A portable oxygen concentrator has turned into a "must" for the many people with COPD and who've have to receive supplemental oxygen. At the same time this type of machine can be a godsend for many who assist or live with them.
For both the patient and the caretaker, a lack of oxygen saturation is difficult - the individual must live with either a shortness of breath and all that this entails, or must receive extra oxygen. Those that assist, and this is actually a relative or someone from the medical profession, must provide help and to do so got to know their way round the oxygen machine, in cases like this a portable oxygen concentrator.
There are a few basic differences between an oxygen concentrator and an oxygen tank (either liquid or compressed oxygen) that produce for another approach.
A portable oxygen concentrator extracts oxygen from the surrounding air. It then 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 is due to storage. A tank holds or stores oxygen while a concentrator will not - it delivers the oxygen as it extracts it.
The difference between a stored and non stored oxygen system has another implication. A tank will deliver the quantity of oxygen it stores. The tanks capacity will depend on its size basically and the oxygen will last a restricted time - just how much exactly depends on how full the tank is and the delivery rate. For a portable oxygen concentrator, the delivery will last as long as the machine 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. Basically it does not require yet another power source to provide the oxygen. A portable oxygen concentrator alternatively delivers the oxygen it really is extracting from the air around it and this extraction is possible because of its power source that makes the extraction mechanism work. Electricity - be it from a battery or as a result 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 may appear small in nature but in reality are the reason why portable oxygen concentrators haven't only become so popular but also have increased the total amount and type of activities COPD patients are enjoying. From the idea of view of caretakers - especially family - they are experiencing less demands and have therefore less stress.
In short:
Longer oxygen supply. Even though not plugged in, the battery option that may go from 2 hours onwards according to 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's stored is not any longer an issue.
There is no need for a refill - this being among the logistic problems and limitations that used eventually everyone on supplemental oxygen before the arrival of portable oxygen concentrators.
Size and shape make these machines more portable.
Travel, short distances, long distances or the same in time intervals is a lot easier. This simple travel is due to the durability of the oxygen supply and also because public carriers (airplanes, trains and buses) have less restraints than they do for oxygen containers.