Both of the presently available technologies for separating oxygen from air are energy intensive, using large amounts of pressure-volume work from electrically driven compressors. The use of large amounts of electrical energy makes oxygen separation quite expensive. This project will develop a new technology called Push-Pull Adsorption, which allows the use of steam rather than electricity and offers a major cost reduction. In Phase I, a laboratory-scale demonstration of oxygen separation by Push-Pull Adsorption will be performed. The demonstration will show that the process is operable and can produce oxygen at a greatly reduced energy cost.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Less expensive oxygen would provide great benefits to steel making, glass melting, and other U.S. manufacturing industries. There would also be considerable benefit to hospitals, welding shops and other users of small amounts of oxygen. The technology also should make coal gasification far less expensive, allowing the replacement of foreign oil with gasified coal
