Associations
ASHRAE TALKS ABOUT
MEDICAL GAS MANAGEMENT
By Ntsako Khosa
ASHRAE’s South African Chapter hosted a Technical Talk at the Draeger
offices in Buccleuch, which looked at medical gas and gas detection
systems.
Devon Marks
from Draeger
addressing the
attendees.
34
RACA Journal I January 2020
•
Carbon dioxide and Nitrous Oxide for minimal invasive
surgery;
• Medical Air for breathing and operation of medical devices;
and
• Vacuum for secretion draining and scavenging of
anaesthesia gas.
These gases are applied in anaesthesia, ventilation, neonatal
care, therapeutic use, minimal invasive surgery, surgical tools
bronchial suctioning, secretion draining and anaesthesia
gas scavenging. “The aim of a gas system in hospitals is to
provide a continuous and safe supply for all medical gases.
Patient safety should take first priority during complete design
and installation process,” Marks shared. Design principles
of the system are two-fold, double and triple redundancy
for all important areas and components as well as having a
H
eld in October 2019, Declan van Greunen, the 2019-2020
ASHRAE South Africa Chapter Technology Transfer
Committee (CTTC) Chair, opened the evening welcoming
everyone and sharing a brief history of the association. “Since
its inception in 2018 locally, we are starting to see a growing
membership. It’s a voluntary association with 13 committees
currently established, which includes refrigeration, fire,
government affairs, building simulations and the technical
committee (CTTC) to mention a few,” he said.
The first speaker was Devon Marks, Draeger business
development manager, who looked at the purpose, design and
standards of medical gas management systems. Gases commonly
used in hospitals are:
• Oxygen for breathing and therapeutic use;
• Nitrous Oxide for anaesthesia;
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