PSA oxygen generators and RICH hospital central oxygen supply system
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PSA oxygen generators and RICH hospital central oxygen supply system. Sequence: The RICH hospital central oxygen supply system is a modern, economical, simple, and safe central oxygen system for hospitals. It consists of a air compressor, air pre-treatment system, PSA oxygen generator, automatic detection and regulation mechanism, and oxygen purification and delivery systems. An oxygen storage tank, an oxygen compressor, and a spare cylinder station can be optionally installed to ensure a continuous supply of oxygen in the event of power outages or maintenance. The core component of the Zao PSA oxygen generator utilizes pressure swing adsorption technology to directly separate oxygen from the air; after filtration and purification to remove dust, oil, water, and bacteria from the air, medical-grade oxygen with an oxygen concentration of 93% is produced, which meets medical standards. Pressure Swing Adsorption oxygen production: Pressure Swing Adsorption, abbreviated as PSA, is a new method for producing oxygen through air separation. It primarily utilizes the selective adsorption property of zeolite molecular sieves toward oxygen and nitrogen in air; by carrying out adsorption under pressure and desorption under reduced pressure, oxygen is produced as a result of the separation of oxygen and nitrogen. The zeolite molecular sieve used in PSA oxygen generators is a 5A-type adsorbent with a unique microporous structure, formed on a Si-Al-O framework. The Si-Al cations of this adsorbent exhibit strong polarity, and the entire molecular sieve also shows strong polarity; it is a polar adsorbent. Under normal temperature and pressure conditions, this polar adsorbent exerts a strong attractive force on the non-polar gases N2 and O2, whereas zeolite molecular sieves exert a stronger attractive force on N2 than on O2. Therefore, as air passes through the zeolite molecular sieve, N2 is preferentially adsorbed and concentrated within the micropores of the zeolite molecular sieve, while O2, aside from a small amount that is adsorbed, passes through the zeolite molecular sieve and is discharged through the exhaust pipe as product gas at a certain concentration. It is precisely because zeolite molecular sieves are polar substances that they are able to exert a strong inducing effect on non-polar gases such as N2 and O2, thereby facilitating their easy separation. Moreover, substances in air with high polarity, such as acids, bases, CO2, oxides, and halogens, can be easily adsorbed by zeolite molecular sieves. This ensures that the final oxygen product does not contain any substances harmful to human health, and it also guarantees the quality of the oxygen and its compliance with the standards for medical use. RICH – Hospital central oxygen supply system. This air separation method, developed in the late 1950s, has gained a strong market presence thanks to its advantages such as ease of operation and low cost. Since 1979, when Ruiqi Enterprise began researching the first pressure swing adsorption air separation unit and brought it into operation successfully, its technology has become increasingly mature through over two decades of continuous development and improvement. The hospital central oxygen supply system successfully developed by Ruiqi Enterprise has won the trust of customers thanks to its sophisticated technology, user-friendly operation system, and excellent performance. As shown in Figure 1 below, it is a schematic diagram of the process flow for the hospital central oxygen supply system using Ruiqi Enterprise’s twin-tower pressure swing adsorption oxygen generators. As can be seen from Figure 1, after being compressed by the compressor and purified by the a (air purification system), the air is sent to two adsorption towers, b (Adsorption Tower A) and c (Adsorption Tower B), resulting in oxygen gas of >93% purity. After further purification in the D (oxygen purification system, i.e., post-purification), the final gas yields oxygen with a purity of >93%, which can be delivered directly to the patient rooms via the hospital’s delivery pipelines. The e (oxygen backup system) ensures a continuous supply of oxygen in the event of power outages or equipment maintenance. For PSA oxygen generators, the air purification system in a includes a three-stage air filter and an air buffer device. The third-stage air filter is primarily used to remove dust, oil, and water from the air. The air buffer device is primarily used to provide a stable gas supply to the adsorption tower in order to produce the required oxygen. The PSA oxygen generators used by RICH enterprises employ a two-tower adsorption unit as shown in Figure 1. During operation, one tower is used for adsorption while the other is used for desorption; the two towers take turns to operate in this manner, with the aim of ensuring a continuous supply of oxygen without interruptions. High-efficiency and high-quality zeolite molecular sieves are used inside the tower to ensure the production of stable oxygen even under prolonged continuous operation. The oxygen purification system in d includes a post-dust removal filter, a sterilization filter, and an oxygen buffer tank. The post-dust removal filter and the sterilization filter are designed to ensure that clean oxygen is delivered to the user, while the oxygen buffer device is intended to provide a stable supply of oxygen to the user. The PSA oxygen generators of RICH enterprises are controlled by a programmable controller to regulate the opening and closing of valves as well as the operation of the entire unit, eliminating the need for manual intervention. It significantly reduces the workload on workers and the risk of operational errors, thereby providing further assurance for the stable operation of the oxygen generator. Recently, we have introduced an electronic touchscreen system that displays various data in a more intuitive manner, such as inlet and outlet pressures, adsorption pressure, oxygen concentration, and oxygen flow rate, among other parameters. It also allows for modifications and resets according to different situations. The control system of the PSA oxygen generator can be remotely controlled, which makes operation and management easier. Economic comparison (PSA oxygen generators vs. other oxygen supply methods) Here, let’s compare PSA oxygen generators with bottled oxygen and liquid oxygen: For example, a hospital has 710 beds; it uses 2,400 bottles of oxygen per month, which is equivalent to 13,200 m3 per month. The price of oxygen is 20 yuan per bottle, while the cost of electricity is 0.4 yuan per Kw. (1) Use bottled oxygen. Each bottle of bottled oxygen can release 5.5 m3 of oxygen; therefore, the cost per cubic meter of oxygen in bottled form is 20 yuan/bottle ÷ 5.5 m3/bottle = 3.64 yuan/m3 ； The annual cost for bottled oxygen is: 20 yuan per bottle × 2,400 bottles per month × 12 months = 5.76 million yuan per year (excluding labor and maintenance costs). (2) Liquid oxygen is used. The cost is 2.40 yuan per kilogram of liquid oxygen; each kilogram of liquid oxygen releases 0.75 m3 of oxygen, which means the cost per cubic meter of oxygen is 2.4 ÷ 0.75 = 3.2 yuan/m3 ； The annual cost of using liquid oxygen is: 13,200 m3/month × 12 months × 3.2 yuan/month = 506,880 yuan. (3) Adopt a RICH central oxygen generation system. Based on the hospital’s annual oxygen supply volume of 13,200 m3/month × 12 months = 158,400 m3, and using a central oxygen supply system with two units, each having a flow rate of 20 m3/h, with each unit requiring 30 Kw of power, the cost per cubic meter of oxygen is calculated as 30 Kw/h ÷ 20 m3/h × 0.4 yuan/Kw = 0.6 yuan/m3 ； The annual cost for oxygen production is: 158,400 m3 × 0.6 yuan/m3 = 95,000 yuan. The comparison of the costs associated with oxygen production using bottled oxygen, liquid oxygen, and PSA technology is summarized in the table below:| Item | Category | Bottled Oxygen | Liquid Oxygen | PSA Oxygen Production |
|------|----------|----------------|--------------|----------------------|
| Cost per cubic meter of oxygen | | 3.6 yuan | 3.2 yuan | 0.6 yuan |
| Annual operating cost | | 576,000 yuan | 506,880 yuan | 95,000 yuan |
| Annual savings | | 0 yuan | 69,120 yuan | 481,000 yuan |
As can be seen from the table, by switching to a RICH centralized oxygen supply system, hospitals can save between 576,000 yuan and 95,000 yuan in annual operating costs, which amounts to 481,000 yuan in total savings. Analyzing the hospital’s income from oxygen supply: at a charging rate of 5 liters per minute, the cost per hour is 2.4 yuan. Thus, the hospital’s annual income from oxygen supply amounts to 13200 m³/month × 12 months × 1000 liters/m³ ÷ 60 minutes ÷ 5 liters/minute × 2.4 yuan/hour = 1.2672 million yuan. With the central oxygen supply system at RICH Hospital, after deducting the annual operating costs of the equipment, the hospital can recoup the investment cost within the same year and start generating profits. In summary, the central oxygen supply system in RICH Hospital operates under normal temperature and low pressure conditions. It boasts advantages such as a simple process flow, low investment costs, low energy consumption, and easy maintenance and repair. It is also simple to operate, safe, and reliable; qualified oxygen can be obtained just 10 minutes after it is turned on. For addressing the oxygen supply needs of medical facilities that consume large amounts of oxygen, or those located in rural areas, mountainous regions, plateaus, and remote areas far from cities, PSA oxygen generators (RICH hospital central oxygen supply systems) are the best choice. Note: Note 1: Pressure swing adsorption: a cyclic process of adsorption under pressure and desorption under reduced pressure under adiabatic conditions. Note 2: Zao molecular sieve: A solid adsorbent with a uniform microporous structure, capable of selectively adsorbing gas molecules whose diameter is smaller than that of its micropores. Note 3: Jujubes adsorption: When a gas phase and a solid phase form an adsorption system (adsorption phase), a phenomenon of component enrichment occurs at the phase boundary. Note 4: Desorption of jujube: The phenomenon in which molecules of a gas (liquid) that have been adsorbed by an adsorbent are released back into the gas phase (liquid phase).