Portable LOX Generation With Cryogenic Air Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable oxygen systems, whether compressed gaseous or liquid oxygen (LOX), face limitations such as short duration, weight, and obtrusiveness, with LOX systems requiring regular refilling from dewars, which can be inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for generating liquid oxygen (LOX) through cryogenic separation of air, using a mobile base unit with components like a compressor, purifier, recuperative heat exchanger, cryocooler, and distillation unit to produce LOX, which can be stored and delivered to a patient portable unit, with byproducts reused for heat transfer to enhance efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If compressed gaseous oxygen is stored in a portable container, then oxygen can be delivered to the patient, but the system becomes heavy and obtrusive, limiting patient mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of oxygen from gaseous to liquid form, which dramatically reduces the volume and weight of the storage container while maintaining the same oxygen supply capacity. This allows the portable unit to be much lighter and less obtrusive for patient wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a vacuum-insulated container (thermos principle) to maintain liquid oxygen in a portable, lightweight design. The insulation system allows liquid oxygen to be stored without heavy active cooling, enabling patient-portable operation.
2Weight of moving object
If liquid oxygen is stored in a portable container, then the system size and weight are reduced, but the container requires regular refilling from dewars by truck delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The base unit automatically generates liquid oxygen from ambient air through cryogenic separation, eliminating the need for manual refilling from external dewars. The system serves itself by continuously producing LOX and transferring it to portable units as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit pre-generates and stores liquid oxygen in advance, so that portable units can be refilled on-demand without requiring external delivery services. This preliminary production action eliminates the refilling inconvenience.
3Productivity
If a full portable compressed oxygen container is used, then oxygen can be delivered to the patient, but it lasts for a relatively short period of time
Solution Approach 1:
By storing oxygen in liquid form rather than compressed gas, the system achieves much higher density. A portable liquid oxygen container provides significantly longer usage duration (hours to days) compared to compressed gas containers of similar weight and size.
4Ease of operation
If the base unit generates liquid oxygen through cryogenic separation, then frequent refilling is eliminated, but the system requires multiple components including compressor, purifier, heat exchanger, cryocooler, and distillation unit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions (compression, purification, cooling, separation, and storage) into a single base unit system. This consolidation manages the complexity by creating a unified automated platform that eliminates refilling operations, despite the multiple internal components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides a more portable, efficient, and longer-lasting oxygen supply, reducing the need for frequent refilling and improving mobility, as the system generates LOX on-demand and utilizes byproducts for heat exchange, optimizing energy consumption and system size.
Implementation Method 1
a compressor configured to receive air and pressurize the air
Implementation Method 2
a purifier configured to remove impurities from the pressurized air
Implementation Method 3
a recuperative heat exchanger configured to cool the purified air by transferring heat from the purified air to at least one cold byproduct flow
Implementation Method 4
a cryocooler configured to receive cooled air from the recuperative heat exchanger and further cool the air to cryogenic temperatures
Implementation Method 5
a distillation unit configured to separate the cryogenic air into multiple products, including LOX and one or more byproducts
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for generating liquid oxygen (LOX) for portable use by a patient includes a patient portable unit configured to store LOX and deliver gaseous oxygen (GOX) to the patient, and a mobile base unit configured to generate LOX by cryogenic separation of air and deliver the generated LOX to the patient portable unit. The mobile base unit includes a compressor that receives and pressurizes air, a purifier that removes impurities from the pressurized air, a heat exchanger that cools the purified air, a cryocooler that further cools the air to cryogenic temperatures, and a distillation unit that separates the cryogenic air into multiple products, including LOX and one or more cold byproducts. The separated LOX is communicated toward storage, and at least one of the cold byproducts is passed through the heat exchanger to facilitate heat transfer from incoming purified air to the at least one cold byproduct in order to cool the purified air.