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Medicines need special storage – at a special temperature. If you have a large number of medicines, then at home you should certainly have both a pharmaceutical refrigerator and a household one. In the article, we will explain which models are suitable for home use, and which ones are installed in pharmacies and clinics. We will also consider offers from popular manufacturers.
Why Buy a Medicine Refrigerator
First, most preparations require a special temperature. In medical equipment, the range is +2-14°С, in household equipment – from 0 to +10°С. Secondly, the equipment is equipped with an audible door open alarm, which is activated when the temperature drops or rises by 1°C.
Features & Features
- Pharmaceutical refrigerators have high-quality thermal insulation, which allows you to maintain a constant level of climatic conditions.
- A special ventilation system ensures constant air movement, the preparations are cooled evenly.
- The body must be made of steel and coated with a special solution that protects against corrosion.
- A mandatory factor is good lighting inside the chamber. Bright light allows you to quickly find the right medicine.
- Almost always, such equipment is equipped with an autonomous defrosting system.
- Another important point is the presence of a powerful motor-compressor that provides fast cooling.
The interior space is organized differently, depending on the type and brand. There are models with a freezer for storing vaccines. There are also refrigerators with containers and different climate zones in each compartment. What unites them is that the temperature is set with an accuracy of 0,1 ° C.
Types
There are several types that are designed for home use, installation in medical facilities.
Portable mini-refrigerator for transporting medicines
Suitable for storing vaccines, insulin pens and bioassays. The portable device is able to maintain temperatures from +2 to +8 degrees. Can be battery powered or battery operated, operate without recharging up to 24 hours. With such home appliances, you can always take the necessary drugs with you.
Thermal container
A travel thermal container (or thermal bag) is an indispensable thing for transporting vaccines or donated blood. Although the volume of the container is quite small, it is enough for urgent transportation of medicines. The bag works due to cold elements, which are filled with water and frozen.
Laboratory refrigerator
Not only in pharmacies you can find special equipment for medicines. Each medical center must have laboratory refrigerated cabinets for research material, vaccines and active strains. Any model of this type consists of:
- Wardrobe with glass door, spacious shelves and containers.
- Cooling systems. They may differ, but all new models are able to create and maintain the necessary conditions for the storage of biomaterial and drugs.
- Temperature controller. Laboratory equipment can operate in different modes for use with different substances.
- Control panels. The digital display shows information about the temperature and humidity inside the chamber. Using the panel, you can change the storage conditions without opening the door and without violating the tightness.
For the storage of narcotic substances in the range there are models with a lock and a reinforced metal door.
Where are medical refrigerators needed?
The name speaks for itself. In every pharmacy and pharmaceutical point, the availability of such equipment is mandatory. In addition, equipment is increasingly found in ordinary homes, especially in families with children and the elderly.
In clinics, you can find special showcases, refrigerated cabinets and refrigerator-safes. The latter option is needed to protect unsafe medicines. The safe has a combination lock.
How to choose
When buying equipment for a pharmacy, it is necessary to take into account all the features of the storage of each substance. The right choice would be equipment with several temperature modes:
- 0°C – suitable for storing drugs that are too sensitive to environmental changes;
- from -2 to -8 ° С – diluted powders, ointments;
- down to -15°C – drugs that need deep cooling, for example, colloidal solutions.
When choosing a refrigerated cabinet, a chest or a display case for pharmacy items, you should also pay attention to the fact that many medicines cannot be stored together. For example, toxic substances must be packaged and kept in airtight containers.
If you need equipment for home use, then you can consider the option of a single-chamber refrigerator. The advantages of such a small-sized device are that it takes up little space and is easy to move.
Manufacturers
On the market you can find dozens of brands that are engaged in the production of a variety of equipment – from two-chamber household to medical and laboratory refrigerators. The latter are actively produced by Panasonic (Sanyo), Pozis, Health, Polair, Kirsch and Liebherr brands. Several models can be found in the companies “Atlant”, “Biryusa” and “Yenisei”.
One of the first places is occupied by the Pozis brand, and for good reason. The latest technologies used in the manufacture of equipment make it possible to create conditions for the storage of any medical preparations. Pozis guarantees quality and regularly improves the functionality of its products. Devices differ in many parameters: purpose, volume of chambers, number of compartments and containers.
HF-140 POZIS
HF-140 is a cabinet with a blind door, which is locked. The temperature controller is equipped with a microprocessor, has maximum sensitivity. The door is made of high quality metal, resistant to corrosion and other damage. Built-in convenient electronic control. Suitable for storing drugs in pharmacies, clinics and laboratories.
- Volume – 140 liters.
- Dimensions – 91x61x60 cm.
- Power consumption – 150 watts.
- The defrosting system is automatic.
- Climate class — SN (from +10 to +35°С).
- Range t° — from +2 to +15°С.
HF-250 POZIS
HF-250 is a pharmaceutical cabinet from the Paracelsus line, which includes laboratory and medical equipment, refrigerators for storing blood. Like the previous model, the device has a sensitive thermostat that allows you to set the desired mode with an accuracy of 0,1 ° C. The transparent glass door is lockable. Comes with 2 containers for medicines.
- Volume – 250 liters.
- Dimensions – 130x61x60 cm.
- Power consumption – 200 watts.
- The defrosting system is automatic.
- Climate class – SN.
- Range t° — from +2 to +15°С.
- Features: energy-saving door coating.
HF-400 2 POZIS
Quite a large refrigerator with functions like the models above. In addition to the features already listed, the technique automatically maintains the temperature inside the chamber. Lockable shelves are located throughout the device – this allows you to store various drugs and prevent contact with each other. The modes are controlled through a convenient electronic panel.
- Volume – 400 liters.
- Dimensions – 195x61x60 cm.
- Power consumption – 250 watts.
- The defrosting system is automatic.
- Climate class – SN.
- Range t° — from +2 to +15°С.
HL-340 POZIS
Two-chamber refrigerator HL-340 is designed for storage of vaccines, blood and biological samples. Equipped with two thermostats – in the refrigerator and freezer. The door to the refrigerator compartment is made of transparent glass and equipped with a lock. Freezer compartment door material – durable metal with anti-corrosion coating. Like the previous ones, the model is equipped with an electronic control unit.
- Volume – 400 liters.
- Dimensions – 208x65x60 cm.
- The defrosting system is automatic.
- Climate class – SN.
- The t° range of the freezer is from -10 to -25С°.
- The t° range of the refrigerating chamber is from +4 to +14С°.
- Features: height adjustable shelves.
Other brands
Well-known brands Liebherr and Biryusa can compete with POZIS:
Liebherr LCexv 4010
The two-chamber medical case is intended for storage of medicines and biomaterial. Depending on the type of preparation, you can set the required temperature regime, in the range from +3 to +16 ° C. The refrigerator compartment is equipped with a dynamic cooling system and automatic defrosting. There are 5 tempered glass shelves inside.
Of the features, it is worth noting the reversible self-closing door with the Hard Line design. Built-in audible and optical signaling of network failures and internal faults.
- Volume – 254 liters.
- Dimensions – 200x60x61,5 cm.
- The defrosting system is automatic.
- Climate class – SN.
- The t° range of the freezer is from -9 to -30С°.
- The t° range of the refrigerating chamber is from +3 to +8С°.
- Features: access port for an additional thermal sensor.
ХIIIM-2/6-Biryusa 460
The Biryusa company offers to purchase a spacious pharmaceutical refrigerator with ten baskets for storing drugs and medicines. The model is equipped with a transparent glass door with a lock. The convenient automatic defrosting system allows you not to worry about defrosting.
- Volume – 350 liters.
- Dimensions – 200x66x71 cm.
- The defrosting system is automatic.
- Range t° — from +2 to +6C°.
- Features: wheels for moving.
Customer Reviews
Dmitry, Nizhny Novgorod
I am the owner of a small network of pharmacies in my city. Of course, all preparations are stored in specialized chambers. For many medicines, Pozis XF-400 refrigerators are used. We can say that the technique is quite accurate. For 5 years of work, there was only one failure, which was quickly eliminated by the masters from the service center. Lots of compartments that close. This is convenient because some medicines need to be stored separately from other substances. One drawback is that the containers are quite fragile, many of them cracked or broke in a few months. If the business expands, according to tradition, I will give preference to equipment from Pozis.
Stanislav, Khabarovsk
Mom asked for a long time to buy her a small chamber for medicines. There is always a lot of canned goods and products in the refrigerator, so there was not enough space for something else. I bought a “Pozis” HF 140 small in size, but roomy. Mom is now happy, everything fits. The technique is easy to operate, no need to defrost. The size is small, so they put it in the bedroom so that everything was at hand. There is a noise complaint. Sometimes it works quietly, but sometimes it hums so much that you have to turn it off and on again. In general, the phrase “price – quality” justified itself.
Anna, Izhevsk
Elderly parents at home, dad has diabetes. Medicines, insulin and other medicines are constantly required. I decided to immediately take a large refrigerator so that all the preparations are always at hand. The choice was made on Liebherr MKv 3910 Mediline. It seemed that the brand was proven, and the price said that the equipment was of high quality. A handy thing with simple controls and alarms. Even if you forget to close the door or something happens to the network, the technique will “tell”. There are not enough containers or small shelves so that the medicines do not lie next to each other. Parents were worried that the device would not “eat” a lot of electricity. I was lucky with this – very economical. A big minus is that the shelves bend even under light weight.
Referring to the many reviews of the owners, we note that the equipment is easy to maintain. It doesn’t matter which option you choose – single-chamber for home, display case for a pharmacy or portable to take on the road. In any case, the result will not keep you waiting, and the purchase will help out more than once in difficult life situations.