Steam generator meets sterilisation needs

A Spirax Sarco clean steam generator is meeting increased demand for clean steam from a new state-of-the-art sterilisation facility at Ross Hall Hospital in Glasgow.

A Spirax Sarco clean steam generator is meeting increased demand for clean steam from a new state-of-the-art sterilisation facility at Ross Hall Hospital in Glasgow.

The CSG10 is a complete pre-assembled engineered system that uses existing plant steam to heat demineralised water to produce high quality steam.

The CSG10 Engineered System at Ross Hall Hospital produces up to 2,000 kg/h of clean steam at 3 bar g, which is used to decontaminate medical instruments.

The first step is a washing cycle, with the water heated directly by clean steam.

This is followed by a packaging line, after which the wrapped instruments are sterilised using more clean steam at 134C and 2.5 bar g.

The packs are then dried thoroughly to prevent condensation building up on the inside as they cool, prior to dispatch.

The equipment used throughout the process is stainless steel.

"It's designed to provide an environment very much like a pharmaceutical plant," says Mr Steve Buchan, Chief Engineer at Ross Hall Hospital.

In accordance with this need, the CSG10 has 316L stainless steel clean steam wetted parts to withstand the corrosive effects of demineralised water, eliminating the risk of steam contamination and degrading of the process.

"We've only been up and running for a short time," says Mr Buchan.

"It's a complex plant and so far everything is running smoothly".

" We've been very pleased with the equipment and support we've received from Spirax Sarco." Ross Hall Hospital's new facility relocates sterilisation services to a separate building over a mile away from the main hospital.

The move was partly in response to expansion at the hospital, which saw the existing sterilisation department displaced by a new operating theatre.

The new plant also helps to meet tighter guidance on sterilisation of reusable medical instruments.

"In particular, the publication of Health Service Circular HSC 2000/032 Decontamination of Medical Devices, which was intended to improve decontamination procedures," says Mr Buchan.

In addition, Ross Hall, which is owned by BMI Healthcare, aims to take on sterilisation work for other private and NHS hospitals in the area.

The new site has a capacity eight times greater than the old in-house sterilisation department and there's plenty of room in the building to double this again.

"It's only been finished a few weeks and it's already attracting interest," says Mr Buchan.

The Spirax Sarco CSG10 Engineered System comprises a full range of electro-pneumatic pressure controls, condensate removal equipment, electronic level controls, steam conditioning equipment, blowdown control and monitoring equipment, all mounted on a compact steel skid.

Being a complete package, the system substantially cuts the time required for design, commissioning and installation.

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