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Method and system on board an aircraft for the production of an oxygen-enriched gas stream from an oxygen/nitrogen gas mixture, particularly air, comprising at least one adsorber containing at least one adsorbent for adsorbing at least some of the nitrogen molecules contained in the oxygen/nitrogen

Method and system on board an aircraft for the production of an oxygen-enriched gas stream from an oxygen/nitrogen gas mixture, particularly air, comprising at least one adsorber containing at least one adsorbent for adsorbing at least some of the nitrogen molecules contained in the oxygen/nitrogen feed mixture, characterized in that the adsorbent comprises a faujasite-type zeolite, having a Si/Al ratio of 1 to 1.50, exchanged to at least 80% with lithium cations. Aircraft equipped with such a system, in particular an airliner, especially an airliner of the long-range, large-capacity type.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for supplying the upper airways of at least one person in an aircraft with an oxygen-enriched gas stream, wherein producing said oxygen-enriched stream comprises:i) compressing an oxygen/nitrogen feed mixture to a pressure from about 0.5 to about 5 bar; ii) feeding at least some of the c

1. A method for supplying the upper airways of at least one person in an aircraft with an oxygen-enriched gas stream, wherein producing said oxygen-enriched stream comprises:i) compressing an oxygen/nitrogen feed mixture to a pressure from about 0.5 to about 5 bar; ii) feeding at least some of the compressed oxygen/nitrogen mixture to at least one adsorber containing adsorbent particles; iii) adsorbing at least some of the nitrogen contained in said oxygen/nitrogen mixture on at least some of said adsorbent particles; iv) producing an oxygen-enriched gas stream; and v) conveying and controlling said oxygen-enriched gas stream directly to the upper airways of at least one person; wherein said adsorbent comprises a faujasite-type zeolite, wherein the adsorbent comprises a faujasite-type zeolite exchanged with at least about 80% lithium cations, wherein said zeolite being in the form of bead particles having a mean size of less than about 0.7 mm, wherein the adsorber containing said adsorbent is subjected to production cycles with a cycle time of less than about 15 seconds, and wherein the output of produced oxygen-enriched gas is in the range of from about 20 and 500 L/min STPD per adsorber. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the faujasite-type zeolite comprises a Si/Al ratio from about 1 to about 1.50.3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen-enriched stream comprises an oxygen content higher than the oxygen content of the oxygen/nitrogen feed mixture.4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen-enriched stream comprises an oxygen volume content from about 30% to about 95% by volume.5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen/nitrogen feed mixture contains substantially nitrogen.6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the oxygen/nitrogen feed mixture is air.7. The method according to claim 1, wherein it furthermore includes a step of regenerating the adsorbent by reducing the pressure in the adsorber down to a low pressure from about 0.09 to about 1 bar.8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the low pressure is from about 0.1 to about 0.9 bar.9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one adsorber comprises two or three adsorbers operating per production cycle.10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said faujasite-type adsorbent is an X-type zeolite.11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said X-type zeolite comprises a Si/Al ratio from about 1 to about 1.25.12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said Si/Al ratio is about 1.13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said mean size of said bead particles is less than about 0.5 mm.14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said faujasite-type zeolite is exchanged with lithium cations by about 85% to about 97%.15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said faujasite-type zeolite is exchanged with lithium cations by about 86% to about 95%.16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen-enriched gas produced is distributed to the upper airways of at least one pilot or to at least one passenger in the aircraft when the plane suffers depressurization of the passenger cabin.17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said aircraft is a long-range, large-capacity type.18. A system fitted on board an aircraft for the production of an oxygen-enriched gas stream from an oxygen/nitrogen gas mixture comprising at least one adsorber containing at least one adsorbent for adsorbing at least some of the nitrogen molecules contained in the oxygen/nitrogen feed mixture,wherein said adsorbent comprises a faujasite-type zeolite exchanged with lithium cations by at least about 80%, wherein said zeolite being in the form of bead particles having a mean size of less than about 0.7 mm, wherein the adsorber containing said adsorbent undergoes production cycles having a cycle time of less than about 15 seconds, and wherein the output of said produced oxygen-enriched gas is in the range of from about 20 and 500 L/min STPD per adsorber. 19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the faujasite-type zeolite comprises a Si/Al ratio from about 1 to about 1.50.20. The system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one adsorber comprises at least two adsorbers operating alternately.21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said system comprises:i) compression means for compressing the gas mixture containing oxygen and nitrogen; and ii) distribution means for ensuring that each adsorber is fed alternately with the compressed gas mixture delivered by said compression means. 22. The system according to claim 18, wherein the faujasite adsorbent comprises an X-type zeolite.23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the X-type zeolite comprises a Si/Al ratio from about 1 to about 1.25.24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the Si/Al ratio is about 1.25. The system according to claim 18, wherein said mean size of said bead particles is less than about 0.5 mm.26. The system according to claim 18, wherein said faujasite-type zeolite is exchanged with lithium cations by about 85% to about 97%.27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said faujasite-type zeolite is exchanged with lithium cations by about 86% to about 95%.28. The aircraft equipped with a system according to claim 18.29. The aircraft equipped with a system according to claim 28, wherein the aircraft is an airliner.30. The aircraft equipped with a system according to claim 29, wherein the airliner is a long-range, large-capacity type.