Factors affecting air separation load

I think we can’t consider only the issue of space reserved for air compressors; the pre-cooling system, molecular sieve system, plate-type components, and distillation tower are all factors that need to be taken into account. Considering only the air compressor is too one-sided.

It depends on the design of each equipment manufacturer; generally, the load adjustment range is 70% to 115%. Of course, if the lower section of the tower is also filled with packing, there may be a greater possibility of reducing the load, but in that case, individual air compressors might start to discharge air. As for using air compressors with a higher capacity, this is feasible – one reason is to address the challenges posed by hot weather, and another is to enable increased production through operation at elevated loads~~

The typical design range for load adjustment is 70% to 110%, right?

Let’s take a look at different brands~~ The potential of domestic products cannot be underestimated~~ Hehe~~

The air separation design has just been completed, and there is basically only a 30% margin for adjustment; typically the range is 70-100% or 75-105%. Whether full production capacity can be achieved depends on various factors related to the system, as well as whether the design values are met

I agree with the view from the second floor; there are many factors that affect the capacity of oxygen generators, and it cannot be determined solely based on the air compressor. The capacity of the air compressor is a key factor; the matching of subsequent equipment is equally important, as it can also directly affect the system’s load capacity. For example, when aiming to increase the maximum production capacity, even if the compressor has sufficient capacity, an insufficient cooling capacity in the pre-cooling system can affect the adsorption efficiency of the molecular sieve. An excessive volume of air, along with high moisture content and increased carbon dioxide levels, can limit the processing capacity of the molecular sieve. A large volume of air also limits the flow rate through the plate-type channels, thereby restricting the amount of material that can be processed. Furthermore, as the air volume increases, the cooling capacity provided by the expansion mechanism may not be sufficient to match it. The purification efficiency of the air separation tower is dependent on the air volume, and an excessive amount of air can affect the purity of the product. All of these can affect the maximum load. Even a lack of one of these capabilities can become a weakness in the entire system, limiting its overall performance. Regarding load reduction, I believe the most critical factors are the tower height as well as the packing or trays. After load reduction, the pressure at the bottom of the tower inevitably decreases; as a result, the liquid nitrogen flowing from the bottom of the tower may not be able to overcome this pressure difference, meaning that it might not reach the top of the tower. Similarly, low pressure at the bottom of the tower may prevent the liquid on the trays or packing from being held in place, thereby preventing distillation. Even assuming that, as a fallback option, all equipment has sufficient capacity to keep operating, in such a situation the equipment operates far from its designed conditions, which results in a significant increase in energy consumption or a decrease in product purity.

The characteristic of air separation is that one small change can have a significant impact on the whole system; it cannot be judged based on partial aspects alone, and a comprehensive consideration is necessary.

Is there such a wide range of adjustment? It seems to be around 75~105% generally, right? Also, if the air compressor is selected in a larger capacity, will it not operate at the designed operating conditions for an extended period of time, which in turn would lead to increased energy consumption?

There are significant constraints with moving equipment; it’s not a big problem to operate stationary equipment at 115%~~