Chilled beams address hospital hygiene issues
The hygiene requirements of hospitals are addressed by specially made chilled beams supplied by Trox for the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton.
Trox has supplied chilled beams with design modifications to enable them to be easily maintained and cleaned to the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton. The beams will help the hospital meet increasing demands to reduce air-borne contaminants in clinical environments by not allowing room contaminants to migrate to and from the ceiling void or supply ductwork when they are cleaned. Over 500 DID 600 clean beams have been supplied in a contract worth around £150 000. This new 100-bed hospital includes intensive-care and outpatient services for children. The hospital recognised that a properly designed air-conditioning and ventilation system was vital to eliminate air-borne infections and meet the Building Performance Energy Directive. The beams are installed in wards and administration areas. Each is completely demountable so that every component can be cleaned easily and quickly. Maintenance can be carried out by one person. Hinging the face of a beam down exposes an isolation valve to the coil so it can be disconnected and taken out for cleaning. The area behind the coil within the body of the beam can also be cleaned. Chilled beams work on a dry process, so there is no moisture on the coil to allow dust and dirt to collect. There is no need to move ceiling tiles to gain access to the beam, eliminating a source of dislodged dirt falling into clean areas. These beams also do not have any sharp edges or joints — all surfaces are smooth. The NHS has published a set of rules about hospital ventilation, which are interpreted differently by health authorities. However, Trox can adapt these beams to suite the requirements of individual authorities.
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