In this article we will talk about important aspects for patient safety in critical hospital areas. We want to ask you about the ground connections in critical hospital areas.
We invite you to read each of the sections of this article.
Remember that at ETKHO we want to help you, contact us for an evaluation and diagnosis.
What is a grounded power system?
To understand what ground connections or earthing isolated power systems, it is important to know that all electrical power searches for any ground in order to close the circuit.
In this way, energy generally takes the shortest path and the one that represents the least resistance. Sometimes that short path can be through the human being.
Therefore, imagine that a patient is anesthetized and becomes the path to earth, the consequences can be lethal, because he will be unable to perform self-preservation actions or make decisions.
In a grounded single-phase system:
- A conductor is the line
- Another conductor is the neutral
- One last conductor is safety ground
Therefore, energy flows from the neutral line and will eventually connect to ground.
Elements constituting an isolated circuit to ground
It is important that you know that there are 3 fundamental elements in this type of circuit or connections. These must be present for proper operation in critical hospital areas.
Next, we present them to you:
Isolation transformer
This is a multi-winding type transformer. It has primary and secondary windings, which are physically separated from each other.
In this transformer the secondary winding and ungrounded conductors are inductively coupled to the primary winding and conductors. At the same time, they are powered by a grounded electrical system.
Line Isolation Monitor
This is a measuring instrument was designed for continuous comparison of the impedance of each conductor who lived isolated from earth and from the isolated electrical circuit.
It is equipped with a built-in circuit to test the alarm, and does not include the isolated system dangerous leakage current.
Equipotential bonding system for grounding
It is important to know that in critical hospital areas it is difficult to prevent the accidental passage of current from the patient’s body to any metal object or surface that is grounded and with which the patient also has some accidental contact.
Suppose there is a special problem with a patient’s heart. Under the conditions described above, it can be electrocuted with potential differences of 5 millivolts.
In fact, it could be electrocuted at low current levels, such as 10 microamps.
That is why additional protection is needed in electrical installations that use isolated electrical systems; especially if these are installed in critical areas and where invasive procedures are applied.
At ETKHO we can help you, providing you with the necessary elements for the effective installation of earth connections in critical hospital areas.
We are experts in the design of equipment for this purpose, we can also evaluate and diagnose the critical areas of your hospital in order to provide you with the best equipment, according to their particular characteristics.
Importance of ground connections in critical hospital areas
In summary, we present to you why it is important to consider the earth connections in the critical areas of your health center.
The risk aspects that have motivated us to provide equipment for the correct installation of electrical systems in health centers, are summarized in the potential danger of connecting electromedical equipment directly to the patient’s skin.
Such connection, and the connection of the patient to ground by medical equipment, especially in critical areas, where the use of anti-electrostatic flooring is included, create a path for current through the patient. This creates complications in the clinical picture, and can cause internal burns to the patient, and even in severe cases can lead to death.
In this sense, and as part of the ground connection system, it is important to have an insulation panel.
Insulation panel
Please note this is a special distribution board. It is specifically responsible for supplying a transformer, which is called isolation transformer.
The isolation transformer that we talked about earlier is built to electrically isolate its secondary winding from ground.
As for the transformation ratio of such an isolation transformer, it allows obtaining a 120V operating voltage at its output between both ends of the winding.
The ends of the secondary winding, which we have also mentioned previously, are called phases.
These phases feed the panel distribution busbar. All circuits with double pole switches derive from these phases, and the single pole switches of the more conventional panels are not used.
It is important to be serious and be cautious in critical hospital areas or areas. Therefore, we make our services available to you.
We can help you make the electrical system safer. You just have to contact us and we will be happy to guide you.