this post was submitted on 12 Nov 2023
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The Israel Defense Forces says it supplied 300 liters of fuel for “urgent medical purposes” at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, but Hamas prevented the medical center from receiving it.

Early this morning, troops placed the jerrycans near the hospital, as had been coordinated in advance with officials at Shifa.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago (2 children)

The hospital needs 9000-10000 liters a day of fuel. Do you think there is a single power generator connected to the neonatal unit? How are they going to limit the consumption? It's not really that easy and I bet most of the electricians also left the hospital... Your napkin math is also not taking into account any power losses, etc.

Plus offering 300 liters is laughable. Seriously, your car's fuel tank is 60+ liters, so Israel offered them 5 car tanks worth of fuel. How generous and humane of them!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago

"How are they going to limit consumption" really? Turn off breakers, pull plugs, turn off switches, have an electrician measure, whack everyone who uses power for anything but the absolutely most life critical applications with a large stick...

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

Someone asked what 300 L of fuel could do for a hospital, and I estimated an answer.

Nobody said it would be sufficient to power an entire hospital. It could power a full ICU, which is usually where the patients at greatest risk are found, for 2-3 days.

It doesn't matter how many power generators are used, the energy requirements are the same. The hospital is already using power generators, so electricians are irrelevant.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Tell me you are not an engineer without telling me.

Seriously, stop spreading this nonsense, as you have no idea how to calculate fuel consumption of a diesel generator. Have you heard of a parameter called power factor? Or electrical losses? Do you know how to operate a diesel generator or how to disconnect all other power consuming devices from the diesel generator?

Another food for thought for you is that this power generator is probably huge, and is not designed to consume very little fuel, meaning the power factor is low around his originally designed power output and the further away you are from it, the lower the power factor is, the greater the losses.

You said you have worked in a hospital, but answer me a question, how many times have you touched the diesel generator there or any part of the electrical system of the hospital and do you feel confident enough to do any changes on it? And be honest!

[–] [email protected] -2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Are you assuming there is a large, central generator operating to supply the entire hospital? If that is the case, then I agree that it would be very difficult for a small fuel supply to be used effectively.

But I'm assuming that such a generator would be destroyed or otherwise not in use. And that small fuel shipments would be delivered to portable generators at critical locations (like an ICU) in order to triage power use.

As before, if you have a better estimate that includes any factors I've omitted, then I would love to see it. I'm simply not satisfied by previous low-effort estimates, such as comparing 300 L to an automobile fuel tank.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

The truth is that we both are currently guesstimating, but you are simplifying a lot of the unknowns I am pretty sure things aren't that easy. Plus those generators are usually handled by trained technicians who most likely left the hospital long ago.

Plus you didn't answer my question about your knowledge of diesel generators, how many times have you operated one? And are you feeling confident that you can operate one?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Again, I'm talking about portable gasoline generators, since I doubt the hospital has a working main generator.

You don't need a trained technician to run a portable generator. I'm perfectly capable of operating my 2000 W unit, which is currently sitting in my garage.

Otherwise, yes of course I'm estimating. A rough estimate is better than no estimate. When a better estimate becomes available, throw out the previous one.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

So then why don't you go there, pick up the fuel in an active war zone, connect the generator and connect the incubators to it. Seriously you are considerably downplaying the complexity of this. It is all good and easy when you are comfortably sitting on your couch.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago

Because if the statements by the IDF are true (there is little solid evidence but it'd be in line with what we know about Hamas' behavior), there is an obstacle in the way that isn't the IDF, too little fuel, or a technical problem.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

No you make up some insane bullshit. I worked in a hospital.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Then you know you can't just power a bed in a vacuum..

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I know that the difference between an ICU bed and a floor bed has more to do with nursing ratios than equipment. But nurses don't run on gasoline.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

People supposed to work in the dark? ICU is inside the building. You going to run extension cords down the hallway? (Lol). What about a/c hard to live when temp spikes to 120f. I could go on but it's already clear you're going to die on this impossible hill.

Let's not forget ICU patients tend to need blood work, radiology exams, medications, etc.... you know the little things.