ITS Chancellor Prof Dr. Ir Mochamad Ashari MEng, when delivering his remarks at the soft launching of ITS Oxygen Concentrator (OXITS)

Kampus ITS, ITS News – The phenomenon of the oxygen crisis among the public continues to peak due to the increase in Covid-19 cases in Indonesia. Answering this problem, the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) innovated an oxygen concentrator device demonstrated at the same time as a soft launch at the ITS Rectorate Building, Friday (6/8).

In his remarks, ITS Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ir Mochamad Ashari MEng stated that the ITS Oxygen Concentrator (OXITS) could replace the role of oxygen cylinders needed by the community. Oxygen has now become a rare item since the surge in Covid-19 cases in Indonesia. “OXITS is expected to meet the oxygen needs of the wider community,” said the rector, who is familiarly called Ashari.

OXITS Research Team Leader Fadlilatul Taufany ST Ph.D. when explaining the OXITS innovation designed by his team

Meanwhile, Fadlilatul Taufany ST Ph.D. as the Chair of the OXITS Research Team explained, due to the low oxygen saturation in the blood of Covid-19 positive patients, they need a high concentration of oxygen supply. In contrast, the oxygen level in the air is only around 21 percent. “This OXITS can produce pure oxygen at a concentration of 93 ± 3 percent or at least 90 percent,” said the Head of the Sub-Directorate of Research and Scientific Publications, Directorate of Research and Community Service (DRPM) ITS.

Furthermore, the ITS Chemical Engineering Department lecturer added that in addition to oxygen, free air also contains around 78 percent nitrogen and the rest are other gases. “The working principle of OXITS itself is to take free air and purify it from nitrogen content through pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology,” explained the man who is familiarly called Taufany.

ITS Chancellor Prof Dr. Ir Mochamad Ashari MEng (sitting left) and Fadlilatul Taufany (sitting right) while demonstrating OXITS in front of the media crew

Taufany explained that the air absorbed by OXITS would go through a filter first to filter out particles more than 5 microns in size. Then the air will be compressed to increase the air pressure. “During the compression process, the cooling mechanism continues to run to keep the concentrator from overheating and improve PSA performance,” he explained.

Then, the continued zeolite filter will absorb Taufany, the nitrogen contained in the air, to purify the air. Two-column units work alternately: a column to absorb nitrogen and a column that removes nitrogen trapped in the zeolite. “The zeolite in OXITS can be used in the long term,” he said.

ITS Chancellor Prof Dr. Ir Mochamad Ashari MEng (standing four from the left) and Laksma TNI Arif Harnanto ST MEng (standing three from the left) with the OXITS research team

The National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) alumnus explained that air free of nitrogen content would be adjusted and regulated in advance for pressure and flow with existing electronics before oxygen flows. “OXITS innovation is by WHO – UNICEF health standards,” he assured.

Finally, in the event which was also attended by First Admiral TNI Arif Harnanto ST MEng as Head of the Research and Development Center for Defense Equipment Equipment (Alpahan) of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemhan RI), Ashari hoped that OXITS could ease the burden on people who desperately need oxygen supplies during the pandemic. . “Hopefully this (ITS) work can make things better, and the pandemic can end quickly,” he said hopefully. (ITS Public Relation)

Front view of OXITS

Reporter: Frecia Elrivia Mardianto