AMBULATORY OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR CONTAINING A THREE PHASE VACUUM SEPARATION PROCESS

摘要

An oxygen concentrator (100) comprises an oxygen reservoir and adsorbent columns (130) that each have an inlet (132), an outlet (134), and a bed of adsorbent material (282). The concentrator (100) also comprises an air inlet (135), an exhaust outlet (177), and a vacuum pump (144) for pumping nitrogen rich gas from one of the column inlets (132) to the exhaust outlet (134). A product control pump pumps oxygen rich gas from one ofthe column outlets (134) to the oxygen reservoir (158). Acontrol valve (140) controls flow in and out ofthe columns (130) by selectively connecting the air inlet (135) to one column inlet (132), connecting the vacuum pump (144) to another column inlet (132), and connecting the product control pump (154) to a column outlet (134). A motor (146) drives the vacuum pump (144) and control valve (140) to produce vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) cycles in which oxygen-rich product gas is separated and accumulated in the reservoir (158).