OXYGEN COMPRESSOR WITH BOOST STAGE
An oxygen concentration and compression system includes an oxygen concentrator, a boost stage, a compressor, and a portable container. The boost stage receives oxygen enriched gas at a first pressure from the oxygen concentrator. The boost stage includes a pressure increasing device that increases the pressure of the oxygen enriched gas from the first pressure to a second, controlled pressure. The compressor receives the oxygen enriched gas at the second, controlled pressure and compresses the oxygen enriched gas to a third pressure in the portable container for later use by a patient. A patient outlet provides oxygen enriched gas from the oxygen concentrator or the boost stage for use by a patient.
1 . An oxygen concentration and compression system comprising:
an oxygen concentrator having an inlet that receives air and an outlet that provides a source of oxygen enriched gas at a first pressure;
a boost stage having an inlet that receives at least a portion of said oxygen enriched gas at said first pressure, a pressure increasing device that increases the pressure of the oxygen enriched gas from the first pressure to a second pressure, an outlet that provides a source of oxygen enriched gas at the second pressure, and a pressure limiting device that controls said second pressure;
a compressor having an inlet that receives at least a portion of said oxygen enriched gas at said second pressure and an outlet that provides a source of oxygen enriched gas at a third pressure that is higher than said second pressure;
a portable container that receives and stores oxygen enriched gas from the compressor at the third pressure for subsequent use by a patient;
a patient outlet that provides oxygen enriched gas from the oxygen concentrator or the boost stage for use by a patient.
2 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 1 wherein the pressure limiting device controls said second pressure, such that said second pressure is substantially constant.
3 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 1 wherein the pressure limiting device controls said second pressure, such that a difference between said second pressure and said first pressure is substantially constant.
4 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 1 wherein the pressure limiting device controls the second pressure by routing oxygen enriched gas from the boost stage outlet back to the boost stage inlet.
5 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 1 wherein the pressure limiting device controls the second pressure by a regulator that selectively feeds oxygen enriched gas from the boost stage outlet back to the boost stage inlet.
6 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 1 wherein the pressure limiting device comprises a pressure sensor that senses the second pressure and a valve that is controlled based on the pressure sensed by the sensor to selectively open a path from the boost stage outlet back to the boost stage inlet.
7 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 1 wherein the pressure limiting device comprises a pressure sensor that senses the second pressure and that controls the boost stage pressure increasing device based on the pressure sensed by the sensor.
8 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 1 wherein the boost stage pressure increasing device comprises a second compressor.
9 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 8 wherein the boost stage compressor and the compressor that increases the pressure from the second pressure to the third pressure are driven by a common motor.
10 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 9 wherein the boost stage compressor and the compressor that increases the pressure from the second pressure to the third pressure are driven by first and second ends, respectively, of a drive shaft of a common motor.
11 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 1 wherein the boost stage pressure increasing device comprises a pressure intensifier that is powered by the source of oxygen at the first pressure from the oxygen concentrator.
12 . An oxygen concentration and compression system comprising:
an oxygen concentrator having an inlet that receives air and an outlet that provides a source of oxygen enriched gas at a first pressure;
a boost means for receiving at least a portion of said oxygen enriched gas at said first pressure, increasing the pressure of the oxygen enriched gas from the first pressure to a controlled second pressure, and providing a source of oxygen enriched gas at the controlled second pressure;
a compressor having an inlet that receives at least a portion of said oxygen enriched gas at said second pressure and an outlet that provides a source of oxygen enriched gas at a third pressure that is higher than said second pressure;
a portable container that receives and stores oxygen enriched gas from the compressor at the third pressure for subsequent use by a patient;
a patient outlet that provides oxygen enriched gas from the oxygen concentrator or the boost stage for use by a patient.
13 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 1 wherein the boost means controls said second pressure, such that said second pressure is substantially constant.
14 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 1 wherein the boost means controls said second pressure, such that a difference between said second pressure and said first pressure is substantially constant.
15 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 8 wherein the boost means and the compressor are driven by a common motor.
16 . The oxygen concentration and compression system of claim 1 wherein the boost means is powered by the source of oxygen at the first pressure from the oxygen concentrator.
17 . A method of concentrating oxygen and compressing the concentrated oxygen comprising:
separating oxygen from air to provide a source of oxygen enriched gas at a first pressure;
receiving at least a portion of said oxygen enriched gas at said first pressure;
increasing the pressure of the oxygen enriched gas from the first pressure to a controlled second pressure,
providing a source of oxygen enriched gas at the controlled second pressure to a compressor;
compressing the oxygen enriched gas from the second pressure to a third pressure with the compressor;
providing the oxygen enriched gas at the third pressure into a portable container for subsequent use by a patient;
providing oxygen enriched gas from the oxygen concentrator or the boost stage for use by a patient.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the second pressure controlled to be substantially constant.
19 . The method of claim 17 wherein the second pressure is controlled such that a difference between said second pressure and said first pressure is substantially constant.
20 . The method of claim 17 wherein controlling the second pressure comprises routing oxygen enriched gas from at the second pressure back to a point where the pressure of the oxygen enriched gas is at the first pressure.