Portable oxygen enrichment device and method of use

1. A method of purging contaminants from a device for oxygen enrichment, comprising:

compressing in said device an ambient air flow comprising oxygen and nitrogen to form a compressed air flow;

transporting said compressed flow through at least one adsorbent bed and adsorbing at least a portion of said nitrogen in said at least one adsorbent bed to form an oxygen-enriched gas flow;

removing said oxygen-enriched gas flow to form an oxygen-enriched product;

transporting said oxygen-enriched product to a first vessel; and

purging said adsorbent bed using said oxygen-enriched product in said first vessel upon shutdown of said device to remove said contaminants without permitting entry of material from the external environment;

wherein said oxygen-enriched product passes through an orifice between said first vessel and said at least one adsorbent bed; and

wherein said oxygen-enriched product does not pass through a check valve, mechanical valve, or electromechanical valve between said first vessel and said at least one adsorbent bed.

2. A method of purging contaminants from a device for oxygen enrichment, comprising:

compressing in said device an ambient air flow comprising oxygen and nitrogen to form a compressed air flow;

transporting said compressed flow through an air delivery manifold and then at least one adsorbent bed and adsorbing at least a portion of said nitrogen in said adsorbent bed to form an oxygen-enriched gas flow and adsorbed nitrogen;

removing said oxygen-enriched gas flow to form an oxygen-enriched product;

transporting said oxygen-enriched product to a first vessel;

optionally, desorbing from said adsorbent bed said adsorbed nitrogen and exhausting said nitrogen; and

purging said at least one adsorbent bed and said air delivery manifold using said oxygen-enriched product in said first vessel upon shutdown of said device to remove said contaminants without permitting entry of material from the external environment;

wherein said oxygen-enriched product passes through an orifice between said first vessel and said at least one adsorbent bed; and

wherein said oxygen-enriched product does not pass through a check valve, mechanical valve, or electromechanical valve between said first vessel and said at least one adsorbent bed.

3. The method of claim 2 ,

wherein said contaminant is moisture.

4. The method of claim 2 ,

wherein said air delivery manifold is an air storage vessel.

5. The method of claim 2 ,

wherein said air delivery manifold comprises a dryer material.

6. A method of purging contaminants from a device for oxygen enrichment, wherein said device comprises:

a compressor ( 129 );

an air storage vessel ( 113 ) having a system purge valve ( 125 );

at least one pressure swing adsorption unit ( 111 ) comprising at least one adsorbent bed;

an oxygen purge storage vessel ( 117 );

an oxygen bolus storage vessel ( 119 );

a first passageway (A) connecting said compressor ( 129 ) and said air storage vessel ( 113 );

a second passageway (B) connecting said air storage vessel ( 113 ) and said pressure swing adsorption unit ( 111 );

a third passageway (C) connecting said pressure swing adsorption unit ( 111 ) and said oxygen purge storage vessel ( 117 );

a fourth passageway (D) connecting said oxygen purge storage vessel ( 117 ) and said oxygen bolus storage vessel ( 119 );

a first pressure swing adsorption valve ( 123 ) associated with said second passageway (B), pressure swing adsorption unit ( 111 ), and exhaust to ambient pressure;

wherein said first pressure swing adsorption valve is a three-way valve or two two-way valves;

a restrictor assembly ( 120 ) positioned between said pressure swing adsorption unit ( 111 ) and said oxygen purge storage vessel ( 117 ) and connected to said third passageway (C);

wherein said restrictor assembly is an orifice;

a check valve/restrictor ( 135 ) positioned between said oxygen purge storage vessel ( 117 ) and said oxygen bolus storage vessel ( 119 ); and

a delivery valve ( 127 ) positioned between said oxygen bolus storage vessel ( 119 ) and a delivery nozzle ( 103 );

said method comprising the steps of:

operating said device to store product gas in said oxygen purge storage vessel ( 117 );

closing said delivery valve ( 127 );

ceasing operation of said compressor ( 129 );

opening said system purge valve ( 125 ) for a predetermined period of time to the atmosphere thereby permitting said product gas stored in said oxygen purge storage vessel ( 117 ) to flow through said passageway C, said at least one pressure swing adsorption unit ( 111 ), said passageway B and said air storage vessel ( 113 ) out to the atmosphere through said system purge valve ( 125 ) to at least partially purge said device and expel at least one contaminant without permitting entry of material from the external environment;

wherein said product gas passes through said orifice between said oxygen purge storage vessel and said pressure swing adsorption unit; and

wherein said product gas does not pass through a check valve, mechanical valve, or electromechanical valve between said oxygen purge storage vessel and said pressure swing adsorption unit.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of:

closing said system purge valve ( 125 ) to retain said product gas in said device;

wherein said product gas is dry.

8. The method of claim 6 ,

wherein said product gas is oxygen-enriched air having less than 1 ppm water.

9. The method of claim 6 ,

wherein said product gas retained in said device is supra atmospheric.

10. The method of claim 6 ,

wherein said system purge valve ( 125 ) is placed adjacent to said first passageway (A).

11. The method of claim 6 ,

wherein said contaminant is moisture.

12. The method of claim 6 ,

wherein said steps of closing said delivery valve, ceasing operation of said compressor, and opening said system purge valve happen substantially simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 6 ,

wherein said steps of closing said delivery valve and ceasing operation of said compressor happen in any order.

14. The method of claim 6 ,

wherein said at least one pressure swing adsorption unit ( 111 ) comprising two adsorbent beds.