Reliable refrigeration for hospitals: Chillers that support heroes

What role does refrigeration play for hospitals? As a matter of fact, refrigeration is absolutely critical for medical facilities. Hospitals contain many medical devices and systems that can only function properly at the right temperature – from medical gases, MRI and CT devices and sterilisers to the media supply for operating theatres. Of course all operating theatres, intensive care units and clean rooms must always have exactly the right temperature. It is also important that chillers are as quiet as possible. This is because a hospital is a place of healing, and constant noise is an additional strain on the well-being of patients, while also distracting hospital staff. A good indoor environment in the operating theatre and the wards also contributes towards optimal treatment and helps patients heal quickly. So it is hardly surprising that clinics set especially high standards for their refrigeration supply.

Refrigeration supply: strict requirements, high reliability

ENGIE specialises in exactly these kinds of sensitive applications. We have more than ten years of experience in the field of refrigeration for hospitals. From Germany to Iran, from the UK to La Réunion, more than 150 hospitals and clinics around the world now rely on QUANTUM chillers. That is because these chillers offer many important benefits: first, QUANTUM chillers guarantee maximum energy efficiency and absolute reliability. They also feature gentle starting behaviour – i.e. low start-up currents – and high performance density – in other words, maximum energy efficiency combined with a small footprint. In addition, they are quiet, with low vibration levels, and can be operated in an exceedingly low-wear manner; this is a considerable additional benefit, as it reduces maintenance and operating costs. At the same time, the ability to change compressors while the systems are running ensures that those systems are constantly available and highly reliable – and thus contributes towards dependable processes at medical facilities.

Refrigeration technology with guaranteed stability

The Schoen Clinic, with locations in Hamburg, Bad Aibling, and Vogtareuth in the Chiemgau region, is one of the companies to benefit from such a reliable refrigeration supply – and has been for many years. The clinic in Vogtareuth has been relying on refrigeration technology from ENGIE since 2010. Today it operates three especially quiet and low-vibration QUANTUM chillers. Only one of the machines is in constant operation, while the others are added when necessary. This ensures a refrigeration supply around the clock. And it does so throughout the clinic, which treats around 16,000 patients from around the world every year.

Chillers for maximum energy efficiency

Refrigeration is no less important in other parts of the world – such as Sydney, some 16,000 kilometres away. QUANTUM chillers from ENGIE have been installed there as well. At Liverpool Hospital, one of the largest clinics in New South Wales and one of the leading trauma centres in Australia, they provide a whole lot of power. Eight water-cooled QUANTUM chillers with a refrigeration capacity of ten megawatts guarantee ideal temperatures for all processes at the clinic. They are especially eco-friendly, as they use R-1234ze as their refrigerant. This refrigerant has a global warming potential (GWP) of less than 1, and thus comfortably meets the requirements of the F-gas Regulation and the Ecodesign Directive. Liverpool Hospital is currently home to the world’s largest connected chiller park with this refrigerant. Oil-free and especially energy-efficient in operation, the chillers thus minimise the ecological footprint of the clinic on the outskirts of Sydney – and ensure that the refrigeration supply is always secure, so our heroes can work in optimal conditions.