Technology

OGSI can provide you with an oxygen generator that will pay for itself in less than two years if you use more than one cylinder of oxygen per week. Starting at two standard cubic feet per hour (SCFH), the generators can be sized up to 5000 SCFH.

Utilizing Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Technology, you can produce oxygen on demand at a significant cost savings by connecting the OGSI generator to your air supply (systems with air compressors are available).

Approximately 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and .9% argon make up the air we breathe. The remaining gases make up the rest. The PSA Technology is used to separate the oxygen from the air. Zeolite is the molecular sieve at the heart of the procedure.

The sieve adsorbs or attracts nitrogen at high pressures, while desorbing or releasing nitrogen occurs at low pressures. Two sieve-filled tanks make up the OGSI generator. Nitrogen is adsorbed as high-pressure air (about 70 psi) enters the first tank and passes through the sieve. A buffer or storage tank receives the remaining oxygen and argon via pipe.

Feed air is moved to the second tank just before the nitrogen in the first tank is completely gone, and the process is repeated in that tank. After that, the first tank is vented to the outside, allowing the nitrogen to escape from the sieve and desorb. A small amount of oxygen is used to purge the first tank to finish the regeneration process. This procedure is carried out repeatedly until the requirement for oxygen is satisfied. The sieve will last indefinitely under normal operating conditions, including the use of clean, dry air for separation.

A PSA generator’s productivity is influenced by the required oxygen purity. With a relatively small increase in feed air, a generator can produce significantly more oxygen at 90% purity than at 95.4% purity. It is feasible for the user to alter the swing cycles on larger generators by means of a PLC or another controller based on microprocessors. Changing demand variables can be used to select and optimize flow and purity levels.