Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080245102 | Process and Apparatus for the Separation of Air by Cryogenic Distillation - This disclosure discusses the problems associated with the design, layout, and construction of units and equipment in air separation units. The invention of this disclosure provides a process and apparatus using multiple discrete subcoolers. The nitrogen stream exiting the cryogenic distillation columns cools streams in the subcoolers. By having at least two subcoolers, the size of the nitrogen vent (nitrogen waste or product stream) can be reduced. This saves fabrication costs and improves reliability by reducing thermal stresses in the piping and equipment. Subcoolers cool rich liquid, lean liquid, liquid oxygen, and/or liquid air streams coming from the main heat exchanger or a system of separation columns. The disclosure also discusses integration of the subcoolers with the main heat exchangers. | 10-09-2008 |
20080271481 | Air Separating Device by Means of Cryogenic Distillation - The invention relates to an air separating device by means of cryogenic distillation for producing nitrogen, comprising an exchange line ( | 11-06-2008 |
20080289361 | Method and System for Treating an Oxygen-Rich Liquid Bath Collected at the Foot of a Cryogenic Distillation Column - Methods and apparatus for treating a liquid bath of oxygen. A liquid bath of at least 70 mol % of oxygen is located at the base of a cryogenic distillation column. The bath is continuously boiled by an aluminum reboiler. A portion of the liquid bath is purged to prevent a build up of inflammable impurities in the bath. A portion of the purge is sent to a second reboiler, which is less inflammable than the first reboiler. Oxygen boiled by the second reboiler is sent back to the column, and a portion of the oxygen rich liquid bath treated by the second reboiler is also purged. The invention also relates to an apparatus of carrying out this method. | 11-27-2008 |
20090007595 | Low Temperature Air Separation Process for Producing Pressurized Gaseous Product - A compressed air stream is cooled in an exchanger to form a compressed cooled air stream. The stream is then cryogenically compressed in a first compressor to form a first pressurized gas stream. The first pressurized gas stream is further cooled in the exchanger, cryogenically compressed in a second compressor, and then it is cooled and partially liquefied. The cooled and partially liquefied product is then fed to a system of distillation columns. A liquid product is removed from the system of distillation columns. This product is then pressurized, vaporized and warmed in the exchanger to yield pressurized gaseous product. | 01-08-2009 |
20090049864 | Liquid Collector and Redistributor For Packed Columns - An apparatus for collecting/redistributing a flow of liquid descending in an exchange column containing a layer of packing that includes: a plurality of horizontally spaced longitudinal members, each member having an inner side and an upper end adjacent a bottom of the layer of packing; at least one plate vertically spaced from the bottom of the layer of packing, each plate adapted to collect a portion of the flow of the descending liquid and having opposing ends connected to the inner sides of a pair of the longitudinal members; and at least one vapor riser in fluid communication with the plate and adapted to receive and transmit at least a portion of a stream of a vapor ascending in the exchange column from below to above the plate, each vapor riser having a cap vertically spaced apart from the bottom of the layer of packing. | 02-26-2009 |
20090078000 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AIR - Method and apparatus of separating a nitrogen from a compressed and purified feed stream in a cryogenic rectification plant that employs a distillation column to produce a nitrogen-rich vapor as a column overhead and an oxygen-rich liquid column bottoms. Reflux is generated for the column by condensing part of the nitrogen-rich vapor within a down-flow heat exchanger. A stream of the oxygen-rich liquid column bottoms is introduced into an ejector which draws a stream of an oxygen-rich liquid phase produced from the outlet of a down-flow heat exchanger. The combined oxygen-rich liquid exiting the ejector is fed to the down-flow heat exchanger to condense the nitrogen-rich vapor. In such manner, part of the oxygen-rich liquid phase is recirculated to prevent dry-out of the down-flow heat exchanger outlet and to maintain effective condensation of the nitrogen-rich vapor. | 03-26-2009 |
20090084133 | CONDENSER REBOILER SYSTEM - A condenser reboiler system located within a bottom region of a low pressure column of a double column arrangement that is used in an air separation system to separate air. The condenser reboiler system incorporates first and second heat exchangers of the down-flow type that are situated in a side-by-side relationship and with the first heat exchanger being shorter than the second heat exchanger so that the first heat exchanger will remain functional after a shut-down of the air separation system when the second heat exchanger(s) are not capable of operating due to liquid dumping into a sump region of the low pressure column. The side-by-side relationship allows the column to be fabricated without excessive height. | 04-02-2009 |
20090100864 | PROCESS TO COMPRESS AIR AND ITS USE IN AN AIR SEPARATION PROCESS AND SYSTEMS USING SAID PROCESSES - The invention is directed to a process and a system to compress air. The process involves the following steps,
| 04-23-2009 |
20090107176 | Integrated Process and Gas Treatment Process - Integrated air separation units with a petrochemical process. This invention provides an integrated process and gas treatment process wherein at least one first pressurized gas derived from a first process at a first site is expanded. Using the work generated by the expansion of at least one pressurized gas, a first gas compressor at the first site is driven, operates, and removes compressed gas from the first gas compressor. At least part of the compressed gas from the first gas compressor is sent to a gas treatment unit located at a remote second site. At least part of the compressed gas sent from the first site to the second site is treated in the gas treatment unit. At least one fluid from the gas treatment unit is removed and at least part of the fluid removed from the gas treatment unit is sent to the first site. | 04-30-2009 |
20090120128 | Low Temperature Air Fractionation with External Fluid - In low-temperature air fractionation, feed air ( | 05-14-2009 |
20090249830 | Process For Producing Variable Gaseous Nitrogen And Variable Gaseous Oxygen By Air Distillation - A process for producing variable gaseous nitrogen and variable gaseous oxygen by air distillation, during a period of high demand for gaseous nitrogen and for gaseous oxygen, liquid nitrogen is drawn off from a storage vessel, the liquid nitrogen is vaporized by heat exchange with a first flow of compressed, purified and cooled air, the vaporized nitrogen is sent to the customer and the first flow of liquefied air produced by the heat exchange is sent to a liquefied air storage vessel, liquid oxygen is drawn off from a storage vessel, the liquid oxygen is vaporized by heat exchange with a second flow of compressed, purified and cooled air, the vaporized oxygen is sent to the customer and the second flow of liquefied air is sent to the storage vessel. | 10-08-2009 |
20090277220 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AIR - Method and apparatus of separating an oxygen and nitrogen containing feed stream, for example, air, in higher and lower pressure columns. A crude liquid oxygen stream condenses nitrogen vapor in the higher pressure column for reflux purposes and results in the partial vaporization of the crude liquid oxygen stream to produce vapor and liquid fractions thereof. The liquid fraction condenses a lower pressure part of the feed stream and results in the liquid fraction being at least partially vaporized. Both the vapor fraction of the crude liquid oxygen stream and the liquid fraction after having been at least partially vaporized are introduced into the lower pressure column. Boil-up is produced within a bottom region of the lower pressure column by partially vaporizing an oxygen-rich liquid column bottoms against condensing a higher pressure part of the feed stream and then utilizing vapor or residual liquid as an oxygen product. | 11-12-2009 |
20100024478 | PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR RECOVERING ARGON BY LOW-TEMPERATURE SEPARATION OF AIR - The process and the device are used for recovering argon by low-temperature separation of air. Process air ( | 02-04-2010 |
20100037656 | KRYPTON AND XENON RECOVERY METHOD - A method of separating air in which a superheated air stream is introduced into a mass transfer contacting zone associated with a higher pressure column of an air separation unit. Krypton and xenon is washed from a superheated air stream introduced into the mass transfer contacting zone, thereby to form a krypton and xenon-rich liquid. The krypton and xenon-rich liquid is stripped within a stripping column to produce a krypton-xenon-rich bottoms liquid. A krypton-xenon-rich stream composed of the krypton-xenon-rich bottoms liquid from the stripping column is produced for purposes of further refinement. | 02-18-2010 |
20100058805 | AIR SEPARATION REFRIGERATION SUPPLY METHOD - A method of supplying refrigeration to air separation plants within an air separation plant facility in which a refrigerant stream is produced at cryogenic temperature within a centralized refrigeration system. Streams of the refrigerant at the cryogenic temperature are introduced into the air separation plants such that all or a part of the refrigeration requirements of the air separation plants are supplied by the streams of the refrigerant. | 03-11-2010 |
20100115995 | AIR SEPARATION PROCESS USING CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION | 05-13-2010 |
20100139318 | Method And Device For Separating Air By Cryogenic Distillation - A method and an apparatus for distilling air by cryogenic distillation is presented. The invention relates to an apparatus using a double air separation column comprising a medium pressure column and a low pressure column connected thermally together by a reboiler-condenser. | 06-10-2010 |
20100162756 | Cryogenic Distillation Comprising Vacuum Insulation Panel - A cryogenic installation unit comprises at least one item of equipment ( | 07-01-2010 |
20100206004 | Main Exchange Line And Cryogenic Distillation Air Separation Unit Incorporating Such An Exchange Line - A unit for separating air using cryogenic distillation is provided. | 08-19-2010 |
20100313599 | Fin For Heat Exchanger And Heat Exchange Equipped With Such Fins - The invention concerns a fin defining a general corrugated direction (D | 12-16-2010 |
20110011130 | Method And Apparatus For The Production Of Gas From Air In Highly Flexible Gaseous And Liquid Form By Cryogenic Distillation - A method of producing at least one air gas using cryogenic distillation is provided. The expanded streams coming from the two turbines are combined and then split into two fractions. The first fraction is sent to the medium-pressure column of the system in gaseous form, whereas the second fraction is returned to the cold end of the heat exchange line. At a temperature T | 01-20-2011 |
20110041552 | Apparatus And Method For Separating Air By Cryogenic Distillation - An apparatus and to a method for producing krypton and xenon by separating air by cryogenic distillation and in particular to a method for separating gasses from air using internal compression (in which the gaseous oxygen is produced by vaporization under pressure in the exchange line) where a krypton/xenon mixture is extracted is provided. | 02-24-2011 |
20110048068 | DEVICE FOR DRYING A GAS, IN PARTICULAR AIR, APPLICATION THEREOF TO A DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR COLLECTING A GAS SAMPLE - The invention relates to a device for drying a gas, in particular air, that comprises at least one chamber ( | 03-03-2011 |
20110100055 | Hybrid Air Separation Method with Noncryogenic Preliminary Enrichment and Cryogenic Purification Based on a Single Component Gas or Liquid Generator - Large quantities of high purity and high pressure nitrogen or oxygen gas are produced using a portable system. A PSA, VSA, TSA, or permeable membrane system cleans the air of water and carbon dioxide, as normally required by the cryogenic distillation cycle, but additionally, a significant amount of the oxygen or nitrogen is also removed, depending on the desired produced gas. The removal of the oxygen or nitrogen before the cryogenic process permits the distillation column to be significantly shorter than would otherwise be required. This in turn reduces the size of the equipment such that it can easily be transported and setup. Additionally, a high pressure liquid pump is used to boost the pressure of the nitrogen or oxygen immediately before it goes through the last pass of the cryogenic heat exchanger where the liquid is vaporized and the incoming gas is cooled. | 05-05-2011 |
20110132035 | Method And Apparatus For Providing Nitrogen - A method and apparatus for providing nitrogen is provided. | 06-09-2011 |
20110192193 | Method And Installation For Enriching A Gas Stream With One Of The Components Thereof - The invention relates to a method of enriching a pressurised gas stream ( | 08-11-2011 |
20110226015 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS - A cryogenic air separation method and apparatus in which first and second liquid streams are produced. The first liquid stream has a higher oxygen content than air and can consist of a higher pressure distillation column bottoms and the second liquid stream, for instance, air, has a lower oxygen content than the first liquid stream and an argon content no less than the air. The second liquid stream is subcooled through indirect heat exchange with the first liquid stream and both of such streams are introduced into the lower pressure column. The second liquid stream is introduced into the lower pressure column above that point at which the crude liquid oxygen column bottoms or any portion thereof is introduced into the lower pressure column to increase a liquid to vapor ratio below the introduction of the second liquid stream and therefore, reduce the oxygen present within the column overhead. | 09-22-2011 |
20110259046 | Process And Apparatus For The Separation Of Air By Cryogenic Distillation - A process for producing a gaseous component of air under pressure by cryogenic separation is provided. | 10-27-2011 |
20110259047 | Method And Apparatus For Producing Nitrogen By Cryogenic Distillation Of Air - In a method for producing nitrogen by cryogenic distillation, air containing carbon monoxide is sent to a cryogenic distillation column ( | 10-27-2011 |
20120036891 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS - An air separation method and apparatus in which a supercritical oxygen product is produced by heating a pumped liquid oxygen stream having a supercritical pressure, through indirect heat exchange with a boosted pressure air stream. The indirect heat exchange is conducted within a heat exchanger and a liquid nitrogen stream is vaporized in the heat exchanger to depress the pressure that would otherwise be required of the boosted pressure air stream to heat the pumped liquid oxygen stream. The pumped liquid oxygen stream constitutes 90 percent of the oxygen-rich liquid removed from an air separation unit in which the air is rectified, the liquid nitrogen constitutes at least 90 percent of the liquid nitrogen that is not used as reflux and a flow-rate ratio between the liquid nitrogen stream and the oxygen-rich liquid is between about 0.3 and 0.90. | 02-16-2012 |
20120036892 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS - An air separation method and apparatus in which a supercritical oxygen product is produced by heating a pumped liquid oxygen stream having a supercritical pressure, through indirect heat exchange with a boosted pressure air stream. The indirect heat exchange is conducted within a heat exchanger and a liquid nitrogen stream is vaporized in the heat exchanger to depress the pressure that would otherwise be required of the boosted pressure air stream to heat the pumped liquid oxygen stream. The pumped liquid oxygen stream constitutes 90 percent of the oxygen-rich liquid removed from an air separation unit in which the air is rectified, the liquid nitrogen constitutes at least 90 percent of the liquid nitrogen that is not used as reflux and a flow-rate ratio between the liquid nitrogen stream and the oxygen-rich liquid is between about 0.3 and 0.90. | 02-16-2012 |
20120067082 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AT LEAST ONE ARGON-ENRICHED FLUID AND AT LEAST ONE OXYGEN-ENRICHED FLUID FROM A RESIDUAL FLUID - The invention relates to a method for producing an argon-enriched fluid and an oxygen-enriched fluid from a fluid resulting from a method for purifying of oxy-fuel combustion fumes, wherein said method comprises purifying the residual gas by a purification method in order to produce a gas enriched with carbon dioxide and a residual gas lean in carbon dioxide, pre-treating the residual gas lean in carbon dioxide in order to obtain a flow enriched with carbon dioxide and a flow lean in carbon dioxide, treating the flow lean in carbon dioxide by a cryogenic technique so as to extract at least an argon-enriched fraction, an oxygen-enriched fraction, and a fraction lean in argon and/or oxygen. | 03-22-2012 |
20120118013 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING AIR BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - The invention relates to equipment for separating air that includes a first average pressure distillation column, a second low-pressure distillation column, a third low-pressure distillation column, a first condenser-vaporizer, a second condenser-vaporizer arranged in the tank of the second column, a pipe for supplying air to the first column, a pipe for supplying a nitrogen-enriched liquid from the head of the first column to the head of the third column, at least one pipe for supplying the liquid from the tank of the third column to the first condenser-vaporizer, a pipe for supplying a liquid of the tank from the first column to the third column, a pipe for supplying the liquid from the first condenser-vaporizer to the second column, a pipe for supplying gas from the head of the second column to the tank of the third column, wherein the first, second, and third columns are arranged side by side. | 05-17-2012 |
20120125044 | FEED COMPRESSION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AIR SEPARATION PROCESS - A method and apparatus for separating air to produce a gaseous oxygen product in which the air is separated in an air separation plant to conduct a cryogenic rectification process that utilizes higher and lower pressure compressed air streams. The higher and lower pressure compressed air streams are generated in two multistage compressors linked together so that the lower pressure compressed air stream is produced from intermediate stages and the higher pressure compressed air stream is produced from higher pressure compression stages. During turn-down operational conditions, one of the two multistage compressors can be shut down to decrease the flow of air and therefore, the production of the oxygen product. | 05-24-2012 |
20120131952 | METHOD FOR RECOVERING A GASEOUS PRESSURE PRODUCT BY LOW-TEMPERATURE SEPARATION OF AIR - The invention relates to production of a pressurized gaseous oxygen product by low-temperature separation of air in a distillation column system, having a low-pressure column and a high-pressure column. A first partial stream of the purified feed air is work-expanded in a first expander, and at least partially introduced into the high-pressure column. A second partial stream is cooled in a main heat exchanger to an intermediate temperature, further compressed, cooled in the main heat exchanger where it is liquefied or pseudo-liquefied, and then introduced into the distillation column system. A third partial stream of the compressed feed air is work-expanded in a second expander. A liquid oxygen product stream, removed from the distillation column system, is brought to an elevated pressure, evaporated or pseudo-evaporated in the main heat exchanger, heated to approximately ambient temperature, and ultimately withdrawn as a pressurized gaseous oxygen product stream. | 05-31-2012 |
20120144861 | Process And Installation For Producing High-Pressure Nitrogen - A method and apparatus for producing high pressure nitrogen is provided. This system includes a first compressor for compressing air and cooling air to substantially the dew-point, a high pressure column, a medium pressure column, a conduit for introducing at least a portion of the compressed air at a base of the high pressure column; a conduit for removing a oxygen enriched liquid from the base of the high pressure column; a first valve for reducing the pressure of the oxygen enriched liquid to a medium pressure, where the medium pressure is between the high pressure and atmospheric pressure, a conduit for introducing the oxygen enriched liquid at an intermediate place of the medium pressure column; a second expander for reducing the pressure of at least a part of the liquid removed from the base of the medium pressure distillation column, to a low pressure to cool a top condenser of the medium pressure column and to form a waste vapor stream; a cold compressor for compressing a vapor stream removed form the medium pressure column, cooling the compressed vapor stream, and introducing it into the base of the high pressure column; a heat exchanger for heating the waste vapor stream, a first expander for expanding the heated stream to produce power; a conduit for withdrawing liquid from the top of the medium pressure column, pump for pumping the withdrawn liquid to high pressure and injecting it at the top of the high pressure column; and conduit for withdrawing product nitrogen from the top of the high pressure column. | 06-14-2012 |
20120174625 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A GASEOUS PRESSURIZED OXYGEN PRODUCT BY CRYOGENIC SEPARATION OF AIR - Process and apparatus for producing a pressurized gaseous oxygen product by cryogenic air separation | 07-12-2012 |
20120240620 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR GENERATING AN OXYGEN PRODUCT BY LOW-TEMPERATURE SEPARATION OF AIR - The method and device serve for generating an oxygen product by low-temperature separation of air having a distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation that comprises a high-pressure column ( | 09-27-2012 |
20120240621 | DEVICE FOR THE LOW-TEMPERATURE SEPARATION OF AIR - The invention relates to an apparatus for the low-temperature separation of air and comprises a main heat exchanger ( | 09-27-2012 |
20120285197 | PROCESS AND UNIT FOR THE SEPARATION OF AIR BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - An air separation unit having a medium-pressure column, a low-pressure column, a chamber, a heat exchanger, a bottom condenser of the low-pressure column and a condenser placed in the chamber is provided. The air separation unit also includes an expansion device configured to expand oxygen-rich liquid from the bottom of the low-pressure column before the oxygen-rich liquid is introduced to the chamber and a compressor configured to compress the gas from the chamber, wherein the compressor is downstream of the chamber and upstream of the low-pressure column. | 11-15-2012 |
20120297823 | METHOD AND APPLIANCE FOR SEPARATING AIR BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - In a method for separating air in a column system, by cryogenic distillation, compressed, purified and cooled air is separated in the column system in order to form an oxygen-enriched flow and a nitrogen-enriched flow. At least one column of the column system contains a vaporizer-condenser for ensuring the vaporization of a liquid enriched in oxygen in relation to the air by means of heat exchange with a calorigenic fluid, the calorigenic fluid having been compressed upstream of the vaporizer-condenser in a compressor having a cryogenic inlet temperature, the calorigenic fluid being at least partially condensed in the vaporizer-condenser, and a cryogenic liquid is added to the calorigenic fluid upstream of the vaporizer-condenser. | 11-29-2012 |
20120324944 | METHOD AND INTEGRATED DEVICE FOR SEPARATING AIR AND HEATING AN AIR GAS ORIGINATING FROM AN AIR SEPARATION DEVICE - The invention relates to an integrated device for separating air and heating a gas in the air resulting from said air separation, comprising: an air separation device ( | 12-27-2012 |
20130000351 | Production Of High-Pressure Gaseous Nitrogen - An improved process for producing elevated pressure nitrogen including providing an air separation unit with at least two columns. The process includes extracting a first nitrogen stream from the MP column, warming a first portion of the first nitrogen stream in a heat exchanger, thereby producing a product nitrogen stream, and warming a second portion of the nitrogen stream in the heat exchanger, thereby producing warm nitrogen stream. Expanding the warm nitrogen stream in an expander, thereby producing a quantity of work, and a low pressure nitrogen stream and introducing the low pressure nitrogen stream into the LP column. Extracting a second nitrogen stream from the LP column, cooling the second nitrogen stream in condenser, thereby producing a liquid nitrogen stream. Introducing a first portion of the liquid nitrogen stream into the LP column, increasing the pressure of a second portion of the liquid nitrogen stream, thereby producing a pressurized liquid nitrogen stream, and introducing a first portion of the pressurized liquid nitrogen stream into the MP column, and export a second portion of the pressurized liquid nitrogen stream as product. | 01-03-2013 |
20130019634 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method and apparatus for separating air in which the recovery rate of an oxygen product is increased by increasing the liquid to vapor ratio in a lower pressure column connected to a higher pressure column in a heat transfer relationship. A crude liquid oxygen column bottoms stream produced in the higher pressure column is partially vaporized against condensing argon-enriched vapor of the lower pressure column which is fed back to an argon stripping section of the lower pressure column. A supplemental nitrogen-rich reflux stream and an oxygen-enriched stream having a greater oxygen content than the crude liquid oxygen stream are fed into the lower pressure column. These streams are formed from a two phase stream produced, at least in part, from the crude liquid oxygen stream after the partial vaporization thereof. | 01-24-2013 |
20130042646 | Production of High-Pressure Gaseous Nitrogen - An improved process for producing elevated pressure nitrogen including providing an air separation unit with at least two columns, an LP column and an MP column. Also including extracting a nitrogen stream from the MP column and extracting a rich liquid from the bottom of the MP column, and providing at least a portion of the rich liquid stream to a first vaporizer. Also including introducing a portion of the nitrogen stream into the first vaporizer, thereby producing a boil-off gas, and warming at least a portion of the nitrogen stream in a heat exchanger, thereby producing a product nitrogen stream. Also including warming at least a portion of the boil-off gas in the heat exchanger, thereby producing warm intermediate stream, expanding the warm intermediate stream in an expander, thereby producing a quantity of work, and a low pressure intermediate stream, and introducing the low pressure intermediate stream into the LP column. | 02-21-2013 |
20130086941 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS - A cryogenic air separation method and apparatus in which a lower pressure distillation column is configured to receive, at successively higher locations of the lower pressure column and at successively lower temperatures, crude oxygen derived from a crude liquid oxygen stream discharged from a higher pressure column, an intermediate reflux stream and a nitrogen-rich reflux stream. All of the streams are subcooled and depressurized. The subcooling is conducted such that the intermediate reflux stream and the nitrogen-rich liquid stream cocurrently, indirectly exchange heat to a nitrogen-rich vapor stream withdrawn from the lower pressure column and the intermediate reflux stream is subcooled to a temperature between the temperatures over which the nitrogen-rich liquid stream is subcooled. Additionally, the crude liquid oxygen stream and the intermediate reflux stream can, cocurrently, indirectly exchange heat to a pressurized liquid stream used in forming an oxygen product and the nitrogen-rich vapor stream. | 04-11-2013 |
20130086942 | DEVICE FOR THE CRYOGENIC SEPARATION OF AIR - The device serves for the cryogenic separation of air. It comprises a main heat exchanger ( | 04-11-2013 |
20130098106 | APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR SEPARATING AIR BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - In a process for separating air by cryogenic distillation, an oxygen-rich stream having a first oxygen purity of less than 98 mol % oxygen is withdrawn from the column system and sent to a customer, an oxygen-rich liquid stream having a second oxygen purity, possibly lower than 98 mol % oxygen, is sent to a storage tank, liquid is periodically withdrawn from the storage tank and sent to a back-up reboiler, to produce a back-up product, and a liquid stream having a third oxygen purity, lower than the first purity, is withdrawn from the bottom of at least one column of the column system and/or from the auxiliary reboiler and sent to the storage tank as a purge stream during a stoppage in the operation of the column system. | 04-25-2013 |
20130111950 | COOLING UNIT, AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AIR BY MEANS OF CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION INCLUDING SUCH COOLING UNIT - The invention relates to a cooling unit consisting of an exchange line capable of heating nitrogen originating from the system of columns by exchanging heat with the air to be cooled for the system of columns, and a cooling tower for the heat- and mass-exchange between the water to be cooled sent to the top of the tower and the nitrogen originating from a system of air distillation columns, the lower portion of the tower including an inlet connected to a nitrogen pipe, and the nitrogen pipe being connected to at least one exchanger body of the exchange line, which is capable of heating the nitrogen originating from the system of columns by exchanging heat with the air to be cooled for the system of columns, wherein the tower is arranged above at least one portion of the exchange line. | 05-09-2013 |
20130133364 | APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR SEPARATING AIR BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - In a process for delivering pressurized gas from an apparatus for separating air by cryogenic distillation, a stream of oxygen-rich liquid or gas having a nominal flow rate is withdrawn from a low-pressure column, an oxygen-rich liquid purge stream is withdrawn as bottoms from the low-pressure column and the oxygen-rich liquid purge stream is sent to a storage tank, in the event of a reduction in the production by the column system or an increase in the demand by a customer, a back-up stream is withdrawn from the storage tank and vaporized in a back-up reboiler and only if the liquid level in the storage tank exceeds a given threshold, a liquid stream is withdrawn from the storage tank constituting at most 2% of the nominal production output of the oxygen-rich stream and is sent to the back-up reboiler. | 05-30-2013 |
20130139546 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method and apparatus to produce oxygen and nitrogen co-products in which a compressed a compressed and purified air stream is cooled, fully or partially condensed and then rectified in a main distillation column to form a nitrogen-rich vapor column overhead and crude liquid oxygen. A crude liquid oxygen stream is depressurized and then stripped in an auxiliary distillation column with a stripping gas to produce an oxygen-rich liquid. The nitrogen-rich vapor column overhead from the main distillation column is used to form a nitrogen product and the crude liquid oxygen is partially vaporized to produce the stripping gas, a residual oxygen-rich liquid and liquid nitrogen reflux to the main distillation column. The oxygen product is formed from the residual oxygen-rich liquid by either providing the heat exchange duty in condensing the compressed and purified air stream or by condensing nitrogen-rich vapor used in refluxing the main distillation column. | 06-06-2013 |
20130139547 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method and apparatus to produce oxygen and nitrogen co-products in which a compressed a compressed and purified air stream is cooled, fully or partially condensed and then rectified in a main distillation column to form a nitrogen-rich vapor column overhead and crude liquid oxygen. A crude liquid oxygen stream is depressurized and then stripped in an auxiliary distillation column with a stripping gas to produce an oxygen-rich liquid. The nitrogen-rich vapor column overhead from the main distillation column is used to form a nitrogen product and the crude liquid oxygen is partially vaporized to produce the stripping gas, a residual oxygen-rich liquid and liquid nitrogen reflux to the main distillation column. The oxygen product is formed from the residual oxygen-rich liquid by either providing the heat exchange duty in condensing the compressed and purified air stream or by condensing nitrogen-rich vapor used in refluxing the main distillation column. | 06-06-2013 |
20130152629 | "Air cooling and purification apparatus intended for a cryogenic air distillation unit" - An apparatus for cooling and purifying a stream of air comprises a building, a cooling tower, for cooling by direct contact with water, two purification bottles, each of vertical axis, a pipe for sending water to the cooling tower, a pipe for sending air to the cooling tower, a pipe for sending cooled air from the tower to the purification bottles and a system of valves and piping for connecting the two bottles to the cooling tower, this assembly being located inside the building, and the two bottles and the tower being outside the building, the two bottles and the assembly being placed on either side of a wall of the building, the bottles being placed along the wall and the tower being positioned between the two bottles. | 06-20-2013 |
20130167584 | HEAT EXCHANGER PERFORATED FINS - A plate fin heat exchanger comprises a folded fin sheet comprising fins wherein the fin sheet comprises a plurality of perforations, such plurality of perforations are positioned on the fin sheet in parallel rows when such fin sheet is in an unfolded state, such parallel rows of perforations on the fin sheet comprise a first spacing between the parallel rows of perforations (S | 07-04-2013 |
20130219959 | PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE SEPARATION OF AIR BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for the separation of air by cryogenic distillation. In particular, it relates to a process for separation of air using three cryogenic distillation columns for the production of gaseous oxygen. Certain embodiments of the invention are particularly efficient for the production of gaseous oxygen at pressures between 30 and 45 bars abs, in which the oxygen is produced by removing liquid oxygen from a distillation column, pressurizing the oxygen and vaporizing the pressurized liquid by heat exchange with air. | 08-29-2013 |
20130233016 | Structured Packing - An apparatus for a heat transfer or mass transfer process, comprising a column or divided column having at least one pair of converging walls or wall portions and, within at least a region of the column or divided column bounded by at least one pair of converging walls or wall portions, a structured packing having a corrugation angle of at least about 50°; a method of heat and/or mass transfer applicable to the apparatus; and a method of installation of structured packing into a relevant apparatus. | 09-12-2013 |
20130247611 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AIR BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - A method and apparatus for the cryogenic distillation of air to produce gaseous oxygen with a purity between 75 and 95 mol % and a pressure lower than 5.5 bar abs using a triple column having a high-pressure column, a low-pressure column, and a medium-pressure column, wherein the medium-pressure column is at least partially thermally coupled with the low-pressure column and the high-pressure column is also at least partially thermally coupled with the low-pressure column. | 09-26-2013 |
20130255313 | PROCESS FOR THE SEPARATION OF AIR BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - A process for separation of air by cryogenic distillation, including cooling a first purified feed air stream in a heat exchanger, thereby producing a cooled first feed stream, removing a first portion from the heat exchanger at a first intermediate temperature, and compressing the cooled first portion in a first booster compressor, cooling the compressed first portion in the heat exchanger, thereby producing a cooled first portion, removing a second portion from the heat exchanger at a second intermediate temperature, and compressing the cooled second portion in a second booster compressor, cooling the compressed second portion in the heat exchanger, thereby producing a cooled second portion, and vaporizing a pressurized liquid stream from the column system in the heat exchanger at a vaporization temperature to form a pressurized gaseous product stream, wherein, both the first discharge temperature and said second discharge temperature are below −55° C. | 10-03-2013 |
20130269387 | PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE SEPARATION OF AIR BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - An apparatus and process for separating air by cryogenic distillation includes a heat exchanger, a column system having at least one cryogenic distillation column, a conduit for supplying the column system with cooled air from the heat exchanger, a storage tank, a conduit for removing a liquid from the column system and sending it to the storage tank, at least one pump, at least one conduit for sending pumped liquid from the outlet of the or each pump to the heat exchanger, at least one conduit connected to the outlet of the pump or at least one outlet of at least one pump and to a column of the column system, said conduit passing directly to the column without passing via the storage tank. | 10-17-2013 |
20130283855 | PIPING MODULE FOR AIR FRACTIONATION PLANT - A piping module is described which comprises at least two fluid connections or ports for connection to at least one main heat exchanger of an air fractionation plant, whereby the main heat exchanger becomes linked to at least two fluid lines in a warm part of the air fractionation plant. The piping module comprises at least two ports on the main compressor side, couplable to at least two fluid lines in the warm part of the air fractionation plant, and at least two ports on the main heat exchanger side, couplable to at least two fluid ports of the at least one main heat exchanger, and at least two fluid lines connecting the ports on the main compressor side to the ports on the main heat exchanger side. A corresponding air fractionation plant and a method for erecting such an air fractionation plant ( | 10-31-2013 |
20130340476 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING AIR BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - Device for separating air comprises a pipe for withdrawing liquid oxygen from the low-pressure column and for sending it to a first pump, a pipe for sending liquid oxygen that has been pressurized to a pressure of below 9 bar as from the first pump to a vaporizer, a pipe for sending gaseous oxygen from the vaporizer to a main exchanger Where it is heated up, a pipe for sending liquid oxygen for purging from the vaporizer to a second pump to pressurize it and a pipe for sending the pressurized oxygen from the second pump to an exchanger where it vaporizes to form gaseous oxygen. | 12-26-2013 |
20140013798 | METHOD FOR SEPARATING AIR BY MEANS OF CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - In an air-distillation method, purified air is cooled in an exchange line and then sent to a distillation column of a system of columns, and oxygen- and nitrogen-rich fluids are extracted from a column of the system of columns only during the repressurization phase. A purified airflow, constituting between 3% and 20% of the air compressed in the compressor, is used to at least partially pressurize the adsorber completing the regeneration phase thereof, and the airflow compressed in the compressor during the adsorption phase is substantially equal to the airflow compressed in the compressor during the pressurization of the adsorber. A portion of the purified air is sent to a turbine where it is decompressed and then sent into the atmosphere an as to ensure that it is kept at least partially cold during the entire cycle, and the amount of decompressed airflow sent into the air during the pressurization of an adsorber is less than the amount sent into the air during the adsorption phase of the same adsorber. | 01-16-2014 |
20140053601 | Method and Apparatus for Separating Air by Cryogenic Distillation - A method for separating air is provided, in which a flow of oxygen-rich liquid is sent to a top of a pure oxygen column, having a pure oxygen reboiler, in which said flow is purified in order to form a vessel liquid containing at least 98 mol % of oxygen and the vessel liquid is drawn off as a product. A supercharged airflow at a second pressure is sent to the pure oxygen reboiler and to a liquid oxygen vaporizer; a nitrogen-rich gas is drawn from the top of the medium-pressure column and sent to an intermediate reboiler of the low-pressure column and the condensed gas is sent to the top of the medium-pressure column; and a nitrogen-rich gas or air is sent to a vessel reboiler of the low-pressure column and the liquid that condenses therein is sent to the medium-pressure column. | 02-27-2014 |
20140109614 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS - Provided is an air separation method and apparatus in which consumed power source can be reduced when oxygen is collected in a three-column process, including: a first separation step in which feed air is separated into high pressure nitrogen gas and high pressure oxygen-enriched liquid air; a second separation step in which a high pressure oxygen-enriched liquid air is separated into medium pressure nitrogen gas, and medium pressure oxygen-enriched liquid air; a first indirect heat exchange step in which a medium pressure nitrogen gas is condensed and a low pressure oxygen-enriched liquid air is vaporized by indirect heat exchange; and a third separation step in which a low pressure oxygen-enriched air is separated into low pressure nitrogen gas and low pressure liquid oxygen. | 04-24-2014 |
20140174123 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method and apparatus for separating air in which production of the liquid products can be selectively varied between high and low production rates by varying the pressure ratio across a turboexpander used in imparting refrigeration with the use of a branched flow path. The branched flow path has a system of valves to selectively and gradually introduce a compressed refrigerant air stream into either a booster compressor branch having a booster compressor to increase the pressure ratio during high modes of liquid production or a bypass branch that bypasses the booster compressor to decrease the pressure ratio during low modes of liquid production. A recycle branch is connected to the booster compressor branch to allow compressed air to be independently recycled from the outlet to the inlet of the booster compressor during turndown from the high to the low liquid mode of liquid production to prevent surge. | 06-26-2014 |
20140202208 | Method And Device For Separating A Gas Mixture By Cryogenic Distillation - The invention relates to a cryogenic distillation apparatus for a gas mixture, including a purification apparatus for purifying a gas mixture in a system with a plurality of adsorbant bottles, a column system, a capacity, means for feeding a cryogenic liquid to the capacity, means for feeding a vaporized liquid from the capacity to a column of the system, a vaporizer in the capacity for vaporizing the contained liquid; means for feeding a calorigenic gas to the vaporizer, and means for drawing a liquid from the capacity. | 07-24-2014 |
20140216106 | AIR SEPARATION APPARATUS AND AN INTEGRATED GASIFICATION COMBINED CYCLE APPARATUS INCORPORATING THE AIR SEPARATION APPARATUS - An air separation unit produces and supplies nitrogen gas used in gasification furnace facility and/or gas purification facility from material air and supplies oxygen-rich waste gas to air compressor installed in gasification furnace facility, and introduces it as part of the gasification agent in gasification furnace after being pressurized together with air in air compressor. | 08-07-2014 |
20140230486 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR RECOVERING HIGH-PRESSURE OXYGEN AND HIGH-PRESSURE NITROGEN - The method and device according to the invention provide for recovery of high-pressure oxygen and high-pressure nitrogen by low-temperature separation of air in a distillation-column system. This system comprises a high-pressure column, a low-pressure column, and a main condenser. A first air feed stream is cooled at a first subcritical pressure in a main heat exchanger to approximately dew point and introduced at least partially into the high-pressure column. A second air feed stream is brought to a second, supercritical, pressure, cooled, depressurized, and introduced at least partially into the distillation-column system. A first partial stream of the second air feed stream is cooled in the main heat exchanger, and a second partial stream is cooled in a high-pressure heat-exchanger system. The first and second partial streams are then merged and work-expanded in a liquid turbine. | 08-21-2014 |
20140260422 | Low Temperature Air Separation Process for Producing Pressurized Gaseous Product - A compressed air stream is cooled in an exchanger to form a compressed cooled air stream. The stream is then cryogenically compressed in a first compressor to form a first pressurized gas stream. The first pressurized gas stream is further cooled in the exchanger, cryogenically compressed in a second compressor, and then it is cooled and partially liquefied. The cooled and partially liquefied product is then fed to a system of distillation columns. A liquid product is removed from the system of distillation columns. This product is then pressurized, vaporized and warmed in the exchanger to yield pressurized gaseous product. | 09-18-2014 |
20140283550 | METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR SEPARATING AIR BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - An installation for separating air by cryogenic distillation comprises a compressor, a heat-exchange line, a system of columns, an electric motor for driving the compressor, a pipe for taking off a liquid from the system of columns, a pump for pressurising the liquid drawn off and means for affording an exchange of heat between the air compressed by the compressor and the liquid pressurised by the pump and means for reducing the output pressure of the pump according to the frequency of the electricity supplying the electric motor. | 09-25-2014 |
20140318179 | Process And Apparatus For The Separation Of Air By Cryogenic Distillation - An apparatus for the separation of air by cryogenic distillation comprises a column system including a double column, an intermediate pressure column, and an argon column having a top condenser, a heat exchanger, means for pressurizing and vaporizing oxygen rich liquid and nitrogen rich liquid from the double column, conduits configured to: send argon enriched gas from the low pressure column to the argon column, remove argon rich fluid from the top of the argon column, send a liquid air stream at least in part to a top condenser of the intermediate pressure column where it is partially vaporized to form a vapor and a liquid, send the vapor formed in the top condenser of the intermediate pressure column to the low pressure column, and send the liquid from the top condenser of the intermediate pressure column to the intermediate pressure column to be separated. | 10-30-2014 |
20140360227 | Method For Producing One Or More Air Separation Apparatuses, And Equipment For Air Separation By Cryogenic Distillation - In a method for producing an apparatus for air separation by cryogenic distillation, at least one gas in the air is obtained as a product by air separation in a cold box including at least one column, the cold box being supplied with air at a first pressure by N air compressors that compress the air from the ambient pressure to the first pressure, the first pressure being greater than 12 bar absolute and less than 35 bar absolute, N being equal to or greater than 3, and the total power of the N compressors being greater than 10 MW, a group of n size classes of a frame for compressors being predefined, n being equal to 2 or 3 or 4 or 5, and the N compressors being selected such that all of the N compressors have a size selected from the n sizes of the group. | 12-11-2014 |
20150007607 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS WITH IMPROVED ARGON RECOVERY - A method and apparatus for separating air in which an argon refining column of a distillation column system is reboiled with a liquid air stream. The argon refining column further refines crude argon produced by a crude argon column connected to a lower pressure column of the distillation column system. At least one intermediate reflux stream is formed, at least indirectly, from at least part of the liquid air stream, and is introduced into the lower pressure column at a level thereof above where a crude liquid oxygen column bottoms of a higher pressure column of such system is further refined to increase a liquid to vapor ratio below said level and therefore, argon recovery from the argon refining column. | 01-08-2015 |
20150007608 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS WITH IMPROVED ARGON RECOVERY - A method and apparatus for separating air in which an argon refining column of a distillation column system is reboiled with a liquid air stream. The argon refining column further refines crude argon produced by a crude argon column connected to a lower pressure column of the distillation column system. At least one intermediate reflux stream is formed, at least indirectly, from at least part of the liquid air stream, and is introduced into the lower pressure column at a level thereof above where a crude liquid oxygen column bottoms of a higher pressure column of such system is further refined to increase a liquid to vapor ratio below said level and therefore, argon recovery from the argon refining column. | 01-08-2015 |
20150052942 | TRANSPORTABLE PACKAGE WITH A COLD BOX, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A LOW-TEMPERATURE AIR SEPARATION SYSTEM - The invention relates to a transportable package with a cold box, in the interior of which at least one double column of a low-temperature air separation system is arranged, i.e., a double column having a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column. The high-pressure and low-pressure columns contain mass transferring elements. The mass transferring elements in at least one sub-region of the low-pressure columns are formed by an ordered packing made of folded metal sheets having a thickness of 0.2 mm or less. The ordered packing has a specified surface area of at least 1000 m2/m3. At least in a sub-region of the high-pressure column, the mass transferring elements are formed by rectifying plates arranged one over the other and which have a clearance of less than 195 mm. The invention further relates to a method for producing a low-temperature air separation system using such a transportable package. | 02-26-2015 |
20150096327 | TRANSPORTABLE PACKAGE HAVING A COLD BOX, LOW-TEMPERATURE AIR SEPARATION PLANT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A LOW-TEMPERATURE AIR SEPARATION PLANT - The invention relates to a transportable package for a low-temperature air separation plant which has a main heat exchanger ( | 04-09-2015 |
20150114036 | AIR SEPARATION COLUMN LOW-DENSITY SOLID-STATE INSULATION PATENT - A cryogenic insulation system is proposed comprising enclosing at least a portion of a cryogenic device with low density high conductivity insulation material. The cryogenic device may be an air separation unit. The cryogenic device does not include an outer containment structure for granulated cryogenic insulation. The low density high conductivity insulation material may consists of at least one layer of abutting or overlapping low density high conductivity insulation material composite with fibrous batting. The portion of the cryogenic device is selected from the group consisting of: a distillation column, a heat exchanger, a condenser, a reboiler, an expansion turbine, valves, piping, or any combination thereof. | 04-30-2015 |
20150121954 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE LOW-TEMPERATURE FRACTIONATION OF A FLUID MIXTURE - The method and the apparatus are used for the low-temperature fractionation of a fluid mixture. The fluid mixture is introduced into a separation column. At least a portion of the sump liquid from the separation column is introduced into a sump evaporator and at least partly evaporated there. At least a portion of the vapor produced in the sump evaporator is led back into a lower section of the separation column. A top product is removed at the top of the separation column, and a sump product is removed from the sump of the separation column or from the sump evaporator. The sump evaporator is operated by means of inductive heating. | 05-07-2015 |
20150121955 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AIR SEPARATION BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION - The invention relates to a method for air separation by cryogenic distillation in a column system that includes at least a first column operating at a first pressure, and a second column operating at a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure, the head of the first column being thermally connected to the tank of the second column via a vaporizer-condenser, a first portion of a nitrogen-enriched gas is drawn from the head of the first column, compressed in a compressor having an inlet temperature no higher than −150° C. and condensed in the vaporizer-condenser, an oxygen-rich fluid is drawn from the lower portion of the second column and heated in the exchange line, a nitrogen-rich gas is drawn from the upper portion of the second column and heated in the exchange line, and a second portion of the nitrogen-enriched gas is expanded in a turbine without being compressed. | 05-07-2015 |
20150316317 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR LOW-TEMPERATURE AIR SEPARATION - A method and device for low-temperature separation of air in a distillation column system having a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column. The system includes a precolumn to which the first part of feed air is introduced and from which gaseous nitrogen product is removed and then heated in a heat exchanger. The precolumn includes a head condenser to which a liquefied portion of a second part of the cooled feed air is introduced. A gaseous fraction from the upper region of the precolumn is introduced to the system condenser and fluid formed in the system condenser is at least partially fed to the precolumn as return flow. | 11-05-2015 |
20150354888 | Air Separation Apparatus for Isobaric Separation and Production of Oxygen and Nitrogen - This invention is about an air separation apparatus to produce oxygen and nitrogen through isobaric separation, which is based on the Rankine cycle system of similar thermal energy power circulation apparatus at cryogenic side, a liquid pump is used to input work and the cold is made up to the air separation apparatus with refrigerating media, so as to realize the isobaric separation of air to produce nitrogen and oxygen. The air separation apparatus of this invention can save energy by over 30% as compared with the traditional advanced apparatus with the identical refrigerating capacity, and it can also realize centralize gas supply via the air separation apparatus, therefore it constitutes a breakthrough to the traditional air separation technology and refrigeration theory, with substantial economic, social and environmental protection benefits. | 12-10-2015 |
20160003535 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CRYOGENIC SEPARATION OF AIR - A method and apparatus serve for the cryogenic separation of air in an air separation plant which has a main air compressor, a main heat exchanger and a distillation column system with a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column. All of the feed air is compressed in the main air compressor to a first air pressure which is at least 3 bar higher than the operating pressure of the high-pressure column. A first part of the compressed total air flow, as first air flow at the first air pressure, is cooled and liquefied or pseudo-liquefied in the main heat exchanger, then expanded and introduced into the distillation column system. A second part of the compressed total air flow, as second air flow, is post-compressed in a turbine-driven post-compressor to a second air pressure. | 01-07-2016 |
20160025408 | AIR SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method and apparatus for separating air by cryogenic rectification in which cooled, compressed and purified air is separated in a distillation column system having higher and lower pressure columns operatively associated with one another in a heat transfer relationship to produce an oxygen-rich liquid stream from the lower pressure column. The oxygen-rich liquid stream is pumped and heated through indirect heat exchange with a compressed heat exchange stream to form a pressurized oxygen product stream. Part of the air is sequentially and successively compressed in booster compressors driven by turboexpanders to form the compressed heat exchange stream while other parts of the air are expanded in turboexpanders driving the booster compressors to form exhaust streams that are introduced into both the higher and lower pressure columns to generate refrigeration. | 01-28-2016 |
20160061520 | METHOD FOR THE CRYOGENIC FRACTIONATION OF AIR AND AIR FRACTIONATION PLANT - A method for the cryogenic fractionation of air, in which a liquid volume present in a vaporization chamber in a distillation column system of an air fractionation plant is fed by means of a cryogenic liquid and in which a proportion of the liquid volume is continuously transferred into the gas phase by vaporization, wherein, in addition to oxygen, the cryogenic liquid contains components, including xenon, which are higher-boiling than oxygen. The content of xenon in the cryogenic liquid is determined and used as a measure of any enrichment of the components which are higher-boiling than oxygen in the cryogenic liquid. A corresponding air fractionation plant is also described. | 03-03-2016 |
20160076809 | CONDENSER-REBOILER SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH PERFORATED VENT TUBES - A system and method for the concurrent condensation of a nitrogen-rich vapor and vaporization of an oxygen-rich liquid in a distillation column based air separation unit is provided. The disclosed system includes a condenser-reboiler heat exchanger located between a lower pressure column and a higher pressure column and configured to condense a nitrogen-rich vapor from the higher pressure column and partially vaporize an oxygen-rich liquid from the lower pressure column. Within the condenser-reboiler heat exchanger, the nitrogen-rich vapor flows in an upward direction such that any non-condensables present in the nitrogen-rich vapor will accumulate proximate the upper portion or top of the condenser-reboiler modules where they can be easily removed through venting by means of a venting apparatus having a plurality of perforated tubes. | 03-17-2016 |
20160084589 | Heat Exchanger Perforated Fins - A plate fin heat exchanger comprises a folded fin sheet comprising fins wherein the fin sheet comprises a plurality of perforations, such plurality of perforations are positioned on the fin sheet in parallel rows when such fin sheet is in an unfolded state, such parallel rows of perforations on the fin sheet comprise a first spacing between the parallel rows of perforations (S | 03-24-2016 |
20160187059 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING A COMPRESSED GAS PRODUCT BY CRYOGENIC SEPARATION OF AIR - A method and the apparatus for obtaining a compressed gas product by means of cryogenic separation of air in a distillation column system which has a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column. All of the feed air is compressed in a main air compressor to a first pressure which is at least 4 bar higher than the operating pressure of the high-pressure column. A first partial flow of the feed air compressed in the main air compressor is cooled to an intermediate temperature in a main heat exchanger and is expanded so as to perform work in a first air turbine. At least a first part of the first partial flow expanded so as to perform work is introduced into the distillation column system. | 06-30-2016 |