Liquid Oxygen

We’ve designed this website to be a resource for patients.  We want patients to know their options and to be able to discuss those options with their doctor.  This website does not offer medical advice.  It is not meant to replace the medical advice from a doctor or other medical personnel. ​ 

Access to Liquid Oxygen

Liquid oxygen is one of the best forms of supplemental oxygen, especially for high flow needs (4 liters per minute (lpm) or greater).  It requires a portable canister, and a reservoir from which the portable canister is refilled.

Unfortunately liquid oxygen is unavailable in most of the United States. To learn more about the advocacy efforts to make liquid oxygen more readily available, click here to learn more about the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act and how you can quickly contact your members of Congress to cosponsor this bill.

Liquid Oxygen versus Compressed Oxygen

Liquid oxygen is the preferred method of oxygen delivery for those with high flow needs (4 liters per minute or greater).  Liquid oxygen takes up less space and is considered safer too as it isn’t under pressure like compressed oxygen.

The graphic below shows a liquid oxygen tank or canister side by side with an E tank.  The liquid oxygen cannister shown can go up to 6 lpm continuous and will last 2 hours.  It weighs 5.6 pounds when full and 3.6 when empty.  Similarly, the E tank will last 1.9 hours at 6 lpm continuous flow.  However, the tank weighs about 8 pounds and typically requires a cart, which weighs another 7 pounds.  A regulator is also needed, and this can add at least half a pound, for a total weight of around 15.6 pounds, so almost 3 times as much when the liquid canister is full, more than 4 times as much when it’s empty.