Boiler Plant Steam in Hospital Sterilizer???

Zoso

I have seen facilities where boiler plant steam goes directly into hospital sterilizers. This is the same steam that goes to heating coils, humidifiers, heat exchangers, etc. There is no "clean steam generator" that uses plant steam to produce "clean steam".

This seems like it should be unacceptable, but yet I have seen it with my own eyes. Can anyone offer some insight?

Dave in QCA

Yes, you are correct on the setup and operation of typical hospital steam sterilizers. The shell of the sterilizer is heated with steam as well as the chamber.

My question for you is why you think that "plant steam" would not be clean? After all, ALL minerals or whatever is in the boiler, remains in the boiler. Steam leaving the boiler, typically at 60-70 psi is very hot, dry, steam. There is NOTHING in it except for vaporized water. Unless of course, there is a steam condensate line treatment, in which case there is a volatile amine in very small concentration in with the steam. And, of course, steam, by virtue of its temperature is sterile.

I can see that you imagine the inside of pipes may have a rusty film, and they do, but that does not travel with the steam. Believe me, when the sterile packs come out of the sterilizer, if there is anything that is not perfect, the first thing that the Central Sterile Supply Technician will blame is the steam supply, and from my personal experience, it is rarely, if ever, a problem.

Zoso

There is "chemical treatment" of course, including Amines. I have always thought that using plant steam for humidifiers was starting to be frowned upon due to the chemicals in the steam. So I extrapolated that to certainly not wanting plant steam in a sterilizer.

What would be the point of a steam generator heat exchanger using plant steam to create "clean steam" if plant steam is acceptable? I know some places have steam generators.

Sailah

We just repaired a Balston filter for a Harvard specialty hospital. I believe they are on district steam.

http://www.balstonfilters.com/products/steam-filters

We also OEM manufacture stainless steel compact traps that are used in self contained hospital sterilizers by Ritter, Midmark, Amsco, Steris etc. these either use hospital steam that is run through a filter like above or self generated.

arpitkakkar1

there are many types of sterilizers which is use according to our needs. sterilizes are very important equipment for the laboratories. glass bead sterilizers is used in biological labs to remove biological agents of life. it is way to kill biological signs like fungi, bacteria virus from biological samples.

SlamDunk

In pharmaceuticals, we use "clean steam generators" to sterilize products.

RO water is fed to, basically a heat exchanger, using plant steam to create clean steam using the RO water.

I asked the same question but in relation to a couple Total Organic Carbon analyzers. Why do we need a TOC analyzer on the RO skid and another on the condensate return?

The answer started like this: "According to the United States Pharmacopeia..."

It makes a difference. I'd like to think when I have my colonoscopy, that there will be no "organics" at all on the scope.

EBEBRATT-Ed

I agree, unacceptable in that enviroment

JUGHNE

Before or after the exam?

ColinFarquhar

We have 60psi steam going to our Sterile Prep department, straight off the main header-->PRV station-->SPD.

I have run across "clean steam" generators in some applications (certain humidification or sterilization requirements-plant steam to clean(er) steam), but not at our facility at the moment.