Sliding vane vacuum compressor integrated machine, vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system and method

Abstract

A sliding vane vacuum compressor integrated machine, a vacuum pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation system, and a method are disclosed. The sliding vane vacuum compressor integrated machine achieves simultaneous air compression and vacuum generation after adsorption by adopting an integrated structural design for the compression and vacuum modules. It uses a graphite rotor and PEEK vanes to achieve oil-free lubrication, reducing friction loss and improving the efficiency of compression and vacuum generation. The power transmission mechanism ensures synchronous power transmission between the compression and vacuum modules, enabling coordinated operation. The heat dissipation and noise reduction components reduce heat accumulation and noise pollution during equipment operation through a structural design that reduces cylinder material usage and increases the heat dissipation surface area, combined with baffles and silencing chambers based on the Helmholtz resonator principle. This invention solves the problems of high power consumption, low oxygen recovery rate, poor adsorption and regeneration effect, complex system, difficulty in miniaturization, high noise, and inability to continuously output oxygen in small household oxygen generators using conventional PSA technology.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of compressor technology, specifically relating to a sliding vane vacuum compressor integrated machine, a vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system and method. Background Technology

[0002] Vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) is a highly efficient separation process based on the selective adsorption of gases by adsorbents. Its core principle is to enrich and extract high-purity oxygen by using the strong adsorption capacity of adsorbents such as molecular sieves for impurities such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide in the air through periodic pressure changes of alternating pressurization adsorption and vacuum desorption.

[0003] Currently, most small-scale household oxygen generators use conventional pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology, which achieves oxygen separation through a single pressurization-depressurization cycle. This has significant limitations in terms of energy consumption, oxygen recovery rate, and adsorption regeneration effect, as detailed below:

[0004] High energy consumption: Conventional PSA oxygen generation technology only uses pressurization and natural depressurization to regenerate the adsorbent. This method results in incomplete desorption of nitrogen and other impurity gases, thereby increasing the energy consumption for adsorbent regeneration and raising the overall power consumption.

[0005] Low oxygen recovery rate: Because the natural depressurization process cannot effectively reduce the pressure of the adsorbent to a sufficiently low level, residual impurities such as nitrogen cannot be fully desorbed, which reduces the oxygen recovery rate and the oxygen utilization rate is not high.

[0006] Poor adsorption regeneration effect: The natural depressurization regeneration process is not only energy-intensive but also inefficient, and cannot completely remove impurities from the adsorbent, affecting the purity and yield of subsequent oxygen.

[0007] In comparison, the VPSA oxygen generation system demonstrates significant advantages in terms of energy consumption and efficiency:

[0008] On the one hand, the introduction of vacuum pumps significantly reduces the lower pressure limit of the desorption stage, making nitrogen desorption more thorough, adsorbent regeneration more effective, and oxygen recovery rate more efficient.

[0009] On the other hand, the desorption process in a vacuum environment reduces the interference of residual gas on the next cycle, and with the pressure equalization energy recovery design, the overall power consumption is reduced.

[0010] However, because VPSA oxygen generation systems need to simultaneously achieve pressurized adsorption and vacuum desorption, the system must integrate two power units: an air compressor and a vacuum pump, supplemented by precisely controlled high-pressure / vacuum valve assemblies, pressure buffer tanks, and multi-stage filtration devices. This results in a large device size and complex piping layout, posing multiple challenges, especially to miniaturization design. Furthermore, most small home oxygen concentrators on the market use a double-row piston structure, which generates significant noise during operation and, due to its piston-like working principle, cannot achieve continuous and stable oxygen output, affecting user experience and the device's applicability. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The purpose of this invention is to address the problems in the prior art by providing a sliding vane vacuum compressor integrated machine, a vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system and method, which can avoid the problems of discontinuous gas output and high noise, reduce operating costs, and improve oxygen recovery rate. At the same time, the use of a sliding vane vacuum compressor integrated structure makes the oxygen generation system structure simpler and improves energy efficiency.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0013] Firstly, a sliding vane vacuum compressor is provided, comprising a motor, and a compression module and a vacuum module mounted on both sides of the motor. The compression module and the vacuum module have the same structure, each including a cylinder with an air inlet and an exhaust outlet. A rotor is installed inside the cylinder, and a sliding vane is installed on the rotor with radial slots. As the rotor rotates, the sliding vane is driven to press against the inner wall of the cylinder, thereby forming a continuously changing volume. The rotors of the compression module and the vacuum module are respectively connected to both ends of the motor shaft, so that the compression module and the vacuum module work and operate simultaneously under the drive of the motor. The cylinder also has two large cavities symmetrically opened inside, which are respectively connected to the air inlet and the exhaust outlet. Each of the two large cavities has a channel, and a partition is installed in the channel to divide the two large cavities into an air inlet cavity, an air inlet silencing cavity, an exhaust cavity, and an exhaust silencing cavity. Based on the Helmholtz resonator principle, the air inlet silencing cavity and the exhaust silencing cavity reduce the aerodynamic noise of the air inlet cavity and the exhaust cavity, respectively.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment, the cylinders of the compression module and the vacuum module are respectively provided with a front end cover and a rear end cover, which are sealed by applying adhesive or using sealing strips; the rotor is made of graphite material, and the sliding vane is made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material, and the combination of the two achieves oil-free lubrication.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment, the air inlet and the exhaust outlet are opened perpendicularly to the axial direction. The air inlet leads to the corresponding passage of the front end cover and enters the working chamber along the axial direction, while the exhaust outlet leads from the working chamber to the corresponding passage of the front end cover and enters the exhaust chamber.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment, both the compression module and the vacuum module have fins on their cylinders to reduce material usage and enhance the heat dissipation performance of the working chamber.

[0017] Secondly, a vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system employing the aforementioned sliding vane vacuum compressor is provided, comprising an air filter connected to an air inlet, the air filter being connected to a compression module of the sliding vane vacuum compressor via a first silencer, and the outlet of the compression module being connected to a heat exchanger; one outlet of the heat exchanger is connected to a ninth pipeline, on which a first vent valve and a second silencer are installed, and the other outlet is connected to molecular sieve tower A via a first pipeline and to molecular sieve tower B via a sixth pipeline; the outlet of molecular sieve tower A is connected to a third gas path, and the outlet of molecular sieve tower B is connected to... The fifth gas path connects to the oxygen storage tank via the eighth gas path, and the third and fifth gas paths are also connected via the fourth gas path. The outlet of the oxygen storage tank is sequentially connected to an oxygen concentration sensor, an oxygen filter, a flow meter, a flow regulator, and a humidification bottle. The outlet of the humidification bottle leads to the user. The second pipeline connected to molecular sieve tower A and the seventh pipeline connected to molecular sieve tower B are respectively connected to the vacuum module of the sliding vane vacuum compressor. A second vent valve and a third silencer are installed on the connecting pipelines. The outlet of the vacuum module is connected to the nitrogen outlet via the fourth silencer.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment, molecular sieve tower A and molecular sieve tower B operate alternately, switching between them during adsorption and desorption processes. The switching process is coordinated and controlled by the control system to achieve continuous and stable oxygen production.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment, a first solenoid valve is installed on the first pipeline, a second solenoid valve is installed on the second pipeline, a third solenoid valve is installed on the sixth pipeline, a fourth solenoid valve is installed on the seventh pipeline, a fifth solenoid valve is installed on the fourth gas line, a sixth solenoid valve is installed on the third gas line, a seventh solenoid valve is installed on the fifth gas line, an eighth solenoid valve is installed on the eighth gas line, and a ninth solenoid valve is installed between the oxygen concentration sensor and the oxygen filter.

[0020] Thirdly, a control method for the vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system is provided, comprising: under control, the vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system performs processes of gas intake, gas production, pressure drop equalization, reverse vacuuming, cleaning, and pressure rise equalization, the execution of each process is regulated by the opening and closing of valves, and the cycle time is dynamically adjusted according to the adsorbent performance, gas flow rate, and purity.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment, during the air intake process, molecular sieve tower A intakes and adsorbs nitrogen, while molecular sieve tower B is evacuated to desorb nitrogen. The first and fourth solenoid valves are opened, and the remaining solenoid valves are closed. When the molecular sieve adsorption reaches full load, the gas production process begins. If, at this time, molecular sieve tower B has not reached the required vacuum level, the first solenoid valve is closed, and the first vent valve is opened to vent the compressed air generated by the compression module of the sliding vane vacuum compressor. At the same time, the vacuum module continues to operate until the required vacuum level is reached, then the first vent valve is closed, and the first solenoid valve is opened.

[0022] In the gas production process, the first, fourth, sixth, eighth, and fifth solenoid valves are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed. The enriched oxygen produced by molecular sieve tower A enters the oxygen storage tank through the third gas path and then through the eighth gas path, and enters molecular sieve tower B through the fourth gas path. High-pressure enriched oxygen is used to flush molecular sieve tower B. After the oxygen concentration in the oxygen storage tank is detected by the oxygen concentration sensor and meets the standard, the ninth solenoid valve is opened, and the gas is released to the user.

[0023] During the pressure equalization process, the first vent valve, the sixth solenoid valve, and the seventh solenoid valve are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed, allowing the compressed air generated by the compression module to be vented. When the sixth and seventh solenoid valves are opened, molecular sieve tower A and molecular sieve tower B are connected to equalize the pressure.

[0024] In the reverse vacuuming process, molecular sieve tower A is evacuated to desorb nitrogen, while molecular sieve tower B is evacuated. The second and third solenoid valves are opened, and the remaining solenoid valves are closed. The vacuum module evacuates molecular sieve tower A, which has reached full load, so that nitrogen is desorbed and discharged from the molecular sieve. If molecular sieve tower A has not reached the required vacuum level at this time, the third solenoid valve is closed and the first vent valve is opened to ensure that the vacuum module continues to operate until the required vacuum level is reached. Then, the first vent valve is closed and the third solenoid valve is opened.

[0025] During the cleaning process, the second, third, fifth, seventh, and eighth solenoid valves are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed. The oxygen generated by molecular sieve tower B enters the oxygen storage tank through the fifth gas path and then through the eighth gas path, and enters molecular sieve tower A through the fourth gas path. High-pressure enriched oxygen is used to flush molecular sieve tower A. When the oxygen concentration in the oxygen storage tank meets the standard as detected by the oxygen concentration sensor, the ninth solenoid valve is opened, and the oxygen is released to the user.

[0026] During the pressure equalization process, the first vent valve, the sixth solenoid valve, and the seventh solenoid valve are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed, so that the pressures of molecular sieve tower A and molecular sieve tower B are the same; the second vent valve is normally closed.

[0027] As a preferred solution, when the molecular sieve tower pressure exceeds the limit, the temperature is abnormal, or the valves malfunction, all valves should be immediately closed and a safety pressure relief mechanism should be activated.

[0028] All valves employ a slow-opening and slow-closing strategy to reduce the damage to the molecular sieve caused by airflow impact.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0030] The innovative design of the sliding vane vacuum compressor, through its simplified structure, integrated functions, and self-lubricating materials, achieves oil-free lubrication and effectively solves the miniaturization challenge of vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) oxygen generation technology. Furthermore, the cooperation between the vane and rotor significantly outperforms traditional piston structures in terms of noise reduction, continuous oxygen supply, and energy efficiency, providing technical feasibility for high-efficiency oxygen generation equipment in home and portable medical settings. This invention represents an innovation in the field of small-scale home oxygen generation. While most small-scale home oxygen generators utilize pressure swing adsorption, this invention, employing vacuum pressure swing adsorption technology, boasts lower power consumption, higher oxygen recovery rates, and better adsorption-regeneration effects. The integrated sliding vane vacuum compressor structure simplifies the device structure, enhances functionality, and effectively addresses the system complexity and miniaturization challenges inherent in the technological advantages of VPSA. The use of a sliding vane compressor results in a more compact structure, eliminates valves, and provides continuous exhaust, offering advantages over piston structures. This invention achieves stable system operation by dynamically controlling pressure and flow rate and optimizing the adsorption-desorption cycle sequence in real time. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system using a sliding vane vacuum compressor integrated machine in this embodiment of the invention;

[0033] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the sliding vane vacuum compressor of this invention;

[0034] Figure 3 Exploded view of the internal structure of the sliding vane vacuum compressor of this invention (embodied in an embodiment);

[0035] Figure 4 Flowchart of the control method for the vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system in this embodiment of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art can obtain other embodiments without creative effort.

[0037] It should be noted that in the description of the embodiments of the present invention, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", "front end", "rear end", "head", "tail", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0038] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The sliding vane vacuum compressor of this invention includes a motor 32, and a compression module 31 and a vacuum module 33 mounted on both sides of the motor 32. The compression module 31 and the vacuum module 33 have the same structure, each including a cylinder 312 with an air inlet 313 and an exhaust port 314. A rotor 315 is provided inside the cylinder 312. The rotor 315 has radial slots and is equipped with sliding vanes 316. As the rotor 315 rotates, it can drive the sliding vanes 316 to press against the inner wall of the cylinder, thereby forming a continuously changing volume. The rotors 315 of the compression module 31 and the vacuum module 33 are respectively connected to both ends of the motor shaft 35 of the motor 32. The motor 32 is connected by key 319 and pin 320, driving the compression module 31 and vacuum module 33 to work simultaneously. Both the compression module 31 and vacuum module 33 are fixed on the bracket 34. The cylinder 312 also has two large cavities symmetrically opened inside. The two large cavities are connected to the air inlet 313 and the exhaust port 314 respectively. Both large cavities are provided with channels. A partition 317 is installed in the channel to divide the two large cavities into an air inlet cavity, an air inlet silencer cavity, an exhaust cavity, and an exhaust silencer cavity. Based on the Helmholtz resonator principle, the air inlet silencer cavity and the exhaust silencer cavity reduce the aerodynamic noise of the air inlet cavity and the exhaust cavity respectively.

[0039] In a vane-type vacuum compressor, the cooperation between the vane 316 and the rotor 315 is crucial for achieving compression and vacuum functions. In one possible implementation, the rotor 315 is designed with an eccentric structure. This design allows the rotor 315 to form a working chamber with varying volume as it rotates inside the cylinder 312, thereby achieving gas compression and expansion. The vane 316 is installed in a radial groove on the rotor 315 and can freely extend and retract between the cylinder wall and the rotor's radial groove under the action of spring force or other elastic elements. As the rotor 315 rotates, the vane 316 adheres tightly to the inner wall of the cylinder 312. This extension and retraction movement of the vane 316 creates a continuously changing volume for drawing in, compressing, and ultimately discharging gas.

[0040] The inner wall of cylinder 312 is provided with specially designed channels or recesses. The distribution and shape of these channels correspond to the rotation path of rotor 315 and the movement trajectory of vane 316. When vane 316 moves in the channels, it closes or opens the air inlet 313 and exhaust port 314 on cylinder 312 at different positions of rotor 315 rotation, realizing the intake, compression and exhaust of gas.

[0041] In one possible implementation, the cylinders 312 of the compression module 31 and the vacuum module 33 are respectively provided with a front end cover 311 and a rear end cover 318, which are sealed by applying adhesive or using sealing strips. In this embodiment, the rotor 315 is made of graphite material, while the vane 316 is made of PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone) material, and the combination of the two achieves oil-free lubrication. To ensure a good seal between the vane and the cylinder wall, self-lubricating materials such as PEEK are usually used to make the vane. It can not only withstand high temperature and high pressure conditions, but also effectively reduce the friction between the vane 316 and the cylinder 312 wall without oil lubrication. The graphite rotor also has good self-lubricating properties, which helps to reduce wear and extend the service life of the equipment. Overall, the cooperation mechanism between the vane 316 and the rotor 315 achieves gas compression and vacuum extraction through the combined action of the eccentric rotation of the rotor 315, the radial extension and retraction of the vane 316, and the channel design inside and outside the cylinder 312. At the same time, the self-lubricating material ensures that the machine operates stably and efficiently in an oil-free state.

[0042] In one possible implementation, the air inlet 313 and the exhaust port 314 are perpendicular to the axis of the vane vacuum compressor, facilitating the connection of external pipelines. The air inlet 313 leads axially to the corresponding passage of the front cover 311 and enters the working chamber, while the exhaust port 314 leads from the working chamber to the corresponding passage of the front cover 311 and enters the exhaust chamber.

[0043] In one possible implementation, this embodiment provides fins on the cylinders 312 of both the compression module 31 and the vacuum module 33 to reduce material usage and enhance the heat dissipation performance of the working chamber.

[0044] Please see Figure 1 This invention employs a vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system using a sliding vane vacuum compressor integrated unit. It includes an air filter 1 connected to an air inlet I. The air filter 1 is connected to a compression module 31 of the sliding vane vacuum compressor integrated unit 3 via a first silencer 2. The outlet of the compression module 31 is connected to a heat exchanger 4. One outlet of the heat exchanger 4 is connected to a ninth pipeline L9, which is equipped with a first vent valve 5 and a second silencer 18. The other outlet connects to a molecular sieve tower A 11 via a first pipeline L1 and to a molecular sieve tower B 12 via a sixth pipeline L6. The outlet of molecular sieve tower A 11 is connected to a third gas path L3, and the outlet of molecular sieve tower B 12... The outlet of 12 is connected to the fifth gas path L5. The third gas path L3 and the fifth gas path L5 are connected to the oxygen storage tank 17 via the eighth gas path L8. The third gas path L3 and the fifth gas path L5 are also connected via the fourth gas path L4. The outlet of the oxygen storage tank 17 is connected in sequence to the oxygen concentration sensor 21, the oxygen filter 22, the flow meter 23, the flow regulator 24, and the humidification bottle 25. The outlet of the humidification bottle 25 leads to the user. The second pipeline L2, which is connected to the molecular sieve tower A 11, and the seventh pipeline L7, which is connected to the molecular sieve tower B 12, are respectively connected to the vacuum module 33 of the sliding vane vacuum compressor 3. A second vent valve 10 and a third silencer 19 are installed on the connecting pipelines. The outlet of the vacuum module 33 is connected to the nitrogen outlet O via the fourth silencer 20.

[0045] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the oxygen concentration sensor 21 is used to monitor whether the oxygen concentration meets the standard; the flow meter 23 and the flow regulator 24 can observe and adjust the flow rate changes; the humidification bottle 25 can moisten the oxygen and prevent it from drying out.

[0046] In one possible implementation, molecular sieve tower A11 and molecular sieve tower B12 operate alternately, switching between them during adsorption and desorption processes. This switching process is coordinated and controlled by a control system to achieve continuous and stable oxygen production. Furthermore, in this embodiment of the vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system, a first solenoid valve 6 is installed on the first pipeline L1, a second solenoid valve 7 on the second pipeline L2, a third solenoid valve 8 on the sixth pipeline L6, a fourth solenoid valve 9 on the seventh pipeline L7, a fifth solenoid valve 13 on the fourth gas path L4, a sixth solenoid valve 14 on the third gas path L3, a seventh solenoid valve 15 on the fifth gas path L5, an eighth solenoid valve 16 on the eighth gas path L8, and a ninth solenoid valve 26 is installed between the oxygen concentration sensor 21 and the oxygen filter 22.

[0047] Please see Figure 4 The control method of the vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system in this embodiment of the invention includes: under control, the vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system performs the processes of gas intake, gas production, pressure drop equalization, reverse vacuuming, cleaning, and pressure rise equalization. The execution of each process is regulated by the opening and closing of valves, and the cycle time is dynamically adjusted according to the adsorbent performance, gas flow rate, and purity.

[0048] During the air intake process, molecular sieve tower A 11 intakes and adsorbs nitrogen, while molecular sieve tower B 12 is evacuated to desorb nitrogen. The first solenoid valve 6 and the fourth solenoid valve 9 are opened, and the remaining solenoid valves are closed. When the molecular sieve adsorption reaches full load, the gas production process begins. If, at this time, molecular sieve tower B 12 has not reached the required vacuum level, the first solenoid valve 6 is closed, and the first vent valve 5 is opened to vent the compressed air generated by the compression module 31 of the sliding vane vacuum compressor 3. At the same time, the vacuum module 33 continues to operate until the required vacuum level is reached. Then, the first vent valve 5 is closed, and the first solenoid valve 6 is opened.

[0049] In the gas production process, the first solenoid valve 6, the fourth solenoid valve 9, the sixth solenoid valve 14, the eighth solenoid valve 16, and the fifth solenoid valve 13 are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed. The enriched oxygen produced by the molecular sieve tower A 11 enters the oxygen storage tank 17 through the third gas path L3 and then through the eighth gas path L8, and enters the molecular sieve tower B 12 through the fourth gas path L4. The high-pressure enriched oxygen flushes the molecular sieve tower B 12. After the oxygen concentration in the oxygen storage tank 17 is detected by the oxygen concentration sensor 21 and meets the standard, the ninth solenoid valve 26 is opened, and the gas is released to the user.

[0050] During the pressure equalization process, the first vent valve 5, the sixth solenoid valve 14, and the seventh solenoid valve 15 are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed, so that the compressed air generated by the compression module 31 is vented; when the sixth solenoid valve 14 and the seventh solenoid valve 15 are opened, the molecular sieve tower A 11 and the molecular sieve tower B 12 are connected to equalize the pressure.

[0051] In the reverse vacuuming process, molecular sieve tower A11 is evacuated to desorb nitrogen, while molecular sieve tower B12 is evacuated. The second solenoid valve 7 and the third solenoid valve 8 are opened, and the remaining solenoid valves are closed. The vacuum module 33 evacuates molecular sieve tower A11, which has reached full load, so that nitrogen is desorbed and discharged from the molecular sieve. If molecular sieve tower A11 has not reached the required vacuum level at this time, the third solenoid valve 8 is closed and the first vent valve 5 is opened to ensure that the vacuum module 33 continues to operate until the required vacuum level is reached. Then, the first vent valve 5 is closed and the third solenoid valve 8 is opened.

[0052] During the cleaning process, the second solenoid valve 7, the third solenoid valve 8, the fifth solenoid valve 13, the seventh solenoid valve 15, and the eighth solenoid valve 16 are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed. The oxygen generated by the molecular sieve tower B 12 enters the oxygen storage tank 17 through the fifth gas path L5 and then through the eighth gas path L8, and enters the molecular sieve tower A 11 through the fourth gas path L4. The high-pressure enriched oxygen is used to flush the molecular sieve tower A 11. When the oxygen concentration in the oxygen storage tank 17 meets the standard as detected by the oxygen concentration sensor 21, the ninth solenoid valve 26 is opened, and the oxygen is released to the user.

[0053] During the pressure equalization process, the first vent valve 5, the sixth solenoid valve 14, and the seventh solenoid valve 15 are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed, so that the pressures of molecular sieve tower A 11 and molecular sieve tower B 12 are the same; the second vent valve 10 is normally closed.

[0054] In one possible implementation, when the molecular sieve tower pressure exceeds the limit, the temperature is abnormal, or the valves malfunction, all valves are immediately closed and a safety pressure relief mechanism is initiated.

[0055] In addition, all valves adopt a slow-opening and slow-closing strategy to reduce the damage to the molecular sieve caused by airflow impact.

[0056] The embodiments of the present invention employ a vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system structure and control method using a sliding vane vacuum compressor integrated unit. This avoids the problems of discontinuous gas output and high noise, reduces operating costs, and improves oxygen recovery rate. At the same time, the use of a sliding vane vacuum compressor integrated unit makes the system structure simpler and improves energy efficiency.

[0057] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details described in the above embodiments, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention, and no reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of protection involved.

[0058] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sliding vane type vacuum compressor, characterized in that, The system includes a motor (32), and a compression module (31) and a vacuum module (33) installed on both sides of the motor (32). The compression module (31) and the vacuum module (33) have the same structure, both including a cylinder (312) with an air inlet (313) and an exhaust port (314). The cylinder (312) has a rotor (315) inside, and a sliding plate (316) is installed on the rotor (315) with radial slots. As the rotor (315) rotates, it drives the sliding plate (316) to stick to the inner wall of the cylinder, thereby forming a continuously changing volume. The rotors (315) of the compression module (31) and the vacuum module (33) are respectively connected to both ends of the motor shaft (35) of the motor (32), so that the compression module (31) and the vacuum module (33) work and operate simultaneously under the drive of the motor (32). The cylinder (312) also has a... It is said that two large cavities are opened, which are connected to the air inlet (313) and the exhaust port (314) respectively. Both large cavities are provided with channels, and partitions (317) are installed in the channels to divide the two large cavities into an air inlet cavity, an air inlet silencing cavity, an exhaust cavity, and an exhaust silencing cavity. Based on the Helmholtz resonator principle, the air inlet silencing cavity and the exhaust silencing cavity reduce the aerodynamic noise of the air inlet cavity and the exhaust cavity respectively. The cylinder (312) of the compression module (31) and the vacuum module (33) are respectively provided with a front end cover (311) and a rear end cover (318) at both ends. The air inlet (313) and the exhaust port (314) are opened perpendicular to the axis. The air inlet (313) enters the working cavity through the corresponding passage of the front end cover (311) along the axis, and the exhaust port (314) enters the exhaust cavity through the corresponding passage of the front end cover (311) from the working cavity.

2. The sliding vane vacuum compressor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The front cover (311) and the rear cover (318) are sealed by applying glue or using a sealing strip; the rotor (315) is made of graphite material and the slide plate (316) is made of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) material, and the two are combined to achieve oil-free lubrication.

3. The sliding vane type vacuum compressor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cylinders (312) of both the compression module (31) and the vacuum module (33) are equipped with fins to reduce material usage and enhance the heat dissipation performance of the working chamber.

4. A vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system employing a sliding vane vacuum compressor as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The system includes an air filter (1) connected to an air inlet (I), which is connected to a compression module (31) of a vane vacuum compressor (3) via a first silencer (2). The outlet of the compression module (31) is connected to a heat exchanger (4). One outlet of the heat exchanger (4) is connected to a ninth pipeline (L9), which is equipped with a first vent valve (5) and a second silencer (18). The other outlet is connected to molecular sieve tower A (11) via a first pipeline (L1) and to molecular sieve tower B (12) via a sixth pipeline (L6). The outlet of molecular sieve tower A (11) is connected to a third gas path (L3), and the outlet of molecular sieve tower B (12) is connected to a fifth gas path (L5). The third gas path (L3) and the fifth gas path (L5) are connected to an eighth gas path. The gas path (L8) is connected to the oxygen storage tank (17), and the third gas path (L3) and the fifth gas path (L5) are also connected through the fourth gas path (L4); the outlet of the oxygen storage tank (17) is connected in sequence to the oxygen concentration sensor (21), the oxygen filter (22), the flow meter (23), the flow regulator (24) and the humidification bottle (25), and the outlet of the humidification bottle (25) leads to the user; the second pipeline (L2) connected to the molecular sieve tower A (11) and the seventh pipeline (L7) connected to the molecular sieve tower B (12) are respectively connected to the vacuum module (33) of the sliding vane vacuum compressor (3), and a second vent valve (10) and a third silencer (19) are provided on the connecting pipelines. The outlet of the vacuum module (33) is connected to the nitrogen outlet (O) through the fourth silencer (20).

5. The vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The molecular sieve tower A (11) and molecular sieve tower B (12) operate alternately. Molecular sieve tower A (11) and molecular sieve tower B (12) switch during adsorption and desorption. The switching process is coordinated and controlled by the control system to achieve continuous and stable oxygen production.

6. The vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system according to claim 4, characterized in that, A first solenoid valve (6) is installed on the first pipeline (L1), a second solenoid valve (7) is installed on the second pipeline (L2), a third solenoid valve (8) is installed on the sixth pipeline (L6), a fourth solenoid valve (9) is installed on the seventh pipeline (L7), a fifth solenoid valve (13) is installed on the fourth gas path (L4), a sixth solenoid valve (14) is installed on the third gas path (L3), a seventh solenoid valve (15) is installed on the fifth gas path (L5), an eighth solenoid valve (16) is installed on the eighth gas path (L8), and a ninth solenoid valve (26) is installed between the oxygen concentration sensor (21) and the oxygen filter (22).

7. A control method for the vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system as described in claim 6, characterized in that: Under control, the vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generation system performs the processes of gas intake, gas production, pressure drop equalization, reverse vacuuming, cleaning, and pressure rise. The execution of each process is controlled by the opening and closing of valves, and the cycle time is dynamically adjusted according to the adsorbent performance, gas flow rate, and purity. During the gas intake process, molecular sieve tower A (11) intakes and adsorbs nitrogen, and molecular sieve tower B (12) desorbs nitrogen by drawing a vacuum. The first solenoid valve (6) and the fourth solenoid valve (9) are opened, and the remaining solenoid valves are closed. When the molecular sieve adsorption reaches full load, the gas production process begins. If the molecular sieve tower B (12) does not reach the required vacuum level at this time, the first solenoid valve (6) is closed and the first exhaust valve (5) is opened to exhaust the compressed air generated by the compression module (31) of the sliding vane vacuum compressor (3). At the same time, the vacuum module (33) continues to operate until the required vacuum level is reached. Then, the first exhaust valve (5) is closed and the first solenoid valve (6) is opened. In the gas production process, the first solenoid valve (6), the fourth solenoid valve (9), the sixth solenoid valve (14), the eighth solenoid valve (16), and the fifth solenoid valve (13) are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed. The enriched oxygen produced by the molecular sieve tower A (11) enters the oxygen storage tank (17) through the third gas path (L3) and then through the eighth gas path (L8), and enters the molecular sieve tower B (12) through the fourth gas path (L4). The high-pressure enriched oxygen flushes the molecular sieve tower B (12). After the oxygen concentration in the oxygen storage tank (17) is detected by the oxygen concentration sensor (21) and meets the standard, the ninth solenoid valve (26) is opened and the gas is released to the user. During the pressure equalization process, the first vent valve (5), the sixth solenoid valve (14), and the seventh solenoid valve (15) are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed, so that the compressed air generated by the compression module (31) is vented; when the sixth solenoid valve (14) and the seventh solenoid valve (15) are opened, the molecular sieve tower A (11) and the molecular sieve tower B (12) are connected to equalize the pressure. In the reverse vacuuming process, molecular sieve tower A (11) is evacuated to desorb nitrogen, and molecular sieve tower B (12) is evacuated. The second solenoid valve (7) and the third solenoid valve (8) are opened, and the other solenoid valves are closed. The vacuum module (33) evacuates molecular sieve tower A (11) which has reached full load of adsorption, so that nitrogen is desorbed and discharged from the molecular sieve. If molecular sieve tower A (11) does not reach the required vacuum level at this time, the third solenoid valve (8) is closed and the first vent valve (5) is opened to ensure that the vacuum module (33) continues to operate until the required vacuum level is reached. Then, the first vent valve (5) is closed and the third solenoid valve (8) is opened. During the cleaning process, the second solenoid valve (7), the third solenoid valve (8), the fifth solenoid valve (13), the seventh solenoid valve (15), and the eighth solenoid valve (16) are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed. The oxygen generated by the molecular sieve tower B (12) enters the oxygen storage tank (17) through the fifth gas path (L5) and then through the eighth gas path (L8), and enters the molecular sieve tower A (11) through the fourth gas path (L4). The oxygen is enriched under high pressure and used to flush the molecular sieve tower A (11). When the oxygen concentration in the oxygen storage tank (17) meets the standard as detected by the oxygen concentration sensor (21), the ninth solenoid valve (26) is opened and the oxygen is released to the user. During the pressure equalization process, the first vent valve (5), the sixth solenoid valve (14), and the seventh solenoid valve (15) are opened, while the remaining solenoid valves are closed, so that the pressures of molecular sieve tower A (11) and molecular sieve tower B (12) are the same; the second vent valve (10) is normally closed.

8. The control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, If the pressure in the molecular sieve tower exceeds the limit, the temperature is abnormal, or the valves malfunction, immediately close all valves and initiate a safety pressure relief mechanism. All valves employ a slow-opening and slow-closing strategy to reduce the damage to the molecular sieve caused by airflow impact.

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