Low power ambulatory oxygen concentrator

1. An oxygen concentrator comprising:

a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) gas separation system operating in VSA cycles including feed, evacuation and repressurization phases, the VSA cycles operating in a range between about 0.1 atm and about 1.0 atm, the system comprising a cartridge containing a mass of adsorbent material (Madsorbent) for producing oxygen, and a drive which activates the gas separation system;

a storage reservoir connected to the gas separation system;

an oxygen conserver with a dispensing valve connected to the storage reservoir;

an electronic control module for controlling the VSA cycles, the electronic control module receiving inputs for cartridge inlet flow rate, cartridge outlet flow rate, gas storage pressure, and dispensing valve nasal pressure, and providing outputs for controlling dispensing valve open time and drive speed; and

a power source comprising a mass (Mpowerpack) for powering the drive;

wherein the mass of the power source (Mpowerpack) is such that:

.047

<

Mpowerpack

Qp

·

time

<

.290

wherein Qp is a flow rate (in L/min) of oxygen produced by the oxygen concentrator, Mpowerpack is expressed in kg, and time is expressed in hours.

2. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 , wherein Qp (in L/min) is in the range of 0.1 to 1.5.

3. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 , wherein the concentrator mass is less than 2.3 kg.

4. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 , wherein the concentrator mass is less than 1.4 kg.

5. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge comprises three adsorbent beds, each containing a portion of the mass of adsorbent material.

6. The oxygen concentrator of claim 5 , wherein each adsorbent bed contains between 10 cc and 20 cc of adsorbent material.

7. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 wherein the adsorbent material comprises a zeolite.

8. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 further comprising a flow setting control for adjusting the flow rate Qp of produced oxygen.

9. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 where in the power source has charge life of at least 2 hours at a flow rate Qp of 1.5 L/min.

10. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 where in the power source has charge life of at least 4 hours at a flow rate of Qp of 1.5 L/min.

11. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 further comprising a flow setting control for adjusting the flow rate Qp of produced oxygen.

12. An oxygen concentrator comprising:

a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) gas separation system operating in VSA cycles including feed, evacuation and repressurization phases, the VSA cycles operating in a range between about 0.1 atm and about 1.0 atm, the system comprising a cartridge containing a mass of adsorbent material for producing oxygen and a drive which activates the gas separation system;

a storage reservoir connected to the gas separation system;

an oxygen conserver with a dispensing valve connected to the storage reservoir;

an electronic control module for controlling the VSA cycles, the electronic control module receiving inputs for cartridge inlet flow rate, cartridge outlet flow rate, gas storage pressure, and dispensing valve nasal pressure, and providing outputs for controlling dispensing valve open time and drive speed; and

a power source which operates the drive;

wherein the power source is characterized by an energy consumption rate of:

6

<

Watts

Qp

<

20

wherein Qp is a flow rate (in L/min) of oxygen produced by the oxygen concentrator.

13. The oxygen concentrator of claim 12 , wherein Qp (in L/min) is in the range of 0.1 to 1.5.

14. The oxygen concentrator of claim 12 , wherein the concentrator mass is less than 2.3 kg.

15. The oxygen concentrator of claim 12 , wherein the concentrator mass is less than 1.4 kg.

16. The oxygen concentrator of claim 12 , wherein the cartridge comprises three adsorbent beds, each containing a mass of adsorbent material.

17. The oxygen concentrator of claim 16 , wherein each adsorbent bed contains between 10 cc and 20 cc of adsorbent material.

18. The oxygen concentrator of claim 12 wherein the adsorbent material comprises a zeolite.

19. The oxygen concentrator of claim 12 further comprising a flow setting control for adjusting the flow rate Qp of produced oxygen.

20. The oxygen concentrator of claim 12 where in the power source has charge life of at least 2 hours at a flow rate Qp of 1.5 L/min.

21. The oxygen concentrator of claim 12 where in the power source has charge life of at least 4 hours at a flow rate of Qp of 1.5 L/min.

22. The oxygen concentrator of claim 12 where in the drive comprises an electric motor that draws a maximum of 15 watts of power.

23. An oxygen concentrator comprising:

a gas separation system comprising a cartridge containing a mass of adsorbent material for producing oxygen operating in vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) cycles including feed, evacuation and repressurization phases, the VSA cycles operating in a range between about 0.1 atm and about 1.0 atm;

a gas storage and delivery system with a dispensing valve for receiving oxygen produced by the gas separation system;

a drive which activates the gas separation system;

an electronic control module for controlling the VSA cycles, the electronic control module receiving inputs for cartridge inlet flow rate, cartridge outlet flow rate, gas storage pressure, and dispensing valve nasal pressure, and providing outputs for controlling dispensing valve open time and drive speed; and

a power source which operates the drive;

wherein the power source is characterized by a total energy consumption rate of:

6

<

Watts

Qp

<

10

wherein Qp is a flow rate (in L/min) of oxygen produced by the oxygen concentrator.

24. The oxygen concentrator of claim 23 , wherein Qp (in L/min) is in the range of 0.1 to 1.5.

25. The oxygen concentrator of claim 23 , wherein the concentrator mass is less than 2.3 kg.

26. The oxygen concentrator of claim 23 , wherein the concentrator mass is less than 1.4 kg.

27. The oxygen concentrator of claim 23 wherein the adsorbent material comprises a zeolite.

28. The oxygen concentrator of claim 23 further comprising a flow setting control for adjusting the flow rate Qp of produced oxygen.

29. The oxygen concentrator of claim 23 where in the power source has charge life of at least 2 hours at a flow rate Qp of 1.5 L/min.

30. The oxygen concentrator of claim 23 where in the power source has charge life of at least 4 hours at a flow rate of Qp of 1.5 L/min.

31. The oxygen concentrator of claim 23 where in the drive comprises an electric motor that draws a maximum of 15 watts of power.

32. The oxygen concentrator of claim 23 , wherein the cartridge comprises three adsorbent beds, each containing a mass of adsorbent material.

33. The oxygen concentrator of claim 32 , wherein each adsorbent bed contains between 10 cc and 20 cc of adsorbent material.