OGSI OG-75, Installation, Operation & Maintenance Manual

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Effective April 2006
6
Pressure Swing Adsorption
(PSA) Technology
The OGSI Oxygen Generator is an on-site oxygen-generating machine capable
of producing oxygen on demand in accordance with your requirements. It requires less
than 600 Watts of electrical power to control its operation.
In effect, it separates the Oxygen (21% of air) from the air it is provided and
returns the Nitrogen (78% of air) to the atmosphere through a waste gas muffler. The
separation process employs a technology called Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA). At
the heart of this technology is a material called Molecular Sieve.
This Molecular Sieve is an inert, ceramic-like material that is designed to adsorb
Nitrogen more readily than Oxygen. Each of the two beds that make up the generator
contain this sieve. As air is fed into one of the beds, the sieve in that bed holds the
Nitrogen to it and allows the Oxygen to flow through it and out to the surge tank as
product gas. Eventually the sieve becomes saturated with Nitrogen. When this occurs,
the feed air is directed to the other bed where the oxygen production/separation process
continues. While the second bed is being fed air, the first is depressurized and safely
releases the Nitrogen it has trapped through the waste gas muffler. This regenerates
the sieve in the first bed and prepares it to accept feed air again continuing the process.
The two beds continue to work in this alternating fashion to provide a continuous supply
of Oxygen.
This air separation process is reliable and virtually maintenance free. The
Molecular Sieve will last indefinitely, as long as it does not become contaminated with
water and oil vapors. This is why regular filter element replacement is critical to trouble
free operation. The filter elements are very inexpensive, semi-annual maintenance.