Enhancing Quality of Life for Disabled Patients via High Humidified Flow

The goal of this project is to develop a lightweight and compact system that provides 51 percent oxygen enriched air at four to six liters per minute equivalent pure oxygen to individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Existing systems may not deliver a high-enough supply of oxygen to support these individuals who may be capable of activity and for whom increased activity would be medically beneficial. The system under development is a membrane-based, portable system to continuously supply four to six liters per minute (LPM) of humidified oxygen equivalent which can operate on commercial rechargeable batteries for four hours. Electronic systems provide adjustability plus ability to use AC and DC power supplies. This system provides the first ever four to six LPM-sustainable portable oxygen therapy (SPOT) weighing less than eight pounds. The system inherently provides humidified oxygen which minimizes drying out of nasal passages. In Phase I, this project fabricates the membranes and demonstrates productivity, oxygen purity, and self-humidification, then optimizes the membrane for long-term performance. The project conducts engineering and economic evaluations, as well as performance testing with respiratory patients.