Healthcare & Pharma
Refrigeration for blood bank (equipment considerations)
Blood banks and hospital transfusion services store some of the most critical products in healthcare. Whole blood and red cells, plasma and platelets each need specific storage conditions, and the equipment used for them is typically purpose-built, validated and specified by the licensing authority. General commercial refrigerators are not a substitute for dedicated blood bank refrigerators and plasma freezers. This page explains equipment considerations, including where general cabinets can support a blood bank's work, such as reagent storage and coolant packs. It is not medical or regulatory advice; follow your licensing authority's and national guidelines.
What the equipment has to cope with
- Blood components need tightly controlled storage in dedicated, validated equipment with alarms, recorders and documented performance.
- Licensing authorities and national guidelines set specific requirements for blood storage equipment, monitoring and records.
- Reagents for blood grouping and cross-matching need their own refrigerated storage, separate from blood components.
- Transfers and camps need transport boxes with coolant packs conditioned to keep components in range.
- Power cuts are a major risk; blood storage equipment needs reliable backup and procedures for failures.
Typical temperatures
| Whole blood and red cells | +2 to +6 °C, dedicated unit |
|---|---|
| Plasma, frozen | Per guideline, typically ≤ −25 °C |
| Platelets | +20 to +24 °C, agitated |
| Grouping and test reagents | +2 to +8 °C, as labelled |
| Coolant packs for transport | Frozen, then conditioned |
Equipment
What to buy, and why.
A blood bank typically uses dedicated blood bank refrigerators for whole blood and red cells, plasma freezers for frozen plasma, and platelet incubators with agitators, all chosen to meet the licensing authority's requirements and validated before use. Alongside them, general refrigerators and freezers support the operation: a reagent refrigerator for grouping and cross-matching reagents and test kits, and a freezer for coolant packs used in transport boxes and blood collection camps. Every unit should be labelled for one purpose, monitored, connected to backup power and covered by written procedures.
- +2 to +8 °CReach-in RefrigeratorA solid-door upright for blood grouping and cross-matching reagents, test kits and consumables at +2 to +8 °C, kept separate from blood components.Set-up guide
- −18 to −60 °CDeep FreezerA chest freezer for freezing and storing coolant packs for transport boxes and camps, and for frozen reagents or samples where validated.Set-up guide
Questions
- Can a commercial refrigerator be used to store blood?
- Blood components need dedicated, purpose-built equipment that meets the licensing authority's requirements, including alarms and temperature recording. General commercial refrigerators are not a substitute. Check your licence conditions and national guidelines.
- Where can general refrigerators help in a blood bank?
- They can store reagents, test kits and consumables that need +2 to +8 °C, and freezers can prepare coolant packs for transport boxes. Keep them separate from blood storage and label them clearly.
- How should coolant packs for blood transport be prepared?
- Freeze them in a dedicated freezer and condition them as your validated transport procedure specifies before packing them with blood components, so components stay in range and are not frozen.
Before you buy
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