services, which could be devastating for a hospital setting, where continuity of care is crucial. IPS and UPS systems help ensure that these interruptions are minimised or avoided entirely, allowing the hospital to continue providing care to patients.
IPS, UPS, and HTM 06-01 HTM 06-01 is a British standard which provides guidance on the design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance, of the electrical infrastructure of a healthcare estate – and specifically electrical power distribution and control, including emergency lighting, UPS, and IPS. The standard establishes guidelines for the design, installation, testing, and maintenance of the electrical power distribution and control systems in healthcare premises. These guidelines include provisions for the use of IPS and UPS in healthcare facilities, including requirements for the sizing, selection, and installation of these systems, and their integration with the overall electrical power distribution system.
One of two Borri Ingenio UPS systems from Power Control installed in parallel at Cheltenham General Hospital.
Maintenance and environmental conditions It is important to maintain both the isolated power supply and UPS to ensure that they are working efficiently and effectively. Regular maintenance, inspections, and testing, should be performed to ensure that the equipment is functioning properly, and that any issues are identified and resolved in a timely manner. These regular maintenance procedures can help to prevent costly breakdowns, and prolong the life of the equipment. Environmental inspections are typically part of a service visit. This is because the environment in which IPS and UPS are situated can significantly affect the unit’s longevity. For IPS systems, higher ambient temperatures cause a rise in temperature around the medical isolation transformer, and temperatures above 70 °C could cause potential damage to the transformer. Left undetected, the transformer will need replacing or result in a failure of supply. An IPS known to be working in a higher ambient temperature should be de-rated by up to 40% to prevent this from happening. UPS systems, on the other hand, must be in a temperature-controlled room with an ambient temperature of a maximum of 20-25 °C Elevated temperatures can cause batteries to prematurely fail, swell, and eventually split, and a leaking battery poses a fire risk, as well as a risk of UPS failure.
Dry and dust-free
Both IPS and UPS equipment must be kept dry and dust-free. High moisture in the environment causes condensation to build up, which can in turn cause boards to corrode and result in corrosion on battery terminal posts. Dust can lead to short-circuits and fire. It is recommended in areas where UPS and IPS are installed to also have an air-conditioning (AC) unit to regulate and control the ambient temperature. IT departments are also
recommended to check the location of the external air intake vents, and to add a filtering system to reduce the level of dust entering the room. In conclusion, the relationship between an IPS and a UPS is especially important in maintaining and providing a stable power supply to a hospital’s electrical infrastructure. They work together to provide complete protection and redundancy of the power supply, maintain critical medical equipment, and keep the hospital’s electrical systems running even in the event of a power outage.
Allan Jackson
Healthcare continues to be one of Power Control’s largest divisions, and last November the company appointed Allan Jackson as its new Southern Healthcare manager. With over 13 years’ experience working in the sector, he is responsible for working with key partners, and developing new business in the healthcare market. While his knowledge sits mainly with isolated and uninterruptible power supplies, his expertise also extends right across a hospital’s electrical infrastructure.
April 2023 Health Estate Journal 25
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