News
Oxygen concentrators developed by Peradeniya Uni mechanical engineers
The handing over at the health centre of the University of Peradeniya
The University of Peradeniya’s Mechanical Engineering Department staff have developed oxygen concentrators.
They received funding for the project from the Korean Maritime and Ocean University at Busan in South Korea.
These oxygen concentrators use standard PSA technology (Pressure Swing Adsorption) based on zeolite as the adsorption agent. The initial design was targeted for moderate oxygen supply to a single patient. One machine can supply more than 90 % of oxygen purity up until five litres/min rate continuously for many hours. The oxygen concentration drops for higher flow rates (ten litres/min at 60%). The machine can be easily upgraded to 10-15 litres/min at more than 90% of oxygen purity.
However, due to the scarcity of required essential equipment in the market, this design was limited to the above level. Since the machine uses standard components and filters, the quality of oxygen production can be assured. Additionally, these oxygen concentrators can be used for other general purpose oxygen requirements. However, the machine is needed to be further improved to minimise the cost and also to improve the quality.
This project was initiated after potential danger of a lack of oxygen supply to support preliminary oxygen needs during an emergency was observed. That need was strongly felt due to the exponential increase in Corona virus infections and deaths.
The oxygen concentrator
All designs and fabrication work was carried out during the lockdown period. Many issues, especially in terms of logistics, were faced by those involved in carrying out the project. With the support of the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, they were able to overcome these issues.
Ingine Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. and Prof. Madhava Meegaskumbura from Guangxi University in China supported the additional funding requirements. The project was led by Prasanna Gunawardane, and the fabrication work was conducted by Anura Bandara Wijesooriya, a technical officer attached to the department.
One out of three machines fabricated at the Faculty of Engineering was given to the university health centre, to use in a crisis situation and to conduct further observations by the medical staff.
Former vice chancellor Upul B. Dissanayake, deputy vice chancellor Parakrama Karunaratne, Dean of the Engineering Faculty Gemunu Herath and head of the Mechanical Engineering Department Asanga Ratnaweera, attended the ceremony conducted to hand over the oxygen concentrators.