A portable oxygen concentrator has turned into a "must" for the countless people who have COPD and who've need to receive supplemental oxygen. As well this type of machine is also a godsend for those who assist or live with them.
For both the patient and the caretaker, a lack of oxygen saturation is difficult - the patient has to live with either a shortness of breath and all that this entails, or must receive extra oxygen. Additional info who assist, and this could be a relative or someone from the medical profession, must also provide help and to do so must know their way around the oxygen machine, in cases like this a portable oxygen concentrator.
There are a few basic differences between an oxygen concentrator and an oxygen tank (either liquid or compressed oxygen) that produce for a different approach.
A portable oxygen concentrator extracts oxygen from the encompassing air. It then delivers the oxygen in a concentrated form, to the patient. An oxygen tank delivers oxygen to the individual from its reservoir or stored oxygen. The essential difference is due to storage. A tank holds or stores oxygen while a concentrator will not - it delivers the oxygen since it extracts it.
The difference between a stored and non stored oxygen system has another implication. A tank will deliver the quantity of oxygen it stores. The tanks capacity will depend on its size basically and the oxygen will last a restricted time - how much exactly will depend on how full the tank is and the delivery rate. For a portable oxygen concentrator, the delivery can last as long as the device is turned on.
The next difference also follows on from the previous one. A tank or cylinder that holds oxygen, both compressed or liquid, will deliver oxygen at a particular adjustable rate, based on the pressure being released from the tank. Quite simply it generally does not require an additional power source to provide the oxygen. A portable oxygen concentrator on the other hand delivers the oxygen it really is extracting from the air around it which extraction is possible thanks to its power source which makes the extraction mechanism work. Electricity - be it from a battery or due to being plugged in. Portable oxygen concentrators use rechargeable batteries which increases dramatically its possibilities for oxygen delivery and when you are plugged in, where many models may also be connected to the automobile lighter socket for instance.
These three basic differences can happen small in nature however in reality are the reason why portable oxygen concentrators haven't only become so popular but have also increased the amount and kind of activities COPD patients are enjoying. From the idea of view of caretakers - especially family - they are experiencing less demands and have therefore less stress.
In short:
Longer oxygen supply. Even though not plugged in, the battery option which can go from 2 hours onwards with respect to the flow rate and the battery capacity. But with a change of battery the whole cycle begins again.
The partnership between weight and level of oxygen that is stored is not any longer an issue.
You don't have for a refill - this being among the logistic problems and limitations that used eventually everyone on supplemental oxygen prior to the arrival of portable oxygen concentrators.
Decoration make these machines more portable.
Travel, short distances, long distances or the equivalent in time intervals is much easier. This simple travel is due to the durability of the oxygen supply and in addition because public carriers (airplanes, trains and buses) have less restraints than they do for oxygen containers.