The new boiler complies with current EC directives, which state that pyrogen-free steam is now essential for the manufacture of medical devices/products and sterilisation services.
When medical equipment and products are sterilised using steam, water droplets, which can contain pyrogens, are left on the surface of the sterilised load as it cools. If the equipment is used for invasive surgery this can lead to post-operative infections.
‘Cleaning up the steam produced from conventional boiler plants can be very expensive, is not always successful and requires a high level of service monitoring and maintenance,’ says Fulton. ‘Independent clean steam generation is the future.’
The Fulton clean steam boiler is based on the proven Fulton EFS flash steam boiler and is for high demand, short-term peak loads of up to 300kg/h.
The boiler is made from 316 stainless steel and all internal surfaces provide a corrosion-resistant surface. It is designed to operate with RO quality water, which is preheated in a temperature-controlled feed water tank to ensure that the feed water non-condensable gases are reduced to a minimum and bacterial growth prevented.
The tank is fitted with temperature and level alarms with interlocks to shut down the boiler should significant temperature variations be detected.
The clean steam boiler uses 24V AC control circuits and provides indication and volt free contacts for all alarm conditions. It is supplied with a standby pressure control system to maintain it at sterile, low-pressure conditions when not in use.
Fulton says a number of clean steam boilers have already been installed in NHS and private hospitals in the UK and Europe.