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In the medical imaging field, cooling reliability is paramount – an MRI scanner’s uptime can literally impact patient care. When a highly respected refrigeration contractor in the Channel Islands needed to replace a failing MRI chiller for a hospital, they turned to Refcool for a custom cooling solution. The project demanded a 64 kW dual-circuit chiller with an ultra-compact footprint and quiet operation to support an MRI scanner, all while withstanding a harsh, salty coastal environment. Refcool’s ability to meet this specialized brief secured us the contract to deliver and commission the new system.
The existing chiller serving the MRI machine had suffered a major failure – one of its refrigeration circuits had broken down – and it was also corroded from sea salt in the air. This left the MRI suite vulnerable, as any cooling outage could force the scanner offline and delay urgent diagnostics. The client’s requirements were clear: the new chiller must have two independent refrigeration circuits to provide full redundancy (something not typical for a chiller of this capacity). If one circuit were to fail, the second would keep the MRI adequately cooled, thus ensuring continuous scanner availability. Additionally, the replacement unit had to be low-noise to maintain a quiet healthcare environment and needed a small footprint to fit in a constrained space. Compounding the challenge, the coastal location meant the chiller’s condenser coils risked corrosion from salty air, so special protective measures were necessary. Lastly, the hospital required the swap to happen on a tight timeline to minimize any disruption to services.
Refcool engineered and supplied a 64 kW dual-circuit air-cooled chiller custom-built to the project’s specifications. Despite typical units in this tonnage being single-circuit, Refcool worked with manufacturing partners to procure a two-circuit design that met the size and noise criteria. Each circuit operates independently, so the MRI system always has a backup cooling circuit ready – providing peace of mind and meeting the critical uptime requirement. To address the corrosive environment, the chiller’s aluminum finned condenser was treated with a special anti-corrosion coating, protecting it from salt air damage and extending its service life. The unit was also designed with acoustic attenuation features (including low-noise fans and vibration isolation) to ensure quiet operation suitable for a hospital setting.
Working closely with the local refrigeration contractor (our partner on this project), Refcool coordinated the delivery and installation logistics to meet the tight timeframe. The new chiller was delivered to the Channel Islands site and installed seamlessly in place of the old unit. We handled the commissioning process swiftly, testing both refrigeration circuits, verifying the protective coatings, and tuning the system for optimal performance. Refcool’s team completed the entire project within the agreed short schedule, allowing the hospital’s MRI suite to remain fully operational without unexpected downtime.
The MRI facility now benefits from a robust, high-redundancy cooling system that ensures uninterrupted operation of the scanner. With the dual-circuit setup, the risk of a complete cooling failure has been virtually eliminated – if one circuit needs maintenance or encounters an issue, the second circuit maintains cooling to the MRI, thereby protecting patients’ appointment schedules and the hospital’s reputation for reliable service. The chiller’s low-noise performance has been a welcome improvement; hospital staff and patients have noted that the cooling system operates quietly in the background, preserving the tranquility of the medical environment. The special coated condenser is performing well, showing no signs of the rapid corrosion that plagued the previous unit, which means improved longevity and fewer maintenance concerns for the facility.
Delivered on time and within specification, this project highlights Refcool’s capability to solve niche cooling challenges in the healthcare sector. The contractor and end client praised Refcool for providing a solution that combined innovation (a dual-circuit, compact chiller) with practical reliability. In summary, Refcool’s dual-circuit MRI chiller solution has ensured that critical diagnostic equipment remains cool and operational around the clock, reinforcing patient trust and allowing medical professionals to focus on care without worrying about equipment downtime.