Hospital pipework can have very precise specifications depending upon each application. The new University Hospital of North Staffordshire in the UK chose modular pipework from Jacob (UK) for work undertaken at its City General site.
In what is believed to be the one of the largest modular pipework installations in an NHS hospital in the UK, the contract with Jacob (UK) is part of the £370m construction of a new hospital in Stoke-on-Trent. The PFI project for the local NHS Trust is an ambitious programme to bring all the hospital buildings together on the City General site, to be “Fit for the future” and to improve the health of people across North Staffordshire.
The integrity of Jacob (UK) stainless steel (ss) modular pipework was a factor in the design specification. According to Mark Lawrence, from Crown House Technologies, the precision machine-lipped end on Jacob ss modular pipework, which is designed to accept a Keltan (EPDM) U-shaped seal and pull ring connector for an airtight and leak-free connection, was a “deciding factor” in selecting Jacob (UK) for this installation.
The thin-walled pipework sections are easily dismantled and re-connected using the Quick-Connect pull-ring system designed and manufactured by Jacob. Air movement within a pipeline is enhanced by the smooth pressed bends, which provide minimum resistance. The EPDM elastomer seals and connections are conductive to help avoid the build-up of static electricity and the whole system is designed to optimise airflow.
A 3-bar overpressure certified connection is created, which has the advantage of providing earthing continuity while giving the added benefit of being ATEX compatible under specific circumstances.
In terms of fire protection, the entire installation is rated for two hours for stability and integrity to resist hot smoke and fire. The ss pipework sections are pre-coated with Flamebar BW11, a specially formulated water-based compound. The coating contains selected mineral filters with a low permeability elastomeric binder and has a thickness of approximately 1mm. The finished surface is smooth to the touch and easy to maintain in a clean condition. The installation is capable of meeting EU Directive 94/9/EC (ATEX 95) requirements.
This type of modular ducting and pipework is used in several locations throughout the new hospital. For example, the latest automated endoscope washers and disinfectors installed are designed to clean and sterilise equipment to consistently high standards and to avoid any cross-contamination with clearly marked dirty and clean areas. The pipework extracts the steam from each washer and vents this to atmosphere six floors above via Jacob 250mm diameter fire-protected ss modular pipework.
Another critical part of the new hospital is the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) area, where the Jacob ss pipework serves three MRI scanners. Part of the installation provides fresh air in the event of a ‘quench’ – an unintentional ‘shut-down’ of the superconducting magnet – which avoids the rapid boiling of the cryogenic liquids in the MRI scanners. A separate installation of exhaust pipework is designed to vent any gases to the atmosphere safely.
“The pipework and ducting specification required for the University Hospital for North Staffordshire was ideal for Jacob modular ss pipework, where apart from the integrity and safety aspects, the installation uses mass-produced quality controlled components, making it truly fit for the future,” says David Peplow from Jacob (UK).
“Other benefits are lowering the cost of installation and the flexibility it affords to plant design and layout. The pipe sections are light enough to be suspended in the ceiling space with supports every 4m and the range of pipe sections, diverters, bends and valves make it easy to specify Jacob (UK) pipework for hospital installations, which often have limited space.”
With pipe diameters ranging from 60mm to 800mm and a wide range of forks, bends, T pieces, valves and distributors, the pipework is ideal for creating an efficient, flexible system that is adaptable to changes.
