DJMed 5L Oxygen Concentrator

An oxygen concentrator machine filters oxygen from the atmosphere and helps individuals access it through a mask or cannula. The oxygen concentrator works by absorbing air from the surroundings and filtering out nitrogen and other gases.

Oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylinders are designed to deliver oxygen therapy to patients who aren’t able to get the desired amount of oxygen on their own. Oxygen concentrators dispense oxygen in almost the same way that oxygen tanks do, delivering oxygen directly to the patient via a nasal cannula or an oxygen mask. The difference is that oxygen tanks contain a fixed amount of pressurized oxygen while concentrators collect oxygen from the surrounding air, concentrate it, and then deliver it to the patient, removing the need for replacement or refilling.

Pros & Cons

Oxygen tanks and oxygen concentrators have several key differences, and each are defined by certain advantages and disadvantages.

Oxygen Tanks

Oxygen tanks contain pressurized oxygen that can be continuously released at specific flow rates to provide medical grade oxygen to the patient. These devices are usually mounted on a rolling apparatus—such as a small trolley or cart—that allows them to be rolled alongside the patient.

Pros

1. No power required. One of the most distinct advantages of oxygen tanks is that they take advantage of the pressurized oxygen within them to operate. By releasing the oxygen at one of several flow rate options, oxygen tanks are able to operate without requiring the use of a battery or electrical outlet. This ensures that the tank will be able to provide oxygen until its contents are depleted.
2. Silent. Since oxygen tanks are simply delivering their contents at a specified rate, there are no beeps or loud sounds associated with using them. This makes them great for use around other people in quiet environments like movie theatres or libraries, and ideal for napping or being around others who need to remain undisturbed, like babies.
3. Lower initial cost. Oxygen tanks are the traditional form of personal oxygen, and as such, they are often the most inexpensive, featuring the lowest initial price tag of all the different oxygen devices on the market. If the dollar amount of the initial purchase is your primary concern, oxygen tanks are probably the way to go.

Cons

1. Heavy and/or unwieldy. One of the most commonly noted disadvantages of oxygen tanks is their weight and portability. While wheel-mounted cart systems, like this one by Drive Medical, make rolling oxygen tanks simple and easy, the tanks themselves are somewhat heavy. This means that lifting the tank—for example, to put it in a vehicle or carry it up a staircase—can be challenging due to the weight of the device.
2. Limited to their contents. Oxygen tanks only contain a limited amount of oxygen, and once the tank has been depleted, it has to be refilled or replaced with a new tank. Once the oxygen within the tank is depleted, the tank must be refilled or replaced with a fresh tank.
3. Greater cost over time. Because oxygen tanks need to be refilled or replaced frequently, their initial low price adds up over time to make their cost higher long-term.

Oxygen Concentrators

Instead of the limited amount of pressurized oxygen used by oxygen tanks, oxygen concentrators use a filtering system to take ambient air in from around the patient, compress and modify it to medical-grade standards, and then deliver it to the patient. These devices are available in both larger home-style models and smaller portable models that are more ideal for traveling and moving around on the go.

Pros

1. Unlimited oxygen. The ability of oxygen concentrators to continuously draw in and treat air ensures that, unlike oxygen tanks, the concentrator will never run out of oxygen. This is frequently noted by customers as being one of the best features of oxygen concentrators.
2. Lightweight. Because they do not rely on pressurized oxygen, concentrators do not require a dense metal tank. This means that they are notably lighter and more portable than most oxygen tanks. In fact, many oxygen concentrators, such as the Invacare Platinum Portable Oxygen Concentrator, are designed to be carried in a backpack or side bag for ultimate convenience.
3. Greater versatility. Oxygen concentrators are available in a wide selection of sizes, models, and styles, each designed to perfectly accommodate a specific user base. While oxygen tanks are largely all the same, concentrators provide a greater variety of choices to ensure you get exactly what you need.
4. Up-front cost. While oxygen tanks frequently need to be refilled or replaced, oxygen concentrators use ambient air and therefore don’t require the long-term maintenance costs that tanks do. All of your concentrators costs will come up-front in your initial purchase.

Cons

1. Batteries required. Because they do not use pressurized oxygen within a tank, oxygen concentrators must rely on battery or electric power to perform their air filtering and oxygen flow. As is the case with any battery-powered device, the available charge in the battery must be considered. If the battery isn’t charged, it will eventually run out of power and the concentrator will shut down until charged again, which could be dangerous for someone who needs their oxygen at all times.
2. Noisy. Oxygen concentrators collect oxygen from the air and then filter and compress it for the user. This process can often be noisy, due to the various components at work, and this is the most common complaint that concentrator users have. Many newer concentrator models have been designed to reduce this noise to barely noticeable levels, but there is often still some amount of sound associated with their operation.
3. Expensive. Because of the complex mechanisms at work, oxygen concentrators are often quite expensive up-front. While this cost is a single purchase unlike that of oxygen tanks, many people may not be able to afford the high price tag all in one chunk even though it saves money in the long-run.

Acute Conditions Requiring an Oxygen Concentrator: Asthma, pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) Chronic Diseases that Require Oxygen Therapy: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, sleep apnea, etc.

The medical provider who is monitoring the person’s oxygen therapy can prescribe changes at any time.