With the recent COVID-19 pandemic that has swept the world and the nation, hospitals around the country have experienced shortages in Personal Protective Equipment, specifically N95 filter face-mask respirators (FFRs). This has created the need for facilities to develop sterilization processes to enable reuse of face masks by the health care personnel. Among the various methods of sterilization, UVC light exposure is the easiest to implement given the factors of time, safety, and availability. Face masks and/or other PPE are exposed to UVC light for a specified time to kill any viruses or bacteria that may reside on the surfaces of the masks. A collaborative effort was formed in April of 2020 between Wellstar Health System and Kennesaw State University to (1) setup an appropriate sterilization room at a Wellstar hospital (2) develop the procedural guidelines necessary to ensure quality control and (3) assess employees’ perceptions of the N95 FFR decontamination process and efficacy. This paper will first describe the methodology used to validate the layout of the room, which consists of a rudimentary analytical analysis of the UVC photon intensity from bulb-to-mask, computer simulations to determine the lighting power density throughout the room, and experimental measurements to confirm the appropriate energy deposition. This paper will then document the procedures for handling and processing the pre- and post-sterilized masks followed by employee survey findings. It is the hope of the authors that this paper will serve to provide a generic blueprint for hospitals and other organizations to follow if a future need arises for rapid UVC decontamination.

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The efficiency of operational equipment in commercial and industrial applications can directly impact the revenue. Currently, lead-acid batteries are the standard for use in commercial forklifts and function well, but the forklift industry needs improvements on the power supply. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries have displayed improved characteristics in their thermal properties, charging time, and overall performance compared to the modern lead-acid when applied to forklifts. The use of LFP batteries can improve the operational efficiency of these machines. One of the great advantages of LFP batteries are their low cost in charging and low maintenance required, both of which lead to a lower total cost. LFP batteries also demonstrate a longer life cycle, a major proponent in the industry that leads to a higher cost efficiency. Using the BatPaC model provided by Argonne National Laboratory, an ideal LFP battery can be designed from a variety of inputs about the physical and chemical composition of the battery pack. In this article, three LFP batteries optimized to function as replacement forklift batteries will be detailed based on various factors. Each of the LFP batteries was optimized based on the following factors: total energy storage (kWh), total pack mass (kg), and total cost of cells ($/kWh). BatPac can construct a battery design based on the previously stated characteristics using the following inputs: target battery pack power at 20% SoC (state of charge), number of cells per module, number of modules per battery pack, parallel or series connections, and the pack capacity. Each of the optimized LFP batteries properly displayed a reduced weight and lower electricity cost than its lead-acid predecessors while increasing the overall efficiency of the battery pack.