Portable oxygen concentration system and method of using the same

A method of supplying gaseous oxygen to a user using a portable oxygen concentrator system adapted to be readily transported by a user, comprising:

• providing a portable oxygen concentrator system that is readily transportable by a user, the portable oxygen concentrator system comprising:
• an internal renewable energy source;
• an air separation device powered by said energy source and adapted to convert ambient air into concentrated oxygen gas for said user, the air separation device including a plurality of adsorber columns and a rotating valve, the rotating valve relatively rotatable with respect to the plurality of adsorber columns to provide valving action for selectively transferring fluids through the plurality of adsorber columns for converting ambient air into concentrated oxygen gas for said user, said air separation device including a compressor and a vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) oxygen concentrator, the compressor adapted to compress and supply ambient air to said VPSA oxygen concentrator and said VPSA oxygen concentrator adapted to separate concentrated gaseous oxygen from the supplied ambient air, and said system including a vacuum generator adapted to draw exhaust gas from the VPSA oxygen concentrator to improve the recovery and productivity of the VPSA oxygen concentrator;
• at least one sensor adapted to sense one or more conditions indicative of the oxygen gas needs of said user, a control unit interrelated with said air separation device and said at least one sensor so as to supply an amount of oxygen gas equivalent to the oxygen gas needs of said user based at least in part upon the one or more conditions sensed by said at least one sensor, the portable oxygen concentrator system weighing 2-15 pounds;
• sensing one or more conditions indicative of the oxygen gas needs of said user with at least one sensor;
• controlling the air-separation device to convert ambient air into concentrated oxygen gas and supply an amount of concentrated oxygen gas equivalent to the oxygen gas needs of said user based upon the one or more conditions sensed by said at least one sensor, the rotating valve relatively rotating with respect to the plurality of adsorber columns to provide valving action for selectively transferring fluids through the plurality of adsorber columns for converting ambient air into concentrated oxygen gas for said user;
• drawing exhaust gas from the VPSA oxygen concentrator with the vacuum generator to improve the recovery and productivity of the VPSA oxygen concentrator.