The Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) has set up a cylinder filling station to supply medical grade oxygen.
The public sector undertaking’s ₹50-crore oxygen plant with a capacity of 70 tonne per day (TPD) had been distributing medical oxygen in tankers so far. With the establishment of the new facility, filled cylinders from the company can be used directly in hospitals.
In emergency situations like COVID-19, medical oxygen cylinders can be filled 24 hours a day, providing a strong support to the health sector. Currently six cylinders with a capacity of seven cubic metres can be filled every hour at the station. The filling station has a Korean-made compressor while the facility was set up by company staff themselves.
KMML managing director J.Chandrabose inaugurated the station, established by spending ₹50 lakh sanctioned by the government, recently.
After the old oxygen plant at the KMML fell inadequate to meet the demand for the production of titanium dioxide pigment (TP), company’s flagship product, it was replaced by a new plant in 2020. While 63 tonnes of oxygen produced by the plant goes to its TP unit, the rest seven is used to produce medical oxygen. There has been consistent demand for medical oxygen since the plant was opened and KMML had been supplying it to various agencies at the instruction of the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO) during the pandemic.
“The KMML was able to provide oxygen to Kerala and neighbouring States when the entire nation was struggling to meet the unprecedented demand for medical oxygen during COVID-19. During that period, the production of liquid oxygen was increased from seven to ten tonnes. The company had also set up 854-bed second-line treatment centre at Shankaramangalam and the oxygen required for the facility was provided directly from the plant,” said officials.
