Oxygen concentrators have been used throughout the world for many years now, especially in remote places that have limited access to cryogenic oxygen suppliers. These concentrators are an official oxygen supply system option in the 2018 edition of NFPA 99. They operate by separating the nitrogen from the oxygen using a molecular sieve. This process concentrates the oxygen to a level acceptable for USP 93 use. The systems can be connected to a hospital supply system and distributed through the facility’s pipeline network. Like other source systems, they have requirements for testing, piping arrangements, and redundancy, to ensure there is always oxygen supplying the system. These concentrators can also be used to fill high-pressure cylinders right at the facility using an accessory option that most manufacturers can provide. They could be an excellent long-term investment for health care facilities, as they would no longer need to purchase oxygen. Also, oxygen concentration systems might be a good option for emergency preparedness. They can act as a reserve or emergency backup to the existing supply source in case of a system-wide failure.
Below is a clip from our NFPA 99, 2018 Edition, update video.
