Securing emergency power supply operation in a rehabilitation hospital

Segment background

Hospitals, including specialized facilities like rehabilitation hospitals, are mission-critical institutions that require a consistent, high-quality power supply. Modern healthcare environments use sophisticated and costly medical devices in settings ranging from intensive care units to surgical theaters. While these advanced equipments enhance care, they can also introduce power quality issues like harmonic distortion.

When connected to the public grid, these centers are susceptible to disruptions, including power outages and voltage sags. Such power quality challenges impact not only operational efficiency but also raise costs and compromise patient safety and comfort. For rehabilitation hospitals, where the focus extends to comprehensive recovery programs like physical and occupational therapy, maintaining a reliable power supply is particularly crucial for effective treatments.

Hospitals equipped with diesel generators have an added layer of resilience, ensuring uninterrupted power during grid failures or other electrical disruptions.

Challenges at the customer’s facility

A rehabilitation hospital in Switzerland faced persistent issues with its emergency supply diesel generators. During network supply interruptions, these generators would consistently fail, operating only for a brief period ranging from a few minutes to a couple of hours. The underlying cause was identified as harmonic distortion in the electrical network.

This distortion leads to several adverse effects: it induces thermal stress on the generator’s internal components, results in increased power losses in windings and the rotor, and ultimately decreases the equipment’s lifespan. Consequently, the generators become less reliable, posing a risk to the hospital’s emergency power supply during critical situations. Addressing harmonic distortion is essential for ensuring the system’s reliability and longevity.

Our Merus^® Solution

The hospital opted for a robust solution by installing four Merus^® A2-Active Harmonic Filters, strategically placed in each of the establishment’s four main electrical feeders. These filters are specifically designed to tackle the issue of harmonic distortion that has been causing the diesel generators to trip.

By effectively mitigating these harmonics, the filters enhance the overall quality of the power network, both during emergency operations and under normal grid supply conditions. As a result, the diesel generators can operate without unexpected shutdowns during network supply interruptions, guaranteeing a consistent and reliable power supply for the hospital.

Implementing these Merus^® A2 Active Harmonic Filters fortifies the hospital’s power infrastructure, making it more resilient and dependable in critical situations.