The development and evaluation of a non-pressurised, chemical oxygen reaction generation vessel and breathing system providing emergency oxygen for an extended duration.
The objective was to develop a sodium percarbonate/water/catalyst chemical oxygen generator that did not require compressed gas. Existing devices utilising this reaction have a very short duration of action. Preliminary experiments with a glass reaction vessel, water bath and electronic flowmeter indicated that many factors affected oxygen production rate including reagent formulation, temperature, water volume and agitation frequency. Having undertaken full-scale experiments using a stainless steel vessel, an optimum combination of reagents was found to be 1 litre water, 0.75 g manganese dioxide catalyst, 60 g sodium percarbonate granules and 800 g of custom pressed 7.21 (0.28) g sodium percarbonate tablets. This combination of granules and slower dissolution tablets produced a rapid initial oxygen flow to 'purge' an attached low-flow breathing system allowing immediate use, followed by a constant flow meeting metabolic requirements for a minimum of 1 h duration.
Swansea University College of Medicine, Swansea, UK.|ABM University Health Board, Swansea, UK.
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J
Dingley
Swansea University College of Medicine, Swansea, UK.|Welsh Centre for Burns, ABM University Health Board, Swansea, UK.
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D
Williams
Chemistry Group, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.|School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
P
P
Douglas
Chemistry Group, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
M
M
Douglas
College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
J O
JO
Douglas
D002254:Carbonates / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013997:Time Factors
D002254:Carbonates; D010100:Oxygen; C034738:sodium percarbonate
design; emergency care; equipment; inhalation therapy; oxygen; pre-hospital