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"Natural" heat pump meets complex ventilation requirements in medical laboratory
Sustainable ventilation solution by Systemair Germany and Menerga for hygienically demanding applications in the IMD laboratory in Frankfurt
IMD Laboratory Frankfurt
Significance of ventilation in medical laboratories
Correct ventilation and room temperature are essential for accurate sample results.
High demands on hygiene, performance and temperature maintenance
The three different laboratories with susceptible areas require three separate ventilation systems and maximum performance of the system.
Energy efficiency
Exemplary environmental performance of the installed ventilation technology. Ventilation systems are equipped with speed-controlled EC fans. They respond to the ventilation output actually required
Sustainability
Environmentally friendly solution, as only the natural refrigerants R290 (propane) and R718 (water) are used.
Successful cooperation
Menerga from Mühlheim an der Ruhr implemented the ventilation technology, working closely with Systemair GmbH, which supplied the heat pump technology
- 2022
- Application
Sustainable ventilation solution for large medical laboratory
- Systemair & Menerga supplied
3 ventilation systems and a heat pump
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Initial situation
The large-scale medical laboratory IMD Labor Oderland in Frankfurt (Oder) is the contact point for around 700 medical practices and other medical facilities. Due to the high demand, it was necessary to expand the laboratory from 1,700 m² to 4,000 m². This was realised through the subsequent use of a former bank building in the centre of Frankfurt (Oder). The six-storey building complex offered the space and had the statics to install three ventilation systems that met the hygienic requirements of the various laboratory areas. Menerga realised the sophisticated ventilation technology and worked closely with Systemair GmbH, which provided the heat pump technology.
The challenges
The requirement for the plant technology to comply with the environmental standards of the EMAS-validated operation was demanding.
In addition, three completely separate ventilation systems were required: the three different types of laboratory analyses offered by IMD Labor Oderland each require three completely separate ventilation systems. There must be no mixing of air flows between the laboratory for infectious serology and the laboratory for microbiology. Menerga therefore installed a separate ventilation system for each laboratory area. The third area, molecular biology, even has clean room conditions. As the incoming fresh air must not be contaminated by the exhaust air under any circumstances, Menerga had to hermetically seal off the air flows in this third ventilation system. Conventional heat recovery in counterflow, as in the other two ventilation systems, was therefore not possible.
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Ventilation with circulation system
Instead, heat is recovered via separate heat exchangers in the extract and supply air flows, which are part of a closed-loop system. The SYSAQUA BLUE heat pump from Systemair is also connected to the closed-loop system. Throughout the year, it provides the missing amount of energy that is not covered by the ventilation system's heat recovery.
Technical realisation
Silas Jäger, Product Manager for Cooling Systems at Systemair, explains the principle of the closed-loop system as follows: "A hydraulic module with a glycol mixture and volume flow of 1,600 l/h transfers the recovered energy from the heat exchangers in the extract/exhaust air flow to the heat exchanger in the outside/supply air flow. The amount of energy that can be recovered, i.e. enthalpy, is measured via temperature and humidity sensors in the extract air flow. If this is not sufficient for the required supply air temperature, the energy from the heat pump circuit is added via a valve. The hydraulic circuit of the SYSAQUA BLUE has a volume of 3,400 l/h and has a 100 litre buffer tank to bridge the defrosting phase. This means that the additional heating or cooling capacity is available immediately and at any time when the DDC control of the Menerga ventilation system gives the signal," says the air conditioning technology expert.
Our ventilation systems are equipped with speed-controlled EC fans. They react to the ventilation performance actually required via the volume flow controllers in the duct network. If the volume flow decreases, the duct pressure increases. The fans automatically regulate the speed down to 10 per cent of their maximum output. In this way, the duct pressure remains constant and we do not waste any unnecessary energy
Service engineer from Menerga
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Impressive effects through the use of natural refrigerants
Sustainability
Thomas Herfort, Environmental and Project Manager at IMD Oderland, is particularly pleased that only natural refrigerants were used: "This is not only a valuable contribution to the environment, but also an economic advantage in view of the constant shortage of climate-damaging refrigerants due to the F-Gas Regulation," summarises Herfort.
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Increased efficiency through the use of natural refrigerants
The use of natural refrigerants also has a positive impact on efficiency. The two ventilation systems for the infectious serology and microbiology laboratories are equipped with indirect adiabatic evaporative cooling of the incoming outside air. If the capacity of the evaporative cooling is not sufficient, the supply air is cooled and dehumidified in the combined heating/cooling coil. The refrigerant used here is water (R718), which evaporates in a closed cooling circuit in a vacuum at temperatures as low as 10 °C.
The SYSAQUA BLUE heat pump from Systemair, which is connected to the third ventilation system for the molecular biology laboratory in a closed circuit, works with propane as a refrigerant. Compared to a standard unit with the refrigerant R410A, the propane unit has even better efficiency and significantly wider application limits.
Conclusion
Electric heat pumps for generating heating and cooling energy are the key technology for moving away from fossil fuels in the building sector. Systemair and Menerga have jointly demonstrated how powerful and energy-efficient system technology with natural refrigerants can be by ventilating the laboratory rooms of the IMD Labor Oderland in Frankfurt (Oder).
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