Increasing the oxygen content of air brings advantages in any process where inert nitrogen has a ballast effect.
The benefit accrues even at only modest enrichment. For example, air with oxygen enriched from 21% to only 30% – an enrichment of only 9% – will contain nearly 40% less nitrogen per unit oxygen.
In a partnership arrangement, Ube Industries and MTR have developed and commercialized low-cost micro-membrane modules that are used in conjunction with small vacuum blowers in appliances such as high-end air conditioners. The oxygen content of air is enriched up to 28%. Such units are totally self-contained, operate continuously, require no tanks, and avoid dangerously high oxygen concentrations.
Module for generating oxygen-enriched air
