Enterprising youth come up with ideas for O2 production

Two engineering graduates from Arakkonam Aneesh Mathew and Naresh Kumar demonstrated before Ranipet Collector AR Gladstone Pushparaj their invention of creating oxygen from air. 

According to them a nitrogen compressor would within three to five minutes fill a small cylinder with oxygen while nitrogen would escape into the air. Collector Pushparaj said, “the equipment costs around Rs 40,000 and will fill the small oxygen cylinders within minutes and can ensure supply to patients round the clock. Arrangements would be made to study and take the idea further.” 

Similarly, R Venketraman of Bharathidasan university’s medical physics department in collaboration with two medical doctors attached to a private hospital in Trichy used LDRT (low dose radio therapy) to reduce oxygen demand among covid patients by 50 per cent. 

Venketraman, who was in Vellore recently said “the ICMR/CTRI (clincial trials registry, India) said the phase II trials were carried out on 23 COVID patients who also suffered from comoribidities. 

“We saw oxygen need coming down by 50 per cent in 48 hours”, he said and added that none of the patients — who volunteered after giving their informed consent — suffered any side effects. When the experiments and its success was highlighted on social media, the Tiruchy hospital was now getting an average of 5 outpatients daily for this treatment. 

“Following our procedure, COVID hospitals can reduce their oxygen demand by half in two days. With oxygen being in short supply such a move will ensure that oxygen will be available for patients in need.” he added.