What is an oxygen concentrator?

An electric machine, about the size of a bedside table, that plugs into the mains, draws in room air and concentrates the oxygen from it, delivering it through long tubing so you can move around your home. It is the usual main supply for long-term oxygen and makes a low humming noise.

Why do I need a back-up cylinder?

Because the concentrator needs mains electricity, a back-up oxygen cylinder is provided in case it breaks down or there is a power cut. Know where it is and how to switch over. Telling your electricity provider you depend on a concentrator can help you get priority for power restoration.

What is a portable oxygen concentrator (POC)?

A small, light version of the home machine that runs on a rechargeable battery and can be carried on a strap or in a backpack. It makes oxygen from the air for going out, so it does not run out like a cylinder — but its battery does, so you plan around charge.

Nasal cannula or mask — what is the difference?

A nasal cannula is a thin tube with two prongs in the nostrils; it is the most common because it lets you eat, drink and talk. A mask covers the nose and mouth. Your team decides which suits you, along with whether flow is continuous or pulsed.

Who looks after the equipment?

The oxygen supplier installs it, explains safe use, services it, replaces faulty parts, and handles refills and deliveries, with a contact line for problems. In Singapore this is arranged through your hospital respiratory service and an oxygen supplier.

Oxygen Concentrators, Cylinders & Equipment

Written & reviewed by the BestDoctors.sg editorial team · Last updated 28 Aug 2026 · General information, not medical advice

“Home oxygen” comes in several forms of equipment, and knowing what you have — and what each part is for — makes daily life much clearer. Most people have a machine for use at home plus cylinders for back-up and for going out, along with the tubing and cannula that deliver the oxygen to you. This guide explains the main pieces of equipment in plain English, and the role of the supplier who looks after it all.

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In a medical emergency, or for severe or sudden symptoms such as breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting or stroke signs, call 995 immediately.

This is general information and does not replace your supplier’s and team’s instructions. Keep your back-up cylinder ready for power cuts, and keep cylinders and portable units upright and secure. Never smoke or allow flames near any oxygen equipment. Call 995 for severe breathlessness, blue lips, or new drowsiness.

The concentrator — your main supply

For most people on long-term oxygen, the main home supply is an oxygen concentrator — an electric machine, roughly the size of a bedside table, that plugs into a mains socket. It draws in room air and concentrates the oxygen from it, then delivers it to you through long tubing, so you can move around your home while connected. It makes a low humming noise. Because it runs on mains electricity, it needs power to work — which is why the next item matters.

The back-up cylinder

Your supplier should also provide a back-up oxygen cylinder in case the concentrator breaks down or there is a power cut. It is important to know where it is and how to switch over to it, so you are never left without oxygen. It is worth telling your electricity provider that you depend on a concentrator, as some keep a priority list for restoring power quickly. Keeping the back-up ready is a simple safeguard that brings real peace of mind.

Oxygen cylinders

Oxygen cylinders hold compressed oxygen gas in metal cylinders. They are used as back-up and for going out, and larger ones may be prescribed for people who need oxygen only for short periods. A cylinder holds a finite amount that runs down as you use it, so you need to keep an eye on the level and re-order before it runs low — a common tip is to re-order when you have about a day’s supply left. Cylinders must be stored and handled safely, upright and secured.

Portable oxygen concentrators

A portable oxygen concentrator, or POC, is a small version of the home machine — light enough to carry on a shoulder strap or in a backpack, running on a rechargeable battery (and able to run on mains too). POCs let people get out and about without carrying heavy cylinders, and are a common form of ambulatory oxygen. Like the home concentrator, a POC makes oxygen from the air, so it does not run out in the way a cylinder does — but its battery does, so you plan around charge.

Liquid oxygen

Liquid oxygen is less commonly used. Oxygen is stored very cold as a liquid, which means a small container can hold a large amount — useful for people who need higher flows. A base unit at home is used to refill smaller portable flasks that you take out with you. Liquid oxygen flasks must always be kept upright. Your supplier will explain the handling if this is the system you are given.

Nasal cannula, mask and flow

The oxygen reaches you through a delivery device. Most people use a nasal cannula — a thin tube with two prongs in the nostrils — because it is comfortable and lets you eat, drink and talk. Some use a mask over the nose and mouth. Oxygen can be delivered as a steady continuous flow, or, on some portable devices, as a pulse that releases oxygen only as you breathe in, to make a cylinder or battery last longer. Humidification — adding moisture — may be used at higher flows or if your nose gets dry. Your team decides what suits you.

The supplier’s role

The oxygen supplier installs your equipment, explains how to use it safely, services it regularly, replaces anything faulty, and handles refills and deliveries. They provide a contact number — often a 24-hour line — for problems. This means you are not on your own with the equipment: if a machine alarms or a cylinder runs low, there is someone to call at any hour, and the supplier can talk you through what to do. In Singapore, your equipment is arranged through your hospital respiratory service and an oxygen supplier, who together set up and support what you use at home. Ask them to show you how each piece works and where the controls are, so you feel confident using it from the first day.

Sources

Asthma + Lung UK — How is home oxygen delivered: asthmaandlung.org.uk
NHS — Home oxygen treatment: nhs.uk
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS — Home oxygen therapy: nth.nhs.uk
Asthma + Lung UK — Living with home oxygen: asthmaandlung.org.uk

General information only. This guide supports — but does not replace — the advice of your respiratory team and oxygen supplier, who set your oxygen and tailor it to you. Never change your own oxygen flow rate, and never smoke or allow naked flames near oxygen. Oxygen is prescribed for low blood oxygen, not to relieve breathlessness on its own. Call 995 if breathing becomes severe or does not ease as usual, if the lips or fingertips turn blue, for chest pain, or if the person becomes unusually drowsy, confused or hard to wake (a possible build-up of carbon dioxide from too much oxygen). If you are struggling emotionally, you are not alone — the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) are on 1767 and mindline.sg on 1771.

Oxygen Concentrators, Cylinders & Equipment (Singapore)