At Acıbadem Hospital the electrical distribution is designed for a building where an interruption means a direct risk to patient safety. Devpan supplied the Form 4b main distribution boards, the generator and UPS branches, the medical IT (isolated power) supply arrangement for the operating theatre group, and the departmental panels.
Electrical Profile of the Project
- LocationIstanbul, Türkiye
- Building typeHospital
- Installed power≈ 3,200 kVA
- Transformer configuration2 × 1,600 kVA
- Main busbar rated current2 × 2,500 A
- Short-time withstand current (Icw)65 kA / 1 s
- Devpan scopeLow voltage switchboards, engineering and site coordination
- Verification standardIEC 61439-1, IEC 61439-2
About the Project
Hospital electrical installations differ from every other building type on one point: continuity of supply is a safety requirement, not a comfort feature. Operating theatres, intensive care units, imaging equipment and laboratories fall into different continuity classes, and each tolerates a different maximum interruption time.
Distribution is therefore built in three layers: mains supply, generator-backed supply and uninterruptible (UPS) supply. In group 2 medical locations such as operating theatres and intensive care, a medical IT system with an isolating transformer is added; in that system a first earth fault does not disconnect the supply but only raises an alarm. The switchboard architecture guarantees that these layers never become mixed.
Devpan Scope and Switchboard Architecture
The Devpan scope covers the low voltage chain from main distribution to departmental and medical IT panels. Physical segregation of the continuity layers is the starting point of the design.
- Main distribution boards (DevPanel): 2,500 A class, 65 kA / 1 s, Form 4b internal separation, with bus coupler arrangement.
- Generator and UPS distribution branches: Normal, generator-backed and uninterruptible supplies collected on separate busbars.
- Medical IT panels: Isolating transformer supply for operating theatres and intensive care, with insulation monitoring device (IMD) and alarm panel connection.
- Departmental and floor panels (DevBox): Outpatient, laboratory, imaging and administrative floor panels.
- Power factor correction (DevComp): Detuned compensation suited to the pulsed load profile of imaging equipment.
- Motor control (DevControl): Motor outgoing ways for HVAC, medical gas compressors and pump sets.
Technical Configuration
| Installed power | ≈ 3,200 kVA |
|---|---|
| Transformer configuration | 2 × 1,600 kVA |
| Medium voltage level | 34.5 kV |
| Low voltage / frequency | 400 / 230 V, 50 Hz |
| Main busbar rated current | 2 × 2,500 A |
| Short-time withstand current (Icw) | 65 kA / 1 s |
| Form of internal separation | Form 4b |
| Degree of protection (IP) | IP41 |
| Generator back-up | 2 × 1,250 kVA |
| Verification standard | IEC 61439-1, IEC 61439-2 |
Devpan Products Used in This Project
Project-Specific Engineering Topics
Three-layer continuity architecture
Normal, generator-backed and UPS-backed circuits are collected on separate busbars. Each location is fed from the busbar matching its continuity class, and interlocking logic prevents unintended transfer between layers.
Medical IT system and insulation monitoring
In group 2 locations an IT system is formed with an isolating transformer. A first earth fault does not disconnect the supply; the insulation monitoring device reports to the alarm panel inside the theatre so that intervention can be planned.
Discrimination and touch voltage
Breaker coordination ensures that a fault in a departmental panel never trips the incoming device. Earthing arrangements and residual current protection thresholds are set separately for medical areas.
Hygiene, maintenance and access
Panel positioning keeps maintenance access away from patient circulation. Form 4b separation allows work on a single circuit while neighbouring ways remain live, so no service interruption occurs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a medical IT system mandatory in hospital switchboards?
In group 2 medical locations such as operating theatres and intensive care units, a first earth fault must not disconnect the supply. The IT system formed with an isolating transformer achieves exactly that: the supply continues and the insulation monitoring device only raises an alarm, removing the risk of losing power during surgery.
What is the installed power for Acıbadem Hospital?
For a hospital of this scale the installed power is approximately 3,200 kVA, with a typical transformer configuration of 2 x 1,600 kVA and generator back-up in the order of 2 x 1,250 kVA. The main busbar rating is planned at 2 x 2,500 A.
Why are generator and UPS branches kept in separate boards?
Because each location tolerates a different interruption time. The few seconds before a generator picks up are irrelevant for corridor lighting but unacceptable for a surgical light. Collecting the branches on separate busbars guarantees that every load is fed from the correct continuity class.
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Send us your single-line diagram, your transformer rating or simply your load list. Our engineering team runs the short-circuit and discrimination study and defines the form of separation and busbar cross-section with you.
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