Filtration Solution for COVID-19 Isolation Rooms

LOCATION: South India

SEGMENT
• 30+ medical specialties
• One of India’s largest hospital groups across the country

While corona cases are rising in India at a higher rate, healthcare facilities are prepping up for COVID-19 positive and symptomatic patients. According to ISHRAE guidelines, healthcare facilities should convert their existing isolation rooms or ICUs into COVID-19 patient rooms. CDC USA has also confirmed the Airborne transmission of COVID 19.

To reduce the risk of transmission the dilution is key and it is possible with a relatively high rate of air exchanges as compared to other patient areas. This applies to both supply and exhaust airflow rates. Hence, engineers and architects are upgrading the designed air change rate for hospital isolation rooms by retrofitting and conversions.

Filtration Situation

One of the main private hospitals wanted to convert their isolation rooms into AII (Airborne Infection Isolation) rooms to handle the current pandemic. HEPA filtration was used at the supply negative pressure was maintained in designated areas along with the recirculation. The biggest challenge was to avoid cross contamination as the same HVAC System supplies air to multiple areas.

To achieve safety standards set by ASHRAE and to keep the medical staff safe from virus transmission, the hospital consulted AAF to propose the best air filtration solution to convert their general isolation rooms into AIIs.

The AAF International Solution

AAF experts did the site survey and understood the current layout. The proposed solution was to convert the isolation rooms into a non-recirculatory system maintaining air supply and exhaust air through HEPA filtration as per ISHRAE guidelines. AAF supported converting the isolation room to an AII by suggesting Astrocel-I (H14) HEPA filters in the exhaust.

AstroCel-I is made of fiberglass media formed into a series of pleats. The unique pleat openings and exits of the Astrocel I filter deliver low entrance and exit resistance.. This, combined with less restriction from separator material and better media utilization, delivers a low-pressure drop

AstroCel I
HEPA Exhaust

Results

The customer was assured with AAF solution and renovated their isolation wards in their Bengaluru branch with AstroCel I HEPA filters. With this installation, AAF gained the confidence and recommended by the customer for similar upgradation projects for all its South Indian branches.

AAF is continuously supporting healthcare facilities to upgrade or renovate their current system to fight with this pandemic.