Since the beginning of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a huge demand for medical oxygen cylinders. Oxygen cylinders are an indispensable requirement for critical Covid-19 patients and the treatment of these patients is endangered due to lack of oxygen. Many patients in recent times are experiencing difficulties in getting access to oxygen cylinders due to unavailability, infrastructure, cost and logistical barriers.
There is a sharp spike in the number of patients during the last few weeks and the number of patients requiring oxygen therapy within hospitals also has increased. The double mutant Covid-19 virus affects patients and they suffer from breathing problems. A patient’s ability to breathe is affected by the severe inflammation of the lungs. Inadequate medical oxygen cylinders to critically ill patients can have severe consequences, and may even lead to death.
Hospitals are unable to meet the oxygen cylinders demand, and this results in unnecessary loss of lives. When comparing the first wave and second wave, the requirement of oxygen is more in the second. It is at 54.5 percent when compared with the first wave which was at 41.1 percent. And when the mechanical ventilation is compared, it is lower in the second wave. It is at 27.8 percent in comparison with the first at 37.3 percent.
The requirement for oxygen cylinders at individual hospitals and facilities are not predictable. This makes it complicated to estimate a hospital’s demand and supply it appropriately, as needed. The worst affected due to the dramatic increase in the price of oxygen and due to oxygen shortage are the smaller facilities as they rely on filling their medical oxygen cylinders at demanding points.
Liquid Medical oxygen, extremely cold and pale blue, with a temperature of around -183C, is a cryogenic gas. It is available in the purest form of oxygen and is largely used for medical treatment. This has been developed for usage in the human body. Due to its low boiling and melting points, at room temperature, oxygen is in a gaseous state. Therefore, oxygen is extracted and purified from the air and sent to hospitals in liquid form. The liquefaction of oxygen enables storage in larger volume and makes it easy to transport in cylinders to hospitals. There are several methods through which Liquid Medical Oxygen can be produced. One of them is through the PSA technique using a screw compressor.
Using a Screw air compressor, oxygen can be produced efficiently in a PSA oxygen plant. From atmospheric air, the production of Oxygen gas is based on the Pressure Swing Adsorption(PSA) principle by adsorption of oxygen gas. Atmospheric air is compressed by a screw compressor to a pressure of 7.5 kg /cm2g and cooled by Air Cooler. All the impurities from the atmospheric air are removed and compressed air is passed through. The condensed moisture shall be removed out automatically from the air receiver by an automatic drain valve.
At constant pressure, the compressed air is passed through the twin tower PSA module packed with special grade molecular sieves. The entire operation is automated and is controlled by a sequence programmer, quick change over valves. Raw Oxygen gas of 93-95% purity at 4.5-6 Kg/cm2g pressure and having a Dew point of -40 deg C is produced by the PSA Unit. The produced oxygen flows to a surge vessel to balance the fluctuations in pressure and concentration, which can then be stored and transported.
Hospitals can opt for on-site generation of oxygen by the PSA method, where oxygen is produced from ambient air by compressing it.
BAC Compressor is the leading manufacturers of screw compressors and the compressors are equipped with a microcontroller for efficient oxygen production. The produced oxygen can be stored in oxygen cylinders and transported to the desired medical facilities. BAC compressor’s screw compressors are highly competent and play a vital role in the production of oxygen. These screw compressors when used proficiently, the lack of oxygen in the current pandemic situation can be effectively met