Most hospitals have air filtration systems that reduce the spread of infectious diseases, but unfortunately, they may only be available in certain departments or sections.
COVID-19 has put an unwarranted strain on hospitals, where there are more COVID-19 patients than there are infectious isolation rooms. As a result, hospitals have had to convert rooms not intended for patients with infectious diseases, and new field hospitals have been established that are not equipped with hospital-level air filtration.
To help hospitals treating patients with the novel coronavirus, Carrier Global Corporation is proud to launch the OptiClean™ Negative Air Machine, which cleans and removes air potentially contaminated by the virus.
“During this global pandemic, it is essential that companies like Carrier do what we can to help stem the spread of the disease and protect caregivers, hospital workers, and patients,” says Dave Gitlin, Carrier President & CEO. “Carrier’s strength lies in the expertise, creativity, and passion of our employees to solve some of society’s most challenging problems. I am so proud of our team for identifying a need and quickly developing an innovative solution that will have an immediate impact on hospitals throughout the country.”
Here’s how the OptiClean™ Negative Air Machine works:
Using high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, an air management system to significantly reduce the presence of coronavirus and other contaminants in the air, and flexible ducting the machine exhausts the filtered air within a closed room.
The machine then creates negative pressure so when the hospital room door is opened, air is pulled into the room from outside instead of letting potentially contaminated air out from the room.
If negative pressure is not required, such as in an open-air, temporary hospital, the machine can be used as an air “scrubber,” pulling air in, removing many contaminants, and discharging cleaner air back into the room.
“Solutions like the OptiClean are necessary to effectively remove contaminants from the air, create negative pressure within the patient care space while protecting the adjacent areas, and slowing the spread of the disease,” Mark Schwartz, Director of Facilities at the University of Rochester Medical Center, which trialed the machine.
After quickly and successfully testing prototypes in Carrier facilities, the company began field trials in hospitals across the country and expects to begin shipping units shortly. The machines are portable, plug into a normal wall outlet, and sit on wheels that enable hospitals to move them to rooms as needed.
Learn how the Carrier OptiClean™ Negative Air Machine is working to clean contaminated air and prevent it from spreading to different sections of a hospital here.