A super enriched personal oxygen concentrator system that discards argon as waste, including a personal oxygen concentrator operatively attached to a first bed for absorbing nitrogen and second bed for absorbing oxygen, and an argon waste outlet operatively attached to the first and second beds for eliminating argon from the system. A method of using the system of the present invention, by absorbing nitrogen from compressed air from a POC with a first bed, absorbing oxygen with a second bed, discarding unabsorbed argon from the compressed air as waste, desorbing enriched oxygen product, and providing a 99% oxygen product. A fluid supply warning and communication system, wherein a primary fluid reservoir is connected to the personal oxygen concentrator system. A method of using the fluid supply warning and communication system.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for mixing transmission and separation of hydrogen gas and natural gas recovered based on pressure energy. The method includes: (1) hydrogen compressed natural gas is introduced into the pressure energy recovery system; (2) the low-pressure hydrogen compressed natural gas is introduced into the separation system; (3) the low-hydrogen natural gas and the, high concentration hydrogen gas are introduced into a first natural gas buffer tank and a first hydrogen gas buffer tank respectively; (4) the low-hydrogen natural gas and the high concentration hydrogen gas are introduced into the pressure boosting system; (5) the low-hydrogen natural gas and the high concentration hydrogen gas are respectively introduced into a natural gas user end. The method of the present invention is low in energy consumption, so as to realize pressure energy recovery, and energy consumption of hydrogen gas separation is greatly reduced.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for mixing transmission and separation of hydrogen gas and natural gas recovered based on pressure energy. The method includes: (1) hydrogen compressed natural gas is introduced into the pressure energy recovery system; (2) the low-pressure hydrogen compressed natural gas is introduced into the separation system; (3) the low-hydrogen natural gas and the, high concentration hydrogen gas are introduced into a first natural gas buffer tank and a first hydrogen gas buffer tank respectively; (4) the low-hydrogen natural gas and the high concentration hydrogen gas are introduced into the pressure boosting system; (5) the low-hydrogen natural gas and the high concentration hydrogen gas are respectively introduced into a natural gas user end. The method of the present invention is low in energy consumption, so as to realize pressure energy recovery, and energy consumption of hydrogen gas separation is greatly reduced.

A fuel reforming apparatus includes a pre-reformer that converts a fuel gas to methane by bringing the fuel gas into a reaction with water, a reformer that generates a mixture gas including hydrogen by bringing the fuel gas pre-reformed by the pre-reformer into a reaction with the water, a reformer burner that supplies heat to the reformer, and an exhaust gas supply line that causes an exhaust gas discharged from the reformer burner to be supplied to the pre-reformer as a heat source for the reaction of the pre-reformer.

A fuel reforming apparatus includes a pre-reformer that converts a fuel gas to methane by bringing the fuel gas into a reaction with water, a reformer that generates a mixture gas including hydrogen by bringing the fuel gas pre-reformed by the pre-reformer into a reaction with the water, a reformer burner that supplies heat to the reformer, and an exhaust gas supply line that causes an exhaust gas discharged from the reformer burner to be supplied to the pre-reformer as a heat source for the reaction of the pre-reformer.

Product manifolds for use with portable oxygen concentrators and portable oxygen concentrators including such product manifolds. A product manifold for use with a portable oxygen concentrator includes a first product port, a second product port, an accumulator port, an output port, and a flow path. The flow path operatively coupling each of the first product port, the second product port, the accumulator port, and the output port to one another. The product manifold includes a plurality of control ports. Each of the control ports fluidly coupling the flow path. The product manifold includes a first orifice disposed in a first portion of the flow path; a second orifice disposed in a second portion of the flow path; and a third orifice disposed in a third portion of the flow path. Each of the first orifice, the second orifice, and the third orifice being formed by an electrical forming process and having a thickness of between about 0.0025 inches and about 0.004 inches.

Process for conditioning a container including a granular material A enabling the adsorption of the nitrogen contained in a feed gas stream, including a step of injecting, into the container, a gas or a gas mixture G such that the adsorption capacity of the material A with respect to G is less than 10 Ncm.sup.3/g at 25° C. and 1 atm.

Process for conditioning a container including a granular material A enabling the adsorption of the nitrogen contained in a feed gas stream, including a step of injecting, into the container, a gas or a gas mixture G such that the adsorption capacity of the material A with respect to G is less than 10 Ncm.sup.3/g at 25° C. and 1 atm.

Provided is a system for adsorbing a gaseous component comprising nitrogen from a pressurized flow of air containing the gaseous component. The system comprises a first adsorption bed, and a second adsorption bed. Each of the adsorption beds are suitable for selectively adsorbing the gaseous component from the flow of air to produce a product gas having a higher oxygen concentration than that of the air. The system includes an adjustable feed gas supply which alternately supplies the first adsorption bed and the second adsorption bed with the air. The first adsorption bed is supplied with air during a first half cycle of operation of the system, and the second adsorption bed is then supplied with air during a second half cycle of operation of the system. The feed gas supply enables adjustment of at least one parameter relating to the amount or respective amounts of air being supplied to the first adsorption bed in the first half cycle and/or to the second adsorption bed in the second half cycle. A connection and valve assembly is provided between the first and second adsorption beds. The connection and valve assembly diverts a portion of the product gas, produced from the respective absorption bed being supplied with the flow of air during the respective half cycle, to the other adsorption bed. This causes previously adsorbed gaseous component to be released from latter. The released gaseous component then escapes from the system, e.g. to the atmosphere, via a vent. A sensor system determines a measure of the flow rate of waste gas, including the released gaseous component, escaping from the system via the vent. The at least one parameter can be adjusted based on the measure in order to tune the performance of the system. Further provided is a method for operating the system.

An oxygen concentrator includes one or more adsorbent sieve beds operable to remove nitrogen from air to produce concentrated oxygen gas at respective outlets thereof, a product tank fluidly coupled to the respective outlets of the sieve bed(s), a compressor operable to pressurize ambient air, one or more sieve bed flow paths from the compressor to respective inlets of the sieve bed(s), a bypass flow path from the compressor to the product tank that bypasses the sieve bed(s), and a valve unit operable to selectively allow flow of pressurized ambient air from the compressor along the one or more sieve bed flow paths and along the bypass flow path in response to a control signal. The valve unit may be controlled in response to a command issued by a ventilator based on a calculated or estimated total flow of gas and entrained air or % FiO.sub.2 of a patient.