WEC developer NEMOS joins fight against COVID-19

German wave energy developer NEMOS has started a project in the field of respiratory ventilators to support Covid-19 treatments.

Within the non-profit initiative Breathing Aid, a design has been developed that can be realized at large quantities with available industrial components.

This initiative is funded by the “Chancengleichheit” foundation and coordinated by Duisburg-based NEMOS and Mülheim-based NUMRAX.

The ventilator has been designed according to findings from Wuhan and Italy, using a constant pressure (CPAP) in combination with oxygenation. NEMOS is currently working on the build of a first demonstrator.

The device provides treatment of moderate pneumonia-type symptoms with a constant over-pressure air supply system at up to 18 mbar pressure (CPAP, Continous positive airway pressure). Air supply is provided by a centrally arranged compressor based on available industrial systems.

Each compressor can feed pressurized air for 30-50 patients via distribution tubing and individual masks.

Additional equipment like filters for the supply air, temperature and humidity regulation and oxygen supply are foreseen in the design.

The construction manual and further documents will be published open source to allow worldwide contribution to manufacture large number of devices in parallel.