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Cylinder duration is inversely proportional to flow rate -- it's the cylinder's total available gas divided directly by liters-per-minute drawn off it -- so raising the flow rate from, say, 2 to 4 L/min roughly halves how long a full tank lasts. For any given cylinder size, it is the dominant lever on duration, which is why accurately tracking a patient's actual prescribed flow (not an assumed round number) matters for supply planning; switching to a larger cylinder size is the other major way to extend duration.

No -- continuous-flow duration for one full cylinder depends only on cylinder pressure, the cylinder factor, and flow rate; daily usage hours has no effect on that figure. What usage hours does change is total daily oxygen consumption and therefore how many cylinders are needed per day, since more hours of use per day means more total liters drawn even though each individual tank still lasts the same number of hours once in use.

By the conservation ratio entered, directly -- a 3:1 pulse-dose device roughly triples the effective duration of a full cylinder compared to continuous flow, because it delivers a bolus of oxygen only during inhalation rather than continuously through the breathing cycle. Real-world extension varies by device, breathing pattern, and how well the device senses inhalation, so this is an estimate rather than a guarantee.

They're illustrative estimates built from typical cylinder refill pricing and an average residential electricity rate, not live quotes from a specific supplier or utility -- actual refill costs vary substantially by region and supplier, and electricity rates vary by utility and time of use. Use them to compare the relative cost pattern between cylinder and concentrator options, and confirm actual pricing with your equipment supplier.