What determines the lifespan of carbon molecular sieves?

2025-09-28

Carbon molecule sieves are the core components of PSA nitrogen generators, and their service life is closely related to the following five factors:
1. Loading quality
The filling must be firm and fully compressed. Once pulverization occurs, the carbon molecular sieve will be out of valid. So it is necessary to ask professional personnel to operate the loading.
2. Gas requirements for carbon molecular sieve
There is strict control over the oil and water content in the air of the nitrogen generator. Otherwise, a large amount of oil and water entering the carbon molecular sieve will cause blockage of the sieve pores and loss of adsorption capacity. Require regular maintenance of air compressors, refrigerated dryers, filters, etc.
3. Under the premise of normal maintenance and upkeep of the equipment every year, the production capacity of carbon molecular sieves decreases by 3% -8% annually. This is the normal decline of carbon molecular sieves, and the problem of molecular sieve aging is inevitable. The manufacturer recommends a service life of 3-5 years for brand carbon molecular sieves, and the same applies to domestically produced carbon molecular sieves. It depends on the process design of the equipment and the management of the actual usage environment.
4. The parameter of decreasing dew point and carbon molecular sieve, the lower the dew point, the longer the lifespan.
Generally, the dew point remains negative 45 degrees, and the service life of carbon molecular sieve is 4-5 years, with a slow decrease.
And the dew point remains at negative 30 degrees, and the service life of carbon molecular sieve is 3-4 years, decreasing rapidly.
5. Environmental impact
The impact of organic chemical waste gas and unknown chemical elements in chemical plants, as well as mixed gases such as acidic and alkaline gases, can also have a significant impact on the service life of carbon molecular sieves.
 
 
 
So how can we extend the lifespan of carbon molecular sieves?
We need to optimize operations and maintenance to get as close as possible to the theoretical lifespan:
* Pre treated compressed air: Install activated carbon oil remover and high-efficiency filter to ensure that the intake is free of oil and water. ‌‌
* Regular maintenance: including checking the drain, replacing the filter element (every 4000 hours), and monitoring the cooling effect of the refrigerated dryer. ‌‌
* Control parameters: Maintain stable pressure (5-8kg/cm²) and regeneration time to avoid excessive gas flow. ‌‌
* Compression device: Using cylinder compression technology to prevent molecular sieve from sinking or powdering.
Many professional nitrogen generator manufacturers will choose the appropriate carbon molecular sieve based on their own situation. The most commonly selected types are carbon molecular sieves CMS260 and CMS280, which can meet high requirements for nitrogen production and nitrogen concentration. There are also some special applications which choose the highest performance carbon molecular sieve CMS330, with a nitrogen concentration of at least 99.9995%. Jiangxi OIM Chemical is a professional adsorbent manufacturer. Our molecular sieve, activated alumina, and ceramic ball products are widely sold around the world. We welcome new and regular customers to inquire. ‌‌