Rotary valve assembly for sieve beds for pressure swing adsorption control

A method for controlling a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process using a rotary control valve, the rotary control valve comprising a product end and an air end, the product end comprising a product housing containing a product rotor and a product stator therein and an air end comprising an air housing containing an air rotor and an air stator therein, the product housing comprising a chamber therein for receipt of the product rotor and the air housing comprising a chamber therein for receipt of the air rotor, the product rotor comprising a plurality of cavities configured for alignment with ports in the product stator and the air rotor comprising a plurality of cavities configured for alignment with ports in the air stator, the rotary control valve further comprising a shaft operatively connected to the product rotor and the air rotor a motor configured to drive the shaft, a driver at each of the product end and the air end, the drivers being mounted to the shaft, each driver being operatively connected to the respective rotors within the product end and air end and configured to rotate the respective rotors during driving of the shaft, and biasing mechanisms provided between the drivers and the product and air rotors for biasing and sealingly engaging the product and air rotors towards their respective stators;

• wherein the method comprises:
• operating the motor;
• driving the shaft using the motor;
• and
• rotating the product rotor and the air rotor relative to their respective stators as a result of the driving of the shaft,
• wherein both of the chambers are configured to hold pressurized gas therein during use of the rotary control valve;
• wherein the product stator and the air stator enclose their respective rotors within the chambers of the housings;
• and
• wherein the rotating of the product rotor and air rotor selectively aligns cavities in the rotors with ports of their respective stators.

A rotary control valve comprising:

• a product end comprising a product housing containing a product rotor and a product stator therein, the product housing comprising a chamber therein for receipt of the product rotor and the product stator, the product rotor comprising a plurality of cavities configured for alignment with ports in the product stator;
• an air end comprising an air housing containing an air rotor and an air stator therein, the air housing comprising a chamber therein for receipt of the air rotor and the air stator, the air rotor comprising a plurality of cavities configured for alignment with ports in the air stator;
• a shaft operatively connected to the product rotor and the air rotor;
• and
• a motor configured to drive the shaft;
• a driver at each of the product end and the air end, the drivers being mounted to the shaft, each driver being operatively connected to the respective rotors within the product end and air end and configured to rotate the respective rotors during driving of the shaft;
• and
• biasing mechanisms provided between the drivers and the product and air rotors for biasing and sealingly engaging the product and air rotors towards their respective stators,
• wherein both of the chambers are configured to hold pressurized gas therein;
• wherein the product stator and the air stator enclose their respective rotors within the chambers of the housings;
• and
• wherein driving of the shaft is configured to rotate the product rotor and air rotor relative to their respective stators such that the cavities in each of the product and air rotors selectively align with ports in their respective stators.