Atlas Copco oxygen generators use pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology. The generator consists of two separate pressure vessels filled with zeolite molecular sieve material that separates the oxygen from the incoming air. The air we breathe is about 21% oxygen. Oxygen for industrial use is generated by separating oxygen molecules from the other molecules within a clean, dry compressed air stream. Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) is a simple, reliable and cost-effective technology that enables continuous, high-capacity oxygen flow at the desired level of purity. Adsorption happens when atoms, ions or molecules from a substance (compressed air in this case) adhere to a surface of an adsorbent. PSA technology isolates oxygen molecules from other molecules (nitrogen, CO2, water vapor and trace gases) to leave high purity oxygen at the outlet of the generator. The process takes place in two separate pressure vessels (tower A and tower B), each filled with a carbon molecular sieve, that switch between a separation process and a regeneration process.
