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As India struggles with the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, the demand for oxygen concentrators and cylinders remains high. While hospitals are trying to maintain a continuous supply, hospitals that are advised to recover at home may also need concentrated oxygen to combat the disease. As a result, the demand for oxygen concentrators has soared. The concentrator promises to provide endless oxygen. The oxygen concentrator absorbs air from the environment, removes excess gas, concentrates the oxygen, and then blows the oxygen through the pipe so that the patient can breathe normally.
The challenge is to choose the right oxygen generator. They have different sizes and shapes. Lack of knowledge makes it difficult to make the right decision. To make matters worse, there are some sellers who try to deceive people and charge excessive fees to the concentrator. So, how do you buy high-quality? What are the options in the market?
Here, we try to solve this problem through a complete oxygen generator buyer’s guide-the working principle of the oxygen generator, the things to remember when operating the oxygen concentrator and which one to buy. If you need one at home, this is what you should know.
Many people are now selling oxygen concentrators. If you can, avoid using them, especially apps that sell them on WhatsApp and social media. Instead, you should try to buy an oxygen concentrator from a medical equipment dealer or an official Philips dealer. This is because in these places, real and certified equipment can be guaranteed.
Even if you have no choice but to buy a beneficiation plant from a stranger, do not pay in advance. Try to get the product and test it before paying. When buying an oxygen concentrator, you can read some things to remember.
The top brands in India are Philips, Medicart and some American brands.
In terms of price, it may vary. Chinese and Indian brands with a capacity of 5 liters per minute are priced between 50,000 rupees to 55,000 rupees. Philips only sells one model in India, and its market price is approximately Rs 65,000.
For a 10-liter Chinese brand concentrator, the price is approximately Rs 95,000 to Rs 1,10 lakh. For the American brand concentrator, the price is between 1.5 million rupees and 175,000 rupees.
Patients with mild Covid-19 who may compromise the capacity of the oxygen concentrator can choose premium products made by Philips, which are the only household oxygen concentrators provided by the company in India.
EverFlo promises a flow rate of 0.5 liters per minute to 5 liters per minute, while the oxygen concentration level is maintained at 93 (+/- 3)%.
It has a height of 23 inches, a width of 15 inches, and a depth of 9.5 inches. It weighs 14 kg and consumes an average of 350 watts.
EverFlo also has two OPI (Oxygen Percent Indicator) alarm levels, one alarm level indicates low oxygen content (82%), and the other alarm alarms very low oxygen content (70%).
Airsep’s oxygen concentrator model is listed on both Flipkart and Amazon (but not available at the time of writing), and is one of the few machines that promises up to 10 liters per minute.
NewLife Intensity is also expected to provide this high flow rate at high pressures up to 20 psi. Therefore, the company claims that it is ideal for long-term care facilities that require higher oxygen flow.
The oxygen purity level listed on the equipment guarantees 92% (+3.5 / -3%) oxygen from 2 to 9 liters of oxygen per minute. With a maximum capacity of 10 liters per minute, the level will drop slightly to 90% (+5.5 / -3%). Because the machine has a dual flow function, it can deliver oxygen to two patients at the same time.
AirSep’s “New Life Strength” measures 27.5 inches in height, 16.5 inches in width, and 14.5 inches in depth. It weighs 26.3 kg and uses 590 watts of power to work.
The GVS 10L concentrator is another oxygen concentrator with a promised flow rate of 0 to 10 liters, which can serve two patients at a time.
The equipment controls the oxygen purity to 93 (+/- 3)% and weighs about 26 kg. It is equipped with an LCD display and draws power from AC 230 V.
Another American-made oxygen concentrator DeVilbiss produces oxygen concentrators with a maximum capacity of 10 liters and a promised flow rate of 2 to 10 liters per minute.
The oxygen concentration is maintained between 87% and 96%. The device is considered non-portable, weighs 19 kg, is 62.2 cm long, 34.23 cm wide, and 0.4 cm deep. It draws power from a 230v power supply.
Although portable oxygen concentrators are not very powerful, they are useful in situations where there is an ambulance that needs to transfer patients to a hospital and does not have oxygen support. They do not require a direct power source and can be charged like a smart phone. They can also come in handy in crowded hospitals, where patients need to wait.