1. Improving Oxygen Concentrator Use in the Developing World
Team Members: Paul Gordon, Marie Hopkins, and Kathe Pocker
Clinical Partner: Dennis McCutcheon
Faculty Advisors: M.B. Privitera and B. Haridas 1

2. Clinical Problem
Hypoxemia, a deficiency of oxygen in the bloodstream, contributes to higher mortality rates for patients.
Oxygen therapy can be critical to improving the health of these and other respiratory-compromised patients.
Many low-resource healthcare facilities do not have a regular supply of oxygen.
Through literary research we performed and through travelling to Guatemala this past December to visit clinics and assess the need for oxygen therapy in these settings, we found that many low-resource healthcare facilities do not have a regular supply of oxygen. 2

3. Design Problem Statement
Oxygen concentrators provide oxygen therapy to patients using electricity and atmospheric air.
Our challenge is to design a solution to return these oxygen concentrators to optimal performance during extended use by removing contaminants from zeolite.
Oxygen concentrators used in developing world clinics often operate in hot, humid environments that contribute to decreased oxygen output, primarily via water contamination of the machine’s filtering material, zeolite. Zeolite is a molecular sieve that filters atmospheric air and is pictured in the bottom right corner.
Here’s a helpful analogy to envision what our device will do. If you think of an oxygen concentrator as a clothes dryer, our device would be what cleans the lint from the drying filter.

4. Market and Opportunity Gap
Low Resource Setting Opportunity Gap
The number of oxygen concentrators in use in low resource settings is currently unknown.
In district hospitals of Kenya, only 58% of patients received prescribed oxygen therapy1. Most rural clinics are not as well equipped as these district hospitals.
High Resource Setting Opportunity Gap
Currently, zeolite repours are only known option. There is no known repair tool known to exist. Our device could be marketed to medical repair service companies.
58%: From our literature reviews and research in Guatemala, its clear that this trend extends around the world.
Our device works to revitalize zeolite, which is found in all oxygen concentrators. 4

5. Design Solution Removal of contaminants via Our proposed technology
Pressure System (vacuum & dry gas)
Heating System
Our proposed technology
Heat treatment via heating coil
Vacuum pulled on system
Dry gas passed through system
Can fit and attach to a wide range of oxygen concentrator models
Uses pressure and heat together to create conditions needed to desorb water vapor contamination from zeolite.
We tested these systems independently to gain understanding and assure function of prototype. 5

6. Pressure System Prototype
Line to dry gas source
Ingress Gauge
Fine flow regulator
Cylinder filled with zeolite
Egress Gauge
Line to vacuum pump

7. Heating System Testing
Conclusions
Heat treatment changes thermal properties of the zeolite.
Heat treatment results in a mass loss.
confirm that we can replicate zeolite heating and release contaminate release seen in our literature research. First tested on small scale and showed that we can replicate the change in thermal properties with heat treatment.
Performed thermogravimetric analysis that showed correlation between mass loss and heat treatment. We believe this mass loss relates to a release in water contaminants.

8. Next Steps & Concept Drawing
Short-term
Heat zeolite samples on a larger scale and measure oxygen output after heating.
Combine heating and pressure prototypes and test.
Long-term
Define optimal heating profiles that produce the largest gain in oxygen output.
Zeolite cylinder
Desiccator and insulated heating coil
Handle for transport
Flow regulator
Intake
Exhaust
heating device zeolite canisters and then testing their oxygen output to test if this process improves oxygen output
Electric plug (110V or 220V)
Insulated cylinder heating coil wrap
Vacuum pump (50Hz or 60Hz) 8

9. Regulatory Pathway/Strategy
Our device will not be filed with the FDA or regulatory bodies as a medical device as it does not provide any care to or contact with a patient. 9

10. Acknowledgements We thank the following for their support and funding
UC Forward Initiative
Medical Device Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program
Professor Mary Beth Privitera
Professor Balakrishna Haridas
University of Cincinnati
UC Medical Center 10

11. Acknowledgements We thank the following for their support and funding
Chemical engineering consultant: Michel Cosme
Guatemalan guides: Dennis and Cindy McCutcheon, Joe Leier
UC Faculty: V. Guliants, S. Thiel, P. Rosales, R. Branson
Industry contacts: D. Devry, G. Richardson, M. Gillespie, R. Cairnes
Equipment assistance: Caring Partners International, Philips Home Healthcare Solutions
Our families, classmates, and friends who have supported us 11

12. Questions?

13. References
1.“Assessment of inpatient paediatric care in first referral level hospitals in 13 districts in Kenya.”
2.“Oxygen Concentrators: Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2013 to 2018”. 3.