JP3342844B2 - Operation control device for oxygen concentrator and operation control method for oxygen concentrator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is the operation control device and OPERATION control of the oxygen concentrator (pressure swing adsorption-type oxygen concentrator)
About the method .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional oxygen concentrators include a membrane oxygen concentrator using an oxygen selective permeable membrane and a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator using an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen gas. The latter is a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator that introduces air pressurized by a compressor into an adsorption tower filled with an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen gas, adsorbs nitrogen gas on the adsorbent, and enriches oxygen-enriched air. (Adsorption step). In this pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, if the adsorbent adsorbs nitrogen gas sufficiently in this adsorption step, the adsorbing ability of nitrogen gas will decrease thereafter, so the desorption in which the pressure in the adsorption tower is reduced to regenerate the adsorbent Process. The required amount of oxygen is adjusted by the respiratory gas supply means.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator is adjusted based on the maximum amount although the required oxygen amount differs depending on the patient, and the amount of oxygen used (consumed oxygen) When the amount is small, the oxygen concentration decreases. For example, the maximum oxygen concentration of those emissions per content of 3 liters, 92% when consumed oxygen amount per minute 3 liters
It is 93% at 1 liter per minute , but 87% at 0.25 liter.

[0004] The present invention is to solve the above drawbacks, the oxygen concentration regardless of the amount of oxygen to be used to provide a device which is within a predetermined range (normally the concentration of 90% or more), and used
The oxygen concentration is within the specified range regardless of the oxygen amount (constant concentration
Is 90% or more) .

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the apparatus of the present invention is provided with two adsorption towers filled with an adsorbent for preferentially adsorbing nitrogen gas, and the adsorption towers are alternately supplied to the adsorption towers by a compressor. Injecting air, adsorbing nitrogen in the air to produce oxygen-enriched air, storing the oxygen-enriched air in a product tank, and supplying a predetermined amount of oxygen-enriched air from the product tank to the oxygen concentrator, the two oxygen enriched air The towers are connected by piping with pressure equalization valves. Then, said pressure and the like of valve, open before switching straight air feeding into the adsorption tower of the 2 groups, the <br/> both the closed after Tsu switching, receiving the flow signal from the flow rate measuring means, A control means for shortening the opening time of the pressure equalizing valve when the flow rate of the consumed oxygen is large, and lengthening the opening time of the pressure equalizing valve when the flow rate of the consumed oxygen is small. Further, the method of the present invention, in an oxygen concentrator, a 2 group adsorption tower, connected by a pipe having a pressure and the like of valve, the pressure, etc. of valve, the air fed to the adsorption tower 2 group switching straight before -out opening, closed in after Tsu switching
At the same time, the flow rate measuring means measures the amount of oxygen-enriched air (consumed oxygen) discharged from the product tank. When the flow rate is high, the opening time of the pressure equalization valve is short. It is characterized in that the opening time is lengthened.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an oxygen concentrator. Reference numeral 1 denotes a compressor, which is provided with an air inlet on its suction side, and provided with a dust filter 2 and a dehumidifier 3 at the air inlet. Further, the compressor 1 is connected to a two-way valve manifold 4 on the discharge side. Two adsorption towers 5 and 6 are connected in parallel to the two-way valve manifold 4, and each of the adsorption towers 5 and 6 is filled with an adsorbent 7 that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen gas.

The two-way valve manifold 4 includes four two-way valves SV1, SV2, SV3, and SV, as shown in FIG.
4, two four-way valves are connected in a ring shape, and a pipe is drawn out from between two adjacent two-way valves. Pipe from compressor 1 to two-way valve SV2
A pipe between the two-way valves SV2 and SV1 to the adsorption tower 5, and a two-way valve SV3 to the SV3.
4 are connected to the adsorption tower 6, respectively. Also,
A pipe between the two-way valves SV1 and SV4 is connected to a silencer 8, and the silencer 8 is further connected to an exhaust port 9. When one of the two adsorption towers 5 and 6 is in the adsorption step, the other is used for regeneration of the adsorbent, and the four two-way valves SV1 of the two-way valve manifold 4 are provided for each cycle.
To SV4 to continuously supply oxygen-enriched air having a high oxygen concentration.

Check valves 10 and 11 are connected to the outlets of the two adsorption towers 5 and 6, respectively. A pipe 20 having a purge orifice 12 and a pipe 13 having a pressure equalizing valve (two-way valve) SV5 are connected in parallel between the outlets of the two adsorption towers 5, 6. Further, the outlets of the two adsorption towers 5 and 6 are connected to a product tank 14 via respective check valves 10 and 11, and the oxygen-enriched air in the product tank 14 is supplied to a pressure sensor 15, a pressure regulator 16, and an air filter. 1
7. Supply to the patient via the flow controller 18. A flow meter 19 measures the amount of oxygen-enriched air used by the patient.

In such an apparatus, when the two-way valve SV2 of the two-way valve manifold 4 is opened and the two-way valve SV3 is closed, pressurized air is sent to the adsorption tower 5, and nitrogen in the air is introduced into the adsorption tower 5. Is adsorbed by the adsorbent 7, and oxygen-enriched air is sent to the product tank 14 via the check valve 10. When the pressure in the pipeline to the product tank 14 and the pressure in the product tank 14 rises, a part of the oxygen-enriched air is discharged to the adsorption column 6 through the purge orifice 12 and the adsorbent 7 in the adsorption tower 6 is discharged.
Desorbs the adsorbed nitrogen and discharges it from the exhaust port 9 via the two-way valve SV4 and the silencer 8.

Next, the two-way valve SV2 and the two-way valve SV
When the valve 4 is closed and the two-way valve SV3 and the two-way valve SV1 are opened, the pressurized air is sent into the adsorption tower 6, and nitrogen in the air is adsorbed by the adsorbent 7 in the adsorption tower 6. The oxygen-enriched air thus produced is sent to the product tank 14 via the check valve 11. When the pressure of the pipeline to the product tank 14 and the pressure of the product tank 14 rises, a part of the oxygen-enriched air is discharged to the adsorption column 5 through the purge orifice 12, and the nitrogen adsorbed by the adsorbent 7 in the adsorption tower 5 is removed. It is detached and released from the exhaust port 9 via the two-way valve SV1 and the silencer 8. The pressure equalizing valve SV5 opens momentarily immediately before the two-way valve manifold 4 switches, and then closes immediately after the switching, and restricts the flow rate with a pressure equalizing orifice (not shown) or the like, and adsorbs the oxygen-enriched air on the side that produces oxygen-enriched air. Oxygen-enriched air is blown into column 5 or 6 and its internal pressure is increased so that the next cycle can be started under high internal pressure so that oxygen-enriched air can be produced immediately.

In the present invention, information from the flow meter 19 is sent to a control device (not shown), and when the amount of oxygen-enriched air used by the patient is about 3 liters / minute, the pressure and the like are as shown in FIG. If the time during which the valve SV5 is open is shortened and the amount of oxygen-enriched air used by the patient is about 0.25 liter / minute,
As shown in FIG. 3 , the time during which the pressure equalizing valve SV5 is open is increased. By controlling in this manner, the concentration of the oxygen-enriched air becomes 90% regardless of the consumption amount of the oxygen-enriched air.
% And within a predetermined range.

In the above-described embodiment, the flow meter 19 is used as the flow measuring means. However, instead of the flow meter, a differential pressure sensor for detecting a pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet of the product tank 14 ;
A flow rate calculating device for obtaining a flow rate from the differential pressure detected by the differential pressure sensor may be used.

[0013]

In summary the present invention apparatus above, according to the present invention, the adsorption tower of the 2 groups are connected by a pipe having a pressure and the like of valve, the flow rate measuring means for measuring the amount of oxygen-enriched air discharged from the product tank, the The pressure equalization valve is used to send air to the two adsorption towers.
Open immediately before switching, close after switching, and receive a flow rate signal from the flow rate measuring means, shorten the opening time of the pressure equalizing valve when the flow rate of the consumed oxygen is high, and reduce the pressure equalizing valve when the flow rate is low. And control means for lengthening the opening time of the device. Further, the present method, the adsorption tower of the 2 groups are connected by a pipe having a pressure and the like of valve, open the pressure and the like of valve before switching straight air feeding into the adsorption tower 2 group, after the Tsu switching Closed
At the same time, the amount of oxygen-enriched air discharged from the product tank is measured by the flow rate measuring means, and when the flow rate is high, the opening time of the pressure equalizing valve is short, and when the flow rate is low, the opening time of the pressure equalizing valve is lengthened. I do. Therefore, the concentration of the oxygen-enriched air falls within a predetermined range regardless of the consumption amount of the oxygen-enriched air.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an embodiment of an oxygen concentrator embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the open / closed state of a pressure equalization valve and the internal pressure of a product tank when the consumption of oxygen-enriched air is large.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the open / closed state of a pressure equalization valve and the internal pressure of a product tank when the consumption of oxygen-enriched air is small.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Compressor 5, 6 Adsorption tower 7 Adsorbent 19 Flow meter SV1-SV4 2-way valve SV5 Pressure equalization valve

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. Two adsorption towers filled with an adsorbent for preferentially adsorbing nitrogen gas are provided, and air is alternately sent from the compressor to the adsorption tower to adsorb nitrogen in the air to produce oxygen-enriched air. Manufacturing, storing this in a product tank, and supplying a predetermined amount of oxygen-enriched air from inside the product tank, wherein the two adsorption towers are connected by a pipe having a pressure equalization valve; a flow rate measuring means for measuring the amount of oxygen-enriched air discharged from the tank, the pressure and the like of valve, open before switching straight air feeding into the adsorption tower of the 2 groups, together with the closing after Tsu switching, the flow rate measurement Control means for receiving a flow rate signal from the means, shortening the opening time of the pressure equalization valve when the consumed oxygen flow rate is large, and increasing the opening time of the pressure equalizing valve when the consumed oxygen flow rate is small. Operation control device characterized by the following. 2. An adsorption tower filled with an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen gas is provided, and air is alternately sent from the compressor to the adsorption tower to adsorb nitrogen in the air to produce oxygen-enriched air. Manufacture and store this in a product tank, and in an oxygen concentrator that supplies a predetermined amount of oxygen-enriched air from inside the product tank, the two adsorption towers are connected by a pipe having a pressure equalization valve,
The pressure or the like of valve, open before switching straight air feeding into the adsorption tower of the 2 groups, together with the closing after Tsu switching, measuring the amount of oxygen-enriched air discharged from the product tank at a flow rate measuring means, consumed oxygen When the flow rate is high, shorten the opening time of the pressure equalization valve,
An operation control method for an oxygen concentrator, wherein the opening time of the pressure equalizing valve is lengthened when the flow rate of consumed oxygen is small.