Sunday, January 13, 2019

The Benefits Of Battery Packs For Medical Equipment

By Deborah Roberts


There are many instances in which backup power source for devices at a hospital or health facility might be needed. Say there is a blackout. Or there is a need for extra devices to be set up because the facility is past capacity. Battery packs for medical equipment then come in handy to help save lives. They become the saving grace in emergency situations. More so in remote areas and war zones.

Though not very common in medicine, the Zinc-air is one type of cell used to run such devices. The science is actually quite smart and therefore makes the production cost very low. For that reason, this could very well be the cheapest option. The cells pull oxygen from the air and oxidize the zinc in there. The only issue is that it has a short life.

With a longer shelf and charge life is the lithium iodide cell. This is more expensive. It is also quite commonly used in medicine. It may be considered by some as the standard. A third but fading type is the Nickel Cadmium cell. This is being phased out as better options are discovered. Except of course in situations where it is absolutely necessary to use this.

An expert might talk about chemistry. This will determine a lot about the use and longevity of such cells. One will probably hear about something called internal resistance. This may rise over time causing the device to draw more power than needed. The batteries will then heat up and energy will be wasted. Therefore, ask if the internal resistance of the cell has been matched up to the load requirement of a device.

The consensus is that cells operate at optimum capacity in room temperature. However, a higher ambient temperature has been found to have a positive impact on the performance of the cell. On the other hand, over time the battery structure will be compromised and therefore break down. The cell should not be prone to excessive heating. One should ensure to let the expert know if the cells will be used in areas with extreme temperatures. This can be remedied.

Does everyone like a cell that charges quickly, right? This is not a good thing, while convenient, it is not good for the long-term wellness and functionality of the cell. This is due to the chemical and physical changes brought about by fast charging. This degradation might also affect the structure of a device.

As a layman, one will usually be interested in one thing. The charge life. How long will the charge keep? How long will the device run on the cell only? Is it long enough? Is there some sort of mechanism that allows for a backup cell to be attached?

Some cells do not require manual charging. Especially those that are only in place as backup power sources. If the batteries require manual charging, someone should have the responsibility to ensure they remain fully charged at all times. The same person should ensure to keep extras.




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