Ozone is most efficiently made from oxygen with a small amount of nitrogen. Oxygen exists in the atmosphere at a concentration of about 21% in air we breathe. Using technologies such as pressure swing absorption (PSA).
PSA is a purely physical process; there are no chemical, electrical, or other reactions in our process. Under pressure nitrogen and water are absorbed by a molecular sieve. When the pressure is released the sieve material gives up the water and nitrogen. The process uses two columns, one is absorbing while the other is desorbing. The gas in the absorbing column is concentrated in oxygen to 90-95% and has a dew point of -100 degrees F. This is ideally suited to supply an ozone generator. The picture below shows a schematic of an oxygen concentrator.
For certain specific applications, a variation of the PSA process, called the Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption (VSA/VPSA) process. The only differences are that VPSA uses a feed blower instead of an air compressor and the absorber vessels are desorbed through a vacuum blower. The net result is a significant decrease in the power consumption of the system as a whole. However, these plants are typically only cost effective for very large oxygen capacities.
Oxygen Generators can eliminate the expense, inconvenience, hazardous handling, and storage problems associated with purchased liquid or the transportation of high pressure oxygen cylinders.