What Are the High Demands for Medical Equipment, and How to Choose Cooling Fans?
Categories:
Cooling solution
Industry news
Author:
rain
Origin:
Capital Technology Co., Limited
Time of issue:
2026-02-06 15:50:30.288
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Medical equipment differs fundamentally from ordinary consumer electronics (such as computers) as it directly impacts patient safety and the quality of diagnosis and treatment. Consequently, the requirements for cooling fans are extremely stringent.
This article provides a detailed explanation from two dimensions: the specific requirements of medical equipment and the strategies for cooling fan selection.
☢ I. The "Four" High Demands of Medical Equipment
Medical equipment (such as CT, MRI, ventilators, oxygen concentrators, monitors, etc.) presents challenges to the cooling system in the following four main aspects:
1、Silence (Noise-Free) is a Necessity
✔ Environment Sensitivity: Environments such as ICUs, operating rooms, and imaging departments require absolute quiet. Studies have shown that noise exceeding 50dB can cause fluctuations in patients' heart rates and blood pressure.
✔ Indicator: Fan operating noise typically needs to be controlled between 25dBA ~ 45dBA (at a distance of 1 meter), and there must be no piercing high-frequency whine or low-frequency resonance.
2、7×24 Hours Ultra-Long Life and Reliability
✔ Non-stop Operation: Medical equipment often needs to work around the clock, year-round. Fans must support continuous operation without failure.
✔ Indicator: The Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) usually requires ≥50,000 hours, and can even reach 60,000 to 100,000 hours.
3、Environmental Adaptability and Corrosion Resistance
✔ Disinfection and Chemical Reagents: Fan materials must withstand repeated wiping with chemical reagents such as alcohol and chlorine-containing disinfectants without aging, cracking, or discoloration.
✔ Temperature and Humidity: They need to adapt to high-temperature and high-humidity environments (such as high-temperature chambers after disinfection) as well as extremely cold environments (such as outdoor emergency care).
4、Biocompatibility and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
✔ Sterility and Safety: Materials need to comply with biocompatibility standards (such as ISO 10993), be non-cytotoxic, and have a sealed structure (IP54 level or higher) to prevent bacterial growth.
✔ Zero Interference: Fans must not generate electromagnetic interference that could affect the signal acquisition of precision medical instruments (such as EEG, MRI).
☢ II. How to Accurately Select Medical Equipment Cooling Fans?
To meet the above requirements, selection cannot be based solely on airflow volume; attention needs to be paid to the following core strategies:
1、Selection of Bearing Type (Determines Life and Noise)
The bearing is the heart of the fan. In the medical field, the application scenarios for different bearings are as follows:
Bearing Type | Characteristics | Recommended Application Scenarios |
Dual Ball Bearing | Longest life (≥60,000 hours), high temperature resistance, anti-tilt. However, the initial noise is slightly higher than FDB. | High reliability equipment: CT machines, laser surgical equipment, vehicle emergency equipment (multi-attitude installation). |
FDB (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) | Excellent silent effect, smooth operation, long life (≥40,000 hours), high cost performance. | Noise-priority equipment: Ventilators, monitors, MRI auxiliary cooling, bedside equipment. |
Ceramic Bearing | Extremely strong corrosion resistance, good insulation, low friction coefficient. | Special environments: Inside chambers that require high-frequency disinfection or high humidity. |
2、Matching of Airflow and Static Pressure (Determines Cooling Efficiency)
☛ High Static Pressure: If the internal structure of the equipment is compact, with dense heat dissipation fins or filter screens (such as X-ray machine tube cooling), a high static pressure fan must be selected to ensure that the airflow can penetrate the resistance.
☛ High Airflow: If it is cabinet-level ventilation or equipment with a larger space (such as large oxygen concentrators), priority should be given to high airflow fans to quickly replace hot air.
3、Material and Protection (Determines Durability)
☛ Material: Prefer flame-retardant, corrosion-resistant engineering plastics (such as PBT, PPS) or specially treated metals.
☛ Protection Level: For parts that may come into contact with liquids, it is recommended to choose fans with IP54 or higher protection levels to prevent short circuits caused by disinfectant splashes.
4、Intelligent Control and Low Vibration
☛ PWM Speed Control: Choose fans that support PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) or temperature control functions. Running at low speed (silent) when the equipment load is low, and full speed cooling when the load is high, can not only save energy but also extend life.
☛ Vibration Control: Medical equipment is sensitive to vibration. Fans with high dynamic balance correction accuracy and brushless DC motors should be selected to avoid vibration caused by mechanical friction.
☢ III. SANYO DENKI San Ace Medical Grade Cooling Fans
Aiming at the strict requirements of medical equipment for silence, long life, and chemical corrosion resistance, there are several specific sub-series and models in the San Ace series of SANYO DENKI from Japan that are very suitable as "medical grade" cooling solutions.
1、San Ace 80L Series: The Benchmark of Silence and Long Life
This is one of the most widely used series in medical electronic equipment, especially suitable for environments that are extremely sensitive to noise (such as wards, ICUs, diagnostic equipment).
Core Advantages:
▶ Ultra-long Life: Using optimized bearing technology, the life can reach 90,000 hours in a 40°C environment and 60,000 hours in a 60°C environment, meeting the 7×24 hours operation needs of medical equipment.
▶ Extremely Low Noise: The operation sound is very gentle. For example, the 9LG0824F4001 model (80mm size) has a noise of only 29 dBA, lower than the ambient sound in a library.
▶ Temperature Resistance: It has a wide operating temperature range (-20°C ~ +70°C) and can withstand high temperature and high humidity during the disinfection process.
● Typical Applications: Medical displays, monitors, in vitro diagnostic (IVD) equipment, small laser therapy instruments.
2、San Ace 120/172/200 AC Series: High Static Pressure and Chemical Resistance
For large equipment that needs to handle high-power heat generation or whose shell needs frequent disinfection, AC (Alternating Current) fans are the first choice.
Core Advantages:
▶ Chemical Resistance: The blades and frames of many AC models (such as ST1-109S006) are specially treated to withstand repeated wiping with chemical reagents such as alcohol and chlorine-containing disinfectants without cracking or discoloration.
▶ High Static Pressure: For example, 109-372 (172mm) or 9GA2048P0G001 (200mm) models can provide extremely high static pressure to penetrate the dense filter screens and heat dissipation fins inside medical equipment.
▶ Waterproof and Oil-proof: Some models have waterproof and oil-proof characteristics, suitable for complex environments such as operating rooms or ambulances.
● Typical Applications: CT machines, MRI auxiliary cooling, large X-ray machines, ventilator hosts, ambulance vehicle equipment.
3、San Ace 9225 / 8025 Series: Cooling Power for Compact Spaces
Core Advantages:
▶ Slim Design: With a thickness of only 25mm, it is very suitable for portable medical equipment with limited space.
▶ High Reliability: Models such as 9RA0912S40011 have pulse sensors to monitor fan speed in real time, ensuring equipment operation safety.
● Typical Applications: Portable ultrasound equipment, handheld diagnostic instruments, medical printers.
4、San Ace B97 Blower Series: The Secret Weapon for High Airflow
Core Advantages:
▶ Centrifugal Blower Design: Compared with ordinary axial fans, it can generate huge airflow and pressure in a small space.
▶ "Top Tier" Performance: Such as 9BMB12P2G01, it is the "secret weapon" used in many high-end medical equipment to quickly remove heat from core components (such as lasers, power modules).
● Typical Applications: High-power laser surgical equipment, large biochemical analyzers.
IV. Summary and Selection Suggestions
If you are selecting models for medical equipment, it is recommended to prioritize the following points:
① Look at the Suffix: Models with "L" (Long Life, such as the 80L series) are usually the medical first choice.
② Look at the Material: For equipment shells that need frequent disinfection, prioritize models with plastic frames (corrosion resistance) and waterproof/oil-proof characteristics.
③ Look at the Certification: Confirm whether the selected model has passed relevant safety certifications (such as UL/cUL, TUV, etc.), which is crucial for medical equipment access.
④ Define the Scenario: Is it for precision imaging equipment (heavy on EMC), or a home ventilator (heavy on silence), or a large treatment machine (heavy on life)?
⑤ Select the Bearing: Choose FDB for extreme silence, and Dual Ball for extreme reliability and multi-attitude installation.
⑥ Conduct Tests: Test the noise spectrum of the fan at low, medium, and high frequencies in the actual machine environment to avoid "whining" sounds that can be annoying.
The cooling fan for medical equipment is not just a "cooling tool"; it is the "lifeline" that ensures the stable operation of the equipment. It is imperative to choose professional suppliers with medical-grade qualifications.
Capital Technology Co., Limited is the chief agent of SANYO DENKI, one of the leading enterprises of the cooling fan industry.
We are a factory who also have our own independent brand CAPITAL product series.
The main products are cooling fan, DC/AC fan, radiator, filter, reactor etc.
We can provide customer with the most professional and perfect technical support, welcome to contact me at anytime at rainlee@szcpt.com.
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