In a unique method to meet the ongoing shortage of oxygen, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will use the technology used for generating oxygen for Tejas fighter jet for producing it for civilians. The transfer of know how will see more than 550 plants coming up in the next three months all over the country.
Giving details of this innovative way to augment oxygen production, fight corona pandemic, the DRDO officials said here on Wednesday the Medical Oxygen Plant (MOP) technology for On-Board Oxygen Generation for Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) will now help in fighting the current crisis of oxygen for Covid-19 patients.
The oxygen plant is designed for a capacity of 1,000 litres per minute (LPM). The system can cater to 190 patients at a flow rate of 5 LPM and charge 195 cylinders per day.
Officials said the technology was transferred to Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Bengaluru and Trident Pneumatics Pvt. Ltd., Coimbatore. They will be producing 380 plants for installation across various hospitals in the country. Also, 120 plants of 500 LPM capacity will be produced by industries working with Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, belonging to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR).
Medical Oxygen Plant (MOP) technology is capable of generating oxygen with 93±3% concentration which can be directly supplied to hospital beds or can be used to fill medical oxygen cylinders. It utilises Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) technique and Molecular Sieve (Zeolite) technology to generate oxygen directly from atmospheric air.
The MOP technology will be useful to provide oxygen supply during Corona Pandemic in hospitals in urban and rural areas. Hospitals will be able to generate on site medical oxygen, in a cost-effective manner with this oxygen plant rather than depending upon sourcing it from other places.
The installation of this plant helps in avoiding hospital dependency on scarce oxygen cylinders especially at high altitude and inaccessible remote areas. The MOP has already been installed at some of the Army sites in North East and Leh-Ladakh region. The plant complies with International Standards like ISO 1008, European, US and Indian Pharmacopeia. Site preparation for five plants to be installed in Delhi and national capital region(NCR)region has already been initiated.
The DRDO has initiated fabrication of 332 MOP to Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Bengaluru and 48 to Trident Pneumatics Pvt. Ltd., Coimbatore with a target of producing 125 plants per month under PM CARES Fund.
In a related development, the Army has augmented the strength of the beds of its covid facility the Base Hospital, Delhi Cantonment for veterans and their dependents. In fact, the entire hospital has been converted into a Covid hospital with comprehensive arrangements for providing critical care to all incoming patients.
At the start of the current Covid wave, the Base Hospital catered for 340 Covid beds of which just 250 beds were oxygenated. This resource was being severely stretched for additional capacities due to exponential rise in Covid cases.
Despite the beds being filled to their capacity, patients over and above this capacity are being treated in the Trauma Centre after obtaining their willingness to wait for beds. A plan was quickly put in place to expand the capacity to 650 Covid beds of which 450 beds will be oxygenated by April 30. The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is also being enhanced from 12 beds 35 ICU beds by April 29. Next phase of expansion will see the present capacity being augmented to 900 oxygenated beds by the second week of June, army officials said here on Wednesday.
In another initiative, a Covid tele-consultancy and Information Management Cell under a senior officer is functioning 24 x 7 rendering medical advice as well as information about admitted patients with due sensitivity. On an average, 1200-1300 calls are handled by this cell.
