Planning for a PSA Plant


Briefing Note: PSA vs. VPSA vs. VSA Guidance

This resource outlines the differences between three types of oxygen generating plants: PSA plants, VPSA plants, and VSA plants.

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Site Assessment Form: Future PSA Plant

This form should be utilized to gather all of the necessary information to size the PSA plant, develop an oxygen delivery plan, identify an appropriate location for the PSA plant that considers environmental concerns, access issues, and programmatic needs, as well as gather information needed to develop plant house drawings.

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Electrical Assessment Form (Future)

This form should be utilized to gather all of the necessary information on the electrical infrastructure at a facility where an oxygen plant will be installed. This information will inform what electrical infrastructure modifications and additions are needed at the site to support the PSA plant.

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Briefing Note: Duplex PSA Plant Configurations

This document outlines the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of a duplex PSA plant configuration.

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Briefing Note: Centralized vs. Decentralized Approach to Oxygen Access

This document outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the two main approaches to oxygen access. Case studies are included.

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Briefing Note: Oxygen Purity Guidance 

This memo aims to address the range of oxygen purities advertised by manufacturers as well as requested by end users.

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Briefing Note: Cylinder Valves on High Pressure Oxygen Tanks

This document outlines the multiple competing valve designs for high pressure oxygen cylinders. These designs are due to competing valve standards and are generally not interchangeable. This can cause difficulties in purchasing the correct oxygen cylinders and accessories for a hospital. This resource is intended to inform persons of the different oxygen cylinder valve types available as well as to help them identify which cylinder valve type is currently in use in their area. This document does not recommend any specific cylinder valve type. It only recommends using the valve type most common in the local supply chain.

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Briefing Note: Cylinder Procurement 

This document outlines the multiple competing valve designs for high pressure oxygen cylinders. These designs are due to competing valve standards and are generally not interchangeable. This can cause difficulties in purchasing the correct oxygen cylinders and accessories for a hospital. This resource is intended to inform persons of the different oxygen cylinder valve types available as well as to help them identify which cylinder valve type is currently in use in their area. This document does not recommend any specific cylinder valve type. It only recommends using the valve type most common in the local supply chain.

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Overview: Oxygen Plant Site Considerations

This document contains checklists to assess potential locations for three types of PSA plant housing methods. These include existing rooms or buildings within the facility, a new plant building, and a containerized plant. The PR should use these checklists to evaluate spaces available on their facility campus to host the PSA plant. The checklists identify key considerations for ensuring adequate site readiness and are not exhaustive.

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PSA Plant Site Readiness & Infrastructure Work


Overview: PSA Plant Storage Guidance 

This resource details key considerations regarding where to store pressure swing absorption (PSA) plants that have arrived in country prior to the sites being ready to install and commission the equipment.

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Briefing Note: AVR Placement for PSA Plants

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on the placement of AVRs within the electrical system supporting PSA plants, as well as specifications for appropriately sizing AVRs.

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Briefing Note: Compressed Gaseous Oxygen Cylinder Management

This resource contains key information about compressed gaseous oxygen cylinders, including the hazards associated with the presence of oxygen cylinders at hospitals. Safety measures and considerations regarding how to store, transport and maintain oxygen cylinders are included, along with recommendations for oxygen cylinder inventory quantities that should be considered if oxygen cylinders are planned to be filled in a new PSA plant.

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Briefing Note: Energy Product Guidance 

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on the purchase of energy products to support the installation of oxygen plants.

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Briefing Note: Considering Pollution for Plant Location

This document summarizes various standard requirements for generator exhaust distances from air intakes of Medical Gas system and details BHI’s resulting recommendations

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Training Opportunities for PSA Plants


Oxygen Plant Maintenance Logs

The Daily Maintenance Checklist is used by PSA plant operators to facilitate visual inspections and data collection to identify any potential problems with the functionality of the plant. The Preventative Maintenance Log is used to identify and record the frequency in which maintenance activities are completed for each element of the plant. The Repair Log is used to record the details of all repairs conducted on the PSA plant throughout its life.

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Info Session: Project BOXER and Capacity Building

This powerpoint, presented in September 2023, outlines the trainings provided by BHI through Project BOXER.

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Maintenance Training One Pager 

One page summary of the Maintenance Training provided by BHI through Project BOXER.

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Management Training One Pager 

One page summary of the Management Training provided by BHI through Project BOXER.

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Post-Commissioning and Electrical Assessment Training One-Pager

One page summary of the Quality and Electrical Assurance Assessment Training provided by BHI through Project BOXER.

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Site and Electrical Assessment Training One Pager

One page summary of the Site and Electrical Assessment Training provided by BHI through Project BOXER.

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Repair and Electrical Assessment Training One Pager

One page summary of the Repair and Electrical Assessment Training provided by BHI through Project BOXER.

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Advanced Training One Pager

One page summary of the Advanced Trainings provided by BHI through Project BOXER.

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Maintenance Workshop Offering Menu

One page summary of the Maintenance Workshops provided by BHI through Project BOXER.

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Management Workshop Offering Menu

One page summary of the Management Workshops provided by BHI through Project BOXER.

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Overview: PSA Plant Maintenance Tool Kit Inventory

This resource is a list of tools that are most frequently needed for the required service of PSA plants. The inventory list includes the recommended quantity and purpose, as well as a general assessment of the local availability of the item.

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PSA Plant Maintenance Tool Kit Inventory: Booster Compressors

This document is a list of tools that are most frequently needed for the required service on different brands of booster compressors. The inventory list includes the recommended quantity, purpose, and approximate cost, as well as a general assessment of the local availability of the item.

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PSA Plant Commissioning & Operations


Overview: Oxygen Plant Commissioning Guidelines

The purpose of this document is to serve as a guideline for the requirements to commission a PSA plant. Requirements can vary between plants with different operating conditions, models, and manufacturers, and it is best to cross check with additional or unique manufacturer-specific requirements when available. BHI would not consider a plant commissioned until the below listed occurs. This document is intended to be used as a minimum standard and does not include every procedural step required for commissioning.

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Overview: Oxygen Plant Service Contract Guidelines

This document outlines essential considerations necessary for a comprehensive service contract for medical oxygen plants. It is intended for facility directorates and plant maintenance personnel.

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Overview: Oxygen Plant Warranty Contract Guidelines

This document outlines essential considerations necessary for a comprehensive warranty contract protecting medical oxygen plants. It is intended for facility directorates and plant management personnel to ensure the effective and continuous operation of oxygen plants throughout their lifecycle.

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PSA Plant Repair Assessment Form

This assessment form is utilized to collect data that can be used to evaluate whether or not an existing PSA plant can be repaired.

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Electrical Assessment Form (Existing Plant)

This form is used to gather all necessary information about existing electrical infrastructure at the facility where a PSA plant is already installed. This form is intended to pair with the Repair Assessment Form or Quality Assurance Assessment Form, to assess the electrical systems associated with existing plants for repairs or newly installed plants.

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Briefing Note: Oxygen Plant Staffing

This resource outlines factors to consider when determining the number of oxygen plant operators to hire for an oxygen plant. This document also contains example qualifications for an oxygen plant operator and their possible supervisors.

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Post-Commissioning Assessment (Advanced)

This document is a checklist that should be utilized to confirm that a PSA plant 1) has been correctly installed and 2) is performing optimally. Due to the highly technical nature of the checklist, it is recommended that only staff with the technical skillset and appropriate tools utilize this checklist as a means to verify quality assurance.

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Checklist for Oxygen Asset Handover

This checklist is designed to guide key stakeholders (e.g., Country Team, Principal Recipient, Sub-Recipient, Ministry of Health, Facility Directors, and plant staff) through the handover of an oxygen plant to the responsible party. It outlines essential activities to complete prior to handover, along with required documentation and technical conditions that must be understood by responsible parties and end users. As a practical, action-oriented tool, it complements existing technical guidance and supports a clear, orderly transition of oxygen equipment and responsibilities. Users seeking more detail are encouraged to consult the linked reference documents. This checklist is not exhaustive and can be adapted to suit different implementation arrangements and country contexts.

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Daily Maintenance Checklists – Expected Values

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on the expected values for oxygen plant daily maintenance checklists. Many of these values are manufacturer dependent and therefore, it is important that these values are confirmed with the manufacturer specifications.

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