High Flow Calculations

C. Loewen 2009
 FiO2 Formula
• This formula takes known oxygen and air flows
and calculates the FiO2.

• FiO2 = (Air flow x 0.21) + (Oxygen flow x 1.0)

Total Flow
• Note:
– Air flow and oxygen flow must use the same units
– Remember that the oxygen in room air contributes to
the FiO2 as well! This will help you remember the
formula.
 FiO2 Formula Example
• What is the FiO2 when you mix 10 LPM of air
with 6 LPM of oxygen?

• FiO2 = (Air flow x 0.21) + (Oxygen flow x 1.0)

Total Flow
• FiO2 = (10 x 0.21) + (6 x 1.0)
16
• FiO2 = 0.506 or 50.6%
 Oxygen:Air Ratio
• The oxygen:air ratio can be found using a
formula, or by the “Magic Box” tool.
• The formula:
oxygen = FiO2 – 21
air 100 - FiO2

• Note: This formula uses percent FiO2 rather

than decimal (i.e. 21% rather than 0.21).
 Oxygen:Air Ratio Example
• What is the oxygen:air ratio to deliver 70% O2?
• oxygen = FiO2 – 21
air 100 - FiO2
• oxygen = 70 – 21
air 100 - 70
• oxygen = 49 = 4.9 = 1.63 parts oxygen
air 30 3 1 part air
• This is the part where most of the confusion
occurs. See the next slide for an explanation.
 Oxygen:Air Ratio Example (cont.)
• 1.63 parts oxygen
1 part air
• What this means is that there is 1.63LPM of
oxygen flow for every 1LPM of air flow.
• If I had 5 LPM of air flow, I would need
(5 x 1.63) or 8.15LPM of air flow to maintain a
70% oxygen concentration.
– This would result in a TOTAL flow of (5 + 8.15) or
13.15LPM.
 Oxygen:Air Ratio Example (cont.)
• Where this may get complicated is if you are
given an OXYGEN flow rather than an air flow.
– This is because you have to divide the flow rate rather
than multiply. Be careful with your math!

• Question: What is the total flow rate (FiO2 = 0.7)

with an oxygen flow rate of 5LPM?
– Use the same oxygen:air ratio as before (1.63:1)

• See the next page for the answer.

 Oxygen:Air Ratio Example (cont.)
• In this example, we still have 1.63LPM of
oxygen flow for every 1LPM of air flow.
• Careful here:
– Oxygen flow rate = 5LPM (from question)
– Air flow rate = (5 ÷ 1.63) = 3.06 LPM
• NOT (5 x 1.63) = 8.35! -- Air flow < oxygen flow.

• Total flow = (5 + 3.06) = 8.06 LPM

• To confirm your answer, use the FiO2 formula.
 Oxygen:Air Ratio Example (cont.)
• FiO2 = (Air flow x 0.21) + (Oxygen flow x 1.0)
Total Flow
• FiO2 = (3.06 x 0.21) + (5 x 1.0)
8
• FiO2 = 0.64 + 5
8
• FiO2 = 70% -- Exactly what we started with.
• You can always confirm your answer with this
method!
Magic Box
• The Magic Box puts the
formula into an easy to
remember form.

• The result is still a ratio

in oxygen:air form.
 Magic Box
• The Magic Box can help you get the right ratio,
but you must still understand the math to get
the answer right.

• Let’s use the Magic Box with the question we

used previously.
Magic Box Example
• From this Magic Box,
we get the ratio:

49:30 or 1.63:1

• Remember that oxygen

is on the left, air is on
the right.
• Solve the question as
before.
 Oxygen Flow Formula
• This formula lets you determine the oxygen flow
to set if you have a target total flow and target
FiO2.
– An example of this is an entrainment device.

• Oxygen flow = (total flow) x (FiO2 – 0.21)

0.79*
• The 0.79 comes from the percentage of the FiO2
that is not accounted for by the oxygen in air (i.e.
1.00 – 0.21)
 Oxygen Flow Example
• What should you set an oxygen flow meter at
to obtain an FiO2 of 0.35 with a total flow of
60LPM?
• Oxygen flow = (total flow) x (FiO2 – 0.21)
0.79
• Oxygen flow = (60) x (0.35 – 0.21)
0.79
• Oxygen flow = 10.6 LPM
 Questions
1. What is the oxygen:air ratio for 30%, and
what would the total flow be with an oxygen
flow rate of 5LPM?
2. What is the FiO2 when 6LPM of air and 6LPM
of oxygen are mixed?
3. What oxygen flow should be set to obtain an
FiO2 of 0.5 with a total flow of 70LPM?
 Answers
1. Oxygen:air = 0.128:1
Total flow = 44 LPM
2. FiO2 = 60.5%
3. O2 flow = 25.7 LPM