By
23 min ago 3 min read
Vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) technology could help hospitals in developing markets cut medical oxygen production costs while reducing their dependence on external cylinder supplies, according to PCI Gases.
The California-based firm highlighted the commercial and operational benefits of its VSA-based deployable oxygen concentration systems (DOCS) following installations at two hospitals in The Gambia and Liberia in 2025.
Speaking on a recent gasworld webinar, Sören Schmitz, Chief Commercial Officer at PCI Gases, said its VSA system could reduce power consumption by 50% compared with conventional technologies.
“The air that is used…remains oil-free, and at low pressure you do not get any water condensate, which is very important also in situations or in countries that are very warm and humid, which happens to be quite often in low- and middle-income countries.”
The funding for the distribution of PCI Gases technology came through a grant from international humanitarian relief organisation Direct Relief.
In addition, the Society of Critical Care Medicine provided grant administration and financial management, and the Institute for Global Perioperative Care, connected to the G4 Alliance, implemented project management.
The company installed its DOCS technology at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, which previously relied on sourcing oxygen cylinders from a local provider.
Schmitz noted the VSA system allows cylinders to be refilled directly on-site, reducing the purchase of oxygen cylinders and creating savings for the hospital.
The most important consequence of this technology is the ease of access to medical oxygen for patients and the fact that more surgeries are scheduled, he noted.
“This hospital was actually equipped with a medical gas pipeline system that…creates another layer of independence because the oxygen generator can directly provide the oxygen to where it is needed.”
PCI Gases’ approach differed at the F. J. Grante Memorial Hospital in Ganta, Liberia, due to its distance from the Monrovia capital, which is the central location of the medical oxygen source.
As oxygen surgeries had to be scheduled around the availability of cylinders, the short supply of oxygen meant that the oxygen-related mortality rate was quite high, noted Schmitz.
Beyond this, diesel generators were used to produce local power, as the power grid was unreliable, which led to a large portion of the hospital’s annual budget being spent on energy.
Schmitz shared, “This hospital actually got equipped with a solar system, so now 24/7 electricity was available and reliable.
“The hospital reported an increase in new patient admissions, and the hospital is also taking on a role of a regional supplier of oxygen to other smaller clinics.”
