Compact portable oxygen concentrator
An adsorber for a gas concentrator includes an adsorbent material having adsorbent particles and a vessel housing the adsorbent material. The vessel includes a vessel wall having a non-circular cross section and at least one stiffening support. A combination of a thickness of the vessel wall and a stiffness of the stiffening support is sufficient to limit deformation of the vessel wall to at least one of less than 0.1 mm and less than 25% of an average diameter of the adsorbent particles under a pressure swing of at least 30 psi within the vessel.
1 . A gas concentrator, comprising:
an adsorber, the adsorber comprising:
an adsorbent material comprising adsorbent particles; and
a vessel housing the adsorbent material, the vessel comprising:
a vessel wall having a non-circular cross section, the vessel wall having a thickness of at least 0.030 inches; and
at least one stiffening support, the at least one stiffening support comprising a stiffening rib extending at least one of across an internal chamber of the vessel and along an interior wall surface of the internal chamber of the vessel;
wherein a combination of the thickness of the vessel wall and a stiffness of the at least one stiffening support is sufficient to limit deformation of the vessel wall to less than 0.1 mm under a pressure swing of at least 30 psi within the vessel during a pressure swing adsorption cycle, wherein a weight of the gas concentrator is between 2 pounds and 7 pounds, wherein a size of the gas concentrator is between 25 cubic inches and 200 cubic inches.
2 . The gas concentrator of claim 1 , wherein the deformation of the vessel wall is less than 0.05 mm under the pressure swing of at least 30 psi within the vessel.
3 . The gas concentrator of claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the adsorber is at least 90% filled with the adsorbent material.
4 . The gas concentrator of claim 1 , wherein the vessel wall has an oblong cross section.
5 . The gas concentrator of claim 1 , further comprising a filter positioned within a cavity formed by a protrusion extending from a superior end of the vessel, the protrusion having a cross section different than the cross section of the vessel wall.
6 . The gas concentrator of claim 5 , wherein the protrusion is cylindrical.
7 . The gas concentrator of claim 6 , wherein the protrusion is integrally formed with the vessel wall.
8 . The gas concentrator of claim 1 , wherein the adsorber is a first adsorber, wherein the gas concentrator further comprises:
a second adsorber, the second adsorber comprising:
an adsorbent material comprising adsorbent particles; and
a vessel housing the adsorbent material, the vessel comprising:
a vessel wall having a non-circular cross section; and
at least one stiffening support;
wherein the vessel wall of the first adsorber is joined to the vessel wall of the second adsorber.
9 . The gas concentrator of claim 8 , wherein the vessel wall of the first adsorber is integrally formed with the vessel wall of the second adsorber.
10 . The gas concentrator of claim 8 , wherein the at least one stiffening support of the first adsorber is aligned with the at least one stiffening support of the second adsorber.
11 . The gas concentrator of claim 8 , wherein the vessel wall of the first adsorber and the vessel wall of the second adsorber each comprise an oblong cross section.
12 . A gas concentrator, comprising:
an adsorber, the adsorber comprising:
an adsorbent material comprising adsorbent particles; and
a vessel housing the adsorbent material, the vessel comprising:
a vessel wall having a non-circular cross section; and
at least one stiffening support;
wherein a combination of a thickness of the vessel wall and a stiffness of the at least one stiffening support is sufficient to limit deformation of the vessel wall to less than 0.1 mm under a pressure swing of at least 30 psi within the vessel during a pressure swing adsorption cycle, and
wherein the vessel wall at least partially defines an internal chamber of the vessel, the internal chamber being defined by a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the internal chamber is configured to house the adsorbent material, wherein the at least one stiffening support is positioned within the internal chamber between the top surface and the bottom surface and comprises a stiffening rib extending at least one of across the internal chamber of the vessel and along an interior wall surface of the internal chamber of the vessel.
13 . The gas concentrator of claim 12 , wherein the adsorber is a first adsorber, wherein the gas concentrator further comprises:
a second adsorber, the second adsorber comprising:
an adsorbent material comprising adsorbent particles; and
a vessel housing the adsorbent material, the vessel comprising:
a vessel wall having a non-circular cross section; and
at least one stiffening support;
wherein the vessel wall of the first adsorber is joined to the vessel wall of the second adsorber.
14 . A gas concentrator, comprising:
an adsorber, the adsorber comprising:
an adsorbent material comprising adsorbent particles; and
a vessel housing the adsorbent material, the vessel comprising:
a vessel wall having a non-circular cross section; and
at least one stiffening support integral with the vessel wall;
wherein a cross section of the adsorber is at least 90% filled with the adsorbent material,
wherein a weight of the gas concentrator is between 2 pounds and 7 pounds.
15 . The gas concentrator of claim 14 , wherein the vessel wall has an oblong cross section.
16 . The gas concentrator of claim 14 , wherein the at least one stiffening support comprises a stiffening rib extending at least one of across an interior of the vessel and along an interior wall of the vessel.
17 . The gas concentrator of claim 14 , wherein the at least one stiffening support comprises a stiffening rib positioned on an exterior surface of the vessel.
18 . The gas concentrator of claim 14 , further comprising a filter positioned within a cavity formed by a protrusion extending from a superior end of the vessel, the protrusion having a cross section different than the cross section of the vessel wall.
19 . The gas concentrator of claim 18 , wherein the protrusion is cylindrical.
20 . The gas concentrator of claim 19 , wherein the protrusion is integrally formed with the vessel wall.
21 . The gas concentrator of claim 14 , wherein the adsorber is a first adsorber, the gas concentrator further comprising:
a second adsorber, the second adsorber comprising:
an adsorbent material comprising adsorbent particles; and
a vessel housing the adsorbent material, the vessel comprising:
a vessel wall having a non-circular cross section; and
at least one stiffening support;
wherein the vessel wall of the first adsorber is joined to the vessel wall of the second adsorber.
22 . The gas concentrator of claim 14 , wherein a combination of a thickness of the vessel wall and a stiffness of the stiffening support is sufficient to limit deformation of the vessel wall to less than 0.1 mm under a pressure swing of at least 30 psi within the vessel during a pressure swing adsorption cycle.
23 . The gas concentrator of claim 22 , wherein the thickness of the vessel wall is at least 0.030 inches, wherein a size of the gas concentrator is between 25 cubic inches and 200 cubic inches.