How does a VPSA oxygen generator work?

VPSA oxygen generators are the most cost-effective and economic way to produce oxygen, although the oxygen produced through these plants is not as pure as the oxygen produced by PSA plants. The oxygen generated is more suitable for industrial applications. Plant capacities range from 50 Nm³/hr up to 600 Nm³/hr with an oxygen product purity ranging from 90% to 95% V/v. Additionally, we also can provide a gas-cylinder filling system along with the plant.

What Does VPSA Mean?

VPSA, or Vacuum Pressure Swing Absorption, is a cutting-edge technology used in oxygen production equipment. Its core function is to separate nitrogen and moisture from oxygen components in the air, and efficiently produce oxygen-rich gas with a purity of 80% – 94%. Compared with other oxygen extraction methods, VPSA performs particularly well in processing large air flows and is an ideal choice for industries with high oxygen demand. ​

The principle of VPSA oxygen generators to extract oxygen from ambient air is to selectively adsorb nitrogen-rich air in the air to produce a pure oxygen gas flow to meet the needs of various industrial applications.​

How does a VPSA oxygen generator work?

             

The production of gases with the aid of the adsorption technology is based on the capability of porous adsorption agents to bind gases the individual constituents of the gas mixture are adsorbed to differing degrees on the very large surfaces of the adsorbent agents. this effect is used within a Vacuum pressure swing adsorption process to continuously separate out one constituent from a feed gas mixture or feed air.

Zeolite Molecular Sieves are used as adsorption agents when producing oxygen from the air by adsorptive means they adsorb nitrogen, water vapor and carbon dioxide to a much higher degree than oxygen this means that a product flow comprising essentially only oxygen and argon can be removed from the process air being passed through the adsorption bed, for higher outputs third bed is provided.

The compressed air enters Absorbers and Nitrogen is absorbed while the oxygen product leaves the vessels after a certain time the adsorption is interrupted and evacuation by a vaccum pump desorbs the enriched nitrogen gas.The oxygen product flow is compressed to the required discharge pressure,if required and fed to end use process.

Technology Advatages

Main applications of VPSA oxygen generation

VPSA oxygen concentrators are widely used in many industries.​

Metallurgical industry​

In stainless steel production, argon oxygen decarburization (AOD) furnaces use oxygen to blow into molten steel to remove excess carbon and reduce the burning of precious elements such as chromium. Oxygen directly participates in chemical reactions such as high-temperature smelting, decarburization, and dephosphorization, which can accelerate the decarburization reaction rate and improve production efficiency; increase the temperature of molten steel, which helps control the quality of finished products; reduce energy consumption in the metallurgical process and reduce the use of expensive alloy materials. The use of VPSA oxygen generators for on-site oxygen production has flexible supply and rapid response, reducing the cost of raw material transportation and storage. 80% – 94% purity can meet the metallurgical decarburization needs, without the need to pursue ultra-high purity. ​

Combustion and combustion-supporting fields​

VPSA oxygen generators are used in glass kilns, cement rotary kilns, papermaking drying furnaces, ceramic sintering furnaces, metal heat treatment furnaces and other fields. Introducing oxygen-enriched air into the combustion system can improve fuel combustion efficiency, increase combustion temperature, and accelerate complete combustion of fuel; reduce energy consumption, reduce fuel consumption under the same energy output; reduce emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dust, and help enterprises meet environmental emission standards. The VPSA system can adjust the oxygen production according to the gas load, which is energy-saving and efficient, and is particularly suitable for industrial furnaces with continuous and periodic gas consumption. ​

Environmental protection industry​

VPSA oxygen generators are used to treat pollutants in industrial waste gas (such as coking waste gas, chemical tail gas, and power plant waste gas), as well as environmental protection processes such as desulfurization (removal of sulfur dioxide) and denitrification (removal of nitrogen oxides). Oxygen plays a role in strengthening the oxidation reaction, accelerating the reaction speed and efficiency, such as oxidizing sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide, which is easy to be captured by the absorbent; assisting the catalyst reaction, providing the necessary oxygen environment in selective catalytic reduction denitrification (SCR), and improving the removal efficiency; promoting the microbial treatment process, such as in biological desulfurization, providing oxygen for sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and enhancing their activity. Setting up a VPSA oxygen generator nearby as an oxygen source avoids the transportation of bottled or liquid oxygen, which is low-cost and suitable for large-scale, continuous oxygen supply environmental protection projects. ​

In addition to VPSA Oxygen Generators, we also produce PSA Oxygen Generators, storage tanks, heat exchangers and other products. If you are interested in VPSA Oxygen Systems or other products, please feel free to send an email to [email protected]. We will be very happy to serve you.