Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay have converted nitrogen generator into oxygen generator in a creative and ingenious solution to addressing the medical oxygen shortage in the country for treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The pilot project, which has been tested successfully, relies on a simple technological hack: conversion of PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) Nitrogen Unit to PSA Oxygen Unit, IIT Bombay said in a statement.

Initial tests done at IIT Bombay have shown promising results. Oxygen production could be achieved at 3.5 atm pressure, with a purity level of 93 - 96 percent.

This gaseous oxygen can be utilized for Covid-related needs across existing hospitals and upcoming COVID-19 specific facilities by providing a continuous supply of oxygen.

Milind Atrey, Dean (R&D), IIT Bombay, who led the project, said a nitrogen unit can be converted into an oxygen unit by “fine-tuning the existing Nitrogen Plant setup and changing the molecular sieves from Carbon to Zeolite."

"Such nitrogen plants, which take air from the atmosphere as raw material, are available in various industrial plants across India. Therefore, each of them could potentially be converted into an oxygen generator, thus helping us tide over the current public health emergency", Atrey said.

The pilot project is a collaborative effort between IIT Bombay, Tata Consulting Engineers and Spantech Engineers, Mumbai, who deal with PSA Nitrogen and Oxygen plant production.

A PSA Nitrogen plant in the Refrigeration and Cryogenics Laboratory of the IIT was identified for conversion.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between IIT Bombay, Tata Consulting Engineers and Spantech Engineers to finalise a standard operating procedure that may be leveraged across the country.

Spantech Engineers installed the required operating plant components at IIT Bombay for evaluation using the infrastructure in the premier institute.

The setup for the experiment was developed within three days, and the initial tests have shown promising results, said Atrey.