Sieve Bed Intermediate Wall for Oxygen Concentration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Oxygen concentrators, particularly for medical use, face challenges in maintaining high oxygen concentration levels due to adverse effects from humidity and moisture in ambient air, affecting product gas quality in both high and low humidity environments.

Innovation Solution

The design of a sieve bed with an increased effective length and reduced diameter and cross-sectional area, featuring an intermediate wall for even gas distribution and placement of inlet and outlet ports at opposing ends, along with a conical spring and O-rings to maintain pressure and prevent fluidization of adsorbent material, enhances oxygen concentration by minimizing moisture migration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the oxygen concentrator is made compact and portable, then portability is improved, but product gas oxygen concentration level deteriorates due to humidity and moisture effects

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidproduct gas oxygen concentration level

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adsorber bed is segmented into multiple zones using an intermediate distribution wall that divides the bed into a first zone and a second zone. This segmentation allows different sections of the bed to handle different aspects of gas separation, with the first zone primarily removing nitrogen and the second zone maintaining oxygen concentration despite humidity effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An intermediate distribution wall with distribution openings is introduced as an intermediary element between the inlet and outlet of the adsorber bed. This wall serves as a mediator to evenly distribute the feed stream across the adsorbent material, preventing channeling and improving overall separation efficiency in the compact configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the adsorber bed length is increased to improve separation efficiency, then oxygen concentration is improved, but device size and portability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoxygen concentrationVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The adsorber bed is designed with non-uniform characteristics by introducing an intermediate distribution wall that creates distinct zones. The first zone near the inlet is optimized for nitrogen removal while the second zone near the outlet is optimized for maintaining oxygen concentration, allowing each local region to perform its specific function efficiently within a compact overall length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of simply extending the bed length in one dimension, the invention uses an intermediate distribution wall to create a two-dimensional flow distribution pattern. The wall with its distribution openings creates radial or multi-directional flow paths that increase the effective interaction area between gas and adsorbent without proportionally increasing the overall device length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the feed stream is evenly distributed across the sieve bed to improve separation efficiency, then oxygen concentration is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoxygen concentrationVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 configuration results in a higher oxygen concentration product gas while maintaining portability, outperforming previous compact devices by effectively mitigating humidity's impact on oxygen concentration.

Implementation Method 1

a fixed sieve bed of adsorbent material to fractionate at least one constituent gas from a gaseous mixture by adsorption into the bed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

a conical spring and O-rings to maintain pressure and prevent fluidization of adsorbent material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentUS8257473B2Sieve bed

Publication Date: 2012.09.04 CAIRE INC

AI summary

A sieve bed including an inlet end, an outlet end, a retainer disposed toward the inlet end and including an interior portion, an exterior portion, a plurality of openings disposed toward the exterior portion, and a passage disposed toward the interior portion, an inlet cap and an inlet port configured to receive a feed stream, wherein the inlet cap includes at least a portion spaced from the retainer thereby defining an inlet chamber in fluid communication with the inlet port and the plurality of openings, an outlet lid disposed toward the outlet end, an exterior wall extending from the inlet cap to the outlet lid, an intermediate wall spaced from the exterior wall and extending from the retainer toward and terminating short of the outlet lid and an interior wall spaced from the intermediate wall and extending from the retainer proximate the passage to at least the outlet lid.