Patent ID: 8852409

Claim:
An electrically driven ceramic oxygen generator comprising: at least one oxygen separation module disposed within an enclosure, the oxygen separation module comprising a plurality of ceramic membrane elements and at least one collection network, each of the ceramic membrane elements having an anode layer, a cathode layer, an electrolyte layer located between the anode layer and the cathode layer and each of the ceramic membrane elements configured to separate oxygen from an oxygen containing feed stream when an electric potential difference is applied between the anode layer and the cathode layer to induce oxygen ion transport in the electrolyte, and wherein the collection network is configured to collect the separated oxygen; a power source electrically coupled to the oxygen separation module and the plurality of ceramic membrane elements to apply the electric potential difference between the anode layer and the cathode layer of each the ceramic membrane elements; a receiver tank coupled to the collection network of the oxygen separation module and configured to receive the separated oxygen; a purge valve assembly operatively connected to the collection network of the oxygen separation module and configured to vent a flow of separated oxygen from the oxygen separation module when the purge valve assembly is open or actuated; and a controller operatively configured to: (i) open or activate the purge valve assembly for a prescribed duration upon initiation of the applied electric potential difference to the oxygen separation module so as to vent or exhaust the separated oxygen and any contaminants contained therein to the surrounding air; and (ii) close or deactivate the purge valve assembly after the prescribed duration so as to direct the separated oxygen to the receiver tank.