Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has come up with a creative and ingenious solution to address issue of oxygen dearth
Bengaluru: As the country reels under the shortage of oxygen, with several people suffering, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has come up with a creative and ingenious solution to the issue.
Press Information Bureau adds that the pilot project which has been tested successfully relies on a simple technological hack: conversion of PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) Nitrogen Unit to PSA Oxygen Unit.
The results show that oxygen production could be achieved at 3.5 atm pressure, with a purity level of 93% - 96 %. This gaseous oxygen can be utilised for COVID-related needs across existing hospitals and upcoming COVID-19 specific facilities by providing a continuous supply of oxygen.
On the issue of nitrogen unit be converted into an oxygen unit?
Well, the website quoted Prof. Milind Atrey, Dean (R&D), IIT Bombay, as saying thus, "It has been done by fine-tuning the existing Nitrogen Plant setup and changing the molecular sieves from Carbon to Zeolite".
"Such nitrogen plants, which take air from the atmosphere as raw material, are available in various industrial plants across India. Therefore, each of them could potentially be converted into an oxygen generator, thus helping us tide over the current public health emergency", he added.
Meanwhile, India is importing oxygen from different countries.
Commonwealth has also sent medical supplies to India.
"On behalf of the whole Commonwealth family, I want to express our deep concern and solidarity with the people and the government of India as your national agencies mobilise to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and as the latest wave of infection continues to spread so distressingly in your country," Scotland said in a statement to IANS.
"We are immensely grateful for the support provided by the government of India to small and vulnerable member countries of the Commonwealth earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic, it was an immensely generous and practical response to this global emergency.”
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