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Vijay Mohan
Chandigarh, April 8
An oxygen enrichment unit (OEU) developed indigenously by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to treat Covid patients has a spin-off for the defence forces in high-altitude areas as it can be used at heights where such equipment normally does not function.
Commercially available OEUs generally work till an altitude of 8,000 feet above sea level. With an optional plug-in module, CSIR s unit can work up to an altitude of 14,000 feet, thereby making it handy for use during contingencies in high-altitude battlefield areas where rarefied air and extreme climate can cause medical emergencies.
OEU is a device which concentrates oxygen from the surrounding air by selectively removing nitrogen to supply oxygen-enriched air. The concentrated oxygen is delivered to patients with respiratory problems through a mask or a nasal cannula.