PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an oxygen concentrator for preventing degradation in moisture absorption of an adsorbent.SOLUTION: The oxygen concentrator includes two adsorption beds A and B filled with the adsorbent, air supply means for supplying air to the adsorption beds, flow path switching means for repeating the adsorption step of successively supplying the air from the air supply means to the adsorption floor successively and taking out concentrated oxygen and a desorption step of pressure-reducing the adsorption bed and reproducing the adsorbent with fixed timing, a pressure equalization flow path provided with a pressure equalizing valve communicating the product ends of the adsorption beds with each other, flow rate control valve means for controlling the supply flow rate of the generated concentrated oxygen, the exhaust piping of desorption air, and piping for connecting respective elements. The flow path switching means includes four 2-way valves respectively installed between the air supply means and the adsorption bed A, between the adsorption bed A and the exhaust piping, between the air supply means and the adsorption bed B and between the adsorption bed B and the exhaust piping, and includes control means for performing valve opening/closing control of opening all the installed 2-way valves when starting the operation of the oxygen concentrator and activation control of activating the air supply means in the state of communicating the air supply means and the exhaust conduit.COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT【課題】吸着剤の吸湿劣化を防止する酸素濃縮装置を提供する。【解決手段】吸着剤を充填した2つの吸着床A,Bと、該吸着床へ空気を供給する空気供給手段と、該空気供給手段からの空気を該吸着床へ順次供給し濃縮酸素を取出す吸着工程、該吸着床を減圧し吸着剤を再生する脱着工程を一定タイミングで繰り返すための流路切替手段と、該吸着床の製品端同士を連通する均圧弁を備えた均圧流路と、生成された濃縮酸素の供給流量を制御する流量制御バルブ手段と、脱着空気の排気配管と、各要素を接続する配管とを具備し、該流路切替手段が2方弁4個からなり、それぞれ空気供給手段‐吸着床A間、吸着床A‐排気配管間、空気供給手段‐吸着床B間、吸着床B‐排気配管間に設置され、該酸素濃縮装置の運転開始時に設置された全ての2方弁を開く弁開閉制御、及び空気供給手段と排気管路を連通させた状態で空気供給手段を起動させる起動制御を行なう制御手段を備える。【選択図】図1
