Overview
This design focuses on controlling the flow of air using a pressurized valve system. This design requires the use of both a flow and pressure sensor. By using solenoid valves, precise amounts of air may be provided to the patient by quickly opening and closing air valves. These valves, known as inline valves, can be found in the sprinkler section of most hardware stores. Although the most solenoids claim to require 24 VAC systems, they can easily be run using 12 VDC power supplies. These power supplies can be found in common house-hold appliances, such as a blender or lamp [15]. Using a simple transistor circuit (seen in Appendix III), an Arduino can precisely control the opening and closing of these valves. By integrating a flow and pressure sensor, the Arduino can control the volume of air provided to the patient, or the pressure in the patient’s pulmonary system (see the description for details). This system can also be used to augment the Impeller-based Ventilation System previously mentioned by ensuring that the air used is from a controlled source, allowing for precise oxygen percentage delivery. |