Methods and apparatus for improved control of PSA flow variations

A pressure swing adsorption system comprising:

• a plurality of vessels each containing therein an adsorbent mass configured to separate a gas mixture by absorbing at least one gas component in said adsorbent mass;
• and
• a throttling assembly disposed in a fluid path between at least two of the plurality of vessels, the throttling assembly including at least two throttling orifices configured to regulate fluid flow between the at least two vessels,
• wherein the system is configured to separate the gas mixture using a single pressure equalization cycle, and
• wherein the system includes only four valves per vessel of the plurality of vessels,
• wherein the system is configured to separate the gas mixture using at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles, and wherein the independent pressure swing adsorption cycles are each performed in respective sets of vessels of the plurality of vessels,
• wherein a controller is configured to cause each set of vessels to perform a same series of steps in the at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles, and the controller causes a timing of cycles to be offset b a predetermined phase angle, and
• wherein the controller is configured to vary the predetermined phase angle to minimize a predetermined variable including at least one of a total flowrate of waste gas, a composition of waste gas species, and a total flowrate of product gas.

A pressure swing adsorption system comprising:

• a plurality of vessels each containing therein an adsorbent mass configured to separate a gas mixture by absorbing at least one gas component in said adsorbent mass;
• and
• a throttling assembly disposed in a fluid path between at least two of the plurality of vessels, the throttling assembly including at least two throttling orifices configured to regulate fluid flow between the at least two vessels,
• wherein the system is configured to separate the gas mixture using a single pressure equalization cycle, and
• wherein the system includes only four valves per vessel of the plurality of vessels,
• wherein the system is configured to separate the gas mixture using at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles, and wherein the independent pressure swing adsorption cycles are each performed in respective sets of vessels of the plurality of vessels,
• wherein a controller is configured to cause each set of vessels to perform a same series of steps in the at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles, and the controller causes a timing of cycles to be offset by a predetermined phase angle, and
• wherein the predetermined phase angle is varied by the controller to maximize a predetermined variable including a concentration of waste gas species.

A pressure swing adsorption system comprising:

• a plurality of vessels each containing therein an adsorbent mass configured to separate a gas mixture by absorbing at least one gas component in said adsorbent mass;
• and
• a throttling assembly disposed in a fluid path between at least two of the plurality of vessels, the throttling assembly including at least two throttling orifices configured to regulate fluid flow between the at least two vessels, the at least two throttling orifices each penetrating a same obstruction,
• wherein the system is configured to separate the gas mixture using at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles, and
• wherein the at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles are each performed in respective sets of vessels of the plurality of vessels.

A pressure swing adsorption system comprising:

• a plurality of vessels each containing therein an adsorbent mass configured to separate a gas mixture by absorbing at least one gas component in said adsorbent mass;
• and
• a throttling assembly disposed in a fluid path between at least two of the plurality of vessels, the throttling assembly including at least two throttling orifices configured to regulate fluid flow between the at least two vessels,
• wherein the system is configured to separate the gas mixture using at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles,
• wherein the at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles are each performed in respective sets of vessels of the plurality of vessels,
• wherein a controller is configured to cause each set of vessels to perform a same series of steps in the at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles, and wherein the controller causes a timing of cycles to be offset by a predetermined phase angle, and
• wherein the controller is configured to vary the predetermined phase angle to minimize a predetermined variable including at least one of a total flowrate of waste gas, a composition of waste gas species, and a total flowrate of product gas.

A pressure swing adsorption system comprising:

• a plurality of vessels each containing therein an adsorbent mass configured to separate a gas mixture by absorbing at least one gas component in said adsorbent mass;
• and
• a throttling assembly disposed in a fluid path between at least two of the plurality of vessels, the throttling assembly including at least two throttling orifices configured to regulate fluid flow between the at least two vessels
• wherein the system is configured to separate the gas mixture using at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles,
• wherein the at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles are each performed in respective sets of vessels of the plurality of vessels,
• wherein a controller is configured to cause each set of vessels to perform a same series of steps in the at least two independent pressure swing adsorption cycles, and wherein the controller causes a timing of cycles to be offset by a predetermined phase angle, and
• wherein the predetermined phase angle is varied by the controller to maximize a predetermined variable including a concentration of waste gas species.