Numerical analysis of O₂ concentration, gas-zeolite temperatures in two zeolite columns for an oxygen concentrator

In order to improve the performance of a compact adsorption-type oxygen concentrator, it is necessary to develop an analytical method for a compact concentrator having two zeolite columns of 15–30 cm length. A method which computes the velocity of gas flowing through the zeolite column was developed by assuming that the total gas pressure over the entire area of the column is spatially uniform during pressure swing adsorption (PSA) operation. The energy conservation equation for gas includes flow work and gas enthalpy transport which occurs when gas adsorbs/desorbs at a surface of a zeolite particle. Spatial distributions of gas velocity, oxygen concentration, and gas-zeolite temperatures were analyzed numerically using these equations. The numerical results of the time dependent changes in the discharged oxygen concentration and the temperature distribution of the zeolite column were in agreement with experiment.