How the Demand for Oxygen Concentrators has increased in the times of Covid – 19! And Here’s What You Need To Know About It!
By:
Apurva Dhadwal
As the cases spike to almost 3 lakhs in the last 24 hours, there is a shortage of beds, medicines, and oxygen in hospitals.
Healthcare systems are on a verge of collapsing and the need to stay indoors and take the necessary precautions is very important.
Unless the situation of the patient is very critical, the Doctors are advising to treat Covid-19 from home. The demand for oxygen cylinders is high and the low supply means we have to look for alternatives for oxygen cylinders.
Oxygen is essential for survival and a normal person should have an oxygen level of 95% or high. People with long-term breathing-related disorders or people with an oxygen level below the normal level may need oxygen concentrators.
An oxygen concentrator is a medical device that recycles the oxygen present in the surrounding air, by concentrating it and providing it to the patient with the help of a nasal tube, mask, or cannula.
Working –
- The oxygen concentrator takes the air present in the room and passes it through a series of filters to remove dust particles, bacteria, and other impurities from the air.
- This involves passing the air through a cylinder with a sieve where nitrogen is absorbed leaving behind concentrated oxygen and a small percent of other gases present in the air.
- The nitrogen is desorbed in the next cylinder and released back into the atmosphere.
- This purified concentrated oxygen is continually provided to the patient with the help of a nasal tube, mask, or cannula.
Advantages –
- Unlike the traditional oxygen cylinders that supply fixed pressurized oxygen, oxygen concentrators need not be refilled or replaced. This means that the danger of running out of oxygen supply is not there.
- Oxygen concentrators work on a battery or by being plugged in.
- They do not work on pressurized oxygen so they don’t require a dense metal tank. This makes oxygen concentrators light and highly portable.
- Oxygen concentrators are available in different models, styles, and sizes. They use ambient air and hence they don’t have any long-term maintenance cost.
Disadvantages –
- Because of their complex mechanism and long-term use, Oxygen concentrators are very expensive.
- They collect the oxygen from the surroundings, filter it out and clean it and then concentrate it to provide to the patient. Hence this process can be a little noisy.
- Unlike the tanks, they rely on battery or electrical supply.
