JPS5916523A - Oxygen enriching device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To regulate the concn. of oxygen by sensing the concn. of the oxygen in the gas discharged from an oxygen enriching device with a mechanism for detecting the concn. of oxygen. CONSTITUTION:A valve 26 for regulating flow rate exists just before a detector 25 for the concn. of oxygen provided between a vacuum pump 15 and a cooling pipe 16. Since the oxygen enriched air permeating the gas sepn. membranes 11 contained in membrane modules 9 is held evacuated by the pump 15, the air in the atmosphere passed among the modules 9 can be sucked if a relieve valve B24 is regulated. The detector 25 mounted with a solid zirconia electrolyte is provided so that a part of the oxygen enriched air pressurized by the pump 15 is supplied to the detector 25 after it passes through the valve 26.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an oxygen enrichment device using a gas separation membrane. In addition to sensing the oxygen concentration of the gas discharged from the
The purpose is to be able to adjust the oxygen concentration.

Conventionally used medical oxygen enrichment devices using gas separation membranes are not equipped with oxygen concentration detectors, and as a result, long-term administration of high concentrations of oxygen can cause side effects, and the retina of premature infants. There is a risk of developing respiratory distress syndrome or adult respiratory distress syndrome.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and embodiments thereof will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 1 shows the interior of an apparatus for enriching the oxygen concentration of atmospheric air by using a selectively permeable membrane that allows oxygen to pass through at a higher rate than nitrogen.

In the figure, 1 is a partition plate 4 that separates the intake chamber 2 and J, Jl air chamber 3.
This is the main body of the oxygen supply device with partitions formed by.

5 An atmospheric air intake port provided in the main body 1 so as to communicate with the intake chamber 2, 6d: A filter provided in the intake port 5, 7
8 is an air vent that communicates with the exhaust chamber, and 8 is a blower that forms an air flow from the intake port 5 toward the exhaust lower, increasing efficiency.
A partition plate 4 is provided around the temple. 9 is the membrane Modinyl.

As shown in FIG. 2, the membrane module 9 has a gas separation membrane 11 formed on the surface of a porous membrane support 10 with which the respective pores communicate with each other, and is reinforced with a reinforcing plate 12. A nozzle 13 is set to collect the gas that has passed through the gas separation membrane 11, and the nozzle 13 and the collecting pipe 14 are connected.

16 is a vacuum pump, and is configured at a position where it is air-cooled by the blower 8. 16 is a cooling pipe, vacuum pump 15
The temperature of the gas is then cooled down.

Condensed water generated by cooling is separated by a T-tube 17 and guided to a moisture absorbing material 18 . 19 is relief valve A;
2Q is a flow meter, 21 is activated carbon, 22 is a bacterial filter, and 23 is an oxygen-enriched air discharge port.

In the above configuration, when the vacuum pump 15 is operated to carry the blower 8, the air is sucked in from the suction port 5 of the main body 1 via the filter 6 by the blower 8, and the sucked air flows between the membrane modules 9.

At this time, since the pressure inside the membrane module 9 is reduced by the vacuum pump 15, a portion of the air passing between the membrane modules 9 passes through the gas separation membrane 11 that easily transmits oxygen, and becomes oxygen-enriched air.

Oxygen-enriched air is supplied to the porous membrane support 10 within the membrane module 9.
The oxygen-enriched air, which has been heated by passing through the vacuum pump 16 and guided through the nozzle 13 and into the concentrating pipe 14, is cooled in the cooling pipe 16, and moisture is condensed therein.

The condensed water is separated by the T-tube 17 and then led to the water absorbing material 18.

The oxygen-enriched air from which the condensed water has been separated is sent to the IJ, where the flow rate is adjusted.
After being purified by the IJ-F valve A19, the flow rate valve 12o, the deodorizing activated carbon 21, and the bacteria filter 22, it is sent to the oxygen-enriched air outlet 23.

On the other hand, the air that has not passed through the gas separation membrane 11 is removed by the blower 8.
is sent to the exhaust chamber 3. Then, while cooling the vacuum pump 15, it is discharged from the exhaust ``]7.

At this time, the condensed water absorbed by the moisture absorbing material 18 is evaporated by the atmosphere discharged from the device.

Since the apparatus with the above configuration does not have an oxygen concentration detector, the above-mentioned danger exists and it is also impossible to confirm whether the apparatus is operating normally.

Therefore, the present invention installs an oxygen concentration detector and makes it possible to precisely control the oxygen concentration.

FIG. 3 is an internal diagram of an oxygen enrichment device in one embodiment of the present invention.

24 is a leap valve B provided between the collecting pipe 14 and the vacuum pump 15. 25 is an oxygen concentration detector provided between the vacuum pump 15 and the cooling pipe 16; oxygen concentration detector 2;
50, there is a flow rate adjustment valve 26.

Since the oxygen-enriched air that has passed through the gas separation membrane 11 contained in the membrane module 9 is reduced in pressure by the vacuum pump 15, the air that has passed between the membrane modules 9 can be adjusted by adjusting the IJ-F valve B. It becomes possible to inhale the air inside. As a result, the oxygen-enriched air can be mixed with atmospheric air to make the oxygen concentration controllable.

In order to measure the oxygen concentration, zirconia solid 'tU
A structure in which an oxygen concentration detector 25 equipped with jW quality is installed, and a part of oxygen-enriched air pressurized by a vacuum pump 15 is supplied into the oxygen concentration detector 25 after passing through an adjustment valve 26. It becomes.

FIG. 4 is an internal diagram of the oxygen concentration detector 25.

A heating element 28 and a furnace core tube 29 are provided inside the refractory 27, and are pressurized with oxygen-enriched air to prevent atmospheric air from entering. A blind tube 3o of zirconia solid electrolyte is constructed inside the furnace core chamber 29, and a platinum electrode 31 is attached thereto. Air from the atmosphere passes between the membrane modules 9 and enters through the openings of the blind pipe 30 of the zirconia solid electrolyte.

The oxygen-enriched air that has passed through the vacuum pump 15 enters through the furnace inlet 32, and after contacting the blind tube 30 of the zirconia solid electrolyte,
It is discharged from the furnace outlet 33.

In the configuration of the oxygen concentration detector 26 described above, an electromotive force is generated due to the concentration difference between the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere and the oxygen-enriched air that has passed through the gas separation membrane 11, and the oxygen concentration can be detected.

In the above embodiments, a zirconia solid electrolyte is used, but any oxygen concentration detection method such as a galvanic cell or magnetism may be used, as long as the oxygen concentration in the oxygen-enriched air can be determined.

As described above, according to the present invention, the oxygen concentration can be determined and it can be confirmed whether the device is operating normally.

Furthermore, since the oxygen concentration can be controlled, side effects caused by long-term administration of high-concentration oxygen can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an oxygen enrichment device using a conventional gas separation membrane, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a membrane module, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an oxygen enrichment device in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an electric furnace for oxygen concentration detection in one embodiment of the present invention. 11... Gas separation membrane, 25... Oxygen concentration detector, 3o... Zirconia solid electrolyte blind tube. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person13
5- Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] (]) An oxygen enrichment device that changes the oxygen concentration in a mixed gas using a gas separation membrane, which is a solid electrolyte. This oxygen enrichment device is equipped with a galvanic cell, magnetic oxygen concentration detector, etc. and is capable of detecting the oxygen concentration in oxygen-enriched air. (2) The oxygen enrichment device according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen concentration is controlled using the oxygen concentration detector.