CMS Technology
The CMS is regenerated by releasing the pressure in the columns and venting the waste gases to the atmosphere.
The technology is called pressure swing adsorption because the operating pressure "swings" from 0 bar g up to typically 7 barg to adsorb oxygen and from 7 bar g back to 0 bar g to desorb and release the waste gases.
Pairs of extruded aluminum columns are filled with carbon molecular sieve (CMS). Pre-treated compressed air enters the bottom of the 'online' column and flows up through the CMS. Oxygen and other trace gases are preferentially adsorbed by the CMS, allowing nitrogen to pass through. After a pre-set time the on-line column automatically switches to regenerative mode, venting contaminants from the CMS. Carbon molecular sieve differs from ordinary activated carbons as it has a much narrower range of pore openings. This allows small molecules such as oxygen to penetrate the pores and separate from nitrogen molecule that are too large to enter the CMS. The larger nitrogen molecules by-pass the CMS and emerge as the product gas.
