Partnership provides Li-on power supplies for medical use

The Circadian System uses Saft’s MP Integration xtd Li-ion cell technology as the basis for a lightweight, universal hot swap battery system capable of providing 24/7 power. This hot swap capability enables the batteries to be changed while the equipment remains powered up.

“Hospitals are crying out for reliable, long life battery solutions and smart maintenance control. Yet most Li-ion packs in use today are made from cells for the consumer market. That means they are not capable of meeting the intensive operational demands of mobile medical applications. The result is that healthcare providers cannot fully achieve the efficiency and patient outcome benefits promised by implementation of digital technology,” said Martyn Sly-Jex, Sales Director at DCPower4C. “With Saft Li-ion cells as an integral part of our Circadian System we are finally able to address this issue. It’s not just about the massive battery system TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) benefit, it’s about hospitals realising the return on investment of going digital - that’s the prize.”

Self-powered EPD carts and medication carts capable of long periods of autonomous operation are key components in the current trend to implement digitisation and connectivity throughout hospitals. The aim is to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and significantly improve patient outcomes. However, medical carts present a significant challenge for both consumer grade Li-ion and lead-acid batteries due to their high cycling requirements, with large numbers of charge/discharge cycles. The result is that battery power is consistently identified as the single most problematic issue with mobile equipment in a clinical setting. This situation is now set to change thanks to the Circadian System that uses Saft’s MP Integration xtd Li-ion cell technology. Not only is it much lighter than a lead-acid battery, it offers improvement in performance and reliability, with a long and predictable service life of up to six years.

The Circadian batteries are available in three optional capacities of 80, 160 and 200Wh. Depending on the equipment power load, customers can opt for one to four batteries on a cart, with two being the hot swap mix. A five LED display enables hospital staff to easily identify both the battery’s State Of Charge (SOC) and State Of Health (SOH) which is useful for maintenance.

Saft is supplying its MP Integration xtd cells, rated at 5.6Ah and 3.75V, for DCPower4C to assemble into battery packs according to its stringent safety rules. DCPower4C selected Saft’s latest Li-ion technology for its long operating life and performance stability when used under permanent charge or frequent charge/discharge cycles. According to the company, a key factor in favour of the Saft MP Integration xtd cells was also that they offer the highest level of safety with compliance to the UN 38.3, UL 1642, IEC 62133 Edition 2 and IEC60079-11 standards.

Saft is ISO 13485 certified, covering the development, production and quality control processes for medical devices and their components.