What component is essential for isolating equipment in a medical air system during maintenance?

The manual shutoff valve is essential for isolating equipment in a medical air system during maintenance because it allows for a complete and safe shutoff of the gas supply to specific sections of the system. By using the manual shutoff valve, maintenance personnel can effectively isolate equipment from the main supply line, ensuring that no gas is flowing while inspection or repair work is being conducted. This is crucial for safety, as it prevents accidental release of gas and protects both the workers and patients.

Importantly, other components like the pressure relief valve, while critical for pressure regulation and safety in the system, do not serve the purpose of isolating equipment. A flowmeter measures the flow of gas, but again, it does not isolate equipment, nor does a final filter, which is designed to remove impurities from the air supply but does not offer isolation capability. Each of these components serves an important function in the medical gas system, but for isolation during maintenance, the manual shutoff valve is the key element.