A
portable oxygen concentrator, (POC) also called a portable concentrator is a portable device used to provide oxygen therapy to a patient at substantially higher concentrations than the levels of ambient air. It is very similar to a home
oxygen concentrator, but it smaller in size and more mobile. The portable oxygen concentrator makes it easy for patients to travel freely; they are small enough to fit in a car and most of the major concentrators are now
FAA-approved.
Portable oxygen concentrators have been around for decades; but the older versions were bulky, not reliable, and were not permitted on airplanes. Since 2000, a number of manufactures have improved their reliability and they now produce anywhere between 1 and 6 liters per minute (LPM) of oxygen. There are versions that provide pulse or continuous flow. The portable concentrators plug directly into a regular house outlet for charging at home or hotel; but they came with a power adapter that can usually be plugged into a vehicle DC adapter. They have the ability to operate from the battery power as well for either ambulatory use, or away from a power source, or on an airplane.
The technology behind a Portable Oxygen Concentrator is based on the same principle as a home domestic concentrator. Air at barometric pressure contains 21% Oxygen combined with Nitrogen and a mixture of other gases. A miniaturised compressor inside the machine will pressurise this air through a system of chemical filters known as a molecular sieve. This chemical filter is made up of silicate granules called Zeolite. The Zeolite will sieve the nitrogen out of the "air" concentrating the Oxygen. Part of the produced Oxygen is delivered to the patient; part is fed back into the sieves to clear the system from the accumulated nitrogen, making it ready for the next cycle. Through this process, this system is capable of producing medical grade oxygen of up to 96% consistently. The latest models can be powered from mains electricity supply, 12v DC (Car/Boat etc..) & battery packs making the patient free from relying on using cylinders & other current solutions that put a restriction on time, weight & size.
Most of the portable oxygen concentrator systems available today provide oxygen on a pulse (on-demand) delivery in order to maximise the purity of the oxygen.
