A home stationary oxygen concentrator is a device that plugs into the wall of your home, used for individuals that have low oxygen saturation levels and is in need of supplemental oxygen. A home oxygen concentrator is very different from an oxygen tank. An oxygen tank is filled with compressed oxygen, where a home concentrator uses the room air to provide oxygen to the user.
Home Oxygen Concentrators are meant to be used as a home stationary source for supplemental oxygen. They can only be used while plugged in to a power source.
So, how does a portable oxygen concentrator work?
The air in the atmosphere that we typically breathe is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% mixture of other gases. A home oxygen concentrator removes most of the non-oxygen gases and delivers oxygen to the user through a cannula. The concentrator process works by forcing room air through filters called molecular sieves. The process flushes out the nitrogen, concentrates the oxygen into useable oxygen and provides oxygen to the user.
To maintain optimal performance of your concentrator, the following guidelines are recommended:
Place the concentrator in a well-ventilated area.
Plug the concentrator into a well-grounded electrical outlet. Never use an extension cord.
Do not smoke or come within 5 feet of heat source. (Example: if you want to cook, remove the nasal cannula and leave it in another nearby room.)
Do not use petroleum-based products such as petroleum jelly, for nasal dryness or irritation.
Make sure there is no more than 50 feet of oxygen tubing on the concentrator.
Make sure your oxygen tubing is not kinked or obstructed.
In the winter months, do not use wool blankets or anything that may cause static electricity around the oxygen concentrator.
