New Medical Air Filtration Systems

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By iHLS NewsDesk

A group of Israeli eye doctors climbs a mountain somewhere in Latin America, to an altitude of almost 10,000 feet. Their goal: Assembling a mobile clinic in a nearby village for the benefit of those suffering from eye diseases in the region.

The group carries, and later quickly deploys and assembles, a mobile operating tent, allowing them to begin operating on patients immediately. In order to avoid infectious diseases the operating tent must be equipped with an air filtration kit, to allow fresh, clean air to enter and to prevent harmful particles from polluting the sterile environment. The tent is manufactured at the Beit El Industries’ factory in Zikhron Yaakov, along with many other types of air filtration systems.

Beit El Industries is a private, community-owned endeavor. It employs some 1,000 workers around Israel, exports its products to more than 60 countries – in addition to local sales – and to about 60 military customers, including the IDF.

The factory was established in the early 1970s, manufacturing air filtration systems for shelters. Its catchphrase back then was “an airless shelter is a death trap.”. The factory got its first boost during the First Gulf War, when Iraqi missiles threatened Israel, and today similar systems must be installed in every protected space – even in single safe rooms.

Recently Beit El Industries began developing, manufacturing and marketing a series of medical products, such as the operating tent used by the doctors in Latin America. Eliezer Philhower, sales and marketing manager: “We offer products that help isolate patients from their environment, whether it’s a stationary or mobile one. In cases of burns, infectious diseases, weak immune systems and the like the patients must be isolated, and our Isolation Mobile Portable Systems allow for such isolation. The patient is protected in a totally sealed environment and breathes clean air. The air-filtered, isolated tent is in fact a clean room.”.

iHLS – Israel Homeland Security

Beit El Industries also developed an isolated, gurney-like device to be carried by two people. The patient lies on the device, wrapped by clear plastic sheets – which are also sealed and include air filtration systems. Even while being transferred the patient is isolated, will not infect anyone or be infected in turn, and will breathe clear air free of bacteria and germs.

All of these universal filters use the same principle, whether they are used in single-patient devices or in large spaces meant for 10,000 people: The system includes air pumps and filters. It separates polluting particles from the air, including dust, viruses, chemicals and even radioactive particles, and then drives them out of the protected space using centrifugal force. The system then allows clean air into the protected space. The filters themselves operate using special paper and activated carbon used to neutralize chemicals.

Mobile medical facilities are used by various countries, among them Canada, France, the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain and Israel. According to Philhower these products are in demand because they “bring the medical solution to the location of the incident – in an emergency room, on top of a high mountain, in an underground hospital, and anywhere else. An army that extends humanitarian aid to survivors of natural disasters can send medical personnel to the area directly and begin treatment rapidly. Other advantages include low power demands, very long filter life, quick assembling of operating tents (under 20 minutes), low operating costs, and simplicity – no special training is required to assemble the devices on site and use them.