The plants will produce 43 metric tonnes of oxygen, reduce dependency on private contractors
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will be setting up 16 on-site oxygen generation plants in 12 of its hospitals, which will produce 43 metric tonnes of oxygen.
The decision was taken to reduce dependency of civic hospitals on private contractors. The plants will use pressure swing absorption technology to suck air which will be compressed in a machine. It will be later filtered to sort out small particles and impurities. The pure air is then collected in an oxygen generator in which Zeolit chemical mixture separates nitrogen and oxygen. The oxygen under suitable pressure is supplied to patients through a pipeline.
According to the BMC, the plants will provide oxygen at less than half the rate charged by private contractors. They will have a project life of 15 to 30 years. The BMC has already set up two oxygen generation plants at Kasturba Hospital and Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Centre in Jogeshwari. The tenders have been floated and once the process is completed, the plants will be set up within one month.
Additional Municipal Commissioner P. Velarasu said the plants will not only ensure in-house supply of oxygen to civic hospitals but will also reduce the expenditure on transporting oxygen cylinders.
