liquid oxygen

Liquid oxygen is a cryogenic form of pure oxygen (minimum 99.5% purity) that is produced by cooling and compressing atmospheric air until the oxygen component liquefies. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless in its gaseous state but appears as a pale blue liquid at extremely low temperatures (below -183°C or -297°F). In medicine, it serves as a high-purity source of supplemental oxygen for patients with respiratory disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pneumonia, and other conditions causing hypoxemia. Liquid oxygen is stored in insulated cryogenic tanks to maintain its low temperature; when needed for therapy, it is vaporized back into gas and delivered to patients via nasal cannula or mask. Its main advantage over compressed gas cylinders or concentrators includes higher storage efficiency (1 liter of liquid yields about 860 liters of gas), lighter portable units capable of continuous high-flow delivery (>3 L/min), and suitability for ambulatory use in active patients[2][5][6][10]. The mechanism of action involves increasing the fraction of inspired oxygen to raise blood/tissue O₂ levels.

Other names

liquid medical oxygenLMOmedical liquid oxygen