What is a Portable Oxygen Concentrator?

A portable oxygen concentrator, 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 room air. It is very similar to a home oxygen concentrator, but it is smaller in size and more mobile. Portable oxygen concentrator are battery opperated, which makes it easy for patients to travel freely. They are small enough to fit in a car and can be used on all major airlines.

Portable oxygen concentrators produce anywhere between 1 and 3 liters per minute on continuous flow or 1 to 6 on pulse flow. There are versions that are pulse-flow only or continuous and pulse flow. The portable concentrators plug directly into a regular house electrical outlet for charging at home or hotel; and they can 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, such as on a airplane.

How does a portable oxygen concentrator work?

The air we breath is made up of approximately 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen and about 1% argon and some other trace gases. The conventional oxygen concentrator extracts the oxygen from room air, scrubs or bypasses the other gases and moisture, accumulates the oxygen and thus provides a continuous stream of highly concentrated oxygen (over 94%). The image to the right shows how the typical oxygen concentrator works.