Pumps for Mobile Ventilators
The benefits of diaphragm pumps have long been recognized in hospitals, dentistry and the medical sector in general because they generate oil-free compressed air and are highly leak-proof. This is why KNF pumps are used, for example, in surgical instruments operated with compressed air, to drain wound secretions and to test rubber gloves used for medical purposes. Diaphragm pumps have also been used in ventilators since the 1970s.
At that time, hospitals face a difficult challenge. Obtaining high-quality compressed air for their ventilators means either resorting to using gas cylinders or connecting the devices to a central compressed gas system. Patients are either dependent on the cylinders’ very limited capacity or are extremely restricted in their mobility because they always need to remain near a connection to the medical gas supply.
KNF solves this problem by producing a portable air compressor. The NK 25.2 E diaphragm compressor is attached to a movable frame and supplies the ventilator with oil-free compressed air at around 2 bar. A filter is used to remove bacteria from the air. Since all the compressor needs is a normal power socket, patients can also use the ventilator at home.
Now, some 50 years later, ventilators are playing a key role in the fight against COVID-19. Patients with severe cases of the disease often become reliant on mechanical ventilation, which uses positive pressure to deliver oxygen to the lungs. In 2020, the pandemic causes demand for these ventilators to soar, which is why KNF increases production of the required pumps tenfold.
The technology used in the devices has improved considerably since the 1970s. For instance, multi-head N 838.0 diaphragm pumps are used to provide patients with clean compressed air. A socket connection is no longer necessary because the pump is now driven by a brushless DC motor which enables unlimited mobility. Within the ventilator, the air first passes through a filter and a storage chamber and is then led to a regulator. The fact that KNF’s pumps are used in ventilators demonstrates the importance of efficient and reliable components. The family-run company KNF takes its position of responsibility seriously in the awareness that diaphragm pumps can save lives.
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