Two-Stage Electrochemical Oxygen Concentrator

The patent changes the operating parameters from cryogenic temperatures to elevated temperatures (300-500°C), fundamentally altering the separation mechanism from boiling point differences to electrochemical ion transport. This parameter change enables high purity oxygen production with dramatically reduced energy consumption by eliminating the need for extreme cooling while maintaining separation efficiency through selective oxygen ion conductivity of the ceramic electrolyte.

The patent implements self-service by enabling on-site oxygen production using ambient air as feedstock. The electrochemical cell stack with ceramic electrolyte membranes allows each facility to generate its own high purity oxygen independently, eliminating dependence on centralized cryogenic plants and vulnerable supply chains. This decentralized approach ensures continuous oxygen availability during disasters when external supplies may be disrupted.

The patent replaces the mechanical pressure cycling system of PSA with an electrochemical system. Instead of using pressure variations to drive adsorption/desorption cycles on zeolite beds, the invention uses electrochemical potentials across ceramic electrolyte membranes to selectively transport oxygen ions. This substitution eliminates the energy-intensive compression and decompression cycles while achieving superior oxygen concentration and purity through selective ion conduction.

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the electrochemical oxygen generation system into multiple discrete wafers, each containing complete anode-electrolyte-cathode functional layers. These modular wafers can be stacked in series to achieve desired oxygen production capacity and purity levels. The segmentation enables flexible system scaling while maintaining the energy efficiency benefits of the electrochemical mechanism, as each wafer operates independently with its own selective oxygen ion transport pathway.