Abstract: An ionic conduction device comprises a stack of layers, each layer comprising an electrolyte membrane having a pair of opposed surfaces, a gas permeable electrode in contact with each opposed surface, and there being a plurality of interconnects in electrical contact with the electrodes of the layers, to provide electrical continuity through the stack, wherein there is at least one gas flow path though the layers and the interconnects of the stack.

Abstract: A molecular sieve type gas separation apparatus (10) for separating product gas from a gas supply (14) includes at least one sieve bed (11-13) which during an adsorption charge phase of a cycle, adsorbs non product gas in the gas supply (14), and in a desorption regeneration phase of the cycle desorbs the previously adsorbed non product gas. The apparatus further includes an outlet (18) to which product gas is delivered during the adsorption charge phase, and an outlet (31) for non product gas during the desorption regeneration phase. A sensor (36) responsive to the concentration of a constituent in the product gas, and a control (20) to switch the apparatus (10) between the adsorption charge and desorption regeneration phases are further provided. The control (20) is adapted to adjust the duration of adsorption charge phase relative to the duration of the desorption regeneration phase in each cycle.

Abstract: An oxygen generating device (11, 211) to which a gas mixture containing oxygen is fed, and which is operable to separate the gas mixture into oxygen rich and oxygen depleted gas components, the device (11, 211) including a negative temperature coefficient material (36a 36b 36c; 236) which is active at an elevated temperature above a minimum operating temperature, to separate the gas mixture into oxygen rich and oxygen depleted gas components, there being an electronic control unit coupled to the device to pass an electrical current through the device (11, 211) to produce a heating effect within the device to heat the gas mixture at least towards the minimum operating temperature wherein the device includes a plurality of active sections (A, B, C) through each of which the gas mixture passes in turn, and the electrical current supply is connected to each of the sections (A, B, C) so that the sections electrically are connected in series.

Abstract: A method of controlling an oxygen generation device of the kind including a ceramic membrane through which an electrical current is passed whilst ambient air is supplied to one side of the membrane, the membrane allowing oxygen in the supplied air to diffuse therethrough by ionic transport when the membrane is at or above an operating temperature, at a rate dependant upon the electrical current, there being a plenum or the like to recover the oxygen at a second side of the membrane, the method comprising regulating the electrical current passing through the membrane by switching the electrical current on and off and varying the proportion of current-on time in a given time interval (t) in dependence upon a feedback signal.

Abstract: An oxygen generating device to which a gas mixture containing oxygen is fed, and which is operable to separate the gas mixture into oxygen rich and oxygen depleted gas components, the device comprising a first material which when at an elevated temperature at or above a minimum operating temperature, is active to separate the gas mixture into oxygen rich and oxygen depleted gas components wherein a second material is provided which produces a heating effect within the device when an electrical current passes therethrough, to heat the gas mixture at least when the gas mixture is at a temperature below the minimum operating temperature.