Article originally published in 2.2.2021
Additional capacity was needed for clean steam production at the Oulu University Hospital’s medical supply center. Finess has previously supplied steam generators to various units of the hospital. The new clean steam generator is more efficient than previous models and provides the additional capacity and reserve needed for instrument maintenance.
The instrument maintenance facility at Oulu University Hospital (OYS) is where the hospital’s instruments are maintained. Cleaning is performed by sterilizing the instruments with so-called clean steam, which is the second-highest purity class of steam. The steam is produced by clean steam generators.
Finess has previously supplied a total of 13 steam generators to the OYS area.
The customer needed additional capacity for clean steam production to ensure sufficient clean steam supply even during maintenance outages of older equipment. The challenge was to find an efficient solution that would fit into a small space.
At OYS, equipment maintenance is performed and clean steam is used almost continuously. The new clean steam generator had to be connected to the existing steam line, but the installation could not cause any interruptions in equipment maintenance.
In addition to the clean steam generator, Finess was also responsible for the connecting piping to the water supply lines and the installation, meaning the equipment was delivered pre-connected. Finess expertly planned the installation work and the connection to the steam line, and the process went smoothly without any disruptions to clean steam production.
Finess delivered a clean steam generator and connecting piping to the OYS equipment maintenance building for connection to the water supply lines. The delivery also included installation.
The clean steam generator has a power rating of 288 kW and a steam production capacity of 364 kg/h. The equipment is made of stainless steel that meets the requirements for equipment intended for hospital use.
The pure steam generator is equipped with so-called thermal degassing, meaning it features feedwater preheating to ensure the desired water quality. The system uses the RO method, i.e., water treatment based on reverse osmosis.
The system features PLC control, and all system management is handled via a touchscreen. The customer was already familiar with the system from previous equipment, as those units had similar logic control and a control panel.
The delivered system was a complete package, and the customer did not need to purchase any additional equipment. The project was implemented as a turnkey delivery according to the customer’s wishes.
With the new, efficient clean steam generator, the customer was able to ensure sufficient steam production. Currently, the combined capacity of the clean steam generators is sufficient even if one of the older units is out of service or undergoing maintenance. Without this addition, steam production could have dropped to a critical level during maintenance outages.
“The new clean steam generator provides the customer with the necessary reserve capacity. A failure in a single unit no longer causes problems for equipment maintenance,” says Juha-Pekka Paavola, CEO of Finess Energy Oy.
Another advantage of the clean steam generator supplied by Finess for OYS is that the unit features the same PLC control and control panel as the old ones. The new unit also includes a few additional features.
The unit also has remote access capability. This is an important added value today and a factor that improves ease of use. In modern units, remote control is web-based.
The clean steam generators supplied by Finess are technically ready-to-use packages that include all necessary equipment. In addition, the turnkey delivery provided added value for the customer.
As an expert in clean steam systems, Finess designed and implemented the entire solution flexibly without any interruptions in clean steam production.
