*Article* **Simulation and Experimental Study of a Single Fixed-Bed Model of Nitrogen Gas Generator Working by Pressure Swing Adsorption**

#### **Pham Van Chinh 1, Nguyen Tuan Hieu 1, Vu Dinh Tien 2, Tan-Y Nguyen 3,\*, Hoang Nam Nguyen 4, Ngo Thi Anh 5 and Do Van Thom 6,\***


Received: 15 August 2019; Accepted: 16 September 2019; Published: 25 September 2019

**Abstract:** Nitrogen is an inert gas available in the air and is widely used in industry and food storage technology. Commonly, it is separated by air refrigerant liquefaction and fractional distillation techniques based on di fferent boiling temperatures of components in the mixed air. Currently, selective adsorption techniques by molecular sieve materials are studied and applied to separate gases based on their molecular size. In this paper, we simulate and investigate the e ffect parameters in a single fixed-bed model of a nitrogen gas generator using carbon molecular sieves, following pressure swing adsorption. This study aims to identify the e ffect of changing parameters so as to select the optimal working conditions of a single fixed-bed model, used as a basis for equipment optimization. This equipment was designed, manufactured, and installed at the Institute of Technology, General Department of Defense Industry, Vietnam to investigate, simulate, and optimize the industrial scale-up.

**Keywords:** pressure swing adsorption (PSA); carbon molecular sieve (CMS); adsorption; nitrogen; nitrogen generator
