Oxygen Generator: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

 You may be looking for the best oxygen generators to purchase.

Or, you may want to know more about oxygen generators and how they can benefit you.

If either, you’re in the right place as this guide would satisfy your curiosity and more. Read on!

What is an Oxygen Generator?

An oxygen generator is a device used primarily to filter oxygen from atmospheric air.

 Atmospheric air is made up of seventy-eight percent (78℅) nitrogen, twenty-one (21℅) oxygen, and the rest percentage which is made up of other gases (such as argon and carbon dioxide).

An oxygen generator, which can come in varying sizes and proportions (as large as a room or as small as a torchlight), is used to separate this oxygen for various uses or purposes.

What are the types of Oxygen Generators

There are three(3) major different types of oxygen generators and these are often distinguished based on their method of producing oxygen and their usage.

The types of oxygen generators are:

1. PSA oxygen generator
2. Membrane oxygen generator
3. Cryogenic oxygen generator

• The PSA(an acronym for Pressure Swing Adsorption) oxygen generator employs the process of adsorption.

Adsorption is the word used to describe the ‘sticking’ of a layer of particles on a surface.

The PSA process is made possible by a material called zeolite which either occurs naturally in the environment or is artificially made.

It has the ability to selectively ‘trap’ nitrogen from the air in the atmosphere while oxygen is collected under pressure. The PSA oxygen generator is widely used as it is the most sought after for its efficiency.

At Const Air Tech, you can expect the best possible model of your PSA oxygen generator, custom-made!

• The membrane oxygen generator adopts a different working method. It works by channeling highly pressurized air through a semi-permeable membrane in order to separate different molecules.

The membrane oxygen generator is not widely common but is quite reliable as it is not prone to failure from causes such as friction.

• The cryogenic oxygen generator is often known for one characteristic. It produces oxygen of impressive purity (more than 99.5 percent).

The cryogenic oxygen generator is made up of;

° The warm end container in which distilled and compressed air provides the needed pressure. The quantity of air entering the container usually depends on the customer’s demands and requirements.

The warm end container also contains an Air Purification Unit (APU) used to improve the incoming air.

° The cold box is another component of the cryogenic oxygen generator that is responsible for the cooling process.

It contains a ‘heat exchanger’ through which the incoming air is cooled as it flows opposite the waste gas direction.

° The final part of the cryogenic oxygen generator is known as storage.

As the name implies, the storage is used as a reserve for the product oxygen at high pressure in cylinders.

The oxygen is then channeled into pipelines for customers’ use.

Parts of an PSA Oxygen Generator

An oxygen plant is made up of several components to enable effective oxygen production.

These parts are;

• A compression unit to pressurize air.

• Filters for separation of dust particles and other harmful substances.

•Air dryers to remove moisture.

•Cylinders with zeolite pellets.

• A pressure stabilizer.

• Cocks/valves to control air movement (inflow and outflow); and

• A tube system for gas flow.

Uses and applications of Oxygen Generators

Oxygen generators have occupied a wide range of industries and sectors. They perform different uses of which some are listed below:

• The medical sector is perhaps the most famous of them all as it contributes to the high demand for oxygen generators.

From life support systems to other less small devices, the need for oxygen generators cannot be overemphasized.

• In fish farms, oxygen generators are used to increase the stocking density of fish, in other words, the number of fish in a particular area.

This has a number of advantages as the farmer experiences a high yield, reduced mortality rate (for the fishes) among others.

• The sewage and water treatment plants also employ the use of oxygen generators.

They do this to accelerate the growth of bacteria for the purpose of biodegradation.

• In the process of gold mining, the cyanide leaching process uses oxygen for its facilitation. This is made feasible and possible by oxygen generators.

• Steel industries use oxygen for heating furnaces and also to lower carbon content on the surfaces of steel (decarburization).

• The welding industries are not left out as they use what is called an oxyacetylene flame.

The oxyacetylene flame requires a considerable amount of oxygen for the process of melting metals at high temperatures.

What are the benefits of Oxygen Generators

Oxygen generators have several benefits and advantages. Compared to their alternatives, they stand out quite well. These include;

• The one distinguishing benefit of an oxygen generator is its cost-effectiveness.

In hospitals, for example, they save cost in the long run as opposed to the continuous purchase of oxygen tanks. An oxygen generator is ‘once-and-for-all’.

• They also save space. Rather than heaping lots of oxygen tanks in one place, purchasing oxygen generators help conserve a lot of space.

• They are more reliable. As oxygen tanks produce oxygen continually, the oxygen generators tend to be more reliable as they are always in use.

Furthermore, there are cases where oxygen tanks may be prone to leakages.

These leakages can be disastrous especially when life is involved (such as in the hospitals).

This is taken into consideration by Const Air Tech as our oxygen generators run on low power. Reservoirs are also in place in cases of power failure.

How to identify an Oxygen Generator from an Oxygen Concentrator

Often at times, these terms are confused with one another. But in actuality, they differ slightly. Below are some of the differences between an oxygen generator and an oxygen concentrator:

• Oxygen generators and oxygen concentrators differ by the amount of oxygen concentration they produce.

They each filter oxygen from the atmospheric air, trap nitrogen and other air constituents and finally pump out oxygen but, in different concentrations.

The oxygen generators pump oxygen at higher concentrations due to their large-scale usage (steel industries, gold mines, sewage use, etc).

The demand for oxygen from oxygen concentrators is quite minimal as compared to that of the oxygen generators.

• The sizes of oxygen generators and oxygen concentrators also pose a distinguishing characteristic.

The oxygen concentrators are mostly for homes and other domestic usages. An example is if the oxygen generator is prescribed by the doctor for a patient who is in need of an additional or supplementary supply of oxygen.

Oxygen generators, on the other hand, are often large in comparison as they are usually used for a variety of purposes (such as in submarines or SCUBA equipment shops).

• Also, the pressure of oxygen generators and oxygen concentrators are not similar. The oxygen generator often produces oxygen at a higher pressure than the oxygen concentrator.

Factors to consider before purchasing Oxygen Generators

Inasmuch as the pressing need for oxygen generators is in the increase, it is advised that you should take certain criteria into consideration before purchasing one.

• One factor is the power consumption rate. You must know and understand the exact or maximum level of power consumption you would want for your oxygen generator.

This is important to prevent the sad or lethal occurrences of a power failure or even an explosion.

This can be either on phone or at the comfort of your home.

• Another factor to consider before buying oxygen generators is the level of oxygen concentration.

This criterion is different for most oxygen generators as the sizes also differ.

•Also, the noise level should be taken into consideration. Although this is not an important factor for oxygen generators, as it is for oxygen concentrators, knowing this is no doubt important.

This is because, as opposed to some places where the noise isn’t very relevant, some others (like hospitals) may require lesser noise levels.

• Lastly, the warranty time of the oxygen generator should also come into mind. As this is a purchase that would last a long time, you might want to know how long the warranty time is also.

ConstAirTeh provides an ample warranty time as your satisfaction is a priority.

Is there an advantage of producing oxygen using onsite Oxygen Generators?

Most definitely. Onsite oxygen generators provide you with the liberty of harnessing your required oxygen levels at your own demand.

Although it may seem costlier in the beginning, it would actually save you a lot of future expenses later on.

Difference between a PSA and VPSA oxygen generator

These are acronyms for different forms/methods of oxygen generation.

PSA – Pressure Swing Adsorption.

VPSA – Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption.

Although these terms may sound somewhat similar, they do have their individual differences.

As you’ve seen earlier on, PSA oxygen generators occupy several industrial applications.

These industries range from the steel industries, chemical industries, gold mines, paper and pulp industries, etc.

They are often considered as the ‘Normal’ PSA oxygen generators.

VPSA oxygen generators, however, are generally preferred over the ‘Normal’ ones. This mostly occurs when oxygen is needed in more quantities than often. Although is it considered costlier than the PSA, it possesses the ability of low power consumption.

The VPSA process is non-cryogenic and it involves a powerful process for air separation. Also, it is known for the ability to produce oxygen of high purity levels such as 90℅ to 95% pure oxygen.

At Const Air Tech, your high-quality VPSA generators are one email away!

The minimal impurities that may occur from the VPSA process include nitrogen and argon.

The working mechanism of a PSA Oxygen Generator

As oxygen is of utmost importance, the PSA oxygen generator adopts a stringent process to produce the oxygen required.

Air, which enters the oxygen generator is cleaned and dried either by removing dust or oil. The air is then compressed using a compressor after which it enters an adsorption tower.

As the pressure in the tower increases, gas molecules become attached or attracted to a particular surface hence the name Pressure Swing Adsorption.

The adsorbed gas molecules are attached to solid surfaces containing zeolites that trap the nitrogen. It does this because it has a stronger affinity for nitrogen than oxygen.

The oxygen coming out of the oxygen generator will then be purer and much richer.

Are PSA Oxygen Generators better than that of the Membrane and Cryogenic Generators?

PSA oxygen generators supply oxygen as needed. They are more of a produce–use mechanism.

As for cryogenic oxygen generators, they produce and store the oxygen as cryogenic liquids or compressed gases at high pressure.

The membrane oxygen generators do not give as much purity as that of the PSA oxygen generators.

Juxtaposing the three, it is observed that the PSA oxygen generators are much better due to their low risk and high safety.

Still have some questions in mind? Reach us on this email to get those questions answered and learn more about oxygen generators!