The secret of the turtle
Originally developed especially for respiration devices, the “Turtle Blower” has since become established as a robust universal genius
The housing is what gave the Turtle Blower its nickname. The small black plastic case with the five screw bosses and the blower outlet are reminiscent of a small turtle. The task that the apparent reptile fulfils is revealed by its product designation: CPAP centrifugal blower ECI 30.20. The compact blower was developed for medical respiration aids. It supports patients suffering from irregular breathing by ensuring that they have sufficient air supply. As the device is used right next to the patient’s bed, the little turtle has to be mainly capable of two things. Firstly, it has to be very quiet, and secondly it has to respond dynamically and positively to the patient’s respiration requirements. But it can do a lot more than just that.
Staying power
Ten years ago, engineers at ebm-papst in St. Georgen recognised that their expertise in air technology and drive engineering was predestined for use in developing blowers for helping sleep apnoea patients. The early devices were bulky and heavy. That changed in 2003 when the Swedish respiration device specialist Breas decided that it wanted to market a more user-friendly model, following the trend in medical technology of offering more compact devices that were not restricted to a specific point of use. Work started on the measuring rigs and in the development laboratories at St. Georgen: “The market for CPAP blowers was born in our laboratories in 1999, but the starting shot for the Turtle Blower was the joint project with Breas in 2003,” explains Product Manager Claudius Klose. “The ECI 30.20 drive that was developed then was the original model for the drive in the Turtle Blower.” The engineers converted the motor previously used from an external to an internal rotor motor, making a huge step in miniaturization possible. “The Turtle Blower is four times smaller than its predecessor, yet it has a greater power range and weights just half a pound,” summarises Klose. For use in CPAP respiration devices, the blower has to satisfy specific requirements. It supports the body’s respiratory reflexes with a controlled supply of air. Its air flow and pressure must be continually adapted to the patient’s own breathing. The blower drive must therefore be able to adjust its speed with extreme flexibility. The development engineers at St. Georgen designed the blower to be suitably dynamic for a maximum operating point at which a pressure variation of four to 20 millibars is possible within the space of 200 milliseconds.
Store at del.icio.us »