Low-cost, yet technologically superior machine better than Chinese concentrators

Mysore/Mysuru: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), Bengaluru, a premier Science Institute of India, is supporting the nation in its battle against COVID-19 by developing an Oxygen Concentrator of 10 litres per minute (LPM) capacity which is being tested for its clinical validation at Bangalore Medical College.

The results of the tests have been promising and the oxygen output is about 90 percent and hence more efficient compared to the Chinese concentrators whose output is about 40 to 50 percent. 

Behind the Institute’s low-cost yet technologically superior Oxygen Concentrator is a dedicated team headed by Mysurean, Prof. Praveen C. Ramamurthy from Department of Materials Engineering. He is a resident of Ramakrishnanagar and presently stays inside the IISc. campus. 

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Prof. Praveen said that the Oxygen Concentrator is highly efficient and 95 percent oxygen concentration at 1 LPM is available within 3 minutes of the start of operation and more importantly, 90 percent oxygen is available at 5 LPM. “Doctors and hospitals have reviewed its performance and found it equivalent or better than imported units — units that are in short supply anyway in these trying times,” he said. 

Advanced prototypes were developed under the ‘TATPAR’ scheme of the Society for Innovation and Development (SID) at IISc. SID can now produce Oxygen Concentrators with emergency use authorisation from the Government.

Used indigenous components 

“We have developed the system which was designed and fabricated using indigenous components.  Generation and availability of oxygen source at point-of-care, where cylinders and other centrally distributed systems are unavailable is crucial at pandemic times. Even if oxygen supplies are available at hospitals, because of overcrowding will create stress on the system.  Also, not all patients require ventilator systems and many require just health vital monitoring and supply of oxygen at various concentrations,” Prof. Praveen explained. 

Having a reliable oxygen supply is necessary for the care of these patients to improve the probability of survival during such a pandemic outbreak. “Clinical validation of the Oxygen Concentrator is underway. More than 50 companies from all over India are in the process of technology transfer for mass manufacturing,” he added. 

Prof. Praveen finished his education in Sarada Vilas Educational Institutions and received M.Sc. in Polymer Science from the University of Mysore and Ph.D. degree from Clemson University, USA in 2004. He was working in USA in industries before joining the Indian Institute of Science in 2007. 

His current research focuses on organic electronics and sensors.  He has over 220 peer-reviewed papers published and 19 patents to his credit and graduated 15 Ph.D. students.

Govt. evinces keen interest in Institute’s oxygen product

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Government has evinced keen interest in the Indian Institute of Science’s Oxygen Concentrator and Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar has interacted with Prof. Govindan Rangarajan, the Director of IISc., last Thursday to seek Institute’s support in combating the contagion. Prof. Rangarajan briefed the Minister about research activities around COVID-19 and said that apart from the Oxygen Concentrator, the Institute was working on a COVID vaccine which can be stored at a room temperature upto 30 degrees.

IISc. vaccine

Prof. Rangarajan said that the vaccine is promising as the results show a better neutralising effect than the existing vaccines. The vaccine which is yet to go into the human trial process could be a big breakthrough in India’s battle against pandemic. 

Raghavan Varadarajan, Professor of Molecular Biophysics Unit of the Institute, said the vaccine is made of a protein subunit, which refers to a part of the surface protein of the Coronavirus and no other components.“We still have to do the process development, safety and toxicity studies. The trials will begin after six to eight months,” he said. 

Prof. Rangarajan sought the support of the Government to speed up the process of clinical validation and also help in obtaining regulatory approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for its emergency use. Dr. Sudhakar assured support from the Government and said he will take up the matter immediately with the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences Vice-Chancellor and with the Union Government.

From a public health point of view, this is a huge advantage as it enables the Government to scale up distribution of vaccines in a much faster and easier way, Prof. Rangarajan said. 

Dr. Sudhakar sought the Institute’s help in developing an audit mechanism and finding ways for optimal utilisation of oxygen and minimise wastage at both refilling/bottling units and at hospitals. Prof. Rangarajan said that they would extend all technical and engineering support to address the issue.