| 摘要 |
Improved rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption processes with performance stability are provided to remove impurities, particularly water, in the design and operation of small, portable, rapid cycle PSA oxygen concentrators. A pressure swing adsorption process for the production of oxygen comprises the steps of: (a) providing at least one adsorption container having a feed end and a product end, the container comprising a first layer of adsorbent material adjacent to the feed end and a second layer of adsorbent material disposed between the first layer and the product end; (b) introducing a compressed feed gas comprising at least oxygen, nitrogen, and water into the feed end of the adsorption container, passing the gas continuously through the first and second layers, adsorbing at least a portion of the water from the adsorbent material of the first layer, and adsorbing at least a portion of the nitrogen from the adsorbent material of the second layer; and (c) withdrawing an oxygen-enriched product gas from the product end of the adsorption container, wherein the adsorbent material in the first layer is selective for the adsorption of water from a mixture comprising water, oxygen, and nitrogen, the adsorbent material in the second layer is selective for the adsorption of nitrogen from a mixture comprising oxygen and nitrogen, and a ratio of the surface area to volume of the first layer of the adsorbent material is in the range of about 5 to about 11 cm^-1 in the step(a), and wherein the superficial contact time of the compressed feed gas in the first layer is about 0.08 to about 0.50 sec in the step(b). |
