Patent ID: 8226745

Claim:
A rapid cyclic pressure swing adsorption (PSA) method for producing an oxygen enriched gaseous product containing more than 85 mole % oxygen, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a feed gas comprising compressed ambient air; b) providing a gas separation apparatus comprising at least one adsorber column, the adsorber column packed with at least a layer of a desiccant adsorbent comprising particles of more than 1.0 mm hydraulic diameter in the feed gas side and at least a layer of a nitrogen selective particles of less than 0.5 mm hydraulic diameter in the product gas side; and c) carrying out a PSA separation process, the process comprising the steps of: (1) co-currently pressurizing the at least one adsorber column using the received compressed ambient air; (2) co-currently directing flow of the compressed ambient air to produce an oxygen enriched product gas at a near feed gas pressure; (3) performing counter-current depressurization of the at least one adsorbent column to a near ambient pressure; and (4) performing a counter-current oxygen purge at ambient or sub-ambient pressure using at least a portion of the oxygen enriched product gas.