KR200347139Y1 - Adsorption Bed - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an adsorption bed including an adsorbent, which is a core part of a device for selectively separating a specific gas from a mixed gas, and more particularly, to an adsorption bed in which a peripheral device related to the adsorption bed is realized through a simple structure. This adsorption bed is used for vacuum swing adsorption method, and simply integrates the check valve and microtube which are composed of the components of the system in the adsorption bed into one adsorption bed to increase the economy and efficiency, and reduce the overall size and cost. .

Description

Adsorption Bed

The present invention relates to an adsorptive bed including an adsorbent for use in a device for separating a specific gas from a mixed gas. The adsorbent has a selective adsorption degree for a specific gas, and the adsorbent bed containing the adsorbent therein is vacuum pressure. The present invention relates to a device driven by a vacuum swing method.

The method of producing a hatched gas by separating a specific gas from the mixed gas is commercially largely divided by a gas separation membrane and pressure swing adsorption that adds a pressure difference to the adsorbent. Among them, the pressure swing adsorption method produces a hatching gas by applying a pressure difference to an adsorbent such as zeolite or carbon molecular sieve which has a selective adsorption degree for a specific gas. The pressure difference is a PSA operated above normal pressure according to the operating pressure. (Pressure Swing Adsorption), VSA under vacuum, and VPSA in combination.

In the case of producing high concentration of oxygen or nitrogen for industrial use, the adsorption bed containing adsorbent is mostly built in the form of tower and operated in conjunction with a plurality of valves, but it is applied to medical or home appliances like a small oxygen concentrator. If so, both size and economy must be considered, so it must be designed differently from industrial use. Accordingly, the adsorptive bed used in the pressure swing method has been kept trying to be as simple as possible with a minimum of valves and devices. Even in the case of the PSA system operating above the normal pressure, a device for forming a micro tube serving as a balanced valve in the adsorptive bed and a check valve for flowing fluid in only one direction using a metal material is integrated.

Unlike the case of the PSA system operated above the atmospheric pressure as described above, the adsorption bed used in the VSA process subjected to vacuum pressure has been recently applied to the miniaturization through various process developments. Design is needed. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a gas concentrator employing a VSA process applied to a recent small oxygen concentrator, the above-described PSA is almost similar configuration, but the adsorption bed is always subjected to negative pressure based on the atmospheric pressure. Here, the adsorption beds (1,9), which are containers for adsorbents, and check valves (5,5 ') directly connected thereto, valves (4) for switching the flow paths, and a counterbalance valve are replaced. By combining the customs 11 with the adsorption beds 1 and 9 as efficiently as possible, there is a need for a structure that enhances economics and efficiency.

The conventionally developed integrated adsorption bed for PSA combines the valve (4) with the adsorption bed (1,9) vessel, assembles, and constitutes a simple check valve (5) in the form of a metal film in the vessel, and the microtube (11) ) Was formed on the lid coupled to the adsorption bed container to simplify. However, the pressure method is inherently inconvenient to manufacture a high adsorption bed has a disadvantage in that it is not easy to form a check valve and a micro tube. Therefore, there is a risk of unit price rise and leakage.

The purpose of the present invention is to make an integrated adsorption bed suitable for the VSA process. In particular, by applying the characteristics in the adsorption bed under vacuum pressure used in a small oxygen concentrator, it is possible to form a check valve and microtubules as simple as possible. The purpose is to construct an efficient small adsorption bed.

The present invention aims at constructing a compact adsorption bed which is economical and efficient by constructing a simplified adsorption bed suitable for a fast swing vacuum swing method.

The present invention minimizes the additional components by using basic parts used in the conventional adsorption bed as it is, and its purpose is to construct an adsorption bed that does not require a special manufacturing process because the microtubule forming process is simple. have.

1 is a schematic view showing a vacuum swing type apparatus using an adsorptive bed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an embodiment of a suction bed according to the prior art.

3 is an embodiment of an outer cap that is a component according to the prior art.

Figure 4 is an embodiment of a bed container according to the prior art.

5 is an embodiment of the adsorptive bed according to the present invention.

6 is an embodiment of the outer cap cover according to the present invention.

7 is an embodiment of a valve used in the present invention.

Brief description of drawing symbols

1, 9. Adsorption bed 2. Vacuum pump means 3. Filter

4..Valve 5, 5 ', 16. Check valve 6. Gas ejector

7..Top 8..Bottom 10,10 '.. Measure

11..Micro tube 12.Bed container 13,14.Inner cap

15..Spring 17,17'.Outer cap 18,18 ', 18' '.

19.Micro holes 20.Check valve components 21.Micro tubes

22. Outer cap cover 23,23 '.. Fine hole 24. Adsorption bed body part

25 .. Concentrated gas connection 26,26 '.. Spring guide 27,27' .. Spring

28. Pump connection 29. Filter connection 30, 30 '. Bed connection

31. Valve body 32, 32 '. Solenoid

The present invention is to fill the adsorbent in the cylindrical container constituting the adsorptive bed of the unique meaning used in the industry, the inner cap and the spring for fixing so as not to move between the adsorbents when the pressure inside the adsorption bed changes, and In addition to the outer cap, which is a lid formed with a connection to the outside, it consists of a check valve made of rubber, and a microtube formed in the adsorption bed container or the outer cap. In addition, the valve is configured to be combined with the outer cap to form a module.

Figure 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment showing such an integrated adsorption bed for the VSA filed by the applicant, the bed container 12 filling the adsorbent therein as shown in the two adsorptive beds, so as not to leak the filled adsorbent The inner caps 13 and 14 to block, and the spring 15 to help align the adsorbent at the same time to mitigate the impact of pressure fluctuations, the check valve 16 made of rubber installed in the inner cap in the drawing, and the suction bed Consists of the outer cap (17, 17 ') is provided with a connecting portion (18, 18', 18 ``) that connects through the outside and the hose at the same time. The o-ring or non-woven fabric that can be used in the inner cap for sealing is omitted here, those skilled in the art can be applied immediately if necessary.

In the above embodiment, the microtubule 11 of FIG. 1 is mainly installed in the outer cap 17, and may be configured by a mold or by machining regardless of an injection molding or a die casting product. 3 shows the approximate shape of this outer cap 17. The microtube 11 may be formed not only in the outer cap 17 but also in the bed container 12. When the check valve 16 is formed in the inner caps 13 and 14 as shown in FIG. 2, the bed container 12 may be formed. ) Should be formed. In this case, since the flow path between the bed container 12 is required, the microtubes 11 can be replaced by forming the micro holes 19 directly in the bed container 12 and forming a space therebetween as shown in FIG. 4. .

As described above, the microtubules 11 may be formed in the bed container 12 or the outer cap 17, and the already applied products may come out, but the formation process is often difficult. Since the bed container 12 is mainly made of aluminum, it is difficult to form holes of 0.4 mm or less on the side, and when forming the outer cap 17, it is difficult to come out with a single mold, so that a separate microtube 11 is formed. The parts may be manufactured by using an assembly method that combines with the outer cap 17 or by using a fine drill operation.

5 is to improve the design according to the present applicant, as an embodiment of the upper end of the adsorption bed according to the present invention, the check valve component 20 and the fine on the upper end of the injection molding coupled to the upper end of the adsorption beds (1, 9) The pipe part 21 is provided to be separated, and a separate outer cap cover 22 is combined with the adsorption bed to increase workability and reliability, and the gas discharge unit 6 of FIG. 1 and the concentrated gas connection part 25 of FIG. 5 are provided. If you connect directly, the adsorption bed is modularized so that the upper part of the concentrator gas is completed. Separation of the check valve component 20 and the micro-tubular part 21 may be separated into a sealed structure by a rubber ring, etc., the outer cap cover 22 may be coupled using a bolt fastening structure or ultrasonic welding. The check valve component 20 has check valves 5 and 5 'connected to the respective suction beds 1 and 9, and the micro tube 21 has micro holes that constitute the micro tube 11 of FIG. (23, 23 ') can be provided by separating the two spaces using the outer cap cover 22 to achieve the modularization of the adsorption bed. Here, the adsorption beds (1,9) used in the present invention, unlike the pressure method generally uses a low pressure of 500mmHg or less vacuum pressure, so the adsorption beds (1,9) without using the aluminum pipe used in the general PSA method ) And the check valve component 20 and the microtubule portion 21 are preferably composed of one injection molded product. That is, it can be roughly divided into two parts, the adsorption bed body part 24 and the outer cap cover 22 which are composed of the one injection molded product.

In the case of the conventional adsorption bed, separate assembly process and parts were required by connecting oxygen enriched air that passed through the check valve using separate hoses and fittings, and to cross the outer cap or the adsorption bed to form a micro tube. Forming process was necessary. However, the adsorption bed structure according to the present invention is to form a check valve in the upper structure of the adsorption bed and to form micropores in parallel with the concept of the adsorption bed to reduce the number of parts, simplify the assembly process and increase the reliability.

The sealability of the check valve is important for the protection of the adsorbent from moisture and impurities in the air when it is left unused while the adsorption bed is not in use. To ensure the tightness of the rubber check valve, check the spring when assembling the cover. It is preferable to configure the valve to be in close contact with the upper end of the suction bed. 6 is a plan view of the adsorption bed body part 24 and the outer cap cover 22 from above, and the spring guides 26 and 26 'are installed on the outer cap cover 22 as shown in the adsorption bed body part. Preferably, the springs 27, 27 'are sealed by pushing the rubber check valves 5, 5' when they are engaged with (24). A separate injection valve can be attached to the end of the spring 27, 27 'to form a more reliable check valve, and the spring guides 26, 26' guide the inside of the spring 27, 27 'as shown in the drawing. In addition, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the external wrapping is possible. Since the microtubule portion 21 is separated from the check valve component 20, contact with the outside is blocked, so no additional component is required. The gas ejector 6 of FIG. 1 is a kind of vacuum pump having a constant vacuum pressure and needs to have a vacuum pressure greater than the opening / closing pressure of the check valves 5 and 5 'to supply the incubation gas. Therefore, the check valve 5, 5 'should preferably have a low vacuum opening and closing pressure, and preferably has an opening and closing pressure of about several tens of mmHg, and advantageously having an opening and closing vacuum pressure of at least 200 mmHg or less, so that the check valve 5 , 5 ') is preferably composed of rubber.

The valve 4 of FIG. 1 functions to switch the flow path so that the suction beds 1 and 9 alternately receive the pressure of the mixed gas and the vacuum pressure of the vacuum pump means 2, and the outer cap is provided through a separate connecting means. Rather than being connected to (17), it is preferable that the outer cap is directly integrated with the cap. FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which the valve 4 of FIG. 1 is used as the solenoid valve, and the solenoids 32 and 32 'drive the internal plunger to switch the flow path. The pump connection part 28 is connected to the vacuum pump means 2 of FIG. 1, the filter connection part 29 of the valve body 31 is the filter 3, and the bed connection part 30, 30 ′ is the suction of FIG. 1. It is intended to be connected to the connecting portions 18 'and 18' 'of the outer cap 17' of FIG. 2 corresponding to the connecting portions of the beds 1 and 9. In this case, the outer cap 17 'and the bed connecting portions 30 and 30' may be connected by a hose, or may be integrated by direct coupling or integral injection molding. By the operation of the solenoids (32, 32 '), the adsorption beds (1, 9) is connected to the flow path or the filter (3) by the vacuum pump means (2). Operation of the valve by the solenoid is apparent to those skilled in the art. In this way, the adsorption bed and the valve are modularized, and when the pump means and the control means are connected in the VSA process, a simple assembly form for forming a gas concentrator is possible.

In the gas concentrating device operated under vacuum pressure by the VSA process according to the present invention, the adsorption bed including the adsorbent therein and related peripheral devices and connections are simplified and miniaturized, thereby increasing the economy and efficiency of the device, There is an effect that can be applied to small appliances.

According to the present invention, the check valve part and the microtube part are attached to the upper end of the adsorptive bed to combine with the outer cap lid, thereby making it easy and accurate, thereby increasing the reliability of the product and increasing the ease of assembly.

According to the present invention, as the check valve, the micro tube, and the valve are integrated, the size is reduced and the price is reduced, and the assembler has the effect of modularization by only connecting the pump means and other control means.

Claims (4)

An adsorptive bed comprising the adsorbent used in an apparatus for increasing the concentration by separating a specific gas from a mixed gas by using a selective degree of adsorption of the adsorbent on a specific gas, The adsorption bed is a bed container for filling the adsorbent, It is provided with an inner cap which prevents the adsorbent filled in the bed container from leaking and is formed with a hole to allow gas to enter and exit. A spring for mitigating shock and aligning the adsorbent when the inner cap is pushed in one direction and a pressure variation is applied to the adsorbent; A connection part for connecting to the other device of the adsorption bed is formed, and the gas is allowed to enter and exit through the connection part, and is composed of an outer cap that serves as a lid to close the outside of the adsorption bed, The outer cap is provided with a check valve component and a microtubule in the outer cap in the direction of the concentrated gas production unit, and provided with a check valve in the check valve component, forming a micro hole in the microtubule, and covers the outer cap lid on the outer cap There is a flow of gas between the holes, Adsorption bed, characterized in that the adsorption bed is used in a vacuum swing process undergoing a vacuum process. The adsorptive bed of claim 1, wherein the check valve is made of rubber, and the opening and closing portion is formed of a thin rubber membrane to open and close at a weak vacuum pressure of 200 mmHg or less. The adsorptive bed of claim 1 or 2, wherein the check valve is closed by a spring elastic force and protects the adsorbent during the adsorption bed standing. According to claim 1 or 2, wherein the adsorption bed is provided with a valve driven by a solenoid, the valve is connected to the pump connection to the vacuum pump, the filter connection to the mixed gas and the mixed gas into the adsorption bed container Adsorption bed having a bed connection portion coupled to the adsorption bed, characterized in that the modularized air connection portion, the pump connection portion and the connection portion of the subdivision of the concentrated gas production unit that is the outer cap lid connection.