Medical air plants for hospitals: the complete guide.

A PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) medical oxygen generator is a medical device that produces oxygen continuously from ambient air at the point of care. It separates oxygen from nitrogen using zeolite molecular sieves under alternating pressure cycles, delivering up to 95% pure oxygen directly to the hospital pipeline.

ULTRAOX was the first PSA oxygen plant certified as a medical device under the European Directive.

Yes. PSA-generated oxygen meeting pharmacopoeia purity standards (Oxygen 93, minimum 93% O₂) is clinically equivalent to cylinder or liquid oxygen and is appropriate for all hospital applications, including:

Mechanical ventilation, anaesthesia, neonatal care, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, surgical theatres, ICU bedside delivery, and emergency resuscitation.

Installation timelines vary by facility:

Indoor installation (ULTRAOX SC or ST) in a prepared technical room can be commissioned within 2 to 4 weeks of equipment arrival.

Containerised installation (ULTRAOX CO) can be operational in 24 to 72 hours, as systems arrive pre-assembled and require only utility connections.

Power consumption depends on production capacity. As a general reference, a system producing 20 Nm³/hour of oxygen typically consumes approximately 7 to 10 kW.

Ultra Controlo provides precise power specifications during the site assessment phase and offers UltraGreen renewable-energy compatibility for solar-powered or hybrid installations.

A well-designed PSA system requires periodic preventive maintenance every 6 to 12 months. This covers filter replacement, zeolite sieve inspection, compressor servicing, and calibration of the monitoring system.

Ultra Controlo's UltraCare programme provides scheduled preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance on demand, 24/7 international technical support, and a genuine spare parts service.

Yes. The World Health Organisation recommends on-site PSA oxygen generation as an appropriate method for producing medical oxygen in healthcare facilities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

WHO technical specifications for PSA oxygen generators are publicly available and consistent with the design parameters of certified systems like ULTRAOX.

A hospital PSA oxygen generator must hold:

CE marking under MDR (EU) 2017/745 as a Class IIb medical device. ISO 13485:2016 quality system certification for the manufacturer. Oxygen output compliant with EN ISO 7396-1 pipeline standards. Pharmacopoeia (Oxygen 93) purity grade.

ULTRAOX is certified CE 1639 under MDR Class IIb.

PSA generation produces oxygen on-site continuously from ambient air, eliminating delivery dependencies. LOX requires regular tanker deliveries from specialist suppliers and cold storage infrastructure.

PSA is typically more cost-effective above 10 to 15 Nm³/hour continuous demand and provides supply chain independence. LOX may suit very large urban hospitals with reliable supplier access and high daily oxygen consumption.

Yes. The containerised ULTRAOX CO system is specifically designed for deployment in extreme environments, including:

Deserts, tropical climates, high-altitude locations, coastal humidity, and sites with no existing technical infrastructure. ULTRAOX systems are operating in environments ranging from the Sahara to coastal Cabo Verde to high-altitude Andean clinics.

The capital investment in a PSA system is typically recovered within 12 to 36 months, depending on the facility's oxygen consumption and the local cost of cylinder supply.

Over a 10-year operational lifespan, savings often exceed 70 percent of the equivalent cylinder supply cost.

ULTRAOX consistently delivers oxygen at up to 95% purity, exceeding the minimum 93% purity required by both European Pharmacopoeia and United States Pharmacopeia for medical oxygen produced by PSA methods (Oxygen 93 grade).

ULTRAOX is engineered and manufactured in Lisbon, Portugal by Ultra Controlo since 1981.

The systems are deployed in hospitals, ministries of health, UN agencies, and NGO programmes across more than 80 countries, including Cabo Verde, Mali, Angola, Yemen, Peru, Bangladesh, and many others across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.