[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Blood irradiators
Check with the manufacturer. A quick glance at the Nordion Gammacell site,
shows that they come with built in limited battery backup. The manufacturer
can help you select an appropriate UPS or augment the battery backup already
present.
Since the blood must be rotated, there is no way to manually do it. You
require a power source of some type-either line or battery.
All you have to do is call x-ray or some other department and tell them not
to use some power for the 5 min the irradiation takes. This will not
increase the load on your generators.
I find it hard to believe that the generators are loaded to capacity. In
most hospitals there is an A generator for essential services, and a B
generator for non-essential services. Most hospitals also have a C
generator, to replace either A or B if they fail. If the A fails, then B is
shunted to that load. There are plenty of devices which are non-essential
that can be momentarily not used while you irradiate. The air conditioning
is usually on the B generator. Since this is winter, there should be low air
conditioning.
If the load on A and B approaches 80% of maximum, then another generator
should be purchased. That is only common sense.
As well as having the generator back up, there should be enough fuel. The
hospital that I worked at had 3 days supply.
Spencer M. Fisher
Responsible Health Physicist-
Radioisotope/Radiography Licensing and Permits
Ontario Power Generation
1549 Victoria St. E.
Whitby, Ont.
L1N 9E3
Phone (905) 430-2215 ext. 3290
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html