A portable oxygen concentrator has become a "must" for the many people who have COPD and who have have to receive supplemental oxygen. Simultaneously this type of machine can be a godsend for those who assist or live using them.
For both patient and the caretaker, too little oxygen saturation is difficult - the individual must live with the shortness of breath and all that this entails, or must receive extra oxygen. Those who assist, and this could be a family member or someone from the medical profession, must provide help and to do so got to know their way around the oxygen machine, in this case a portable oxygen concentrator.
There are several basic differences between an oxygen concentrator and an oxygen tank (either liquid or compressed oxygen) that make for another approach.
A portable oxygen concentrator extracts oxygen from the encompassing air. After that it delivers the oxygen in a concentrated form, to the individual. An oxygen tank delivers oxygen to the individual from its reservoir or stored oxygen. The basic difference has to do with storage. A tank holds or stores oxygen while a concentrator will not - it delivers the oxygen since it extracts it.
The difference between a stored and non stored oxygen system has another implication. A tank will deliver the amount of oxygen it stores. The tanks capacity depends on its size basically and the oxygen will last a limited time - how much exactly depends on how full the tank is and the delivery rate. For a portable oxygen concentrator, the delivery can last as long as the device is turned on.
The next difference also follows on from the prior one. A tank or cylinder that holds oxygen, both compressed or liquid, will deliver oxygen at a particular adjustable rate, based on the pressure being released from the tank. Put simply it does not require an additional power source to provide the oxygen. A portable oxygen concentrator on the other hand delivers the oxygen it is extracting from the air around it and this extraction is possible because of its power source which makes the extraction mechanism work. Electricity - be it from a battery or because of being plugged in. Portable oxygen concentrators use rechargeable batteries which increases dramatically its possibilities for oxygen delivery and when you are plugged in, where many models can also be connected to the automobile lighter socket for instance.
These three basic differences can happen small in nature however in reality are the reason portable oxygen concentrator s haven't only become so popular but have also increased the total amount and kind of activities COPD patients are enjoying. From the idea of view of caretakers - especially family members - they're experiencing less demands and have therefore less stress.
In short:
Longer oxygen supply. Even when not plugged in, the battery option which can go from 2 hours onwards based on the flow rate and the battery capacity. But with a big change of battery the complete cycle begins again.
The relationship between weight and quantity of oxygen that is stored is no longer an issue.
There is no need for a refill - this being among the logistic problems and limitations which used happen to everyone on supplemental oxygen prior to the arrival of portable oxygen concentrators.
Decoration make these machines more portable.
Travel, short distances, long distances or the same in time intervals is a lot easier. This simple travel is because of the durability of the oxygen supply and in addition because public carriers (airplanes, trains and buses) have less restraints than they do for oxygen containers.