An assembly of equipment that holds a capacity of oxygen greater than _____________ is defined as a Bulk Oxygen System.

• A. 3000 ft3
• B. 10,000 ft3
• C. 20,000 ft3
• D. 28,000 ft3

Answer: (C)

The threshold for what counts as a Bulk Oxygen System is 20,000 cubic feet of gaseous oxygen. In hospital systems, small cylinder-based setups are handled differently from bulk storage and distribution arrangements. When the system stores more than 20,000 ft3, it’s treated as a bulk system, which means it typically involves larger storage (such as bulk dewars or bulk liquid oxygen), extensive piping to feed the facility, and stricter safety and regulatory requirements for design, operation, and maintenance. This distinction helps ensure appropriate controls, alarms, and safety measures are in place for large quantities of oxygen.

Therefore, the correct value to fill in is 20,000 ft3. Values well below this threshold describe non-bulk, cylinder-based configurations, while capacities like 28,000 ft3 also meet bulk criteria, the standard reference point used as the cut-off is 20,000 ft3.