The use of gases for health care or biotechnological research has increased greatly in recent years. New requirements for its use are continually emerging. The properties of the gases and the design of the equipment to regulate them vary according to the application.

Application

The most common and traditional applications are oxygen or medicinal air for oxy therapy purposes. Gases can be supplied from cylinders and thermoses with oxygen concentrators or air compressors. Medical-grade gases for these uses are generally not of very high purity. Medical Gas Service often cannot exceed 96% oxygen purity; even in a cylinder, USP oxygen should have an average purity of 99.0%. Regulators for these purposes also do not require designs that maintain high purity.

In general, its finish is chrome for aesthetic and hygiene reasons. They can be neoprene, nylon piston, or diaphragm-type regulators that allow some permeability from ambient air. For oxytherapy purposes, the reading in place of use will normally be the flow rate measured in liters per minute since the important thing is to know the amount of gas the patient inhales.

Although for respiratory purposes, the gases can be supplied directly from the cylinder –or concentrator– to the patient in hospital facilities, it is more likely that the gas will be channelled from stationary tanks, thermos or cylinders to intakes at the locations of use. The NFPA99 Standard is the one that determines the technical requirements for gases supplied for Custom Hose. The NFPA99 Standard is followed as a guide for hospital gas plants. These standards include special requirements for facilities to ensure no gas cut-off to the patient and prevent an error by connecting the wrong gas.

Medical Gas Supplier regularly has one gas bank in use, another in reserve, and sometimes a third as a backup. NFPA99 has repeat requirements on regulators to allow gas bypass if something in the system breaks down. However, it is recommended that the standards required in each country by local authorities be verified.

In hospital networks, traditional and standard gas flow control devices are calibrated for pressure at 50 PSI. Hyperbaric chambers, however, require oxygen at pressures of 6 bar (87 PSI) or more. Medical Gas Fittings are piped at pressures ranging from 50 to 60 PSI to flowmeters or flowmeter regulator assemblies to regulate the amount of gas inhaled by the patient. On-site intakes also frequently include ones for anaesthetic nitrous oxide at 50 PSI and others for vacuum suction. Installations may require other accessories, such as master alarms to indicate that line pressure is outside the required range or valve boxes to control gas flow.

Benefits of flowmeter

Flow meters are high-quality instantaneous flow measurement devices with calibrated orifices to regulate the dose of oxygen and air in medical applications.  Flow calibration is ensured by holes in a metal bracket using laser technology. The small structure and the particular technical configuration allow the supply of medical gas flows with extreme precision. Dental Analgesia Flowmeters are not needed, compared to conventional variable area flowmeters with a vertical indicator, to be used only in a vertical position.