Lightweight Ambient Pressure/Temperature O2 Concentrator

描述（由申请人提供）：慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）折磨着超过1200万美国人。100万慢性阻塞性肺病患者使用长期氧气疗法（LTOT），每年花费近20亿美元。LTOT是唯一被证明可以延长COPD患者生存期的药物治疗。为了获得这种生存优势，必须规定并坚持每天至少15小时的氧气治疗。如果这些患者要坚持规定的治疗并仍然保持活动能力和生活质量，则需要轻便，负担得起的便携式氧气浓缩器。分离设计集团（SDGroup）正在开发一种创新技术，该技术将取代目前主导市场的加压机械浓缩器，采用固态吸附“芯片”，通过电子方式产生丰富的氧气流-一种真正便携且价格合理的轻型环境压力和温度氧气浓缩器（LAPTOC）。在一期工程中，我们将优化连续吸附技术，以生产至少2 Lpm的90%氧气。然后，我们将建立吸附芯片性能的数学模型，并构建一个台式模型。据预测，第二阶段的原型机在空中飞行时是完全安全的，大小与便携式CD播放机差不多，重量不到3磅，使用可选电池组，在30分贝以下工作至少9小时，成本在1000美元以下。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) afflicts over 12 million Americans. One million COPD sufferers use Long Term Oxygen Therapy (LTOT) at an annual cost of nearly $2 billion. LTOT is the only medical treatment proven to prolong survival in COPD patients. In order to achieve this survival advantage, oxygen therapy must be prescribed and adhered to for a minimum of 15 hours per day. Lightweight, affordable portable oxygen concentrators are required for these patients if they are to adhere to prescribed therapy and still retain mobility and quality of life. Separation Design Group (SDGroup) is developing an innovative technology that will replace the pressurized mechanical concentrators dominating the market today with a solid state adsoprtion "chip" that electronically produces an enriched flow of oxygen- a truly portable and affordable Lightweight, Ambient Pressure and Temperature Oxygen Concentrator (LAPTOC). During Phase I of the project, we will optimize continuous adsorption technology to produce a minimum of 2 Lpm of 90% oxygen. We will then develop mathematical models of the adsorption chip performance and construct a bench top model. A Phase II prototype is predicted to be entirely safe for air travel, about the size of a portable CD player, weigh less than 3 pounds, operate at under 30 dB for at least 9 hours with optional battery packs, and cost under $1000.