New Delhi: Pan-India Lockdown, native authorities restrictions and the brand new regular of earn a living from home (WFH) haven’t deterred India’s finest brains working on the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The first and second waves of COVID-19 have affected the schedule of the core space-related actions at ISRO, however, its scientists have been immensely contributing to the nation’s fight in opposition to the pandemic by growing essential medical tools corresponding to ventilators, oxygen concentrators and many others.
In an unique dialog with Zee Media, Dr S. Somanath, Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, elucidated on the in-house medical applied sciences which can be prepared for trade adoption, freed from price.
Under the collection ‘Prana’, three variants of ventilators which can be fitted with shows and controls, have been developed by the ISRO groups from VSSC, based mostly on modifications to present designs and additionally based mostly on their very own distinctive, patented designs. The first one is comparable to the Ambu-bags (synthetic handbook respiration unit), however this home-grown variant can ship an excellent quantity of quantity and stress, thanks to its distinctive design and correct actuation system.
A high-end ventilator, with pneumatic regulation (operated by air below stress), has additionally been developed by this staff and this providing is alleged to price round Rs 1 lakh, which is nearly half or one-third the worth of comparable trade choices.
The most original of all of them is a ventilator that doesn’t require energy or an electrical motor, drive. Using compressed air and sure different technological options, it may facilitate the inhale-exhale cycle.
“All of the medical equipment have been designed and developed to WHO standards, our quality and testing teams worked with doctors for evaluating the devices. The electronics, controls, software, circuits, for ventilators and oxygen concentrators, are all developed in-house by our young scientists, but we’ll be giving it free to industry for mass manufacture. This technology will be handed over to technically competent industries and many have approached us already, so it is expected to be ready in a week’s time” Dr Somanath instructed Zee Media.
As India’s lead centre for constructing rockets and associated expertise, VSSC has the excellence of getting engineers from throughout domains. It was this wide-ranging engineering experience, coupled with immense information of design, supplies, mechanics and software program that made these indigenous developments potential inside a brief span.
In designing and growing the Oxygen Concentrator- ‘Shwaas’, ISRO took some worthwhile classes from the nation’s upcoming human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan, for which they have been growing Carbon Dioxide elimination programs. Despite the expertise of oxygen concentrators being well-known and established, the overwhelming majority of the oxygen concentrators being utilized in India are imported ones. Hence, ISRO focussed on engineering one with a singular expertise that absorbs nitrogen(the biggest constituent gasoline) from the air utilizing molecular absorption. Simply put, the air is pumped via a chemical column, which absorbs the nitrogen and supplies oxygen of round 95% purity. This tools can operate continuous for up to a yr, following which the chemical used within the absorption course of (which is accessible out there) can have to get replaced.
With the aptitude to present 10 litres of Oxygen per minute, it may concurrently present assist for 2 common sufferers or one important affected person. The prototype of this variant is already in operation on the VSSC hospital and it’s anticipated to price not more than Rs.50,000.
“These medical equipment are not under our area of work, it requires a deep understanding of human physiology, breathing process etc. Such devices aiding respiration must be able to sense, sync with unique breathing patterns and assist Doctors in saving lives. So, our young engineers, most of whom are in their 20s and 30s studied the theory and explored the processes to make this happen. It was a collaborative effort between several teams largely working from home and partly from labs, under the guidance of seniors and technicians. Ours is highly inspired work culture, it’s not just about building rockets, we are ready to take on any challenge with our enthusiasm and ideas” Dr.S. Somanath says with delight.
The Indian Government-run Space company has additionally been offering liquid oxygen to State Governments in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, from their manufacturing services or from present inventory. It is essential to observe that Liquid Oxygen, often called (Lox) in aerospace parlance, is an important useful resource for any trendy house company, as it’s used as an oxidizer in cryogenic engines that energy massive rockets. ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu, which is chargeable for the manufacturing of Cryogenic fuels has been supplying liquid Oxygen to the State Governments in Tamil Nadu and adjoining Kerala.
“IPRC has supplied over 150Tons of Lox to Kerala and Tamil Nadu Governments since 24th April and continues to do so. Our daily production capacity was 2.5tons, but we have progressively scaled up to 11 tons per day by working round-the-clock with more staff. Around 20tons of Lox stored at our spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh has also been provided to the state government” Dr Okay.Sivan, Chairman, ISRO instructed Zee Media.
ISRO has additionally offered the massive capability gasoline tanks at their services to be repurposed and used as shops of liquid oxygen in numerous states. These tanks function a hub for mass storage of liquid oxygen, following which they are often distributed to the healthcare services within the area.
