2020 was off to a challenging start when Zhong Nanshan, a respiratory expert and head of the high-level expert group of the National Health Commission investigating the outbreak, confirmed human-to-human transmission of the novel Coronavirus, COVID-19.
To cope with the rapidly increasing number of Covid-19 patients in China, emergency specialty field hospitals, Leishenshan Hospital and Huoshenshan Hospital, were ordered to be constructed together with a number of makeshift shelters in multiple cities across China.
In partnership with TICA, an air conditioning equipment provider, Emerson contributed to the construction of these field hospitals by providing air conditioning solutions equipped with Copeland Digital Scroll compressors. These specialized air conditioning and air filtration sterilization systems provide precise temperature and humidity control to help hospitals prevent the spread of infectious bacteria and viruses within their facilities. Additionally, a key feature of the systems is the ability to filter out aerosols and PM2.5, which is crucial to controlling the spread of the virus.
On top of its high reliability in securing the safety of patients and healthcare workers , Emerson’s air conditioning solutions contribute to significant energy savings for hospitals with by consuming only the energy needed to meet load requirements, optimizing energy efficiency. These outstanding features has seen Copeland Digital Scroll compressor solutions adopted by multiple hospitals in China before the Covid-19 outbreak.
Time is of the essence during this unprecedented pandemic. When the order for compressors was made, Emerson's Suzhou plant quickly ramped up production and raced against the clock to meet the demanding construction schedule. Two days later, on February 12, 2020, the first compressor shipments were delivered to Wuhan, followed by additional shipments to Beijing, Zhengzhou and Xinjiang for the construction of other hospitals. A simple structure that doesn’t require complex electronic components means a shortened installation process . By February 16, hundreds of hospitals had been renovated with new purification air conditioning systems installed under the partnership of TICA and Emerson.
The health and safety of all patients and medical professionals on the front line of the containment and elimination of the virus are paramount, and air purification systems to control the spread of virus in hospitals play a key role. Emerson has rich expertise and experience in air conditioning solutions and is fully committed to working with TICA to end the COVID-19 disease.