February 6, 2006

PureWave UPS^® System Cuts Power Disturbances to New Surgical Suite.

Background

A large Medical Center, in Aurora, Illinois, recently completed a $19 Million state-of-the-art addition. The 96,000-square-foot surgery wing includes an expanded surgical suite with 12 new operating rooms and 40 bays/rooms for recovery, holding, and ambulatory care. It also includes a new two-room endoscopy area, administrative and support space, sterile supply room, mechanical/electrical area, and family outpatient waiting lounge with coffee bar.

The surgical suite incorporates the latest technology. Several computer systems, along with diagnostic and monitoring equipment, have been integrated in each operating room. Surgeons have an unprecedented amount of information at hand during procedures.

The electrical system of the hospital was expanded to accommodate the new wing and includes new medium-voltage service entrance switchgear and a 750-kW generator. “One of the primary considerations in designing the electrical system for the new wing was patient safety,” asserted the Medical Center’s Facilities Manager. “Our facilities group identified the delay between the time a power interruption occurred and the availability of emergency power as something that could be minimized or eliminated. Bridging this power gap would eliminate interruptions in surgical procedures, a win-win for both the hospital and the patient.”

But because the hospital is located in an area experiencing rapid growth, utility systems are stretched. New construction and occasional utility system dig-ins have created a high level of power disturbances and outages. Such outages affect more than just operating room lights . . . the sensitive diagnostic and monitoring equipment is adversely affected as well.

What did they do?

The consulting Hospital Testing Company suggested that the Medical Center consider an S&C PureWave UPS™ System. After a demonstration of the system under actual load conditions at S&C’s headquarters in Chicago, the facility manager became convinced that such a system, installed near the service entrance to the new wing, would provide the type of backup protection he was looking for — whole-facility backup power until generator power is available.

S&C’s PureWave UPS System offers a cost-effective combination of ride-through time and proven battery-based technology — plus a more compact footprint than any other comparable device. The sealed lead-acid batteries used in the PureWave UPS System to power the load during momentary utility source disturbances fulfilled the hospital’s need for dependability and minimal maintenance. The system coordinates with, and transfers load to, the generator set during extended power outages.

All major system components of the PureWave UPS System are contained in a single pad-mounted enclosure, which was easily located in an alcove near the emergency entrance of the new wing.

The consulting engineer for the project, was tasked with incorporating the PureWave UPS System into the electrical system to meet NEC requirements. The Illinois Department of Public Health reviewed the modifications and gave their approval.

Results

The PureWave UPS System was installed and energized in March 2005. It was demonstrated to the Hospital Engineering Society of Northern Illinois in April, just prior to the planned opening of the new wing. In service for several months, the PureWave UPS System has already protected the wing from a number of voltage sags and outages.

As other expansion and upgrading projects are undertaken, the Medical Center will be looking for other areas to apply the system. The Medical Center’s engineer praised S&C by stating, “A UPS such as PureWave should be the design criteria for all hospitals in the future.”