Project Overview:

The transport incubator is a device consisting of acrylic hood like

enclosure in which an infant may be kept in a controlled environment for
medical care .the device may include an AC-powered heater, a fan to
circulate the warmed air, a container fro water to add humidity, a control
valve through which oxygen may be added and access ports for nursing
care. It may also contain a servo control to help regulate incubator air
temperature .the servo control uses a temperature sensing thermister,
which is taped to the child’s abdomen. In infants born before 31 weeks
gestation, evaporation water loss is the single most important channel of
heat loss. This is due to inadequate keratinisation of the skin, which
allows a high permeability of water to the skin. The permeability drops
rapidly in the first 7 to 10 days after birth unless the skin becomes
traumatized or secondarily infected. In that 7 to 10 day period, the
absolute humidity must be monitored so that evaporates heat loss kept to
a minimum as well as water loss through the skin. Premature babies are
not always put in incubator. If a baby is in danger of going into
respiratory arrest or other significant problems, they are put in an
overhead radiant cradle so that they are easily accessible to nurses and
doctors. The radiation from overhead puts the heat back into the baby
while the baby is losing heat by other means. Heat losses and gains are
difficult to monitor. The only way to monitor the baby’s temperature is
with a thermistor and servo controlled heating unit. The overhead
radiator can account for the heat lost by other means, but cannot account
for the water lost through the skin, which is critical to maintain for the
first 7 to 10days after birth to prevent dehydration. There have been
significant advances in thermoregulation. These advances have reduced
mortality in small babies by 25%. Although this is a great
accomplishment, research continues so that the mortality in small babies
is reduced even more. In transport incubator some Accessories are
available. • I.V.Pole • Examination lamp • Pin index • Oxygen cylinders
• External Dc
Abstract/Summary:
The transport incubator unit, which has been specially designed to
Provide the safest and most stable environment and can be tailored to
meet any situation in the care of the critical neonate. The unit safely
replaces the incubator in a mobile condition. It also serves as the best
alternate in places where there is no incubator or no proper health care
facility. It is mostly used to transport the baby in remote area to hospital
area. The 90%of births took place in hospital anyway. In emergency
dash from home to hospital with baby in a transport incubator had
become a thing of the past through transport incubators are still needed.
The equipment was not available at every hospital. In adult intensive
care units, the use of monitoring and life support systems became
routine. These needed special modification for small babies, whose
bodies were tiny and often immature. The Incubator is working on basic
principle of heat laws. Description: Infant need incubator: The infants
are cared for in incubators or open care warmer. Some low birth weight
infant’s needs respiratory support ranging from extra oxygen to
continuous positive airway pressure (CpAp) or mechanical ventilation.
The incubators for control of temperature and environment. One of the
most important elements in a newborns survival is the infant’s
temperature regulation. Mammals have the advantage of being
homeotherms, meaning they are able to produce heat, allowing us to
maintain a constant body temperature. The infant has several
disadvantages in terms of thermal regulation. The infant has a relatively
large surface area, poor thermal insulation and a small amount of mass
to act as a heat sink. The newborn has little ability to conserve heat by
changing posture and no ability to adjust their clothing in a response to
thermal stress. Heat balance at infant side: A baby’s temperature is a
balance between the heat produced by the body and the heat lost from
the body. If the temperature is a stable, then heat production and heat
loss are exactly balanced. When loss of heat exceeds production, the
temperature vises environmental conditions such as air movement
proximity to colder surfaces…etc. can affect the infant’s thermal
balance. Heat exchange between the environment and the infant is like
any physical object and its environment .the heat is exchanged by four
ways 1. CONVECTION 2. RADIATION 3. EVAPORATION 4.
CONDUCTION Principles of Heat Balance at infant Side:
CONVECTION: By this method, heat is lost to the air surrounding the
baby. Babies naked under radiant warmers have very high convective
heat losses. Since the ambient air temperature and the air velocity over
the skin surfaces is high. It has to be compensated by a gain in radiant
heat. RADIATION: A baby loses heat by radiating energy from the
surface to all surrounding surfaces. It is independent of the air
temperature. Babies’ nursed naked radiant warmer are exposed to a
higher radiant temperature and will therefore gain heat by radiation.
EVAPORATION: A baby loses heat when water evaporates from its
skin or breath. Evaporative heat loses are high in very immature babies
as their skin lacks the water proofing qualities of mature babies.
Evaporative (insensible) water loses are high under a warmer and hence
should be compensated by proper fluid management on infant.
CONDUCTION: Babies lose small amounts of heat by direct conduction
to solid surfaces in contact with them. In baby Heat exchange by
conduction is relatively small. Conduction depends on the thermal
conductivity of a substance in contact with the body. Since babies are
usually laid on a mattress, which has a relatively low thermal
conductivity, the heat loss from the baby to the mattress is relatively
small. Heat loss from the infant by convection is dependent upon air
speed and air temperature. Evaporative loss depends upon air speed and
the absolute humidity of the air. If a baby is clothed or nursed in a
regular warm air incubator of moderate humidity, evaporative heat loss
is only a small fraction of the total heat lost by the infant. However, if an
immature baby with thin skin is nursed under a radiant overhead heater
in a normal nursery environment, evaporation is a major factor for heat
loss. Radiant heat loss is slightly more complex than the rest. It is
dependent on the surface area and geometry, the surface temperature of
the body, as well as the temperature of the receiving surface area. The
infant’s body responds differently to hot and cold temperatures. In the
case of hotter environmental temperatures, the infant’s body produces
sweat through the sweat glands. The basal metabolic rate increases,
causing the body temperature to rise. The risks of hyperthermia are great
and should be attended to immediately. Serious overheating can cause
heatstroke or death and lesser degrees of stress can cause cerebral
damage due to hypernatremic dehydration. Babies born more than 8
weeks before term have virtually no ability to sweat. Even in a baby
born only 3 weeks early, sweating is severely limited and confined to the
head and face. Sweat production matures relatively quickly in the pre-
term baby after delivery, allowing the baby to be placed in a regular crib.
In the case of cold environment temperatures, the infant may produce
heat by shivering and other muscular activity. Cold stress is subtler in its
consequences but must be attended to. Newborns may also be placed in
a neonatal incubator. Part identification in transport incubator The
incubator provides different modules and elements Hosed in each of
these modules. Adjustable IV pole: This is mounted on the back of the
incubator body. The stainless steel pole is adjustable in height and can
support two bottles simultaneously. Acrylic canopy/Hood: The transport
incubator consists of an infant compartment (Canopy/Hood), lower unit
and cabinet. The incubator control panel is located at the lower unit. The
microprocessor based control system provides a controlled temperature
environment for the infant. The display panel visually indicates alarm
conditions on an alphanumeric display while an audible alarm sounds to
alert the operator to check the alarm condition. The unit also features an
over temperature safety system. The patient temperature the control
temperature and the all temperature are continuously displayed on the
displays. The infant compartment consists of a single walled,
transparent, rectangular acrylic hood. The hood has a large front door to
aid in placing or removing the baby from the incubator. It has four
elbow-operated parts for better access of the infant during small
procedures. The hood has inlet for IV pole, probes and ventilator tubes.
The canopy itself can be lifted so that the internal parts can be cleaned
and accessed.
FRP Suction: The FRP suction houses the control box the touch sensor
front panel with display. Humidifier, air ducts and the air filter. The
control panel located at the front of the lower unit features touch switch
controls on a smooth surface for ease of cleaning and resistance to liquid
penetration. The digital display indicates air temperature, patient
temperature, control temperature with a light touch to the increase or
decrease touch switch. Air or patient modes of operation can be selected
by the touch switch controls and indicated by the respective indicator
lamps. A separate alphanumeric display gives out visual massage in case
of an alarm. Battery and AC on provision also included in this section.
Adjustable Stand: Raise the stand to the desired position. Release the
height adjustment latch and continue raising the stand slightly until the
height adjustment latch engages with a positive click. Installation of
trolley: The transport incubator on the stand with attached wheels .fix
the stand directly.
HOOD: The hood is secured to the base with all four-hood retainers.
BASE ASSEMBLY ON THE STAND: The base assembly with control
panel keeps in the stand. CONNECTION TO EXTERNAL POWER
SOURCES: The external Dc power cord should be connected to the
transporting vehicle using the external dc power cord. OXYGEN
CYLINDER: To slide the oxygen cylinders valve end toward the head
end of the incubator, into the compartments provided. Tighten the yokes
on the cylinder and make sure the cylinders are firmly clamped. AC
POWER CORD: Connected the AC power cord in one end of the cord
into the receptacle on the power chassis and the other into a wall
receptacle. MASTER POWER SWITCH: Set the master power switch
on the power chassis to the ON-1 position; the Ac power mode indicator
on the controller should light and battery should be indicated.
AC POWER MODE INDICATORS: • The high temperature, sensor,
heater temperature, airflow and low DC alarm indicators should flash. •
At the end of the auto test sequence, a short beep should be heard. The
AC power mode indicator should remain on and one or more of the
heater and battery indicators may remain on depending on incubator
temperature and battery charge. • If the internal batteries are not fully
charging, the battery indicator will show one to three lights; if the
batteries are fully charged, four indicator lights will be on. Temperature
set point adjustment: • Depress the set temperature key, the set
temperature indicator should light indicating that the air temperature*c
display is indicating the set point. • Depress and hold the up arrow key
until the air temperature*c display indicates maximum (38*c) • Depress
and hold the down arrow key until the air temperature*c display
indicates 34*c Temperature control: All access openings closed, the
entire incubator to warm up to the set point temperature setting (34*c), it
should take less than 30 minutes nominal. When the temperature display
have stabilized, the number of heater indicator lamps illuminated will
typically reduced to no more than two. Then the air temperature c
display (by pressing the set temperature key) remains within 0.5c of set
point for 15 minutes after temperature equilibrium has been reached.
OBSERVATION LAMP: The observation light turned on and off by the
ON-OFF switch located in the controller. The light is mounted on
flexible tubes and may be positioned required. The light should be
turned off between uses to extend battery life. Incubator switches from
AC to Battery: The incubator switches from ac to battery operation by
disconnecting the ac power cord. The unit should continue operate and
maintain set point and the AC power indicator off. Power Failure Alarm:
Disconnecting external Ac and DC power from the incubator .the AC
power fail display on the LCD and a steady audible alarm should sound.
The alarm should terminate when power is restored or the controller
stand by switch pressed.
MECHANICAL OIPERATION: The incubator having some important
mechanical procedure Access Door Latch: The access door latches by
pressing the door release. The door should spring open. Close the door
and check for proper latching. IRIS Port: The IRIS port rotate the outer
ring of the iris port, the iris should open and close as rotation is
continued through degrees. The iris port sleeve must be installed
properly and close prevent air leaks during transport. Specifications of
Neonatal Transport Incubator Sr.No 1. Essential components Incubator
with air/skin mode heating In-built transport ventilator Monitor for heart
rate and oxygen saturation Suction apparatus Collapsible Trolley Re-
fillable oxygen cylinder Syringe infusion pump Infusion pump stand IV
fluid stand Battery 2. Incubator Single walled Atleast 2 large oval
portholes for access Iris ports for ventilator & other tubings Bed level
atleast 80 cms above ground Width Approx 80 cms Depth Approx 30
cms Height Approx 115 cms Mattress to hood Atleast 30 cms 3. Air
mode Adjustable set temperature 20 to 39 degrees C Display set &
measured temperature with resolution 0.1 degrees C 4. Skin mode
Adjustable set temperature 34 to 38 degrees C Display set & measured
temperature with resolution 0.1 degrees C 5. Alarms for heating modes
Air Skin High, low & probe failure Upto +2.5 degrees of set temp +0.5
degrees of set temp 6. Oxygen monitor Monitors oxygen in incubator
hood/circuit Display 21-100% Alarms-high, low , probe failure 7. Heart
rate and oxygen saturation monitor Fixed in built monitor Dual
wavelength probe for oxygen saturation Digital LED display of Heart
rate & Oxygen saturation Alarms-high, low for HR & saturation &
probe failure 8. Ventilator Modes : CPAP, IMV Set parameters : PIP,
PEEP, VR, Ti, FiO2, flow Displayed parameters : PIP: PEEP 9. Syringe
infusion pump with stand Should be compatible with 10,20 and 50 cc
syringes of standard local brands Should be compatible with more than 1
brand of syringe Range of infusion rate continuously from 1-99 ml/hour
in steps of 0.1 ml Display infusion rate, volume infused Alarms for
occlusion, end of infusion Internal rechargable battery 10. Suction
apparatus Suction pressure user-selectable Should generate upto 5-120
mm Hg 11. Trolley Self loading- designed for loading onto ambulances
not fitted with loading systems Weight not exceeding 25 kgs Space for
accessories 12. Oxygen cylinder Cylinder with frame for supporting the
cylinder Capacity – should support 10 L/min for 2 hrs Graduated Flow
meter 13. IV fluid stand Should be able to support 2 IV bottles 14.
Power On mains 220-240 V, 50/60 Hz 15. Battery Maintenance free, re-
chargeable while connected to mains Should support all functions
together continuously for atleast 2 hours 16. Manuals Operator &
Service manual 17. Maintenance Warranty ( 2 years) and CMC for 5
years after warranty period would include spares/consumables. At any
given time , 5 oxymeter probes, 4 reusable patient circuits, 5 reusable
skin temperature probes and 50 syringes of all sizes should be available.
Unavailability of any of them would be considered downtime.

http://www.ncct.in/downloads/embedded_projects/Biomedical-
Project-Titles-2009-2010-NCCT-Final-Year-Projects.pdf