KATHMANDU, May 27: Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) has successfully completed the second phase of testing of oxygen gas cylinders made using local products. 

The oxygen cylinder has been prepared by a Nepali scientist by adopting international quality standards.

Dr Rabindra Prasad Dhakal, head Faculty of Technology Introduction at NAST, said that Dr Shankar Dhakal, a scientist at NAST who is involved in the work of making the cylinders completed the second phase of the test by switching on the cylinder on Sunday.

He said that the cylinders currently being produced are very safe. The cylinder tested on Sunday has a capacity of 515 kg/cm2 (515 bar). This means that the oxygen cylinder manufactured by Nepal has the capacity to withstand three times more pressure than required.

Oxygen gas cylinders are in short supply in Nepal as the risk of the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic is on the rise. As the shortage of oxygen cylinders is increasing in Nepal due to dependency, Nepali engineers and scientists have successfully tested the technology to manufacture cylinders on Sunday, mentioned NAST.

“The pressure capacity of the oxygen cylinder available in the market is 150 kg per square centimeter. Its safety arc capacity is only two and a half times at most,” Dr Rabindra Dhakal told Republica, "The safety arc capacity of the cylinder made by the scientists of NAST is three times more. We have made world-class cylinders using indigenous steel rods and feel proud to have succeeded.” 

He said that the process of seeking permission from the government to make the technology developed by NAST commercially available to private companies has already started. "We have received applications from three major companies in Nepal," he said.

After obtaining government permission from the Nepal Health Research Council, Nepal Standards and Metrology Department, and the Government of Nepal, NAST will proceed with the commercial production.

The process of getting permission has started. The companies have to pay NAST royalties on the basis of what they produce. He also said that NAST is now developing technology to test cylinder pressure. Discussions are underway with the UNDP for this.

 
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