Patent ID: 7641719

Claim:
An apparatus for separating at least one component of a gas mixture by pressure swing adsorption, comprising: an upper dome ( 2 ); a bottom end ( 3 ); generally vertically extending walls extending from the bottom end ( 3 ) to the upper dome ( 2 ) thereby enclosing a space; a first vertical chamber ( 5 ) adapted and configured to receive the gas mixture to be separated; a second vertical chamber ( 7 ) adapted and configured to collect a separated gas mixture; at least one adsorbent mass ( 4 ) separating the first and second vertical chambers; a ballast ( 10 ); a generally horizontal flexible wall ( 9 ) extending underneath the ballast; a skin ( 11 ) extending underneath the upper dome ( 2 ) over the ballast ( 10 ) and resting upon peripheral portions of the wall ( 9 ), the wall ( 9 ) being pressed down against an upper end of the adsorbent mass ( 4 ) by the weight of the ballast ( 10 ) and skin ( 11 ); a volume between the flexible wall ( 9 ) and the dome ( 2 ); and an element in fluid communication with the volume and being adapted and configured to control a pressure in the volume.