DRDO to install 500 Oxygen Generation Plant developed for Tejas fighter under PM Care Fund to fight COVID19

By
IFE Admin
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A spin-off from a critical technology that would aid future pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) flying the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas with a non-stop supply of oxygen while undertaking
long-endurance missions are now being offered to hospitals combating the coronavirus.

The @DRDO_India is going to set up 500 Medical Oxygen Plants within 3 months under PM CARES Fund.

The Medical Oxygen Plant technology developed by DRDO for On‐Board Oxygen Generation for LCA, Tejas will now help in fighting the current crisis of Oxygen for the COVID-19 patients.

This product to fly out from the
hangars of the Defence Research and
Development Organisation (MOP), is an offshoot technology from the Onboard Oxygen (OBOX) generation system being developed for the Tejas.

Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh has appreciated the DRDO for using the MOP technology to generate much-needed oxygen for COVID-19 patients which will help in overcoming the present crisis.

Unique features

The MOP has high reliability, full dependency on automation and reduces logistics. This
safe technology needs only minimum maintenance and can be operated at a low cost.

It is free of oil and produces oxygen instantaneously from ambient air and works round-the-clock. The electric oxygen compressor can charge the cylinders up to 200 bar. It has stored oxygen supply for transient power failures and boasts of low energy consumption. It can also be operated via remote control. The MOP contains an air compressor, air dryer, oxygen generator and a compressor.

Each plant can fill up to 60 47-litre (water capacity) cylinders a day and operate round-the-clock. “The oxygen capacity depends on the pressure of filling, which is about 150-200 bar. The
industry holding the transfer of technology can ramp up its production and can install up to 20 plants in five weeks” says a scientist.

The system can cater to 60 patients at a flow rate of 5 LPM (litres per minute) and can charge up to 60 cylinders per day. The capacity can be varied as per the hospital requirement. The plant is designed for a capacity of 18 NM3 per hour (NM3 or normal meter cubed per hour is the unit to measure the gas flow rate). For the Tejas OBOX, the scientists have used a zeolite-based technology and the system will undergo trials soon.

“We have completed all ground-based trials of OBOX on the test rigs and the pilots are satisfied with the results. It will now be integrated on one of the test var?ants of Tejas for flight trials. IT has been already cleared by the Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness,” says an official.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Indian Railways are among the several prospective users
who have shown interest in DEBEL’s MOP.