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.

Lets 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