Romary Daval, Technical Manager for Europe, answers a few questions about the importance of oxygen cylinders and why engineering excellence, research and development, and the provision of sustainable solutions within the medical gases industry is vital.

Why is medical oxygen important?

Medical oxygen is a crucial element in providing relief and support to the growing worldwide population with respiratory illnesses. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified oxygen as a life-saving essential medicine. Reliable, sustainable medical oxygen is key to achieving healthcare goals such as universal health coverage, as oxygen plays a vital role in ensuring everyone has access to essential medical care; pandemic preparedness as oxygen is crucial for treating respiratory illnesses during pandemics; and ending epidemics, as oxygen is essential in managing respiratory complications associated with various epidemics.

Where are oxygen cylinders commonly used?

Medical oxygen cylinders are commonly used in healthcare settings to provide supplemental oxygen to those who are experiencing respiratory difficulties, or suffering from conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, and other respiratory illnesses. They are used in various settings, including:

Healthcare facilities: Hospitals rely on oxygen cylinders for patients experiencing respiratory difficulties.

Homecare settings: Oxygen therapy allows patients needing supplemental oxygen to manage their condition at home.

Emergency response: First responders use oxygen cylinders for immediate medical support in critical situations.

Dental clinics and veterinary surgeries: Oxygen therapy is sometimes required during certain procedures.

Are there different types of oxygen cylinders?

There are different sizes of oxygen cylinders. While smaller cylinders of between one and five litres in capacity, which are lightweight and manoeuvrable, are in high demand across healthcare settings, there is also a market for larger capacity cylinders.

At Luxfer, we provide small, portable cylinders. These range from one to 11 litre in lightweight aluminium, and one to five litre ultra-lightweight composites. The largest proportion of our medical cylinders are for ambulatory use, where they deliver quality of life benefits to patients by being lightweight and portable.

Besides our Type 1 aluminium cylinders, our Type 2 hoop wrapped cylinder, which benefits from additional weight reduction, is very popular. We also offer a Type 3 fully composite cylinder, which has portable one litre and two litre variants – an important consideration in environments where weight saving is crucial.

Our composite oxygen cylinders are attractive and beneficial for customers because they can be filled up to a pressure of 300 bar, allowing for almost 50% more oxygen than similar sized 200 bar cylinders. This is possible thanks to our proprietary higher-strength L7X® aluminium alloy. It offers more usable gas per cylinder, fewer refills, less patient visits, lighter loads, and crucially, from a patient perspective, significant lifestyle improvement thanks to better portability combined with increased duration per cylinder.

An added benefit, which isn’t provided by any other cylinder manufacturer, is our valving capability, which is ISO 13485 approved.

What is Luxfer’s position on innovation in this space?

Since the pandemic, Luxfer has continued to innovate to ensure market demands are met. A recent addition to our medical cylinder portfolio is the Non-Limited Life (NLL) medical cylinder. The NLL cylinder, which enables a lifespan beyond the typical 15-year and 20-year oxygen cylinder offerings, uses our L6X® aluminium alloy as an inner liner, reinforced with an aerospace-grade carbon fibre wrap. The result is an ultra-lightweight cylinder with improved levels of performance, durability, and capacity.

Are Luxfer’s medical oxygen solutions sustainable?

Despite oxygen cylinders being vital medical devices, their environmental impact can’t be ignored. At Luxfer, we’re committed to sustainable solutions:

Recyclable aluminium cylinders: We offer fully recyclable aluminium cylinders, minimising environmental impact.

Lifecycle optimisation: Sustainability extends beyond initial purchase. We prioritise cylinders that balance affordability and performance throughout their lifespan.

300 bar advantage: Luxfer champions the adoption of 300 bar cylinders. As these hold more oxygen, changeovers and refills are reduced, leading to lower transportation costs, reduced energy consumption, and fewer carbon emissions.

Luxfer proudly delivers cutting-edge medical oxygen solutions that address accessibility and environmental concerns. We empower healthcare providers to minimise their carbon footprint while keeping costs down.

Why choose Luxfer’s oxygen cylinders?

The pandemic underscored the life-saving necessity of medical oxygen. At Luxfer, we take pride in our role: manufacturing vital tools for healthcare heroes. Over 15 million Luxfer medical cylinders are used worldwide, providing oxygen in hospitals, clinics, homes, and care facilities.

Beyond medical oxygen, Luxfer’s expertise extends to:

SCBA cylinders: We’re a leader in self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) for firefighters, first responders, military and more.

Alternative fuel cylinders: We develop innovative hydrogen storage systems for a sustainable future.