Significance A nonequilibrium, nonisothermal, nonisobaric model was used for numerical simulation of the efficiency of N-2 desorption from a LiX zeolite column by rapid purge with O-2 in a pancake adsorber. The key parameters included desorption time, adsorbent particle size, and the adsorber length to diameter ratio. The efficiency was found to be a complex function of these variables.