Radial Flow Portable Oxygen Concentrator Zeolite Utilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) are heavy, costly, require ongoing maintenance, and have limitations in maximum dose capabilities and oxygen purity levels, with inefficient zeolite adsorption due to the mass transfer zone (MTZ) reaching the end of the adsorbent beds, necessitating improved systems that prolong zeolite bed utilization and adapt to varying user activity levels.
Innovation Solution
A portable oxygen concentrator design featuring a two-column system with zeolite adsorbent beds, solenoid valves, and a processor that adjusts oxygen output based on user activity levels detected by sensors, utilizing a radial flow configuration and adaptive algorithm to optimize oxygen delivery and extend zeolite bed efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a traditional axial flow configuration is used in POCs, then the device structure is simple, but the zeolite bed utilization is inefficient (around 25%) because the mass transfer zone reaches the end of the adsorbent beds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional axial flow configuration by implementing a radial flow configuration where air flows radially across the zeolite beds instead of axially through them. This inversion allows the mass transfer zone to remain within the zeolite beds for longer periods, increasing utilization efficiency from 25% to potentially much higher levels, while the patent acknowledges the increased structural complexity this entails.
2Ease of operation
If manual control of oxygen output is provided, then the device is simple to operate, but it cannot adapt to varying user activity levels and may cause desaturation orhyperoxia
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by using sensors to detect user activity levels and breathing patterns, then automatically adjusting oxygen delivery accordingly. This closed-loop system monitors physiological parameters and modulates oxygen flow to maintain appropriate saturation levels, preventing both desaturation andhyperoxia while adapting to varying activity levels without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically regulating oxygen delivery based on real-time sensor data from the user. The device monitors its own performance and adjusts operation without requiring user input or manual control, making the system both adaptable and relatively simple to operate.
3Productivity
If the mass transfer zone is allowed to reach the end of zeolite beds, then the adsorption process is complete, but the performance becomes ineffective and requires frequent bed regeneration
Solution Approach 1:
The radial flow configuration performs preliminary action by distributing air flow radially across the zeolite beds from the center outward, creating multiple flow paths that utilize the entire bed volume more effectively. This prevents the mass transfer zone from rapidly reaching the bed ends, extending the effective adsorption period and maintaining reliable performance without frequent regeneration.
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
The system provides tailored oxygen delivery, reducing the risk of desaturation and hyperoxia, improving clinical outcomes by linking oxygen prescriptions with user activity levels, and offering real-time monitoring and data collection for enhanced healthcare management.
Implementation Method 1
a first column comprising a first adsorbent bed, a second column adjacent to the first column... The first and second adsorbent beds may each comprise a plurality of zeolites
Implementation Method 2
Current portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) in market provide a manual control of oxygen output... while current POCs utilize adsorbent beds, such as zeolite beds, the amount of utilization is around 25%. As such, as the mass transfer zone (MTZ) reaches the end of the zeolite beds, the performance of zeolite adsorption becomes ineffective
Data Source
AI summary
The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a portable oxygen concentrator. The portable oxygen concentrator may comprise an input configured to receive air flow, a column comprising a housing, an outer porous tube, an inner porous tube, and an inner cavity, and an output configured to release oxygen to a user. The inner porous tube comprises an adsorbent bed comprising a plurality of zeolites, and the column is configured to channel air radially through and across the outer porous tube, through and across the adsorbent bed in the inner porous tube, into the inner cavity of the column, and through the output. When the air flow contacts the adsorbent bed, oxygen is released.