There’s good news for the Covid-19 infected patients gasping for breath due to acute shortage of medical oxygen in various hospitals across the country.
Scientists from CSIR-CMERI (Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute), Durgapur, West Bengal, have developed ‘Oxygen Enrichment’ technology which is capable of delivering medical air in the range of up to 15 LPM (litres per minute) with oxygen purity of more than 90 per cent. This is expected to meet the oxygen demand and minimise the supply chain problem of transportation and storage risks related to oxygen cylinders.
On Thursday, the technology was transferred virtually to Apollo Computing Laboratories (P) Ltd, Kushaiguda, Hyderabad and the CSIR-CMERI which has already invited Expression of Interest (EOI) from Indian companies / manufacturing agencies/ MSMEs / start ups for manufacturing oxygen enrichment units through technology transfer.
Prof. (Dr.) Harish Hirani, Director, CSIR-CMERI said that the unit requires easily available oil free reciprocating compressor, Oxygen grade zeolite sieves and pneumatic components. “If required, this unit can even deliver up to 70 LPM at a purity of around 30 per cent and can safely be placed in the isolation ward of the hospital for patients who are in dire need of Oxygen.
“This will help the accessibility of Oxygen in the remotest places and widest points of need. The Outreach Factor of Oxygen will be multiplied through the adoption of this in-situ and decentralised generation of Oxygen,” he said.
The Director added that further research is going on to develop a pulse dose mode which is capable of sensing the breathing pattern of a patient and then deliver during the inhalation only. This mode is supposed to reduce the oxygen demand by around 50% when compared with the current version of continuous mode.
Jaipal Reddy of Apollo Computing Laboratories said that the first prototype would be developed within 10 days and the production would be started from the second week of May.
“We have presently the manufacturing capacity of 300 units per day which may be augmented on demand,” he said adding that the company is planning to develop the unit both as stand alone as Oxygen Enrichment Unit as well as with integrated version with ‘Swasth Vayu’ technology of CSIR-NAL.
Reddy stressed that the unit is essentially required particularly as ‘Mini ICUs’ at small hospitals and isolation centres and at remote villages and places. By use of Oxygen Concentrators, the optimum utilization of oxygen to the needy patients may also be ensured. If this facility is provided to COVID patients at initial stage, their visits to hospitals and further ventilatory support may be avoided in most of the cases.
It was also felt that the use of such units is also safe and easier considering the recent risk factors involved with the Oxygen Cylinders.
Over the past few weeks, many breathless Covid-19 patients have died due to the unavailability of medical oxygen in hospitals situated in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh besides a few other States. Demand is rising each passing day due to a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases.