OXYGEN RECOVERY PRESSURE SWING ADSORPTION PROCESS

摘要

A pressure swing process for air separation to produce concentrated gaseous oxygen at an elevated pressure without the requirement of further compression of the gaseous oxygen product. The process comprises the steps of compressing the feed air to a pressure in the range of approximately 45 psig to 105 psig, preheating the feed air to each of the adsorption beds to a temperature in the range of approximately 100.degree.F to 200.degree.F, then directing flow of the feed air cyclically into and through at least two crystalline zeolite molecular sieve adsorption beds for selectively adsorbing at least nitrogen therein. In this manner, oxygen having a purity of approximately 88% to 93% at a recovery of approximately 30% to 45% and a bed size factor in the range of 2,500 pounds to 4,000 pounds of absorbent per ton per day of oxygen can be delivered to a receptor tank at an elevated pressure of approximately 40 psig to 100 psig.