Patent ID: 7547349

Claim:
A method which may be used for supplying occupants of an aircraft with an oxygen rich gas mixture, said method comprising producing an oxygen-rich gas mixture by air separation in a pressure swing adsorption system, wherein: a) one cycle of said pressure swing adsorption system comprises: 1) an adsorption/production phase; 2) a desorption/regeneration phase; and 3) a duration less than about 10 seconds; b) said pressure swing adsorption system comprises a high-performance adsorbent, wherein said adsorbent has a particle size less than about 0.8 mm; and c) feed air is introduced to said pressure swing adsorption system at an inlet temperature between about 50° C. and about 90° C., wherein the feed air is obtained from a stream of hot air from a compressor stage of an aircraft engine which is subsequently cooled in a heat exchanger.