Setra Blog

Hospitals are one of the most energy intense buildings on the planet.

As budgets are becoming tighter, many hospitals today are moving towards energy management for cost savings. In breaking down how hospitals can save on energy costs, the first step is to understand what areas of the hospital consume the most energy. Keep in mind that energy consumption varies for each individual hospital based on certain factors such as the hospitals primary function and geographic location.

IP Rating, commonly known as International Protection Rating or Ingress Protection Rating, is used to define levels of sealing effectiveness and degrees of protection against substances in electrical enclosures. Examples of substances include tools, dirt, moisture, dust and water. IP ratings are defined by the international standard EN 60529 (British BS EN 60529:1992, European IEC 60509:1989). The table below provides examples of IP ratings.

When selecting an absolute, gauge or differential pressure sensor, the lines between absolute and gauge can be blurred. There are many differences between the two regarding performance and application. Therefore, it is essential to determine whether you need a gauge or absolute reference for measuring pressure. Like selecting a pressure range, it is important to select the correct pressure measurement to avoid errors in your measurement, especially when requiring a low range device.

IP Ratings are used to define levels of sealing effectiveness and degrees of protection against substances in electrical enclosures. Ratings are defined by the international standard EN 60529 (British BS EN 60529:1992, European IEC 60509:1989). 

Engineering proper HVAC systems for critical environments often involves distinct areas of room pressure control and directional airflow. An anteroom between a primary room and corridor ensures a safe airflow buffer zone between the controlled pressurized space and an unclean area. The two spaces are separated by a completely walled area with a door. However, in some applications an ante area without walls or a door can achieve the same effect.

Buildings Can Get Sick Too…

When you are not feeling well, you usually attribute the root cause to bacteria or an infectious person. Not many people realize the root cause of an illness can be improperly regulated HVAC systems in buildings. Indoor air quality is becoming a matter of concern. In fact, Americans on average spend 90% of their time indoors; less than an hour a day is spent outside. All of this time spent indoors in a poorly controlled environment can lead to sick building syndrome (SBS).  

Although there are a variety of methods for leak detection, the most common is pressure decay. Other methods can be time consuming and costly, whereas pressure decay leak detection is a simple test that's sensitive to very small leaks. This method is ideal for high-volume industries that require quick accurate tests within their facility. By pressurizing the unit under test (UUT) and then removing it from the pressure source, any detection of pressure loss is a result of a leak within the UUT. Before performing a pressure decay leak detection test, make sure your system is properly setup.  After the system is setup, follow the below steps to test the UUT with a differential pressure transducer.

The consequences of an unplanned leak in an air compressor may be higher than you think.  Air leakage can occur in any part of an air system, at any given time. Many users are blindsided by this issue. Air leaks are a significant source of wasted energy, often wasting 20-30% of a compressor’s output. Did you know that unmaintained plants waste at least 20% of air production capacity? In addition to wasting energy, undetected leaks can contribute to financial and operational losses.

In the test and measurement industry, manufacturers need to test the products they build. Pressure sensors are needed in test stands to measure pressure across various mediums, including air, fuel, coolant, gas. Testing can be expensive and having a reliable sensor eliminates costly downtime.

Although mold has many medical uses, it can be a huge problem for homes and buildings, especially if mold growth goes undetected. Mold spores spread easily and can grow anywhere, including carpet, clothing, food, paper as well as drywall, areas inside walls, around leaking or condensing pipes, and above ceiling tiles. Since mold cannot be completely eradicated and can be costly to fix, the best approach is to prevent mold before it becomes a problem. So how do you prevent mold growth?