A method for controlling an adsorption unit and associated compressor that adjusts the flow rate of a compressed feed stream produced by the compressor so that it increases from a nominal flow rate and then decreased back to the nominal flow rate. The increase and decrease of the feed stream flow rate are controlled in accordance with increase and decrease rate functions of adsorbent bed pressure ratio between off-line and on-line adsorbent beds and a triggering pressure ratio at which the feed flow rate decreases. Each of the increase and decrease rate functions is tuned to produce a similar response in the flow of a product stream produced by the adsorption unit. Additionally, repressurization time is controlled by driving it toward a target value that allows the purge stage of regeneration to be maximized and therefore, the degree to which each of the adsorbent beds is regenerated.