Hyderabad: Amid the shortage of medical oxygen in several parts of the country due to the second wave of COVID an outbreak, the Hyderabad-based startup ‘The Phi Factory’ aims to save lives through its innovative and affordable portable oxygen burner.
Praveen Gorakavi, co-founder of The Phi Factory, told ANI about the oxygen regulator: ‘Vayuputra was developed with the aim of COVID-19 patients who are under home isolation, with a low oxygen supply at a low capital expenditure. If the patient’s oxygen saturation level drops, he or she is admitted to the nearest hospital during the home isolation. But during this transportation, many people lose their lives due to lack of oxygen. This situation can be avoided. ”
He mentioned that oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators are available at a much higher price in the current market and cannot be afforded by humans. He believed that the product to be developed should be economical and life-saving at the same time, and that was when he came up with the idea of oxygen applicator ‘The Project Vayuputra’.
Asked about the capacity of the oxygen supply, Gorakavi said: “This oxygen burner consumes about 20 liters of hydrogen peroxide which can produce enough oxygen to last 12 hours.”
Gorakavi explained the action of the oxygen regulator and said that when hydrogen peroxide comes in contact with a metal oxide, a decomposition reaction takes place and oxygen is obtained together with water. “Using a catalytic bed made of metal oxide that is attached to a container and when hydrogen peroxide moves through the catalytic bed, the reaction finds our oxygen next to water,” he said.
He said the container contained three columns to filter all the water vapor in the oxygen produced.
He further mentioned that the oxygen steamer used 50 percent concentrated hydrogen peroxide and said that one liter of such hydrogen peroxide could produce about 240 liters of oxygen, which is about 24 minutes enough.
He said the oxygen duster is bonded with a two-liter bottle of hydrogen peroxide, which uses it for 48 minutes per bottle, and the oxygenator kit is given along with ten bottles of hydrogen peroxide.
“Many government organizations and various non-governmental organizations across the country that supply oxygen concentrators to the people are now moving towards this oxygen lighter as this product is cheap compared to that of oxygen concentrators,” Gorakavi said.
He said since it was officially announced on the Phi Factory’s social media pages, there are various inquiries and requests for the product from different parts of the country. ‘So far, they have received about 45,000 requests from various individuals across the country. Many government departments from different states have also contacted them for this. ”
He said that they even had contact with some very well known companies because they undertook this project and did deliveries to different places across the country. Gorakavi said: “On behalf of the Phi Factory, we can obtain this technology free of charge to various medical device manufacturers who follow good manufacturing practices. Then we will authorize the institution to manufacture the oxygen and supply it to their beneficiaries.”
He mentioned that the price of this oxygen device will be around R 2,500, which includes the oxygen supply, as well as ten two liter bottles of hydrogen peroxide.
Gorakavi said after obtaining the required approval, the product will likely be available from May 15.
Source: The Siasat Daily