| |
Regulators
Cylinders of oxygen
are usually delivered in two standard sizes, "E" and "H".
Regardless of the size, cylinders must have regulators attached to
them to drop the initial cylinder pressure to a usable 50-55 pounds
per square inch (PSI). Some regulators incorporate a second stage,
whereby the 50-55psi is again reduced into liters per minute (LPM).
Since all standard anesthesia machines already have flowmeters to
change the PSI to LPM, this second stage is not only unnecessary,
it impairs the performance of the anesthesia machine. It is important
to utilize only pressure regulators, not flow regulators.
Volume
E-cylinders hold
approximately 651 liters of medical grade oxygen (USP) and are easily
moved or mounted directly onto an anesthesia machine. H-cylinders
hold approximately 7107 liters of medical grade oxygen (USP) and are
far too heavy to be considered portable. At a use rate of 1 LPM, these
volumes equate to approximately 11 hours (E) and 118 hours (H) of
use, not including oxygen flush time, which greatly exceeds the 1
LPM rate.
Comparisons
As a rule, H-cylinders
cost about twice as much as E-cylinder to fill. However, H-cylinders
deliver 10 times more oxygen than an E-cylinder. If you will be using
your anesthesia machine in a limited number of locations, you may
want to opt for an H-cylinder in each area. Operational costs are
less, as is the hassle of calling for tank refills. All cylinders,
when not directly attached to an anesthesia machine or cylinder cart,
should be mechanically secured to a solid surface for safety.
|
| Height |
30"
|
54"
|
| Diameter |
3.5"
|
8.5"
|
| Volume
- Liters |
651
|
7107
|
| Initial
Pressure |
1800
PSI
|
2200
PSI
|
| Approx.
Hrs Use @ 1 LPM |
11
|
118
|
|
