Cycle time control of an onboard oxygen generation system

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Onboard oxygen generation systems (OBOGS) are critical for high-performance aircraft.
• Maintaining precise oxygen concentrations is vital to prevent crew hypoxia or hyperoxia.
• Existing OBOGS control methods may lack adaptability or require extensive setup.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a novel control method for OBOGS outlet oxygen concentration.
• To evaluate the feasibility of using pressure swing adsorption (PSA) cycle time variation for oxygen control.
• To assess the adaptability and implementation ease of the proposed control strategy.

Main Methods:

• Varying the cycle time of a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process to control oxygen concentration.
• Implementing the control method using a DC motor and electronic controller.
• Evaluating both open-loop and closed-loop configurations for system implementation.

Main Results:

• The PSA cycle time control method effectively regulates outlet oxygen concentration.
• Both open-loop and closed-loop configurations meet physiological requirements for tactical aircraft.
• The proposed method demonstrates minimal adjustment and setup time.

Conclusions:

• Cycle time control of PSA is a viable and efficient method for OBOGS.
• The system can be implemented with either open-loop or closed-loop configurations, offering flexibility.
• This approach provides a robust solution for maintaining optimal oxygen levels in aircraft environments.