Vaporisers

PRESENTER: DR SHRAVYA
GUIDE : DR NILAY (SENIOR RESIDENT)
1. Definition
2. Some important terms
3. Ideal vaporizer
4. Factors affecting vaporisation
5. Classification of vaporizer and explaination
6. Modern vaporisers
7. Filling system
8. Interlocking system
9. Hazards
10. Description of some old vaporiser
 VAPORISER
Is a device that changes a liquid anaesthetic into vapour
and adds a clinically useful amount of this vapour to
FRESH GAS FLOW OR BREATHING SYSTEM
WHY VAPOURISER???
• All volatile anaesthetic agents are liquids at room temperature and
atmospheric pressure( 1atm). Cannot be delivered directly, need conversion to vapour
phase

• Inhalational agents are mainstay of anaesthetic practice.

• Highly potent(low minimum alveolar concentration) , highly volatile(highly saturated

vapour pressure) and can reach toxic levels fast

• Need to be delivered in small concentration along with oxygen as diluent

 Some important terms to be known
GAS : Any substance above its critical temperature

VAPOUR: A vapour is a gas phase of an agent that is normally a liquid at room temperature and
atmospheric pressure
It is below its critical temperature can be liquefied by increasing pressure

CRITICAL TEMPERATURE : Temperature above which a substance cannot be liquefied no matter how much
pressure is applied

CRITICAL PRESSURE :It is minimum pressure needed to liqueify a substance at its critical temperature
GAS CONCENTRATION : usually expressed as
partial pressure and volume percent

PARTIAL PRESSURE : In a closed container

molecules of gas or vapor are in random
motion as
They strike the walls of container and they
generate a pressure
That part of total pressure due to any one gas
in a gas mixture is partial pressure of that gas
It is a number and doesn’t change with
changes in ambient pressure
VOLUME PERCENT ( Vaporiser dials are
marked in this)
No.of units of volume of gas in relation to total
100 units of volume for total gas mixture and it
changes with changes in ambient pressure.
In a mixture of gases the pressure exerted by a
gas is proportional to its volume and the ratio
changes with changes in ambient pressure
PARTIAL PRESSURE/TOTAL PRESSURE
=V/V%
 SATURATED VAPOR PRESSURE
(MEASURES VOLATILITY OF LIQUID)

Consider a liquid agent in a closed container the space above liquid contains air and the agent in
vapour phase.
At equilibrium no of molecules entering and leaving vapor phase is constant .
When the air holds the max no.of molecules of vapor that it can hold at a given temperature it is
said to be SATURATED.
The maximum partial pressure that can be achieved at any given temperature is called SVP at
that temperature.
As it is pp SVP only changes with temperature and not with changes in ambient pressure.
LATENT HEAT OF VAPOURISATION
The energy needed to convert a liquid in to its vapour at a constant temperature.

SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY ( Applicable for design and construction of vapourisers)

Ability of a substance to retain heat without rise in temperature.
No of calories required to increase temperature of 1g of a substance by 1 degree C .

THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
Measure of speed with which heat flows through a substance .
Metals conduct heat from atmosphere to vapourising chamber when its in use, mass of
metal acts as heat skin .
The wicks are kept in contact with metal walls and coils so that heat lost as a result of
vaporisation can be replaced.
 Ideal vaporiser
Light weight , robust, durable
Easy to transport
Corrosion and solvent resistant
Leak proof , economical and safe to use
Require minimal servicing
Accurate over a wide range of fresh gas flow,liquid agent levels,ambient pressure and ambient
temperatures
UNAFFECTED BY : Heat loss due to vaporisation
Pressure changes down stream of vaporisation
Tilting of tipping
Compatible with vaporiser mounting and interlock system
Factors affect vaporisation
1. TEMPERATURE ( T increases= Vaporisation increases hence SVP increases)

2. VOLATILITY ( More volatile more loss of heat (liquid cools of and rate of vaporisation falls))

3. SURFACE AREA OF LIQUID ( Greater surface greater rate of vaporisation)

4. GAS FLOW OVER LIQUID

Classification
Pressure of fresh gas flow
needed(RESISTANCE)
Method of vaporisation
Method of regulating output
Temperature compensation
DRAW OVER Goldman, EMO, OMV
PLENUM Boyles bottle,tec series,drager
vapor, aladin cassette
Flow over without wicks GOLD MAN
Flow over with wicks EMO, OMV,TECH SERIES,drager
vapor ,aladin cassette
Bubble through Copper kettle
Flow over or bubble through Boyles bottle
Injection Maquet injector, drager
Variable bypass Tec 4, 5, 7 drager vapor 2000
Measured flow Copper kettle,maquet injector
Non temperature compensated Gold man
thermobuffered EMO, boyles bottle with jacket
Temperature compensated use as TEC 4,5,7
thermostat
Electrically heated electronically Desflurane vaporizer,aladin
monitored and regulated cassette, maquet injector
Agent specificity Agent specific TEC, drager, Desflurane
vaporisers
Multi agent Goldman,OMV,EMO,boyles bottle

Location in the circuit VIC Goldman

VOC Plenum vaporisers

 Classification
1. PRESSURE OF FGF NEEDED
Draw over
Plenum
2. METHODS OF VAPOURISATION
Flow over without wicks and with wicks
Bubble through or flow over bubble through
Injection
3 METHODS OF REGULATING VAPORIZER OUTPUT
Variable bypass
Measured flow
4 TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION
Non temperature compensated
Thermobuffered
Temperature compensated – use as thermostat
Electrically heated electronically monitored and regulated
5 AGENT SPECIFICITY
Agent specific
Multi agent
6 LOCATION IN THE CIRCUIT
Vaporiser inside the circuit
vaporiser outside the circuit
 1) PRESSURE OF FRESH GAS FLOW NEEDED
1. DRAW OVER ( Goldman, EMO, OMV)
FGF drawn over liquid vapouriser by patients inspiratory efforts or negative pressure at outlet
of vapourisers
The flow varies between 0L-60L /MIN in each cycle
Depends on patients minute ventilation and respiratory efforts
Inaccurate and inefficient and output falls due to two factors
1.Inadequate pick up of vapor at high flows
2.Limitation of flow splitting valve at low flows
Intrinsic resistance of vapourisers should be low not to interfere with patients respiratory
efforts
At high flows mixing is incomplete and FGF may not pick up any saturated vapor
When flow drops below 4L/min the resistance is so low that vaporisation chamber with
dense vapor is bypassed
altogether and vapouriser output falls significantly
 2 PLENUM ( boyles bottle, TEC series , drager, Aladin)

1.It ia a pressurised vapourisation chamber

2.Internal resistance is high so they need a pressurised source of FGF to carry the vapor
3.More accurate as they operate with in smaller range (0-15L/min)
4.The flow doesn’t change with respiratory cycle
5.As the flows are lower, there is enough time for saturated vapor to be present in vaporisation
chamber all the times
6.Calibration is more accurate
7.The amount of vapor delivered depends on the total FGF , which is operator dependent.
8.The pressurized gases are of a similar density as the vapor and mixing is more thorough than in
draw over vaporisers
9.The flow resistance across the vaporiser at a flow of 4L/min is 10cmH2O
 2) METHODS OF VAPOURISATION
FLOW OVER ( goldman , EMO, OMV,TEC, DRAGER, ALADIN)
FGF flows over surface over liquid anaesthetic
To increase vaporisation so should increase surface area so WICKS
AND BAFFLES are used
BUBBLE THROUGH ( COPPER KETTLE)
The carrier gas is passed through liquid agent
The bubbles substantially increase the surface area,achieving
complete saturation.
INJECTION ( MAQUET INJECTOR)
Vapouriser is injected in to carrier gas and atomises in to the flow as
there is no vaporisation occur in the chamber containing liquid there is
no loss of heat of vaporisation
Injection of volatile liquid ( MAQUET (FLOW))
 3) METHODS OF REGULATING VAPORIZER OUTPUT

A) VARIABLE BYPASS (tec 4,5,7, Drager vapor)

a) The stream of FGF splits in to two by rotatory valve and very small part enters the
vaporising
chamber and most passes through the bypass chamber
b) Thus,the flow to vapourising chamber is a part of total flow ,if the gas supply fail neither
carrier gas nor agent will be delivered to the patient
c) This ratio of bypass flow to vaporising chamber is called SPLITTING RATIO
BYPASS FLOW= TOTAL FLOW-VAPORISER FLOW
SPLITTING RATIO= TOTAL FLOW-VAPORIZER FLOW/VAPORISER FLOW
depends on a) Volatility of anesthetic agent
b) Temperatue
c) Dialled concentration
The thermostat is placed in bypass chamber, in
close proximity to liquid in vaporsing chamber
and sense the temperature of liquid in VC
Fall in temperature will cause more carrier
gas to flow to the VC and vice versa
The rotatory valve is located at outlet of VC . It
is variable resistance controlled by operator
The output of these vaporisers of these
vaporisers is determined by dynamic interaction
between two variable resistances
1)Rotatory valve
2)Thermostat in the bypass chamber
b) Measure flow (copper kettle, maquet injector)
The vaporiser output and diluent gases are
dialled separately ,the first such vaporiser was
copper kettle.
current measured vaporisers are injector
vaporisers which are electronically monitored
and will shut down in any case of irregularity ,
Hence they are safer in respect
The best safeguard is anaesthesia gas
monitoring at the patient end.
 FACTORS CAUSING VARIATIONS IN VAPORISER
PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN MODIFICATIONS
1. Temperature
Thermobuffering (water bath with Boyle’s bottle) or
Thermocompensation (TEC—bimetallic strip, invar rod, electropneumatic proportional flow valves
in the Aladin vaporizer) .
The mass of metal in the body of the vaporizer acts as a heat sink. Hence, substances with high
heat capacity are used
2 Flow rate( flow dependence):
When the rate of gas flow affects the concentration at the patient end, it is known as f
flowdependence.
At high flows, output falls due to inadequate mixing. At low flows, the pattern of flow becomes
turbulent and resistance increases. More gas passes through the bypass chamber
3 Backpressure Changes
Pumping Effect (Increased Vapor Output at Low Flows) This effect applies to plenum vaporizers
especially at low flow rates with intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV). More common if manual
ventilation or minute volume divider ventilators (Manley) are used. The pressure in the anesthetic circuit
and vapor chamber rises during inspiration. This drives some saturated vapor into the inlet path. It enters
the bypass when the pressure falls during expiration. The bypass is contaminated and will result in an
increased output. This, is minimized by increasing the internal resistance which reduces the back flow into
the vaporizing chamber. Other measures to prevent it include an outlet check valve. which maintains
constant pressure in the vapor chamber, and long high-resistance inlet pathways.
Pressurizing Effect (Decreased Vapor Output at High Flows) Applies to plenum vaporizers at
high flow rates during IPPV and is of minor significance. Positive pressure compresses the carrier gas, thus,
concentrating it. When the pressure is released
4) Liquid levels
5) Additive and agents
6) Carrier gas composition : Due to difference
in gas solubility , aur and nitric oxide are more
than oxygen,difference in viscocity and density
are different
7) Carrier gas flow
8) Effect of altitude: High altitude the boiling
point are lower ,so the agents like halothane
and isoflurane can boil.so specification are
given by manufacturing company stating at
altitude
MODERN VAPOURISERS
Variable Bypass
TEC 4
Classification: Plenum, variable bypass, flow-over with wicks, temperature compensated, agent specific
VOC.
Safety features • Allowable tilt is 180° • Antispill mechanism prevents the bypass channel becoming
contaminated with liquid • The vaporizer dial can only be turned on when properly seated and locked onto
the backbar.
Disadvantages • Difficulty in operating single handed • Frequent service required • Leakage of agent from
drain port • Can be overfilled if the vaporizer is in “on” position.
TEC 4. A. Schematic diagram. B. Line diagram.
1. Flow path when vaporizer “off”;
2. Fresh gas flow when vaporizer “on”; 3. Bypass
flow; 4. Thermostat; 5. Vaporizing chamber flow;
6. Convoluted path; 7. Teflon wicks with copper
nickel spiral;
8. Liquid agent; 9. Vaporizer outlet flow;
10. Concentration control dial; 11. Outlet check
valve
TEC 5
Improved design over the TEC 4, particularly ability to operate one-handed.
Classification: Plenum, variable bypass, flowover with wick, temperature compensated, out of system,
agent specific.
Greatest accuracy is at 15–35°C at 5 L/minute with dial settings less than 3%. At flow rates above 10
L/minute and with dial settings above 3%, the output falls. Below 15°C the thermostat is unresponsive and
output falls. Above 35°C the output is unpredictably high.
• Vaporizer output increases due to pumping effect. When air or nitrous oxide is used output falls at low
flows and rises at
TEC 5. A. Schematic diagram.
B. Line diagram.
1. Flow path when vaporizer “off”; 2. Fresh gas
flow when vaporizer “on”; 3. Bypass;
4. Thermostat; 5. Vaporizing chamber flow;
6. Helical channel; 7. Porous Teflon® wicks with
steel wire spiral;
8. Wick skirt; 9. Liquid agent; 10. Vaporizing
chamber outlet through rotary valve;
11. Concentration control dial
Improvements over TEC 4
• User friendly
• One-handed dial control. Finer gradations of scale at lower dial settings
• Service interval is 3 years
• Improved accuracy: –
Bypass chamber moved to the base contains an improved thermostat—bimetallic strip.
Thermostat has better contact with the temperature of the liquid – Tubular woven Teflon® wicks and baffle
system increase the surface area – Helical IPPV system and internal baffle system minimize the pumping
effect.
• Potential for leaks is minimized
• Capacity has increased from 125 mL to 300 mL so less
TEC 7
Classification: Plenum, variable bypass, flow over with wick, temperature compensated, out of system,
agent specific.
Capacity: 300 mL
Filling system: Wider selection of filler assemblies—funnel filler, Easy-Fil, Quik-Fil
Aladin Cassette
Classification: Plenum, variable bypass, acts as an injector when the cassette only contains vapor,
flow overwith wick, electronically temperature compensated, out of system, agent specific,
color coded cassettes for

Key point: The design is similar to conventional variable bypass vaporizers, but the factors
affecting vaporizer output—flow and composition of carrier gas, temperature and pressure in
the vaporizing chamber are sensed and altered electronically
Capacity: 225 mL
Filling system: Easy-Fil, Quik-Fil
(sevoflurane only) and Saf-T-fil
TEC 6
Tec 6
Dual gas and vapor blender
Electronic
Injection
Thermocompensated (electrically supplied heat)
Agent specific
Plenum
Out of circuit
Why different
High rate of evaporation 669mmhg @ 20 degree
Mac high
Boiling point 22.8
Mac is much higher ,large quantity will be needed over a time .Highly volatile ,cooling and less
output
Boil at room temperature and managing out put is difficult
 FILLING SYSTEMS
Draw-over Vaporizers
Most draw-over vaporizers (Goldman, Boyle’s bottle) consist of a channel and a glass chamber which
contains the liquid agent.
The chamber can be unscrewed from the back bar or gas channel and liquid poured in the unit. Draining is
recommended after use and during transport.
After draining the vaporizer, excess liquid is decanted into its container. This may be added to the wrong
container. Thus, leading to misfilling during subsequent use.
The filling and draining ports are common sites of leak if not tightened properly. Hazards are filling the
wrong agent, overfilling and environmental pollution. To overcome these hazards, there has been
progressive improvement in design. When ordering a vaporizer, it is possible to choose the filling system.
Screw Fill
The early plenum vaporizers had a filling port at the
bottom, and a liquid level indicator—sight glass.
The screw threaded stopper is unscrewed, agent
filled and stopper replaced.
Filling should stop when the level reaches the
recommended maximum on the indicator.
Hazards are filling the wrong agent, overfilling, and
environmental pollution.
Key Fill Systems
Agent Specific
1. The bottle with neck collar
2. The adaptor
3. The vaporizer filling port
Easy-Fill
The principle is similar to the key-fill system.
It is easier to use.
The port on the vaporizer has been modified with
corresponding modification to the distal end of
adaptor. The filler channel and the bottle adaptor
have grooves and ridges which align with each
other.
Each agent has a unique combination.
The bottle collar remains the same.
The corrugated tubing has been dispensed with. It
is provided with the TEC 7.
Quik-Fil
Abbott Laboratories produces sevoflurane bottles
which are sealed and the agent specific filling
device is fitted permanently on to the neck with a
tamper proof crimped metal seal. The bottle is
opened and inverted onto the filling port. A valve
opens when a slight pressure is applied on the
bottle and the agent enters the vaporizer.

Saf-T-Fil 2,4 Filling the TEC6

The system is for desflurane. It has a filler nozzle
which fits into the filler port vents spilling and
minimizes pollution.
VAPORISER MOUNTING SYSTEMS
PERMANENT MOUNTING
IT require tools to remove or install a vaporizer on the anesthesia machine.
There is less physical damage to vaporizers and fewer leaks.
If there is a malfunction and the vaporizer needs to be exchanged, it cannot be easily removed especially
with a case underway.
DETACHABLE MOUNTING
The vaporizers can be mounted or removed without using tools
The Select-a-tec system and a similar system from Drager Medical are widely used
They are standard on most new anesthesia machines.
The Select-a-tec system (first seen on TEC 4)
IT consists of a pair of port valves for each vaporizer position
The port valve has O-rings. If missing or misaligned, these are common sites of vaporizer leaks.
Each vaporizer has a mounting bracket which contains two plungers (spindles), which fit over the port valves. A seal is formed
between the vaporizer and the port valves.
On the back of each vaporizer is a locking lever. Before mounting a vaporizer, the locking lever should be unlocked; control dial
must be turned off. The adjacent vaporizer must be turned off.
The vaporizer is placed onto the mounting system and locked in position
After a vaporizer has been mounted: • Look at the tops of the vaporizers, they should be at the same height and level with each
other
• Try to lift the vaporizer. If it can be moved without unlocking, it is improperly positioned
• It should be possible to turn on only one vaporizer at a time
• The anesthesia machine must be checked for leaks with each vaporizer in both the “ON”
and “OFF” position.
The Drager Medical mounting system .
It has different dimensions. The Vapor 2000 vaporizer must be in the “T” (travel) position before it can be
unlocked from the machine.
This position isolates the vaporizing chamber and prevents liquid from passing into the bypass during the
time that the vaporizer is not on the machine.
The Dräger Vapor 2000 and Aladin cassette are the only vaporizers which are not affected by tipping.
ADVANTAGES
Replacement is possible during a case.
If malignant hyperthermia is a potential problems ,the vapouisers can be removed all together.
INTERLOCK DEVICES
These are vaporizer exclusion systems which prevent more than one vaporizer
from being turned on at the same time
When the dial release on the Datex-Ohmeda/GE vaporizers is unlocked and
the dial moved a pin moves two extension rods

The Dräger vaporizers have a vapor exclusion system whichn consists of

notches on the back of the concentration controldials

In the Dräger Interlock II system the operator moves a rod to release the
concentration control dial of the vaporizer to be used.
This locks the dial of the other vaporizer in place.
HAZARDS
1. Misfilling : if occurs the vapouiser should be drained and flushed until no agent at outlet.
2. Tipping: mostly in detachable mounting system not affected are ALADIN CASETTE AND
DRAGER VAPOR 2000 IN T POSITION
3. Leaks : common sites FILLINR PORT &O RINGS
4. Overfilling :leads to loss of surface area and decrease in vapourisation
5. No output : MOST COMMON CAUSE IS EMPTY VAPOURISER
6. Reversal of flow : due TO MIS ALIGNMENT AFTER SERVICING
7. projectilE : IF ferro magnetic material is present it act as PROJECTILE.
SAFETY FEATURES OF VAPORIZERS
• Clear color-coding indicator on the vaporizer and agent bottle
• Agent specific filling systems with sealed bottles
• Agent level indicators
• Mounting systems with interlock to prevent simultaneoususe of two vaporizers
• Filling port is low to avoid overfilling
• Electronic vaporizers have audiovisual alarm systems whichdetect malfunction—tilting, low agent and
low temperature
• Agent monitoring allows detection of misfilling, overdose and low output. The use of this monitor
prevents incidencesof accidental awareness.
SEQUENCE OF VAPORISERS
• The more volatile agents (highest SVP) are placed downstream
• The more potent agents are placed downstream so that an overdose is unlikely during subsequent use,
even if contamination occurs
• Placing agents which have toxic byproducts, downstream prevents contamination of other vaporizers.
 DRAW OVER VAPORISERS
FLAGGS CAN(KEM BOTTLE)
Drawover, flowover without wicks,
Non-temperature compensated
Multiple agents.
This is an improvised vaporizer designed for
use in the field
screw-on lid which has multiple perforations
for air entrainment.
The lid incorporates two tubes one of which
can be connected to oxygen. The other is
longer and is connected to an oral airway
orthe endotracheal tube. It carries air enriched
with ether vapor.
 GOLDMAN

Drawover, flowover,
Non-temperature compensated,
Multiple agents- noncalibrated, VIC/VOC
Originally designed for use in dental anesthesia
Output can be increased by wiping away water
of condensation from the surface or wrapping
with warm gamgee.
OXFORD MINIATURE VAPORISER
Drawover, flowover,
Non-temperature compensated but buffered,
Multiple agent—
Advantages: Portable, multiagent (can be used
with any agent other than desflurane, when
appropriate dial is put in place),
robust and minimal servicing.
 MACINTOSH OXFORD ETHEREPSTEIN
INHALER
Drawover, variable bypass, flowover.
Non-temperature compensated,but buffered.
Multiple agent.
 PLENUM VAPOURISERS
BOYLES ETHER VAPORISER

Classification
Plenum, flowover and/or bubble through.
Non-temperature acompensated( water bath
may be used as thermobuffering)
Multiple agents—ether, trichloroethylene,
chloroform, methoxyflurane and VOC.
COPPER KETTLE
Classification

Plenum, Measured flow, Bubble through.

Non-temperature compensated but has heat sink.
Multiple agents
SIEMENS KION
Principle
If a small amount of volatile agent is added to the FGF, ensuring its complete vaporization, there would be
no need for flow splitting.
Manufacturer
Siemens in 1980s, for use with the Siemen’s 900D ventilator.
Classification
Plenum, concentration calibrated injector, no
thermocompensation needed, agent specific
Filling system: Agent specific system with different
collars and port adaptors for each agentSiemen’s
KION vaporizer.
1. Fresh gas flow; 2. Bellows; 3. Bellows;
4. Vaporizer on-off valve; 5. Concentration control
dial; 6. Variable
resistance throttle valve; 7. Flow to bellows; 8. Flow
to vaporizer; 9. Liquid
agent; 10. Injector nozzle; 11. Vaporizer outlet
 HOW MUCH LIQUID DOES A VAPOURISER USE PER HOUR

AVAGADRO HYPOTHESIS
At constant temperature and pressure equal volumes of all gases
HALOTHANE 213.7ML
contain same no.of molecules
Then ml of vapour/ml of liquid= density*22.4*100/molecular weight ISOFLURANE 194ML
*273+21/273
SEVOFLURANE 164ML
for most commonly used agents it is about 200ml of vapour /ml of
liquid DESFLURANE 194.6ML

EHRENWERTH AND EISENKRAFT FORMULA

ml of liquid used per hour = 3*FGF(L/min)*dial setting (v/v%)