Oxygen concentrator

Abstract

The present invention describes a compact, continuous-flow, high-output (90 litres / minute), oxygen concentrator that operates at low pressures (below 3 bar), provided with filter sets (2) actuated by speed-controlled rotary cells (2.2.1), in combination with a set of small filter tubes (2.3) which provide continuous flow.

Description

[0001] OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention describes an oxygen concentrator. More specifically, it comprises an oxygen concentrator provided with filter assemblies driven by rotating cells with controlled speed, combined with a set of small filter tubes that provide continuous flow. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Oxygen concentrators filter ambient air and provide concentrated oxygen for specific applications. They basically use two types of technologies: pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and vacuum swing adsorption (VSA). These technologies require high operating pressure (over 15 bar), high energy consumption, and large equipment sizes.

[0003] Aiming at a compact, low-pressure (below 3 bar), continuous-flow, high-production (90 liters / minute) oxygen concentrator, the Applicant developed an oxygen concentrator equipped with filter assemblies driven by rotating cells with controlled speed, combined with a set of small filter tubes that provide continuous flow. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0004] Figure 1A shows the rear view of the oxygen concentrator; Figure 1B shows the right side view of the oxygen concentrator; Figure 1C shows the front view of the oxygen concentrator; Figure 1D shows the left side view of the oxygen concentrator.

[0005] Figure 2A shows a perspective view of the filter assembly and the drive motor; figure 2B shows the side view of the filter assembly and the drive motor; figure 2C shows the dry compressed air inlet and concentrated oxygen outlet head (2.1), with details of the air inlet (2.1.1) and the concentrated oxygen outlet (2.1.2); figure 2D shows details of the distribution head (2.2) with the motor attached (4); figure 2E shows details of the distribution head (2.2) without the motor attached (4), giving a view of the outlet for the gases that are discarded (2.2.2) and the rotary cell (2.2.1).

[0006] Figure 3 shows the details of the rotary cell.

[0007] Figure 4 shows the details of the dry compressed air flow director.

[0008] Figure 5A shows the rotary cell coupled to the compressed air flow director; figure 5B shows the cross-sectional view and figure 5C shows the direction of rotation of the rotary cell inside the distribution head.

[0009] Figure 6 shows the representation of the filtration cycle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The oxygen concentrator, object of the present invention, comprises a stainless steel fairing (6), which has in the upper portion a visual control panel (5), a transformer (11), a rotation speed controller (7), an oxygen concentration meter (10), a pressure regulating valve (9) and an air distributor (8).

[0011] The dry compressed air is directed to an inlet connection (1) in order to be directed to the filter assemblies (2).

[0012] Each filter assembly (2) has twelve molecular sieve filter tubes (2.3) arranged internally, which retain nitrogen and other gases through the adsorption method. Each filter tube (2.3) performs filtration using the molecular sieve method, which consists of filter elements with particle sizes ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 mm, and O2 concentration efficiency between 90 and 93%.

[0013] At one end of the filter assembly (2) there is an air inlet and concentrated oxygen outlet head (2.1) that transfers the air through the internal piping to the distribution head (2.2) located at the opposite end (2.2).

[0014] In the air inlet and concentrated oxygen outlet head (2.1) there is a dry compressed air inlet connection (2.1.1) to which a dry compressed air inlet pipe (15) is connected and a concentrated oxygen outlet connection (2.1.2) to which a concentrated oxygen outlet pipe (16) is connected.

[0015] In the distribution head (2.2) there is a rotary cell (2.2.1), rotated by a motor (4) and two outlet connections (2.2.2) are also arranged for the other gases coming from the separation process. The gases that exit through the holes (2.2.2) are directed by the rotary cell through channel C (fig.3).

[0016] A silencer (3) is connected to the outlet connections (2.2.2) via hoses to disperse the gases into the atmosphere.

[0017] The motor (4) is coupled to the rotary cell (2.2.1) by means of a bearing (4.3) to which the transmission shaft (4.2) is linked. In this way, the motor (4) rotates the rotary cell (2.2.1) which conducts and distributes the dry compressed air to the filter tubes (2.3) by means of an air flow director (2.2.3), as shown in figures 3, 4 and 5A.

[0018] The flow director with 12 holes (2.2.3) transfers the dry compressed air received by channel A of the rotary cell (2.2.1) sequentially and proportionally to the twelve filter tubes (2.3).

[0019] Channels B of the rotary cell (2.2.1) receive filtered air with concentrated oxygen, directing it to the oxygen outlet hole.

[0020] The C channels of the rotary cell (2.2.1) have the function of expelling the gases retained in the molecular sieves through the “backwashing” process, and directing them to the outlet orifice (2.2.2), where they are discharged into the atmosphere.

[0021] The oxygen concentrator consists of 6 filtration sets (2) connected in series by means of dry compressed air inlet pipes (15) and concentrated oxygen outlet pipes (16).

[0022] The speed controller drives the motor (4) at a speed of 1 (one) rpm, so that the air flow passes through the set of filter tubes (2.3) in an alternating, continuous and balanced manner, thus maintaining process quality. The nitrogen is retained in the molecular sieves and expelled through the outlet connection (2.2.2) located in the distribution head (2.2). The oxygen passes through the molecular sieves and is extracted through the outlet connection located in the air inlet and concentrated oxygen outlet head (2.1.2). The oxygen produced is conducted through specific piping (16) to the flow controllers (13) and directed to the distribution tube (8), passing through the concentration meter (10) and flow controller (9) to the oxygen reservoir.

Claims

MODIFIED CLAIMS Received by the International Secretariat on July 2, 2025 (July 2, 2025) 1. OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR with stainless steel casing (6) with visual control panel (5), a transformer (1 1), a rotation speed controller (7), an oxygen concentration meter (10), a pressure regulating valve (9) and an air distributor (8), characterized by comprising: a) filtering assemblies (2) which include: - air inlet and concentrated oxygen outlet head (2.1 ) connected to a dry compressed air inlet connection (2.1 .1 ); - distribution head (2.2) at the opposite end to the air inlet and concentrated oxygen outlet head (2.1) equipped with two outlet connections (2.2.2) for gases; - twelve filter tubes (2.3) of molecular sieves in the internal region; - a rotary cell (2.2.1) arranged in the distribution head (2.2), said rotary cell (2.2.2) equipped with a bearing (4.3) to which the transmission shaft (4.2) rotated by a motor (4) is connected and a flow director equipped with 12 holes (2.2.3) with channels A, B and C where channel A transfers the dry compressed air from the rotary cell (2.2.1) to the twelve filter tubes (2.3); channel B transfers the filtered air with concentrated oxygen to the oxygen outlet hole and channel C expels the gases retained in the molecular sieves to the outlet hole (2.2.2); b) oxygen concentrator formed by 6 filtration sets (2) connected in series by means of dry compressed air inlet pipes (15) and concentrated oxygen outlet pipes (16).

2. OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR according to claim 1 , characterized in that the dry compressed air inlet pipe (15) is connected to the dry compressed air inlet connection (2.1 .1 ).

3. OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR, according to claim 1, characterized in that the concentrated oxygen outlet pipe (16) is connected to the concentrated oxygen outlet connection (2.1.2).

4. OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it has a silencer (3) on the outlet connections (2.2.2).

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