Precise temperature control is often critical to the safe storage of vaccines and pharmaceuticals. Large variations can compromise the medicine’s integrity, potentially endangering patients.
Phase-change material (PCM) is an innovative approach that’s gaining traction in medical refrigeration. This technology balances out fluctuations and stabilizes temperatures during power outages or an appliance breakdown.
Understanding PCM and how it can significantly enhance the safety and efficacy of your stored refrigerated products will help you make informed decisions that save you time and money.
What PCM Is and How PCM Works
Phase-change material is a substance that absorbs and releases thermal energy during its phase transitions, specifically when it changes from solid to liquid and back again, to provide useful heat or cooling. Essentially, it can maintain a steady temperature for an extended period, making it an invaluable asset in environments that require strict temperature control.
There are two principal classes of phase-change material:
- Organic (carbon-containing) materials derived either from petroleum, plants, or animals
- Salt hydrates, which generally either use natural salts from the sea or from mineral deposits or are by-products of other processes
PCMs operate on the principle of thermal energy storage – they store energy when melting and release energy when solidifying. This unique ability allows them to act as a thermal buffer. For example, when a PCM refrigerator experiences a power outage or appliance failure, the PCM will slowly release stored coolness, helping to maintain a stable environment inside for as long as possible.
Absorption: When the temperature rises, the PCM melts and absorbs excess heat, preventing the internal temperature from rising too quickly.
Release: Conversely, when the temperature drops, the PCM solidifies and releases stored heat, keeping the temperature from falling too low.
Benefits of Using a PCM Medical Refrigerator
Here are five reasons why medical facilities, blood banks, labs, pharmacies, and more should consider PCM:
1. Enhanced Temperature Stability
Temperature stability is perhaps the most significant benefit of integrating PCM into medical refrigerators. For example, vaccines often require storage at specific temperatures, typically between 2°C and 8°C. Fluctuations outside this range can not only reduce their effectiveness but also potentially make them dangerous, leading to wasted resources and jeopardizing patient care.
PCM acts as a thermal reservoir, ensuring that even when external conditions change – due to door openings, power fluctuations, or equipment malfunctions – the internal environment remains consistent. This level of stability is critical for maintaining the potency and efficacy of stored medical supplies and reducing waste.
2. Extended Holdover Time
Power outages can pose a significant threat to the integrity of stored medical supplies. In situations where refrigeration systems lose power, a conventional refrigerator may only keep contents in temperature range for a few hours, whereas refrigerators equipped with PCM can maintain stable internal temperatures for long periods of time – up to six days or more.
This extended holdover time can be crucial, particularly in emergency situations or during natural disasters such as hurricanes or winter storms. PCM provides a buffer that can prevent temperature excursions, giving you additional time to restore power or transfer supplies to an alternate location.
3. Energy Efficiency
Using PCM as a thermal insulator helps to reduce energy consumption. With an extended and stable inside temperature, the compressor in your refrigerator doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain the desired temperature. This leads to a reduced carbon footprint, often aligning with broader organization-wide sustainability goals.
4. Compliance With Regulatory Standards
Healthcare practitioners must comply with various regulatory standards regarding vaccine storage. A PCM refrigerator can help meet these requirements by ensuring that temperature-sensitive products are stored under optimal conditions to meet compliance.
5. Improved Safety and Peace of Mind
In the fast-paced and high-pressure world of healthcare, peace of mind is invaluable. When medical professionals know their supplies are stored securely, it allows them to focus on patient care rather than worrying about potential temperature excursions.
Using PCM within the cold chain significantly reduces the risk of vaccine spoilage or degradation. This improved safety not only benefits healthcare providers but also directly impacts patient outcomes since effective treatments are available when needed.
Challenges and Considerations With PCM Refrigeration
Although PCM refrigerators provide significant benefits, be sure to consider the following:
Availability: While PCM technologies have been around since the early 1900s, the refrigeration industry has been slow to embrace this effective method of stabilizing temperatures within the cold chain. The options for an organization to purchase are limited but expanding.
Learning Curve: When a healthcare professional needs to replace a refrigerator, they often don’t have time to research the new technologies in the industry. It’s sometimes easier to purchase a newer model of what you already have, even though better options are available.
Cost: Since the cost of a PCM refrigerator is comparable to a standard one, the benefits significantly outweigh the risks and challenges associated with using a standard refrigerator. This includes the additional steps required to prevent spoiled products due to temperature excursions, battery backup systems and their ongoing maintenance, on-call staff to move products during power outages, and higher electricity costs.
Get Refrigeration You Can Rely On
Incorporating a PCM refrigerator into your medical practice isn’t just an upgrade – it’s an essential investment in the safety and efficacy of your medical supplies. With better temperature stability, holdover time, energy efficiency, and compliance with regulatory standards, using PCM throughout the cold chain is a smart way to protect your temperature-sensitive supplies.
