Summary for the AA4 example simulation

This example demonstrates how you can use AVEVA Process Simulation to simulate a two-bed pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process that separates oxygen from air. The two-bed PSA process runs two adsorption beds in repetitive counter-parallel action; while Bed 1 pressurizes and produces high-purity product, Bed 2 vents and regenerates, and vice versa. Combined, these actions form a repetitive cycle of short duration. The beds regenerate by depressurizing and venting through a vacuum blower. During operation, after an initial set of cycles, the process reaches a steady state of repetitive bed cycles for which the initial and end conditions between cycles become identical.

The objective of this simulation is to:

• Design a PSA column that separates nitrogen from air to produce high-purity oxygen.

• Analyze the concentration profiles and the cycle durations of the adsorption beds during operation.

• Quantify the time to reach semi steady-state behavior.

  

  Figure 1: The two-bed pressure swing adsorption system