WO2019239816A1

WO2019239816A1 - Oxygen supply apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2019239816A1
Application number: PCT/JP2019/020024
Authority: WO
Inventors: 哲哉右近
Original assignee: ダイキン工業株式会社
Priority date: 2018-06-12
Filing date: 2019-05-21
Publication date: 2019-12-19
Also published as: CN112334178B; JP2019213664A; JP6927927B2; CN112334178A

Abstract

An oxygen supply apparatus 1 produces and supplies oxygen at a higher concentration than the oxygen concentration in air. Each oxygen supply apparatus comprises a plurality of oxygen concentration units A and B, which generate oxygen at a high concentration, and one control unit C, which controls operation of the plurality of oxygen concentration units. The control unit C is configured so that when an existing oxygen concentration unit is removed and a new oxygen concentration unit is added, the oxygen concentration units A and B provided in the oxygen supply apparatus 1 can be operated following the removal or addition.

Description

Oxygen supply equipment

This disclosure relates to an oxygen supply device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an oxygen supply device that generates and supplies oxygen having a higher concentration than the oxygen concentration in air.

Various oxygen supply devices that generate oxygen having a concentration higher than that in the air and supply the oxygen to the user are known. These devices are used, for example, for home oxygen therapy performed by patients who have a disease in the lung and the function of the lung is reduced, and to increase the oxygen concentration in the room to improve the living environment. It is used.

In recent years, these oxygen supply devices have been required to have a large size or a large capacity. In response to the demand for larger capacity, it is conceivable to increase the scale of the entire device by increasing the size of the pump and suction cylinder that make up the device. However, the development of a large pump and suction cylinder requires a great deal of man-hours. There is a problem that operation noise and exhaust noise increase due to the operation of a large pump or the like. *

Therefore, it has been proposed to simultaneously operate a plurality of oxygen supply devices and supply high-concentration oxygen obtained from each oxygen supply device to the user (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the oxygen supply device described in Patent Document 1, oxygen gases generated by a plurality of oxygen concentrators are combined at an oxygen introduction port and supplied from an oxygen outlet to supply means such as a cannula.

JP 2005-46566 A

In the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, since the conventional oxygen concentrator is operated individually and the oxygen obtained from each oxygen concentrator is supplied to the user at the same time, the development cost for the above-described enlargement becomes unnecessary. However, parts or elements for producing high-concentration oxygen are necessary for each oxygen concentrator, and parts that can be shared exist independently in each oxygen concentrator, which increases the cost. There is.

The present disclosure is intended to provide an oxygen supply device capable of increasing the capacity with a simple configuration.

The oxygen supply device according to the present disclosure includes:
(1) An oxygen supply device that generates and supplies oxygen having a higher concentration than the oxygen concentration in air,
A plurality of oxygen concentrators each producing high concentration of oxygen;
One control unit for controlling the operation of the plurality of oxygen concentrating units,
The controller is configured such that when the existing oxygen concentrator is removed and when a new oxygen concentrator is added, the oxygen concentrator of the oxygen supply device can be operated after being removed or added.

In the oxygen supply device of the present disclosure, one control unit controls the operation of a plurality of oxygen concentrating units that generate oxygen, and this control unit is used when an existing oxygen concentrating unit is removed and when a new oxygen concentrating unit is added. In FIG. 3, the oxygen concentrating unit included in the oxygen supply device after being removed or added can be operated. That is, in the oxygen supply device according to the present disclosure, an appropriate number (for example, 2 to 5) of oxygen concentrating units are provided in the storage unit included in the control unit that controls the opening / closing timing of the electromagnetic valve and the like and displays the operation state. Programs that can be operated are stored in advance, and by setting the number of oxygen concentrating units included in the oxygen supply device, the operation of the set number of oxygen concentrating units can be controlled by the control unit. Thereby, the capacity of the apparatus can be increased with a simple configuration in which at least the control unit is shared, and as a result, the cost can be reduced.
In addition, in the oxygen supply device of the present disclosure, an oxygen concentrating unit can be added or removed according to the required oxygen flow rate. When it is desired to increase the capacity, an oxygen concentrating part for a required capacity can be added to the apparatus. Moreover, when it becomes unnecessary, energy saving can be aimed at by removing an oxygen concentrating part and operating the required number of oxygen concentrating parts. If some of the oxygen concentrators fail, only the faulty oxygen concentrator can be replaced with a new one. In this case, even if a part is broken until the replacement is completed, only the remaining oxygen concentrating unit can be operated although the oxygen flow rate is reduced.

(2) In the oxygen supply device of (1), it is preferable that the control unit operates the operation cycles of the plurality of oxygen concentrating units while being shifted from each other. In this case, the electric power value (current × voltage) of the pump required to make the inside of the adsorption cylinder maximum pressure by shifting the timing at which the inside of the adsorption cylinder of the plurality of oxygen concentrating parts becomes maximum pressure (minimum pressure). The timing to become can be shifted. Thereby, the fluctuation of the power consumption of the apparatus can be reduced, and the electric circuit that needs to be selected so as to be able to cope with the maximum power consumption can be reduced in capacity. In addition, when there is no allowance for a power supply that supplies power to the oxygen supply device, a large fluctuation in power consumption affects power supply to other electrical devices connected to the power supply. In the oxygen supply device, fluctuations in power consumption can be reduced, so that the influence of power fluctuations on the outside of the device can be reduced.

(3) In the oxygen supply device according to (2), it is preferable that the oxygen supply device further includes an exhaust part to which waste gas discharged from each of the plurality of oxygen concentrating parts joins. Since the operation cycles of the plurality of oxygen concentrating units are operated while being shifted from each other, the timing for discharging the waste gas from the adsorption cylinder to the outside of the apparatus can also be shortened, so the instantaneous maximum discharge amount of waste gas from the apparatus can be reduced. can do. As a result, for example, the pipe diameter in the exhaust part can be reduced as compared with the case where waste gas is simultaneously discharged from a plurality of oxygen concentrating parts. Further, an exhaust noise is generated when the gas is discharged, but this exhaust noise can be reduced as compared with the case where the exhaust noise is also discharged at the same time.

It is a block diagram of one embodiment of an oxygen supply device of this indication. It is a block diagram of the control part C shown by FIG. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the pressure of the adsorption cylinder in one oxygen concentration part, and the power consumption of an apparatus. It is a figure which shows the power consumption of the oxygen supply apparatus which concerns on the reference example provided with the oxygen supply apparatus of this indication provided with two oxygen concentration parts, and the oxygen concentration part which has a capacity | capacitance 2 times the said oxygen concentration part. It is a block diagram of other embodiments of an oxygen supply device of this indication.

Hereinafter, the oxygen supply device of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to these exemplifications, but is defined by the scope of the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an oxygen supply device 1 according to an embodiment (first embodiment) of the present disclosure. The oxygen supply device 1 is a device that generates and supplies oxygen having a higher concentration than the oxygen concentration in air, and is used, for example, in home oxygen therapy that provides high concentration oxygen to patients with respiratory diseases. The oxygen supply device 1 includes a plurality (two in this embodiment) of oxygen concentrating units A and B, each generating high concentration of oxygen, and one control unit C.

The oxygen enrichment part A and the oxygen enrichment part B have the same configuration. Accordingly, the same elements or configurations will be described with the same reference numerals.
Each of the oxygen concentrating part A and the oxygen concentrating part B includes a compressor 2 that compresses air sucked from outside, and a first adsorbing cylinder in which an adsorbent that adsorbs nitrogen in the compressed air supplied from the compressor 2 is accommodated. 3a and a second adsorption cylinder 3b, and an oxygen tank 4 for storing high-concentration oxygen produced by the first adsorption cylinder 3a and the second adsorption cylinder 3b. The oxygen concentrating section A and the oxygen concentrating section B are various valves for controlling the flow rate or flow of a fluid such as compressed air, that is,

control valves

5a and 5b, purge valves 6, check valves 7a and 7b, and products. A valve 8, a pressure reducing valve 9, and a flow rate adjusting valve 10 are provided.

The oxygen concentrators A and B of the present embodiment have a PSA (Pressure Swing) that is decompressed by releasing the other adsorption cylinder to the atmosphere while the air compressed by the compressor 2 is supplied to the one adsorption cylinder. Adsorption system (oxygen system) type oxygen concentrator, but not the depressurization of the adsorption cylinder by opening to the atmosphere, but the VPSA (vacuum press swing system) type oxygen concentrator, which depressurizes the adsorption cylinder by suction with a vacuum pump. It can also be adopted. *

The

control valves

5a and 5b are three-port valves, and are in a pressurized state in which compressed air discharged from the compressor 2 is supplied to the first adsorption cylinder 3a (second adsorption cylinder 3b), and open to the atmosphere. Switching between the reduced pressure state in which the air in the adsorption cylinder 3a (second adsorption cylinder 3b) is discharged to the outside. When one suction cylinder is in a pressurized state, the other suction cylinder is in a reduced pressure state.

The check valve 7a is disposed in the gas flow path on the downstream side of the first adsorption cylinder 3a, and the check valve 7b is disposed in the gas flow path on the downstream side of the second adsorption cylinder 3b. Both check valves 7a and 7b are configured such that the oxygen-enriched gas discharged from the first adsorption cylinder 3a and the second adsorption cylinder 3b flows only toward the downstream side. The purge valve 6 is disposed in a flow path connecting the gas flow path between the first adsorption cylinder 3a and the check valve 7a and the flow path between the second adsorption cylinder 3b and the check valve 7b. .

The oxygen-enriched gas from the check valve 7 a and the oxygen-enriched gas from the check valve 7 b are alternately supplied to the oxygen tank 4 via the product valve 8 and stored in the oxygen tank 4. On the downstream side of the oxygen tank 4, a pressure reducing valve 9 for reducing the pressure of the oxygen-enriched gas from the oxygen tank 4 and a flow rate adjusting valve 10 for adjusting the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched gas are disposed. The oxygen-enriched gas whose flow rate is adjusted by the flow rate adjusting valve 10 is supplied from the outlets (not shown) of the oxygen concentrating parts A and B. *

The purge valve 6 is opened when the gas in one adsorption cylinder is discharged to the outside, and the air in the other adsorption cylinder is moved to the one adsorption cylinder via the purge valve 6 so as to be efficient. It is arranged for discharging the gas in the one adsorption cylinder. The waste gas discharged from the oxygen concentrating part A and the waste gas discharged from the oxygen concentrating part B merge at the exhaust part 11 and are discharged to the outside. The exhaust part 11 has a shape of a junction pipe where the waste gas pipe from the oxygen concentrating part A and the waste gas pipe from the oxygen concentrating part B merge.

The control unit C includes a control circuit 20 and a display circuit 30. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the control circuit 20 includes a drive control unit 21 and a storage unit 22. The drive control unit 21 controls the compressor 2, the

control valves

5 a and 5 b, the purge valve 6, the product valve 8, the pressure reducing valve 9, and the flow rate adjustment valve 10. A program for operating the oxygen supply device 1 is stored in the storage unit 22 in advance.

The display circuit 30 displays information such as the operating state of the oxygen supply device 1 and the oxygen flow rate on a display unit (not shown) including a liquid crystal screen of the oxygen supply device 1.

The storage unit 22 of the control unit C stores in advance a program that can operate an appropriate number (for example, 2 to 5) of oxygen concentrating units. Therefore, by setting the number of oxygen concentrating units included in the oxygen supply device 1 (two in this embodiment), the operation of the set number of oxygen concentrating units is controlled by the drive control unit 21 of the control unit C. be able to.

Further, in the oxygen supply device 1 of the present embodiment, the two oxygen concentrating parts A and B are provided, but the oxygen concentrating part may be added or removed according to the required oxygen flow rate. it can. For this reason, for example, when the apparatus was purchased, there was no problem with a small capacity. However, when it is desired to increase the capacity later, an oxygen concentrating unit for a necessary capacity can be added to the apparatus. Moreover, when it becomes unnecessary, energy saving can be aimed at by removing an oxygen concentrating part and operating the required number of oxygen concentrating parts. If some of the oxygen concentrators fail, only the faulty oxygen concentrator can be replaced with a new one. In this case, even if a part is broken until the replacement is completed, only the remaining oxygen concentrating unit can be operated although the oxygen flow rate is reduced.

In this embodiment, the two oxygen concentrators are not operated in the same operation cycle, but are operated while being shifted from each other. Specifically, the timing at which the insides of the adsorption cylinders of the two oxygen concentrating parts A and B reach the maximum pressure (minimum pressure) is shifted, so that the compressor 2 necessary to bring the inside of the adsorption cylinders to the maximum pressure is shifted. The timing at which the power value (current x voltage) is maximized is shifted.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the pressure of the adsorption cylinder and the power consumption of the apparatus in one oxygen concentrating unit. The lower part of the figure shows the pressure (kPa) in one adsorption cylinder of the pair of adsorption cylinders, and the upper part of the figure shows the power consumption (W) of the oxygen supply device including the pair of adsorption cylinders. Is shown.
In FIG. 3, a portion indicated by “a” indicates an increase in power consumption due to an increase in the load on the compressor 2 due to a pressure increase in one of the adsorption cylinders in which the pressure change is illustrated. The portion indicated by “b” indicates an increase in power consumption due to an increase in the load on the compressor 2 due to an increase in pressure in the other adsorption cylinder whose pressure change is not shown. Thus, the power consumption of the oxygen supply apparatus 1 continuously fluctuates in a sawtooth shape.

FIG. 4 relates to a reference example including an oxygen supply device 1 according to this embodiment including two oxygen concentrating units A and B, and an oxygen concentrating unit having a capacity twice that of the oxygen concentrating unit A or B. It is a figure which shows the power consumption of an oxygen supply apparatus. The lower part of the figure shows the pressure in one of the adsorption cylinders of the pair of adsorption cylinders in one oxygen concentrating part, as in the lower part of FIG. The center part in the vertical direction in the figure shows the power consumption of the oxygen concentrating parts A and B. The upper side of the figure shows the total power consumption of the two oxygen concentrators A and B in this embodiment plus the consumption of the oxygen concentrator having a capacity twice that of the oxygen concentrator A or B. Indicates power.

In the present embodiment, the power consumption by the oxygen concentrator A is between the peak Pa (peak due to the pressure increase in one adsorption cylinder) and the next peak Pa (peak due to the pressure increase in the other adsorption cylinder). The operation cycles of both oxygen concentrators A and B are shifted from each other so that the peak Pb of power consumption by the oxygen concentrator B comes. As a result, as shown in the upper side of FIG. 4, when the oxygen concentrator has a capacity twice as large as that of the oxygen concentrator A or B, that is, the two oxygen concentrators A and B are operated in the same operation cycle. Compared with the case where it was made, the peak value and fluctuation | variation of the power consumption of the whole apparatus can be made small. As a result, it is possible to reduce the capacity of an electric circuit that needs to be selected so as to be able to cope with the maximum power consumption. In addition, when there is no allowance for the power supply that supplies power to the oxygen supply device 1, large fluctuations in power consumption will affect the power supply to other electrical devices connected to the power supply. In the oxygen supply device 1 according to the embodiment, power consumption fluctuation can be reduced, so that the influence of power fluctuation given to the outside of the apparatus can be reduced.

In addition, since the operation cycles of the two oxygen concentrators A and B are operated while being shifted from each other, the timing of exhausting the waste gas from the adsorption cylinder to the outside of the apparatus can also be increased, and the instantaneous maximum amount of waste gas from the apparatus The amount of discharge can be reduced. In the present embodiment, when the waste gas is discharged from the two oxygen concentrating parts at the same time, the pipe diameter of the joining pipe constituting the exhaust part 11 that joins the waste gases discharged from the two oxygen concentrating parts A and B is determined. It can be made smaller. Further, an exhaust noise is generated when the gas is discharged, but this exhaust noise can be reduced as compared with the case where the exhaust noise is also discharged at the same time.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 5 shows a block of the oxygen supply device 1 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. This embodiment is shown in FIG. 1 in that the oxygen tank 4, the pressure reducing valve 9 and the flow rate adjusting valve 10 arranged on the downstream side of the product valve 8 are shared by the two oxygen concentrating parts A1 and B1. It is different from the embodiment. Therefore, elements or configurations common to both embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted for simplicity.

In the present embodiment, since the oxygen tank 4 and the like are shared in addition to the control unit C, the overall configuration of the apparatus is further simplified and the cost is reduced as compared with the first embodiment shown in FIG. be able to. Also in this embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the operation cycle of the two oxygen concentrating units can be shifted from each other to reduce the peak value and fluctuation of the power consumption of the oxygen supply device 1.

[Other variations]
The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.
For example, in the embodiment described above, two oxygen concentrating units are provided, but three or more oxygen concentrating units may be provided in one oxygen supply device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Oxygen supply apparatus 2: Compressor 3a: 1st adsorption cylinder 3b: 2nd adsorption cylinder 4: Oxygen tank 5a: Control valve 5b: Control valve 6: Purge valve 7a: Check valve 7b: Check valve 8: Product valve 9: Pressure reducing valve 10: Flow control valve 11: Exhaust unit 20: Control circuit 21: Drive control unit 22: Storage unit 30: Display circuit A: Oxygen concentrating unit B: Oxygen concentrating unit C: Control unit

Claims

An oxygen supply device (1) that generates and supplies oxygen having a higher concentration than the oxygen concentration in air,
A plurality of oxygen concentrators (A, B) each producing high concentrations of oxygen;
One control unit (C) for controlling the operation of the plurality of oxygen concentrating units,
When the existing oxygen concentrating unit is removed and when a new oxygen concentrating unit is added, the control unit (C) is the oxygen concentrating unit (A, B) of the oxygen supplying device (1) after being removed or added. An oxygen supply device (1) configured to be operable.
The oxygen supply device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (C) operates the operation cycles of the plurality of oxygen concentrating units (A, B) while being shifted from each other.
The oxygen supply device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an exhaust part (11) into which waste gas discharged from each of the plurality of oxygen concentrating parts (A, B) joins.