Carbon molecular sieve adsorbents are carbon-based adsorption materials with a highly developed microporous structure. Their primary component is elemental carbon. They appear as black strips with uniformly distributed micropores, which have a strong instantaneous affinity for oxygen molecules. Air is primarily composed of nitrogen and oxygen. Under pressure, oxygen molecules have a stronger affinity for carbon molecular sieve pellet, diffuse more rapidly, and are preferentially adsorbed by them. Nitrogen molecules, on the other hand, diffuse more slowly, making them less likely to be adsorbed in large quantities, thus concentrating in the gas phase.
Carbon Molecular Sieve Nitrogen Production Process
The primary process for producing high-purity nitrogen using carbon molecular sieve desiccants is pressure swing adsorption (PSA). This process, characterized by its simplicity and low energy consumption, is currently a widely used method for nitrogen production in industry. The basic process is as follows:
Adsorption Stage
Purified compressed air is passed through an adsorption tower filled with nitrogen molecular sieves. Under a certain pressure, oxygen molecules rapidly diffuse and are adsorbed by it, while nitrogen molecules are rarely adsorbed, resulting in a preliminarily enriched nitrogen gas at the outlet of the adsorption tower.
During the adsorption process, to improve nitrogen purity and yield, two or more towers are typically operated alternately. While one adsorption tower is adsorbing, the other is regenerating, ensuring continuous nitrogen production.
Regeneration Stage
When the carbon molecular sieve in the adsorption tower reaches saturation with oxygen, the compressed air flow is stopped and the tower is depressurized (typically to atmospheric or negative pressure). At this point, the oxygen adsorbed by the carbon molecular sieve adsorbent is desorbed due to the reduced pressure and discharged with the exhaust gas, allowing the carbon molecular sieve to regain its adsorption capacity and prepare for the next adsorption cycle.
To enhance regeneration, a small amount of product nitrogen is sometimes used to purge the adsorption tower to completely expel any residual oxygen, further enhancing the carbon molecular sieve’s adsorption performance.
Purification Stage
The nitrogen obtained after the adsorption and regeneration cycles typically achieves a purity exceeding 99.9%. If higher purity nitrogen ( 99.999%) is required, further purification can be achieved by increasing the number of adsorption towers, optimizing process parameters, or employing auxiliary methods such as cryogenics.
Xintao Carbon Molecular Sieves
Xintao carbon molecular sieves offer high nitrogen production capacity, high nitrogen recovery rates, and a long service life. They are suitable for various pressure swing adsorption nitrogen generators and are the preferred choice for pressure swing adsorption nitrogen generators. their main models include the CMS 220, CMS 240, CMS 260, CMS 280, CMS 300 and CMS 330, which are widely used in industries such as petrochemicals, electronics manufacturing, metallurgy, and food preservation.
In addition, Xintao is committed not only to providing customers with high-quality products but also to providing excellent service as its core competitive advantage. We have assembled a team of experienced and skilled professionals to provide installation guidance and ensure efficient and stable equipment operation. User testing has proven that Xintao carbon molecular sieves offer an excellent service life, typically lasting 3-5 years, and in some applications, up to 8 years, significantly reducing replacement costs and maintenance frequency. Furthermore, their nitrogen output concentration remains stable at 99.999%, fully meeting the stringent high-purity nitrogen requirements of various industries.
carbon molecualr sieve for nitrogen generator
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