The Role Of Diesel Generators In The Healthcare Industry

You may not realize it but generators play an essential role in the healthcare industry and without them, the industry as we know it would not be able to exist. Hospitals, care facilities, and rehab centers all use a range of machinery and technology to assist patients and staff with providing the highest quality of healthcare services and emergency power. Some hospitals in the US have over a thousand beds and will see even more patients each day- the average Wednesday last year saw around 56,000 patients in a single hospital across the US. With these numbers in mind, it is no surprise that hospitals require a large power system to be able to power enough tech and machinery to handle all of these patients. 

Some may argue that generators are almost as essential as the doctors themselves! To highlight the importance of these power systems in the healthcare industry, this article will delve into the role of diesel generators in the healthcare industry.

What is a diesel generator?

The healthcare industry predominantly uses diesel generators to produce power. Diesel generators are used because they can efficiently produce a high amount of energy at varying levels depending on demand. 

Most diesel generators will have a combination of a diesel engine with an electric generator to generate power for electrical machines and other devices. Most diesel engines will only run on diesel fuel however, some variations can also run with liquid fuels or even natural gas. Some healthcare facilities may also use battery-powered engines.

What is the role of diesel generators in the healthcare industry?

Diesel generators have a number of vital roles in the healthcare industry. Their main role is to power the machines in surgery centers that keep many hospital patients alive- if these machines switch off for even just one moment, the outcomes for certain patients could be fatal. 

Diesel generators are also used to power lighting, air conditioning, heating, and patient display boards. Without these vital features, hospitals would struggle to provide the high level of care that is needed to treat their patients. 

Due to the importance of diesel generators providing round-the-clock power, hospitals typically require a backup system that will take over from the main generator in times of power outage or when the main power source struggles to keep up with power demand. Backup power for medical equipment potentially saves thousands of lives each year by ensuring that lifesaving equipment can continuously run for as long as is needed. 

What type of diesel generator is used in the healthcare industry?

Hospitals will have the main diesel generator for medical equipment, along with a backup generator to support the continuous production of energy. Main diesel generators must be incredibly powerful- ideal generators will produce over 3000kW of energy per unit. Backup generator sets must also be powerful and often produce over 1000kW of energy themselves. 

Diesel generator specifications for the healthcare industry 

As diesel generators play such a vital role in the healthcare industry, they must meet certain requirements which are put in place to ensure that the highest level of care can be provided to patients at all times. 

Mobility

It is important that backup generators are mobile so that they can be transferred to areas of the hospital in which power is needed the most. Backup generators tend to be slightly smaller than main generators so that they can be moved by staff and placed in any location that is needed. 

Fast activation

When a backup generator is required, the power must be active within no greater than 10 seconds. If it takes any longer to produce power, life support machines and other essential devices will shut down, which could put lives at risk. 

Fuel storage

In the event of a power outage, hospitals must store enough fuel on-site to keep generators running for a minimum of 96 hours. If a power outage lasts for 3 days, hospitals should be able to continue running their machines and supporting their patients. 

Some healthcare sites can use over 2 million kW of energy every single year. This means that their generators must be large in size. Most healthcare facilities will go through a thorough consultation before choosing a generator so that they can determine the exact size that they will need to power all of their energy needs. 

Airflow and cooling 

The best hospital generators should be able to operate in any room that is made available for them. This means that you cannot always rely on good surrounding airflow to keep the generator cool. Therefore, hospital generators must have extra fans or require less airflow to keep cool. 

Noise

For optimal patient recovery, healthcare facilities must remain peaceful and largely noise-free. Therefore, it is important that the generators they use are quiet so as to not disturb the patients. Without intervention, engine noise can be very loud and put patients at risk of developing migraines or headaches from the continuous noise. Healthcare generators must be designed to emit as little noise as possible or, changes must be put in place to ensure that the room in which the generator is kept is noise canceling. 

What are the advantages of using Diesel generators in the healthcare industry?

Diesel generators are used in the healthcare industry because they provide a number of benefits over other types of generators, such as gasoline. 

Low running costs 

Diesel is generally much lower cost than other types of fuel, which makes it ideal for the healthcare industry. Hospitals can use over 2 million kW of energy each year so keeping the costs of this fuel low is essential to keeping funds available for other important elements of the facility. 

Fast start-up

In the event of a power outage, diesel generators are able to start up incredibly quickly and provide consistent backup power to the important machines in a hospital. For the best outcomes, backup diesel generators must be able to activate power after just 10 seconds so that life-saving equipment is not shut down.

Easy to maintain

Diesel generators are fairly easy to maintain and can run sufficiently in the background while medical staff goes about their duties. A hospital generator will only require an inspection each week, to check that they are running smoothly.

We have a range of excellent pre-used hospital generators for sale. We only stock generators of the highest quality to ensure that you get the best service from your new engine. You can view our full range on our website or contact our team for more information.