Introduction
An
oxygen plant or oxygen generator is essential for many industries which require oxygen for their daily manufacturing processes. Oxygen generators all around the world generally use one of two technologies for oxygen generation. One, PSA i.e. Pressure Swing Adsorption, and two, VPSA i.e. Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption. We took the help of a leading company that deals with
oxygen gas plant manufacture in India to help elucidate the difference between PSA and VPSA oxygen generators. Read on to know more.
PSA
PSA oxygen plants and oxygen generators have their usage in various types of fields like paper and pulp industries, glass industries, metallurgical industries, chemical industries, water and wastewater treatment, fish farming. But, the more commonly used oxygen generator is VPSA oxygen generator.
VPSA
VPSA oxygen generators and plants are generally preferred when oxygen need is higher than normal. It is used when large-scale oxygen production is required. It has some complex process equipment and hence is considered somewhat costlier than PSA. It has a brilliant feature of lower power consumption. A VPSA oxygen generator is comprised of these major parts:
• Vacuum Blowerrn• A rotary-lobe feed air blowerrn• An oxygen surge tankrn• One or two adsorbent vesselsrn• Switching valvesrn• Computer controls
Conclusion
The major difference is about the vacuum blowers which helps in reducing the desorption pressure, which ultimately reduces the inlet pressure. VPSA system is hence considered to produce oxygen which is 0.2 atmospheres, gauge. It is considered the most powerful process for air separation. That is the reason, whenever process of non-cryogenic air separation has to be performed, VPSA technology is best suited. It has the capacity to produce pure Oxygen and Nitrogen which reaches its purity level from 90 to 95%. Rest are the impurities which falls in percentage like 4.5 to 5% which may be nitrogen and argon.
The argument leans in the favor of VPSA, and can be summarized in two points:
• Energy efficiency is the key for VPSA systems which is not found in PSA. VPSA systems show their energy efficiency when same product flow, pressure as well as purity conditions are there.
• VPSA systems are said to be much more inexpensive than PSA systems if production rate is found to be more than 20 tons per day which can be 60 tons too or more.rnIf you’re looking for either type of oxygen generator or oxygen plant for your industrial facility or workplace, the oxygen plant manufacturer mentioned above is a leader in the field with more than 42 years of experience and reach that extends to 56 countries.