Application of VPSA Oxygen Generator in Sewage Treatment
The VPSA oxygen generator, through vacuum PSA adsorption technology， directly extracts 21%-95% enriched oxygen gas from the air, improving the efficiency of sewage treatment with lower energy consumption – the aeration energy consumption is reduced by 10%-30%， the sludge production is decreased by 20%， and at the same time， the pollutant degradation ability is enhanced. It is a revolutionary alternative to the traditional aeration with blowers.
The VPSA oxygen generator technology, as an advanced gas separation technology, can directly and cost-effectively produce oxygen-rich gas with a purity of up to 21%-95% from the air. This technology reduces aeration energy consumption through efficient mass transfer fundamentally and optimizes treatment efficiency and sludge production by enhancing microbial activity. This highly energy-efficient oxygen supply method is exactly what the current sewage treatment industry needs for upgrading.
I. Core Principle： What is the VPSA Oxygen Generator?
VPSA stands for Vacuum PSA dsorption. The principle is to use the inexhaustible air in the environment as the raw material and， through a special molecular sieve adsorbent， perform adsorption and desorption cycles at normal temperature.
Adsorption: Under normal pressure or slightly above normal pressure conditions, the molecular sieve will preferentially adsorb nitrogen in the air, allowing oxygen to pass through as the product gas.
Desorption: When the molecular sieve reaches saturation with nitrogen gas, the system reduces the pressure by vacuuming to release the adsorbed nitrogen gas, thereby restoring the adsorption capacity of the molecular sieve.
Product: Through this cycle, oxygen-rich gas with a concentration ranging from 21% to 95% (adjustable range) can be continuously produced.
II. Characteristics of VPSA Oxygen Generator
1. Quick startup time – only 10 minutes is required to achieve the desired oxygen purity;
2. Simple operation, convenient start-up and shutdown, small floor space, low maintenance cost, low installation and construction cost;
3. Low oxygen production energy consumption, compared with domestic similar technologies, the electricity consumption is 10-30% lower;
4. Fully automated – all systems are designed for continuous operation and automatic adjustment of oxygen demand;
5. Advanced process flow, high automation level, large operational flexibility, high long-term operational reliability.
III. Application Principle of VPSA Oxygen Generator in Sewage Treatment
The traditional method is to use blowers for aeration, blowing ordinary air (oxygen content only 21%) into the sewage. However, the application of VPSA oxygen generation is to provide high-concentration oxygen, fundamentally changing the efficiency of the aeration system and the biochemical reaction environment.
Its core advantages are as follows in three aspects:
1. VPSA oxygen generation through oxygen-rich aeration improves efficiency from three aspects: a high-oxygen environment inhibits sludge bulking, increases sludge concentration, thereby increasing the treatment load; strengthening microbial metabolism to efficiently degrade insoluble pollutants and improve the effluent quality; and by intensifying endogenous respiration, completely oxidizing organic matter, reducing sludge production by 10%-20%.
2. VPSA oxygen generation is the key prerequisite for efficient aerobic processes (such as high-purity oxygen activated sludge method). This process uses the oxygen-rich gas (concentration 21%-95%) provided by VPSA in a closed multi-stage tank to contact with the sewage in the opposite direction, achieving several times the processing efficiency of traditional methods, extremely low aeration energy consumption, and effectively controlling odor emissions.
3. Although VPSA oxygen generation itself consumes electricity, due to its extremely high oxygen mass transfer efficiency, the total system energy consumption is actually lower. This not only brings significant energy-saving benefits in high electricity price areas but also eliminates the huge investment in pool expansion.
In summary, VPSA oxygen generation technology in the field of sewage treatment is a mature, efficient, energy-saving and enhancing-effecting key technology. Compared with the traditional blowers aeration method, it no longer relies on the large amount of blowing in ordinary air, but provides high-purity oxygen, fundamentally improving the oxygen dissolution efficiency and mass transfer driving force in water, thus achieving a comprehensive leap in treatment capacity, operational efficiency and environmental benefits.
