Healthcare environments such as surgical suites require complex infrastructure to ensure a safe and hygienic atmosphere. Clean environment ventilation is critical as levels of carbon monoxide, bioaerosols, and chemical compounds tend to be much higher in this environment.
One of the key roles of ventilation in healthcare facilities is to manage humidity levels. Desiccant dehumidifiers are an excellent option for this as they extract the moisture from the air and maintain a consistent humidity level with a particular space.
We can help provide expert insight on the most effective dehumidifiers for surgical suites with specific humidity management demands. Contact our team at Eldridge today to schedule an analysis of your current system.
Humidity Control is Critical in a Healthcare Facility
ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170-2017, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities, is an essential resource for guiding ventilation design for hospitals. It serves as a benchmark to ensure appropriate indoor air quality and temperature within specific areas of a healthcare facility such as surgical suites.
Hospitals and healthcare facilities typically need a minimum relative humidity of 30%. However, specific areas like operating rooms or MRI facilities necessitate a relative humidity of up to 55%. It is critical that this level does not surpass more than 60%, as this excessive humidity promotes microbial growth and weakens the integrity of sterile instruments and supplies even when wrapped.
In areas of the building requiring strict sterilization protocols, including surgical suites, highly regulated air quality is pivotal to avoid compromising the sterility of equipment. Most operating rooms require 15 to 20 air changes per hour, plus a specified humidity level of 20% to 60% that must be maintained at all times. Certain surgical rooms have a strict tolerance for fluctuations in relative humidity, allowing no more than a +/- 2% variation.
How Desiccant Dehumidifiers Work
Industrial desiccant dehumidifiers work on a simple and efficient principle. They use a desiccant material, often silica gel, to absorb moisture from the air. The air passes through the dehumidifier and the highly hygroscopic desiccant material traps the humidity. The moist desiccant is then processed through a regenerative cycle, using heat to expel the collected water vapor into the exhaust air stream. This dry, dehumidified air is recirculated back into the hospital environment to maintain the desired relative humidity levels.
Desiccant dehumidifiers are highly effective as standalone units in surgical suites. They provide precise humidity control by directly adjusting moisture levels in the room. By continuously monitoring relative humidity and utilizing regenerative drying, these dehumidifiers maintain the strict humidity requirements for surgical environments. This is crucial in operations where even slight deviations in humidity levels can impact surgical outcomes and compromise patient safety by affecting the sterile field.
Effective Humidity Control – Clean Environment Ventilation
Clean environment ventilation directly impacts indoor air quality in hospitals. These systems remove air potentially laden with viruses, bacteria, and hazardous chemicals. Without them, the risk of airborne infections and cross-contamination increases significantly. In fact, a study conducted by the John Hopkins Center for Health Security found that improving ventilation and filtration in crowded indoor public spaces can greatly reduce illness costs. The benefit-cost ratio ranges from 3:1 to 100:1, surpassing ratios for most other public health interventions.
Desiccant dehumidifiers are fundamental components in achieving a safe, clean, and compliant environment within a surgical suite. Eldridge can supply equipment from top-notch manufacturers and are ready to assist you to meet the complex demands of humidity control in your facility. Contact us today to schedule an assessment of your existing dehumidifier or clean environment ventilation infrastructure.