Portable Oxygen Concentrator Models And Their Weights
Posted by admin - 05/11/10 at 07:11 pmFor people who need supplemental oxygen there are three basic choices – the actual type has to take into account the level of activity and the doctor’s prescription and suggestions. This additional oxygen need is provided by machines. The choices are oxygen cylinders holding liquid oxygen, tanks with compressed oxygen, and finally portable oxygen concentrators, the main focus of this post.
The portable oxygen delivery is the way patients can recover their ability for a more active life as not being able to stay active is one of the most negative psychological effects. Needing an extra supply of oxygen should not mean having to stay put on a bed or a chair while it is being administered.
An oxygen concentrator is a machine, powered by electricity, that extracts oxygen from the surrounding air and delivers it in concentrated form to the patient. What is important is that as long as the power source is working, oxygen delivery is being met.
There are home and stationary concentrators and portable ones. Imagine that you or someone near you has been prescribed with supplemental oxygen. With a portable oxygen cylinder you may have a couple of hours, depending on the flow, of oxygen before the tank empties. This means that if you are in a car, or anywhere else, you have a very specific time frame to get to another oxygen source – probably a stationary and much larger cylinder.
The other scenario, you are out and about, carrying your portable oxygen concentrator. You may have a spare battery or can reach an electric outlet to recharge.
There are many portable oxygen concentrator models in the market and to be portable means that they have to be easy to carry or pull along. Therefore weight is a prime consideration.
The following is a table comparing the weights of some of the models that are FAA authorized for air travel.
| Model | Weight in Lbs. | with Batteries (in Lbs.) |
| Airsep FreeStyle | 5.2 | - |
| Airsep LifeStyle | 9.75 | - |
| DeVilbiss iGo | 15.5 | 19 |
| IBC Lifechoice | 4.9 | - |
| Inogen G2 | - | 7.25 |
| Invacare XPO2 | 6 | 7.3 |
| Invacare Solo2 | 17 | 19.9 |
| Oxlife Independence | 11.85 | 14.85 |
| Respironics EverGo | 8.5 | 10 |
| Sequal | 15 | 18.4 |
