FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
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AVIATION MEDICINE REPORTS

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-92/22

Title and Subtitle: Comparisons of Molecular Sieve Oxygen Concentrators For Potential Medical Use Aboard Commercial Aircraft

Report Date: June 1992

Authors: England, H.M. Jr., Wilcox, B.C. Jr., McLean, G.A.

Abstract: Medically-impaired air travelers requiring supplemental oxygen must depend on airlines to provide oxygen cylinders. Performance, space, and cost are considerations in providing this service. Tests were conducted in an altitude chamber to assess the viability of Molecular Sieve Oxygen Concentrators (MSOC) as an alternative. Five different MSOC were placed in the altitude chamber, and connected to a mass spectrometer outside. Gas concentration was digitized at one sample-per-second and stored on line via a microcomputer. Tests at ground level showed four of the five MSOC produced oxygen at 95% purity at 2 liters per minute flow, which was maintained until 13,000 feet. Increasing altitude resulted in graded reductions of oxygen levels. At 25,000 feet, only two MSOC withstood sudden decompression. Results of this study indicate that some MSOC indeed have the potential to provide oxygen for the medically-impaired air traveler.

Key Words: Molecular Sieve, Oxygen, Concentrators, Zeolites

No. of Pages: 10