Methane Challenge of High Performance Molecular Sieve Oxygen Concentrator
Abstract
The purpose of this work was to determine the ability of high performance molecular sieve oxygen concentrator (MSOC) to remove methane while operating at high oxygen purity levels. This work was accomplished using a laboratory scale, four-bed, high performance MSOC (U. S. patent 4,880,443) which consisted of two primary beds containing OXYSIV-5 zeolite molecular sieve and two secondary beds containing Takeda 3A carbon molecular sieve. The concentrator operated at an inlet air pressure of 45 psia, a cycle time of 14 seconds, and a product flow rate of one standard liter per minute. Methane was injected into the MSOC inlet gas stream at levels up to approximately 5000 parts per million by volume (ppmv). Contaminant levels were allowed to reach steady-state and measured in the MSOC inlet, product, and exhaust gases with a Beckman, model 402 hydrocarbon analyzer. The experimental results indicate the contaminant introduced into the MSOC inlet gas was separated and carried out with the exhaust gas. The injected methane was not detected in the product gas. The results indicate the high performance MSOC may be more capable of removing contaminants from the inlet gas stream than standard MSOCs, i.e., those containing only zeolite molecular sieve. Further experimental work with other contaminants is planned. Molecular sieve oxygen concentrator, OBOGS, MSOGS, Zeolite, Contaminant, Methane, Carbon.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA275155
Entities
People
- Aaron M. Shakocius
- George W. Miller