Energy Saved at Cancer Treatment Center with MEGAcel^® I Filters

• State-of-the-art Cancer Treatment Center located in Arizona, serving the Western United States
• 213,000 square foot facility residing on a 25-acre site
• Center includes 24 private, ICU-capable inpatient rooms, radiation oncology, surgical suites, infusion center, pharmacy, and rehabilitation oncology department

Specialized medical practices impose various demands on HVAC systems at healthcare facilities, which must operate at the highest efficiency. Under new state regulations, Cancer Treatment Centers of America^® (CTCA) was required to update its air filtration system at the Western location. The new regulations called for HEPA filtration to be used in the air handling units (AHUs), to maintain a sterile environment when mixing chemotherapy drugs in the surgery area and pharmacy.

The original AHU racks in the surgery area and pharmacy were not designed for HEPA grade filters, but for single header ASHRAE grade filters. The regulation change required single header, HEPA filters that resulted in a custom size filter. These customized HEPA filters were a costly expense for CTCA.

AAF Flanders’ distributor partner approached CTCA with an energy savings solution using AAF MEGAcel^® I filters. CTCA welcomed a joint call from the distributor partner and an AAF Flanders sales representative to explain the energy saving benefits of using MEGAcel I filters, as well as to show the potential cost savings through AAF Flanders' exclusive Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) program.

AAF Flanders and the distributor partner recommended replacing the current customized HEPA filter with the MEGAcel I filter. MEGAcel I filters incorporate AAF Flanders’ unique ePTFE Technology, a proprietary, durable media, combining ultra-high efficiency with extremely low pressure drop.

Lower initial resistance significantly reduces energy consumption, resulting in substantial energy savings and cost benefits. Additionally, the racks were replaced with MEGAcel holding frames to maximize airflow.

Energy Saving Benefits

The advantages of switching to the AAF MEGAcel I filters were impressive. The energy required to move the air through the HEPA filter section of the pharmacy AHU reduced from 4.54 kW to 2.27 kW, while the surgery area AHU energy usage reduced from 6.49 kW to 2.92 kW. This was a 50% decrease in energy consumption!

The MEGAcel I filter was the clear solution for the customer. As a result of the decision to install MEGAcel I filters, CTCA is able to order standard sized filters, eliminating the need for customized filters. This simplifies the ordering process. In addition, CTCA will recognize considerable energy savings using AAF Flanders MEGAcel I filters.