MedOx+ Mobile Medical Oxygen System

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Medical grade oxygen supply is essential for NHS and private hospitals. Oxygen is delivered either through pipes or by using oxygen cylinders. The current Covid-19 pandemic and the second wave has put a significant strain on the availability of oxygen. Some hospitals have declared a critical event when there has been insufficient oxygen available. The Royal Free hospital had to restrict use as the pipeline supply pressure system dropped to an unacceptably low level to meet demand. This has meant limiting which patients can receive oxygen.Most hospital systems supply oxygen using permanent pipeline installations. In normal times these systems would be capable of satisfying demand. Such systems are difficult to upgrade quickly in response to sudden increased demand.The solution is to provide a flexible means whereby a hospital can quickly add oxygen capacity to its existing systems. Adding this by upgrading an existing installation would take time. The extra capacity would be a waste of money if it was not regularly used in more normal times. 'MedOx+' is a mobile medically certified oxygen generator. It can quickly be deployed in a hospital providing a supply of medical grade oxygen as required. In order to use a MedOx+ oxygen generator it has to meet stringent regulations. It has to be certified, its deployment and use must be under control of the responsible hospital technician. It has to be able to reliably operate 24/7. This project is to build a pilot mobile certified oxygen generator unit to quantify what the specifications and logistics a network of units would need to meet for emergency oxygen deployment across the UK.Research has been undertaken with a key oxygen pipeline supplier. This has ascertained the correct flowrate (higher) and how MedOx+ would physically connect into existing pipelines. Further research will also address any barriers to adoption, its overall design, business models and costs, logistics, safety, maintenance, training, security, equipment operational reporting and control. A MedOx+ unit is in the final stages of construction ready for trial at a hospital site within the next 4 weeks. Our ultimate aim is to use the findings from this project to develop a multi-purpose certified mobile MedOx+ unit. A modular design that enables a MedOx+ unit to be quickly re configured for a different application. A network of MedOx+ units could be used for emergency oxygen supply for hospitals, water remediation (river spills) and municipal/industrial wastewater treatment.