PSA Oxygen Concentrator

Overview

Designed and fabricated a two-bed Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen concentrator during the COVID-19 oxygen crisis. The system uses two steel sieve-bed cylinders packed with lithium zeolite molecular sieve to selectively adsorb nitrogen from compressed air, producing medical-grade oxygen. A copper coil heat exchanger cools the incoming compressed air, followed by an FRL (Filter-Regulator-Lubricator) unit to remove moisture and regulate pressure before it enters the sieve beds. An Arduino Uno controls two solenoid valves via a relay module, cycling the beds between adsorption and desorption phases to deliver continuous oxygen output. A smaller third purge tank stores product gas and helps equalize pressure between cycles.

Outcomes

• Achieved 95% oxygen purity at a continuous flow rate of 6 liters per minute, suitable for supplemental oxygen therapy.
• Built entirely from locally sourced components during peak COVID-19 supply shortages, demonstrating a low-cost, replicable design.
• Arduino-controlled PSA cycling with pressure-monitored sieve beds enabled reliable, hands-off operation over extended run periods.