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A medical oxygen cylinder is a device used for patients with respiratory issues. Although medical oxygen cylinders are quite common and not too difficult to use, users need to grasp detailed information and principles when using the cylinder to provide oxygen to patients. In this article, we will introduce you to detailed information about medical oxygen cylinders.
Understanding the details of medical oxygen cylinders
What is a medical oxygen cylinder?
Medical oxygen is a form of oxygen with high purity, odorless, colorless, and filtered by machines from the air, then users inhale directly through tubes. Medical oxygen gas is commonly used to support human healthcare and in the medical field. This type of gas is generated from oxygen generators or manufactured and contained in specialized tanks called medical oxygen cylinders.
Guidelines for calculating the usage time of medical oxygen cylinders
When users come to buy medical oxygen cylinders, they often do not know how many liters of gas it contains or how many cubic meters of gas. In reality, many customers are unaware and make mistakes. Suppose you buy an 8-liter cylinder, they say it's 10 liters or say you're buying a 2m3 cylinder, then they sell a cylinder that actually holds less than 1m3.
A simple way to check the current capacity of a medical oxygen cylinder is to ask the seller to attach a gauge to see the information. The gauge will display parameters such as kg/cm2 or bar, if it shows kg/cm2 or PSI then we use the conversion formula 150 bar = 150 kg/cm2 ~ 2100 PSI.
You can calculate the volume of gas in the cylinder by multiplying the cylinder volume by the pressure. From this volume, we can calculate the usage time of the cylinder.
For example, a medical oxygen cylinder with a shell volume of 8 liters, a standard charging pressure of 150 bar, then we can calculate the gas volume = 8×150 = 1,200 liters of oxygen gas. If breathing at a flow rate of about 3 liters/minute, then the continuous usage time is 1,200/3 = 400 minutes (~ 6.7 hours).
However, the actual usage time of an 8-liter cylinder will not be like this because most cylinders are not charged to sufficient pressure.
Instructions for using medical oxygen cylinder at home
Positioning the cylinder
- It's advisable to place the medical oxygen cylinder at the head of the patient's bed, it can be placed snug against the wall.
- Position the medical oxygen cylinder in a well-ventilated area and away from heat-emitting devices such as gas stoves, ovens, heaters, etc.
- Using a cylinder stand or a cylinder trolley is recommended to ensure safety for the patient as well as those around.
Installation procedure for medical oxygen cylinder
- Firstly, connect the pressure regulator valve to the humidifier bottle and then connect them to the oxygen outlet.
- Turn the humidifier bottle upside down and fill it with distilled water to about 1/2 to 2/3 of the oxygen cylinder.
- Attach the oxygen delivery tubing to the pressure regulator valve and then perform a final check of the entire system by immersing the oxygen delivery tubing into a cup of water, if you see bubbles rising, it's good to go.
Important notes for using medical oxygen cylinder
- Prior to using the medical oxygen cylinder, users need to thoroughly check their hands, clothing, tools, and connecting equipment to ensure they are not greasy.
- Check the pressure gauge, equipment such as pressure reducing valves, hoses, connectors, tools... to ensure they are in good condition.
- Do not stand directly in front of the valve outlet, handle the valve gently. When not in use, users must tightly close the cylinder valve.
- Do not attempt to repair the medical oxygen cylinder valve when it is exposed and pressurized. Additionally, do not attempt to refill gas into the cylinder.
- Leave residual pressure ≥0.5 Bar after using the medical oxygen cylinder.
