Ensuring indoor climate and hygiene
The operation of the cold room was characterized by high humidity and low temperatures, creating a risk of microbial growth. To prevent this, measures such as increased ventilation and intensive cleaning had already been implemented.
However, there was a need for an additional solution that could:
- Reduce the risk of microbial growth
- Support a stable and hygienic production environment
- Operate effectively under cold and humid conditions
Customised UVC solution
As a supplement, a UVC system was installed, covering both the room and the front of the evaporators.
The solution is designed to operate once per day and functions as an effective “reset” of the room before staff arrive and daily production begins.
Since the cold room operates at temperatures below 12 °C, specially designed UVC lamps were selected, optimized for operation in cold and humid environments. Traditional UVC lamps may lose efficiency at temperatures below 15 °C, making this adaptation essential.
The lamps are installed in specially designed mounts that:
- Ensure the correct distance to the ceiling
- Provide 360° illumination
- Maximize the utilization of UVC light
The placement of the lamps is adapted to the room layout to achieve as uniform coverage as possible of the room, worktables, and floor. At the same time, consideration has been given to ventilation and other installations.
Integration and safe operation
The UVC system is integrated with the building’s BMS (Building Management System), which controls on/off functions and fault signals.
Safety is a key part of the solution and includes:
- Primarily night-time operation
- Light and sound alarms prior to activation
- Strategically placed stop functions and door switches
Documented effect and optimisation
During project handover, the system was calibrated through measurements under realistic operating conditions (SAT).
The final activation time was set to 35 minutes, which is lower than the initially calculated baseline of 40 minutes.
This demonstrates:
- That the system is correctly dimensioned
- That verification measurements are essential for optimal operation
- That the solution may be more efficient in practice than expected
Stable and hygienic production environment
With the UVC solution, Slagelse Hospital has significantly reduced the risk of microbial growth, improved the stability of the indoor climate in the cold room, and adapted operations to both temperature and humidity conditions.
UVC technology serves as an important supplement to existing measures and ensures a controlled and hygienic start to production every day.
