Alex Watson, AMPremier Biomedical Engineering Pty Ltd Sydney, Australia

Oxygen Supply in the South Pacific Islands

Oxygen

• Oxygen is the most commonly used drug in any hospital around the world.

• Supplies of oxygen to health facilities in the Pacific Islands and elsewhere, are frequently interrupted, unreliable and expensive.

• Facilities are paying for not only oxygen but for cylinder rental.

The Pacific Islands

Papua New Guinea

HIGHLANDS HIGHWAY, PNG

HIGHLANDS HIGHWAY 2

Highlands Highway 3

Solomon Islands

By Boat to GIZO, SI

By Aircraft to Munda, SI

Kirabati

Republic! Of Nauru

Funafuti, Tuvalu

Both Sides of Tuvalu at Once!

Oxygen Concentrators

• Oxygen concentrators are devices that separate oxygen from room air by a process known as pressure swing absorption (PSA)

• Air is forced through containers of ceramic material called zeolite which effectively separates nitrogen and oxygen.

• The resultant oxygen purity is about 94% and is considered medical oxygen by WHO.

Oxygen Acquisition using Concentrator Technique

High Pressure Oxygen Compressor for Filling Cylinders

Oxygen Concentrator Sizes

• Oxygen concentrators for single patient bedside use can deliver up to 8 litres/minute and are inexpensive (approx. $2,000)

• These machines can not be used for filling oxygen cylinders because of low output pressure.

Oxygen ConcentratorFor Sinlge Patient Use

Larger Oxygen Concentrators

Designed for filling cylinders to a pressure of 2000 PSI

Installation, Kiribati

Installation, Nauru

Installation Goroka, PNG. ‘G’ size cylinders being filled with oxygen to 2,200 psi

Plant Haus

Compact Modular Systems

High Pressure, High Flow Concentrator

Linked to High Pressure Compressor

20 lpm High Pressure Compressor

Cost Considerations

Siting of the plant (Capital Cost – once only)Operational Plant Staffing – generally can be

accommodated by deployment of existing facilities staff

Plant Maintenance – Scheduled Maintenance as per the manufacturer’s recommendations

Conclusions

• On site production of medical grade oxygen is a practical and economic proposition.

• No patient should ever die for want of oxygen, in hospitals having the ability to produce their own oxygen.