| PSA Oxygen Gas Plant |
 |
Pressure swing adsorption oxygen gas plant and oxygen generating
systems units plants are suitable for a large number of industrial
applications. Oxygen is an important ingredient that is required in large
volume in many applications. PSA method which is described here is most
productive for relatively smaller applications. The unique feature of
PSA Oxygen Gas plants is that apart from being environment friendly,
they have the ability to remove gases like Carbon dioxide from waste gas
streams.
The principle of adsorptive separation of air is done by the
following process:
- Compression of feed air and conditioning: The ambient air
gets compressed by an air compressor, then dried by an air dryer and
subsequently filtered before entering the process vessels.
- Adsorption: Pre-treated air is allowed to pass into a
vessel filled with Zeolite Molecular Sieve (ZMS). Here most of the
oxygen pass through while nitrogen and other gases gets adsorbed.
The adsorption process is interrupted before the adsorption capacity
of the ZMS is fully exhausted.
- Desorption: The saturated Zeolite Molecular sieve is
regenerated by way of of pressure reduction. This is below that of
the adsorption step. It is done by a simple pressure release system.
The waste stream that was got is vented into atmosphere. While
regenerated adsorbent is purged with oxygen and used again for the
generation of oxygen.
- Oxygen receiver: The alternate steps of Adsorption and
desorption takeplace at equal time intervals. This in effect means
that the continuous generation of oxygen can be achieved with these
two adsorbers, while one is being switched at adsorption and the
other at the regeneration process. A constant product flow and
purity is maintained by a connected oxygen receiver. This can store
the oxygen with purities up to 95% and pressures up to something
around 4. 5 bar(g) / 65 psig.
- Optional backup system
- Oxygen product: Finally we get a constant flow of on-site
produced oxygen.
Key Advantages of PSA Oxygen plants:
- High efficiency operation (lowers power costs).
- Fast ramp-up to online production.
- Full safety unlike hazards involved with bulky gas cylindres.
- High output pressures.
- Independent on -site production.
- Low pressure drops
Key Applications of PSA Oxygen
plants:
- Glass and enamel industry
- Steel industry
- Pulp and paper industry
- Chemical industry
- Drinking water supply
- Waste water treatment and waste disposal industries
- Biotechnology industry
Table showing the relative advantages of PSA and cryogenic
oxygen production:
|
PSA |
Cryogenic
Production |
| Temperature |
ambient |
low |
| Pressure |
maximum is 150 kPa |
maximum is 13,000 kPa |
| Purity |
95% |
near 100% |
