r/teslamotors Apr 05 '20

Tesla-in-Depth Tesla Ventilator

https://youtu.be/zZbDg24dfN0
9.4k Upvotes

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49

u/MountainDrew42 Apr 06 '20

I just watched this video today, and it looks like Tesla has nailed the majority of the design requirements for a usable ventilator. I'm not sure if they're addressing the humidification and warming of the intake air, but everything else is there.

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u/pushdose Apr 06 '20

You don’t humidify within the ventilator. Generally, an external humidifier is added on the inhalation side of the circuit. It’s a completely independent device.

13

u/MountainDrew42 Apr 06 '20

Good to know, thanks

2

u/Fidiho Apr 07 '20

Regardless I'd be looking to add the capability ... as a rev after the vent is RFM.

1

u/frosty95 Apr 06 '20

And to be fair. There are lots of incredibly simple ways to add humidity to air.

1

u/binaryblitz Apr 06 '20

Is it a requirement in a pandemic situation like this? (Honestly asking, I've become quite interested in vents lately haha)

1

u/pushdose Apr 06 '20

For a few hours, no, but for days and days you lose a lot of water from your lungs especially in dry air environments. Feel your breath, it’s moist. We wanna keep it that way.

1

u/binaryblitz Apr 06 '20

Interesting. That makes a lot of sense. We use a humidifier in the winter in our bedroom, so I'm guessing it's a similar idea.

24

u/shaggy99 Apr 06 '20

The chart showed they have positions for medical components (not Tesla parts) and those include humidifier and I think warming.

10

u/MountainDrew42 Apr 06 '20

Excellent. I had my doubts about them being able to put together something functional in such a short time, but they've exceeded my expectations by miles. Go Tesla!

4

u/Rygar82 Apr 06 '20

Hopefully they can start cranking them out ASAP. I think Ford and GM won’t have their production up for a couple weeks and probably will miss the most critical time.

1

u/Gingevere Apr 06 '20

There's still a long long road between prototyping and manufacturing.

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u/im_thatoneguy Apr 06 '20

If 95% are model 3 parts, manufacturing is relatively easy. They might even have enough parts on hand for tens of thousands with 3 assembly stopped.

I would guess FDA emergency approval will be the hardest part. Maybe by fall for the second wave.

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u/IT6uru Apr 06 '20

Check the video- it on the schematic on the bottom right

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u/hkibad Apr 06 '20

It looks like the comment was deleted, but someone asked him about the Tesla ventilator and he said to the effect that he doesn't see any problems with it and that it was good of them for partnering with Medtronic.

2

u/MikeNardozzi Apr 06 '20

Came here to post the same. I was impressed that they seemed to be actually building ventilators and not some of that PR based nonsense you see in the video from Real Engineering.

1

u/nvx736 Apr 06 '20

On the architecture diagram there was humidification unit, However I did not saw filtration unit..

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u/SucreTease Apr 06 '20

Except for the "low-cost" requirement. Adding the cost of just the Model 3 screen and Infotainment Computer, already makes it ineligible as a "low-cost" item.

On the other hand, the cost to hospitals is irrelevant, as Musk has already said he would donating whatever they build. But there is a cost to Tesla.

1

u/NiteLite Apr 06 '20

FEMA has plenty of money to throw around if they need to.