Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Suggestion : Buy yourself an oxygen generator NOW

Sulaiman - 24-3-2020 at 19:11

I have just ordered a new oxygen generator https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Medical-1-6L-Oxygen-Generator-Air...

My primary reason for purchase is as an 'insurance policy' in case any family members are badly hit by covid-19
AND there is no hospital help available.

I chose this type because I have two similar units back in UK that have stopped working,
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=70689
I bought them for my mother, who has now passed away.
The zeolite (13x I believe) gets exhausted/polluted after about 9 months of heavy daily usage

After the virus threat subsides I'll have one more oxygen generator for chemistry etc.
and when I get new zeolite I should have three !

Not cheap,
but compared to worst case scenario,
worth more than all of my 'spare' cash.

phlogiston - 25-3-2020 at 02:44

These machines go for much higher prices at the moment though.

rockyit98 - 25-3-2020 at 06:54

just buy a cylinder of medical O2 much cheaper and only like 20$ for a refill (depends on size). the can it self is refundable.
Fun fact : Did you know inside of a high pressure Gas cylinder is actually a super critical fluid.

Tsjerk - 25-3-2020 at 07:59

You will want some pain meds with that if there is now hospital if you want to go for home treatment. Appearantly the more severe cases are in a lot of pain.

unionised - 25-3-2020 at 14:55

Interestingly, I had a comparable idea.
I plan to wait until this crisi blows over and then buy a powered respirator.
I anticipate finding plenty on the 2nd hand market.

Having seen this thread, I might get an O2 concentrator too. (when the price drops).

SWIM - 26-3-2020 at 10:46

Quote: Originally posted by rockyit98  
just buy a cylinder of medical O2 much cheaper and only like 20$ for a refill (depends on size). the can it self is refundable.
Fun fact : Did you know inside of a high pressure Gas cylinder is actually a super critical fluid.


The problem with that Idea is what will it be like to try to get that tank refilled during a serious epidemic?
If supplies get short, the private buyer will be the first to be denied access.

Fortunately I already got a 2-9 liter oxygen concentrator last year. One of the few items I've bought new. Some guy from Walsall convinced me it was a good idea.:D

Now I'm looking for a small pump to store that O2 in a tank at moderate pressure so I can use it to run a torch. I've got a 40 liter tank that'll take about 8 atmospheres which I'm hoping will do the job for modest projects.

And I just picked up some ozone generators that ought to benefit from an oxygen supply too.

BromicAcid - 26-3-2020 at 12:23

Quote: Originally posted by rockyit98  
just buy a cylinder of medical O2 much cheaper and only like 20$ for a refill (depends on size). the can it self is refundable.
Fun fact : Did you know inside of a high pressure Gas cylinder is actually a super critical fluid.


My mother is on Oxygen, one of those big welding cylinders lasts her a day (she has them in case of power outage). You'll burn through them like candy if you ever really need them for something like this.

a_bab - 27-3-2020 at 03:45

Quote: Originally posted by rockyit98  

Fun fact : Did you know inside of a high pressure Gas cylinder is actually a super critical fluid.


BS. It would be supercritical for CO2 if it goes above a certain temperature, and the pressure will almost double instantly, turning the liquid into the supercritical state.
This is when the valve would release the pressure or the cylinder would simply explode.

For "permanent gases" like O2, N2, H2 etc they are just compressed gases. In order to go supercritical the pressure would be extremely high at the room temperature.

rockyit98 - 27-3-2020 at 04:19

Quote: Originally posted by a_bab  
Quote: Originally posted by rockyit98  

Fun fact : Did you know inside of a high pressure Gas cylinder is actually a super critical fluid.


BS. It would be supercritical for CO2 if it goes above a certain temperature, and the pressure will almost double instantly, turning the liquid into the supercritical state.
This is when the valve would release the pressure or the cylinder would simply explode.

For "permanent gases" like O2, N2, H2 etc they are just compressed gases. In order to go supercritical the pressure would be extremely high at the room temperature.

Critical Temperature: The temperature which above, a substance can not exist as a liquid, no matter how much pressure is applied. Every substance has a critical temperature.
Critical Pressure: The pressure required to liquify a substance vapor at its critical temperature
critical temperature for O2 is -118.6 centigrades Critical Pressure is 50.5 Bars commercial gas Tank can handle up to 150 Bars of pressure so it's most likely super critical when you buy it.
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/gas-critical-temperature-...

Metacelsus - 27-3-2020 at 05:03

For COVID-19 severe cases don't only need oxygen, but also mechanical ventilation (or else CO2 builds up to toxic levels). And mechanical ventilation must be very well-controlled in order to avoid further damaging the lungs.

Getting an oxygen concentrator may help a little bit, but if you're really sick you should go to the hospital (which hopefully won't be overwhelmed!)

Ubya - 27-3-2020 at 13:36

Quote: Originally posted by Metacelsus  
For COVID-19 severe cases don't only need oxygen, but also mechanical ventilation (or else CO2 builds up to toxic levels). And mechanical ventilation must be very well-controlled in order to avoid further damaging the lungs.

Getting an oxygen concentrator may help a little bit, but if you're really sick you should go to the hospital (which hopefully won't be overwhelmed!)


yup, hospitals are full of oxygen lines, even normal rooms have them, the issue is the lack or ventilators. so buying or not an oxygen concentrator doesn't do much if you can't inflate and deflate your lungs on your own