Oxygen Concentrator

Overview

An oxygen concentrator makes a continuous supply of concentrated oxygen out of ordinary room air, so a patient with COPD, pulmonary fibrosis or other chronic low blood oxygen can have long-term oxygen therapy at home without refilling cylinders. Air is about 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen; the concentrator strips out most of the nitrogen and delivers what remains, roughly 90–95% oxygen, through a flow meter to a nasal cannula.

It does this with pressure-swing adsorption and no consumable beyond air and electricity. The Air Compressor pressurizes filtered air; the Molecular Sieve System separates the gases; the Delivery System section buffers and meters the oxygen; the Oxygen Purity Sensor confirms purity; and the Control Electronics runs the cycle while the Cooling System system carries away the heat of compression.

How it works

Separation rests on a property of zeolite: under pressure it adsorbs nitrogen far more strongly than oxygen. The Air Compressor, an oil-free reciprocating pump turned by an induction motor, pushes air into one Zeolite Sieve Column. As the pressurized air flows through the Zeolite Molecular Sieve, nitrogen sticks to the zeolite and oxygen passes through to the product side.

The two beds alternate. While one bed is producing oxygen, the PSA Rotary Valve and the Solenoid Vent Valve vent the other to atmosphere, dropping its pressure so the trapped nitrogen releases and the zeolite regenerates. The Relay outputs that drive those valves swap the beds every several seconds, so the Molecular Sieve System yields a near-continuous oxygen stream, this swing in pressure is what names the process.

Downstream, the Delivery System section feeds the pulsed output into a Product Tank that smooths it, then through a regulator and Flow Meter set to the prescription. The Oxygen Purity Sensor continuously checks purity and the Control Electronics alarms if it falls. Intake and product Filter Set keep both the machine and the gas clean, the Cooling System fan and aftercooler manage compressor heat, and the insulated Cabinet & Housing keeps the unit quiet enough to run beside a bed all night.