October 2024

Medical-Grade Lithium-Ion UPS Systems

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This fantastic white paper was produced by Eaton (one of the major UPS manufacturers we work with) and discusses medical grade UPS products and highlights the benefits of using li-ion batteries in this environment.

You can download this whitepaper from the Eaton website or download a number of other insightful whitepapers on issues around UPS ownership.

Enjoy the read!

Why are UPS Systems Critical to Healthcare?

More than ever, hospitals rely on a vast array of technologies for diagnosing, monitoring and treating patients, as well as streamlining processes from check-in to discharge, optimizing workflows and enhancing security.

That means in a healthcare environment, unplanned downtime or power interruptions are not only inconvenient and costly – they potentially endanger patients. As mobile devices and technologies become more prevalent across the continuum of care, their continuous operation becomes increasingly vital.

Mobility provides valuable flexibility but also requires reliable mobile power solutions to keep patients safe wherever their point of care.

Transporting patients who use therapeutic equipment throughout hospitals or skilled nursing facilities can be especially difficult because any interruption to their therapy can become problematic.

It is critical to ensure that power continues uninterrupted when patients are moved, often requiring attaching the devices they rely on to a compatible UPS system

Criteria for Choosing a Medical-Grade UPS System

Providing safe, reliable power backup with a medical-grade UPS system is a crucial component of any plan to transfer patients without interrupting therapy. Criteria to consider when evaluating which UPS systems best protect your patients include:

  • Does it comply with all relevant healthcare standards?

For safe use in patient care vicinities, including transport, UPS systems should be compliant with UL/IEC 60601-1, the international standard for shock prevention for devices that potentially come in contact with patients and staff. Because patients are in a particularly vulnerable state, UPS systems should have full line isolation to limit cumulative leakage current of connected equipment to less than 100 μA.

  • What type of battery does it contain?

UPS systems can use lithium-ion batteries or lead-acid batteries. See the section below on “Lithium-Ion Batteries vs. Lead-Acid Batteries” for a discussion of the differences between battery types.

  • What battery backup runtime will you require?

It is important to choose a battery that can last the appropriate amount of time for your application, especially if recharging opportunities are limited during a busy hospital shift.

  • What capacity will you require?

Portable models typically range between 150VA and 1kVA capacity. A higher capacity supports increased equipment wattage.

  • What are your space and use considerations?

UPS systems used for mobile applications should ideally have a compact footprint and weigh as little as possible. They should also be compatible with frequent recharging.

  • What are the maintenance demands?

Features such as built-in battery current control, LED and audible alerts, and automated monitoring can simplify management for busy biomedical equipment technicians.

  • What type of warranty is available?

The longer the warranty, the better, as with any technology product.

Lithium-Ion Batteries vs. Lead-Acid Batteries

The single-phase UPS systems used to support mobile medical equipment can contain either lithium-ion batteries or sealed lead-acid (SLA) batteries. Although they are inexpensive, SLA batteries have several limitations.

Typically, they are heavier, require more biomedical technician time to maintain and require more frequent replacement than lithium-ion options. Today, lithium-ion batteries are popular choices for many different applications, including electric cars, cell phones, computers and medical devices.

Although they have been used for more than two decades, lithium-ion batteries were not common choices for UPS systems until relatively recently when technology advances and reduced pricing made them more attractive options.

How Safe are Lithium-ion Batteries?

UPS systems use a very different type of lithium-ion battery than the type used in mobile phones and other consumer devices, which have a reputation for overheating under stress and sometimes even catching fire.

The preferred option for single-phase UPS system batteries is LiFePO4, a type of lithium-ion battery specially formulated for safety and high performance in high-wattage backup power applications.

In addition, the advanced battery management system (BMS) that monitors and protects the battery by regulating charge rate, voltage and temperature prevents problems by automatically disconnecting the battery if the battery temperature threatens to exceed the safety threshold.

Performance Comparison of LiFePO4 and SLA

There are some significant performance differences between LiFePO4 and SLA batteries. Let’s take a closer look.

  • Discharge rate

Lithium-ion batteries deliver a consistent power level throughout the discharge cycle. SLA battery power, on the other hand, dissipates after the beginning of the cycle.

  • Longevity

Under most conditions, lithium-ion batteries have five to 10 times the number of discharge cycles as SLAs. Some can accommodate as many as 20 to 30 times more. Their typical lifespan is eight to 10 years, compared to three to five for SLAs. As a result, lithium-ion batteries need to be replaced much less frequently than SLAs, saving maintenance time and reducing costs.

  • Temperature

Temperature also affects battery performance. Lithium-ion batteries outperform SLAs at most temperatures, and the performance gap widens as temperature increases.

  • Weight

Lithium-ion batteries are smaller and weigh substantially less than SLAs, an important factor in mobile applications such as medical carts.

Cost Comparison

Even though the prices of lithium-ion batteries have been dropping, they are still more expensive up front than SLAs. However, they last longer and require little maintenance.

As a result, the total cost of ownership for a lithium-ion UPS will be lower over the long term than an equivalent UPS that uses SLA batteries. For comparison, let’s consider a lithium-ion UPS system that initially costs $1,600 vs. an SLA model that costs $600.

Assuming the lithium-ion battery lasts 10,000 discharge cycles and the SLA battery lasts 500, the SLA battery would have to be replaced 19 times to reach the equivalent number of discharge cycles. At an average cost of $160 per replacement SLA battery pack, the total SLA equipment cost would be $3,040.Labor costs also have to be factored into the total.

Based on a biomedical equipment technician earning$20/hour who requires 30 minutes to track, locate, order and replace each battery, that’s an additional $190. Therefore, for the same number of discharge cycles, the total cost of the UPS system with the SLA batteries would be $3,380 ($600 + $3,040 + $190) while the total cost of the lithium-ion UPS system would be only $1,600.2

Seven Benefits of Lithium-Ion UPS Systems for Healthcare

When continuous power for continuous patient therapy is essential, medical-grade lithium-ion UPS systems are ideal workhorses – perfect for mobile hospital equipment that connects to AC power intermittently.

They deliver multiple benefits that ensure the safety of patients dependent on lifesustaining therapies when they are transported within a hospital or other healthcare facilities.

Seven key benefits include

  • Reliability

Lithium-ion UPS systems compatible with mobile medical equipment ensure that patients continue receiving life-sustaining therapy without interruption when moved within a hospital or other healthcare facility. A built-in isolation transformer limits cumulative leakage current of connected equipment to less than 100 μA for patient safety. In addition, automatic voltage regulation corrects brownouts and over-voltages without drawing battery power.

  • Longevity

The LiFePO4 batteries in UPS systems such as Tripp Lite’s SmartPro® series accommodate 10,000 charge cycles compared with 300 to 500 over the lifetime of a comparablelead-acid battery. This is particularly valuable in demanding medical environments, where cyclecounts mount faster than in most other applications.

  • Total Cost of Ownership

The dramatically increased lifespan of lithium-ion UPS systems lowers total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to lead-acid models, another added value for healthcare organizations seeking to optimize resources.

  • Compliance

Medical-grade UPS systems are compliant with all relevant standards for safe usein any patient care vicinity. This includes compliance with UL/IEC 60601-1.

  • Portability

Compact in size and weighing as much as 60 percent less as SLA models, lithium-ion UPS systems fit easily on a medical cart or in a patient’s room, and can be moved wherever needed quickly and painlessly.

  • Flexibility

Available in a variety of capacities, UPS systems are perfect for ensuring power whenneeded on the go, and are also smart solutions for nurses’ stations, patient areas or anywhere backup is a must. The battery backup enables staff to work through short power failures and perform an orderly system shutdown in the case of an extended blackout. To maximize versatility, UPS models include multiple hospital-grade outlets with battery backup and surge protection.

  • Intelligent Management

Built-in battery management systems make lithium-ion UPS systems simpler and easier to manage and maintain. Audible alarms and front-panel LEDs can monitor, report and alert operators to essential information, including line power, battery power, overload, voltage regulation and battery low/replace status

Medical-Grade Lithium-Ion UPS System Conclusion

 

Uninterrupted power is critical in healthcare environments, especially in mobile, portable and transport mode applications. A variety of medical-grade UPS systems provide safe, reliable, codecompliant power.

However, UPS systems powered by LiFePO4 batteries deliver multiple advantages compared to SLA UPS systems. They provide greater longevity, enhanced portability and reduced cost of ownership.

You can download this whitepaper from the Eaton website or download a number of other insightful whitepapers on issues around UPS ownership.

Alternatively contact Specialist Power on 01234 851155 or email [email protected] to discuss how we can help you choose the right medical grade UPS for your business.

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