Coronavirus outbreak: Pune’s Ajeenkya DY Patil varsity develops multi-channel splitter for ventilators

ST Correspondent

Sunday, 5 April 2020

Pune: To fight the battle against novel coronavirus, students and faculty of engineering departments at Ajeenkya DY Patil University, Lohegaon has developed a multi-channel splitter for ventilators that can be used to support two or more patients simultaneously during this acute period of coronavirus spread.

A team called COVIDEFY consisting of three faculty members including School of Engineering Head and Associate Professor Biswajeet Champaty, Associate Professors Aishwarya Dash and Ipsita Swain and also fourth-year students: Pranshu Tople and Pritish Nagwade of Mechatronics Department and Minerva Sharma of Biomedical Engineering Department created this innovative device.

The proposed splitter can enhance the capability of a single ventilator to support multiple patients regardless of their lung capacity. A leak-proof and efficient valve is additionally used to restrict the airflow as per the patient’s requirement. The goal is to have an easily and quickly printed robust 3D part so that anyone in the world who may need it in dire circumstances, can use it to save lives, he said.

“Normally the human lung requires 500-600 ml of air, whereas a ventilator in an average has a capacity of 1,500-2,000 ml. Therefore, one ventilator can be easily used to support multiple patients without compromising on its effect by using these vent splitters,” said Biswajeet Champaty.

“We have used a ball valve mechanism that regulates the flow of oxygen according to the patient’s need,” he added.

Champaty also added that devices like vent splitter and the low-cost ventilator could be used in emergency conditions where there is an acute shortage of ventilators and the care-givers have no alternate solution to sustain the viability of the patient.

The product has been clinically tested and sent to the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for approval. At present, the team has developed eight such splitters for testing and verification. Champaty even said that bulk production could be done, as one piece needs 1 hour 45 minutes for 3D printing.

The biggest challenge for students was to seek permission to move around the city to collect components and to meet industry people for their experience and expert advice. For the same, the Pune district administration provided them with passes.

Advantages of this design

Ease of use air restrictor (valve controlled)
Less printing time
Less material used (16 gm)
Printing can be done in a biodegradable, biocompatible, non-toxic and eco-friendly way.