Adsorption tower structure of PSA oxygen generator

Abstract

An adsorption tower structure for a PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) oxygen generator includes an adsorption tower shell with an air inlet channel at the bottom and an exhaust channel at the top. A primary adsorption layer is located within the air inlet channel to remove moisture and carbon dioxide from the air. Multiple lotus-shaped airflow distributors are located within the shell to evenly disperse the airflow. An exhaust chamber is located around the outer periphery of the airflow distributors, separated from the primary adsorption layer by a secondary adsorption layer. The secondary adsorption layer includes coaxially arranged inner and outer sieve plates forming a molecular sieve filling cavity filled with lithium-based molecular sieves. The outer sieve plate consists of multiple arc-shaped sieve sheets connected to the inner wall of the shell via a first elastic element, and an annular pressure plate at the top is pressed by a lifting mechanism and a second elastic element. This structure effectively improves airflow distribution, prevents loosening of the molecular sieve bed and airflow short-circuiting, and improves adsorption efficiency and the service life of the molecular sieves.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of gas separation technology, and in particular to an adsorption tower structure for a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator. Background Technology

[0002] Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation technology is an important method for on-site oxygen production, with its core component being the adsorption tower. After air enters the adsorption tower, the molecular sieves inside selectively adsorb components such as nitrogen, thereby producing oxygen. The performance of the adsorption tower directly determines the efficiency of the oxygen generator and the purity of the oxygen.

[0003] Existing PSA oxygen generator adsorption towers suffer from uneven airflow distribution upon compressed air entry, easily forming channels or dead zones in the molecular sieve bed, leading to decreased adsorption efficiency and low molecular sieve utilization. Simultaneously, under long-term operation and airflow impact, the molecular sieves are prone to pulverization and sedimentation, creating gaps and causing airflow short-circuiting, further reducing separation efficiency. Furthermore, traditional fixed sieve plate structures cannot compensate for molecular sieve sedimentation and are ill-suited to adapt to thermal expansion and contraction, posing a risk of bed collapse. In addition, impurities such as moisture and carbon dioxide in the air, if introduced directly into the main molecular sieve layer without pretreatment, will corrode the molecular sieves, shortening their lifespan.

[0004] Therefore, in view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, it is necessary to design an adsorption tower structure for a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator to solve the above problems.

[0005] It should be noted that the above introduction to the technical background is only for the purpose of providing a clear and complete explanation of the technical solution of this utility model and facilitating the understanding of those skilled in the art. It should not be assumed that the above content is known to those skilled in the art simply because it has been described in the background section of this utility model. Utility Model Content

[0006] To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention discloses an adsorption tower structure for a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator, which solves problems such as uneven airflow distribution, inadequate molecular sieve packing, and easy loosening in the prior art.

[0007] This utility model discloses an adsorption tower structure for a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator, including an adsorption tower shell, an air inlet channel at the bottom of the adsorption tower shell, an exhaust channel at the top, and a primary adsorption layer inside the air inlet channel.

[0008] The adsorption tower shell is equipped with multiple lotus-shaped airflow distributors, which are connected to the air inlet channel.

[0009] An exhaust chamber is provided on the outer periphery of the airflow distributor, and the exhaust chamber is connected to the exhaust channel;

[0010] The airflow distributor and the exhaust chamber are separated by a secondary adsorption layer. The secondary adsorption layer includes an inner sieve plate coaxially sleeved on the outer periphery of the airflow distributor, and an outer sieve plate coaxially and spaced on the outer periphery of the inner sieve plate. A molecular sieve filling cavity is formed between the inner and outer sieve plates, and the molecular sieve filling cavity is filled with particulate material to form a molecular sieve layer. The outer sieve plate is composed of at least two arc-shaped sieve plates spaced around each other. The outer wall of the arc-shaped sieve plates is connected to the inner wall of the adsorption tower shell through a first elastic element.

[0011] Preferred technical solution: The top of the molecular sieve filling cavity is provided with an annular pressure plate, and a push plate is provided above the annular pressure plate. The push plate is connected to the top of the adsorption tower shell through a lifting mechanism, and the annular pressure plate and the push plate are connected by a second elastic element.

[0012] Preferred technical solution: The lifting mechanism is a lifting screw that is threadedly connected to the top of the adsorption tower shell.

[0013] Preferred technical solution: The lifting mechanism is a lifting slide rod that is slidably connected to the top of the adsorption tower shell, and a counterweight block with selectable weight is detachably installed on the lifting slide rod.

[0014] Preferred technical solution: The first elastic element and the second elastic element are springs or elastic rubber pads.

[0015] Preferred technical solution: The primary adsorption layer includes two metal meshes disposed in the air intake channel, and an activated alumina adsorbent filled between the two metal meshes.

[0016] Preferred technical solution: The airflow distributor is a stainless steel air diffuser, with multiple micropores distributed on its surface in the vertical direction, and guide vanes for guiding the airflow to change direction are provided on the outside of the micropores.

[0017] Preferred technical solution: The molecular sieve layer is a lithium-based molecular sieve filled using blizzard-style filling technology.

[0018] Due to the application of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of this utility model compared with the prior art are as follows:

[0019] This invention, by setting a primary adsorption layer in the air intake channel, can pre-remove moisture and carbon dioxide from the air, effectively protecting the main molecular sieve layer and extending its service life. The use of a multi-layered lotus-shaped airflow distributor disperses and evenly diffuses the airflow radially, preventing high-pressure airflow from directly impacting the molecular sieve, significantly improving the utilization rate and adsorption efficiency of the molecular sieve. The outer sieve plate of the secondary adsorption layer is supported by multiple arc-shaped plates via a first elastic element, and the annular pressure plate at the top of the molecular sieve applies controllable pressure via a second elastic element and a lifting mechanism. This structure can automatically compensate for the volume shrinkage caused by pulverization and sedimentation of the molecular sieve, maintaining appropriate pressure on the molecular sieve bed to prevent bed loosening and airflow short-circuiting. Simultaneously, the elastic support can absorb the stress caused by thermal expansion and contraction of the molecular sieve and airflow pulses, preventing damage to the sieve plate structure. The lifting mechanism facilitates adjustment of the initial pressure or lifting of the pressure plate during maintenance. The sheet-like structure of the outer sieve plate also facilitates the disassembly and replacement of the molecular sieve. The exhaust chamber surrounding the secondary adsorption layer efficiently collects oxygen-rich gas that permeates the molecular sieve layer and outputs it stably through the top exhaust channel. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of this utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the adsorption tower structure of a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator according to this utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the adsorption tower structure of a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator according to this utility model.

[0023] In the above figures, 1 is the adsorption tower shell; 11 is the air inlet channel; 12 is the exhaust channel; 2 is the primary adsorption layer; 3 is the airflow distributor; 31 is the micropore; 32 is the guide vane; 4 is the exhaust chamber; 5 is the secondary adsorption layer; 51 is the inner sieve plate; 52 is the outer sieve plate; 53 is the molecular sieve layer; 54 is the first elastic element; 55 is the annular pressure plate; 56 is the push plate; 57 is the lifting mechanism; and 58 is the second elastic element. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this utility model from the content disclosed in this specification.

[0025] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be used interchangeably where appropriate for the purposes of describing embodiments of this application herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and their synonyms, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0026] In this application, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "back," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "middle," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this utility model and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0027] Furthermore, in addition to indicating direction or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in some cases to indicate a certain dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms "installation," "setting," "equipped with," "connection," "linking," "fitting," and "fitting" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Similarly, "fitting" can mean completely or partially fitted. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0029] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. This application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0030] Example 1:

[0031] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this utility model discloses an adsorption tower structure for a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator, which mainly includes an adsorption tower shell 1, an air inlet channel 11 at the bottom of the adsorption tower shell 1, and an exhaust channel 12 at the top.

[0032] Inside the air intake channel 11, a primary adsorption layer 2 is installed. In this embodiment, the primary adsorption layer 2 consists of two metal meshes and activated alumina adsorbent filled between them. It is mainly used to adsorb moisture and carbon dioxide in the air, and plays a role in protecting and purifying the oxygen produced by the subsequent secondary adsorption layer 5.

[0033] The adsorption tower shell 1 has a multi-layered, lotus-shaped airflow distributor 3 distributed along the axial direction of the tower. This distributor 3 is made of stainless steel, with numerous micropores 21 distributed vertically on its surface. Guide vanes 22 are located on the outer side of the micropores 21. Compressed air enters through the inlet channel 11, passes through the airflow distributor 3, is divided into fine streams by the micropores 21, and is guided by the guide vanes 22 to achieve uniform radial diffusion, resembling a blooming lotus flower, ensuring the uniformity of airflow distribution across the tower cross-section.

[0034] Surrounding the airflow distributor 3 is a coaxially fitted secondary adsorption layer 5. The secondary adsorption layer 5 includes an inner sieve plate 51 and an outer sieve plate 52. The inner sieve plate 51 is a complete cylindrical sieve tightly fitted around the outside of the airflow distributor 3. The outer sieve plate 52 is formed by two arc-shaped sieve plates spaced apart, creating a discontinuous cylinder. An annular molecular sieve filling cavity is formed between the inner and outer sieve plates, filled with lithium-based molecular sieves using a blizzard-style filling technology, forming a molecular sieve layer 53. This filling method ensures tight molecular sieve filling and a low porosity.

[0035] The outer wall of each arc-shaped sieve plate is connected to the inner wall of the adsorption tower shell 1 via multiple first elastic elements 54. This allows the outer sieve plate 52 to have a certain floating space in both the radial and axial directions, enabling it to adapt to changes in the volume and thermal stress of the molecular sieve.

[0036] An annular pressure plate 55 is provided at the top of the molecular sieve filling chamber. Above the annular pressure plate 55 is a push plate 56, which is connected to the top of the adsorption tower shell 1 via a lifting mechanism 57. In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 57 is a lifting screw threaded to the top of the tower. The height of the push plate 56 can be adjusted by rotating the screw. The annular pressure plate 55 and the push plate 56 are connected by a second elastic member 58. In this way, an initial clamping force is applied by the lifting mechanism 57, which acts continuously and flexibly on the molecular sieve bed through the second elastic member 58 and the annular pressure plate 55. When the molecular sieve settles due to pulverization, the annular pressure plate 55 will automatically move down under the action of the second elastic member 58, always maintaining the pressure on the bed and effectively preventing the bed from loosening.

[0037] An annular exhaust chamber 4 is formed between the outer periphery of the secondary adsorption layer 5 and the inner wall of the adsorption tower shell 1. The oxygen-enriched body after separation by the secondary adsorption layer 5 enters the exhaust chamber 4 and is finally discharged from the exhaust channel 12 at the top as product oxygen output.

[0038] Working Principle: Compressed air enters through the bottom inlet channel 11, first passing through the primary adsorption layer 2 to remove moisture and carbon dioxide. The pre-purified air then enters the lotus-shaped airflow distributor 3, where it is evenly distributed across the entire tower cross-section, and then radially passes through the secondary adsorption layer 5. During this process, the lithium-based molecular sieve selectively adsorbs nitrogen, while oxygen permeates through the molecular sieve layer into the outer exhaust chamber 4 and is discharged from the top. After the adsorption stage, the system enters the desorption stage, where the adsorbed nitrogen is desorbed and vented by depressurization, regenerating the molecular sieve and thus enabling cyclic operation.

[0039] Example 2:

[0040] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the lifting mechanism 57 is a lifting slide rod that is slidably connected to the top of the adsorption tower shell 1, and a counterweight block with selectable weight is detachably installed on the lifting slide rod. The counterweight block and the lifting slide rod ensure stable pressure on the molecular sieve bed, while the second elastic element 58 provides cushioning to prevent the molecular sieve bed from being crushed.

[0041] Finally, it should be noted that the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model. Although the present utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An adsorption tower structure for a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator, comprising an adsorption tower shell (1), wherein the bottom of the adsorption tower shell (1) is provided with an air inlet channel (11) and the top is provided with an exhaust channel (12), characterized in that: The air intake channel (11) is provided with a primary adsorption layer (2); The adsorption tower shell (1) is provided with a multi-layer lotus-shaped airflow distributor (3), which is connected to the air inlet channel (11); The airflow distributor (3) has an exhaust chamber (4) on its outer periphery, and the exhaust chamber (4) is connected to the exhaust channel (12); The airflow distributor (3) and the exhaust chamber (4) are separated by a secondary adsorption layer (5). The secondary adsorption layer (5) includes an inner sieve plate (51) coaxially sleeved on the outer periphery of the airflow distributor (3). An outer sieve plate (52) is coaxially and spaced on the outer periphery of the inner sieve plate (51). A molecular sieve filling cavity is formed between the inner sieve plate (51) and the outer sieve plate (52). The molecular sieve filling cavity is filled with particulate material to form a molecular sieve layer (53). The outer sieve plate (52) is composed of at least two arc-shaped sieve plates spaced around each other. The outer wall of the arc-shaped sieve plate is connected to the inner wall of the adsorption tower shell (1) through a first elastic element (54).

2. The adsorption tower structure of a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the molecular sieve filling cavity is provided with an annular pressure plate (55), and a push plate (56) is provided above the annular pressure plate (55). The push plate (56) is connected to the top of the adsorption tower shell (1) through a lifting mechanism (57). The annular pressure plate (55) and the push plate (56) are connected by a second elastic element (58).

3. The adsorption tower structure of a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism (57) is a lifting screw that is threadedly connected to the top of the adsorption tower shell (1).

4. The adsorption tower structure of a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism (57) is a lifting slide rod that is slidably connected to the top of the adsorption tower shell (1), and a counterweight block with selectable weight is detachably provided on the lifting slide rod.

5. The adsorption tower structure of a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first elastic element (54) and the second elastic element (58) are springs or elastic rubber pads.

6. The adsorption tower structure of a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The primary adsorption layer (2) includes two metal meshes disposed in the air intake channel (11) and an active alumina adsorbent filled between the two metal meshes.

7. The adsorption tower structure of a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The airflow distributor (3) is a stainless steel air diffuser with multiple micro-holes (31) distributed on its surface in the vertical direction. The outer side of the micro-holes (31) is provided with guide vanes (32) for guiding the airflow to change direction.

8. The adsorption tower structure of a PSA pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The molecular sieve layer (53) is a lithium-based molecular sieve filled using blizzard-style filling technology.

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