A complete gas separation system consists of the components such as air compressor, compressed air purification components, air storage tank, medical oxygen generator, and oxygen buffer tank. If a filler cylinder is required, oxygen booster and bottle filling device should be added. The air compressor obtains the air source, purification components purify the compressed air, and the oxygen generator separates and manufactures oxygen. And the oxygen buffer tank also plays an important role in the PSA system. It is not just a container, but can equalize the pressure and purity of oxygen separated from the oxygen generator to ensure continuous and stable supply of oxygen.

In order to understand the importance of the buffer tank, let’s start with the working principle of PSA oxygen generator. PSA oxygen generator uses zeolite molecular sieve as adsorbent to adsorb and desorb the purified and dry compressed air. Nitrogen is preferentially adsorbed by the zeolite molecular sieve, so oxygen is enriched to form the finished oxygen. Then, after decompression to atmospheric pressure, the adsorbent desorbs nitrogen and impurities to achieve regeneration.

Next let’s analyze the reasons why buffer tanks should be installed on PSA oxygen generator. The adsorption tower is switched about once a minute, and the single boost time is only 1-2 seconds. If there is no air storage tank with buffer, the compressed air that fails to be treated will carry moisture and oil directly into the medical oxygen generator, which will lead to molecular sieve poisoning, reduce the oxygen production rate, and shorten the service life of molecular sieve. PSA oxygen production is not a continuous process, so oxygen buffer tanks are needed to equalize the purity and pressure of oxygen separated from the two adsorption towers to ensure continuous and stable supply of oxygen. In addition, the oxygen buffer tank can also help protect the bed by recharging part of its own gas back to the adsorption tower after the adsorption tower has been switched to work.