Experimental study on oxygen concentrator with wide product flow rate range: individual parametric effect and process improvement strategy

Abstract

Improvement on oxygen (O2) concentrator using pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology according to variable product demands is of great significance, which, for instance, provides the key step for success in practical O2 therapy for COVID-19 patients who need to be delivered with a wide product flow rate range (1–15 standard liter per minute (SLPM)) of medical O2 (purity > 82%). This work studied the individual effects of major PSA process parameters on O2 production performance at the product flow rate of 3.46–19.88 SLPM (0.64–3.68 SLPM per kilogram of adsorbent (SLPM/kg)), based on a self-designed two-bed PSA unit with a modified Skarstom cycle using Li-LSX zeolite adsorbents. The impro..