CN116547488A - Method and apparatus for cryogenic separation of air - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for cryogenic separation of air Download PDFInfo
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- CN116547488A CN116547488A CN202180078870.9A CN202180078870A CN116547488A CN 116547488 A CN116547488 A CN 116547488A CN 202180078870 A CN202180078870 A CN 202180078870A CN 116547488 A CN116547488 A CN 116547488A
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- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 83
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 50
- 230000036961 partial effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 96
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 26
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 26
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 26
- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 80
- 239000000047 product Substances 0.000 claims description 46
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 40
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 40
- XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N Argon Chemical compound [Ar] XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 38
- MYMOFIZGZYHOMD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Dioxygen Chemical compound O=O MYMOFIZGZYHOMD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 32
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 claims description 31
- 229910052786 argon Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 19
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 claims description 19
- 239000012263 liquid product Substances 0.000 claims description 11
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000001069 Raman spectroscopy Methods 0.000 abstract description 4
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 12
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 12
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 9
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 8
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 7
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 5
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000001228 spectrum Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000009834 vaporization Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000008016 vaporization Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000009833 condensation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000002829 reductive effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000006096 absorbing agent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000005494 condensation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000004821 distillation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000011261 inert gas Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005057 refrigeration Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009825 accumulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004458 analytical method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003750 conditioning effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004069 differentiation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000009977 dual effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000001704 evaporation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008020 evaporation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000670 limiting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000007791 liquid phase Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002808 molecular sieve Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012071 phase Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000746 purification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010992 reflux Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008929 regeneration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011069 regeneration method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002441 reversible effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 1
- URGAHOPLAPQHLN-UHFFFAOYSA-N sodium aluminosilicate Chemical compound [Na+].[Al+3].[O-][Si]([O-])=O.[O-][Si]([O-])=O URGAHOPLAPQHLN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04248—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion
- F25J3/04284—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using internal refrigeration by open-loop gas work expansion, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams
- F25J3/0429—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using internal refrigeration by open-loop gas work expansion, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams of feed air, e.g. used as waste or product air or expanded into an auxiliary column
- F25J3/04296—Claude expansion, i.e. expanded into the main or high pressure column
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
- F25J3/04078—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit providing pressurized products by liquid compression and vaporisation with cold recovery, i.e. so-called internal compression
- F25J3/04084—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit providing pressurized products by liquid compression and vaporisation with cold recovery, i.e. so-called internal compression of nitrogen
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
- F25J3/04078—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit providing pressurized products by liquid compression and vaporisation with cold recovery, i.e. so-called internal compression
- F25J3/0409—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit providing pressurized products by liquid compression and vaporisation with cold recovery, i.e. so-called internal compression of oxygen
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04151—Purification and (pre-)cooling of the feed air; recuperative heat-exchange with product streams
- F25J3/04187—Cooling of the purified feed air by recuperative heat-exchange; Heat-exchange with product streams
- F25J3/04193—Division of the main heat exchange line in consecutive sections having different functions
- F25J3/042—Division of the main heat exchange line in consecutive sections having different functions having an intermediate feed connection
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04248—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion
- F25J3/04284—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using internal refrigeration by open-loop gas work expansion, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams
- F25J3/0429—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using internal refrigeration by open-loop gas work expansion, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams of feed air, e.g. used as waste or product air or expanded into an auxiliary column
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04248—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion
- F25J3/04375—Details relating to the work expansion, e.g. process parameter etc.
- F25J3/04393—Details relating to the work expansion, e.g. process parameter etc. using multiple or multistage gas work expansion
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04406—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air using a dual pressure main column system
- F25J3/04412—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air using a dual pressure main column system in a classical double column flowsheet, i.e. with thermal coupling by a main reboiler-condenser in the bottom of low pressure respectively top of high pressure column
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04763—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used
- F25J3/04769—Operation, control and regulation of the process; Instrumentation within the process
- F25J3/04812—Different modes, i.e. "runs" of operation
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2200/00—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification
- F25J2200/04—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in a dual pressure main column system
- F25J2200/06—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in a dual pressure main column system in a classical double column flow-sheet, i.e. with thermal coupling by a main reboiler-condenser in the bottom of low pressure respectively top of high pressure column
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2245/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams
- F25J2245/40—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams the recycled stream being air
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04151—Purification and (pre-)cooling of the feed air; recuperative heat-exchange with product streams
- F25J3/04163—Hot end purification of the feed air
- F25J3/04169—Hot end purification of the feed air by adsorption of the impurities
- F25J3/04175—Hot end purification of the feed air by adsorption of the impurities at a pressure of substantially more than the highest pressure column
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04642—Recovering noble gases from air
- F25J3/04648—Recovering noble gases from air argon
- F25J3/04654—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column
- F25J3/04666—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system
- F25J3/04672—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system having a top condenser
- F25J3/04678—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system having a top condenser cooled by oxygen enriched liquid from high pressure column bottoms
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04642—Recovering noble gases from air
- F25J3/04648—Recovering noble gases from air argon
- F25J3/04721—Producing pure argon, e.g. recovered from a crude argon column
- F25J3/04727—Producing pure argon, e.g. recovered from a crude argon column using an auxiliary pure argon column for nitrogen rejection
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Emergency Medicine (AREA)
- Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
Abstract
The invention provides a method for cryogenic separation of air using an air separation plant (100, 200, 300) configured as a high pressure air separation plant, wherein a number of partial air streams are formed from initially compressed air (A), which are at least partially further compressed, cooled in a main heat exchanger (3) and expanded before being introduced into a tower system (10). The partial air flow comprises a first partial air flow (C) and a second partial air flow (E), the air of which is compressed in parallel in a first warm booster (5) and a second warm booster (7) and thereafter expanded in a first expander (4) and a second expander (6) mechanically connected to the first booster (5) and to the second booster (7), respectively. Internal compressed gaseous oxygen is produced and withdrawn at an absolute pressure between 3 and 9 bar and no recycle or excess air and no raman turbine is used. A corresponding air separation plant (100) is also part of the invention.
Description
The present invention relates to a method and a corresponding device for cryogenic separation of air according to the preamble of the independent claims.
Background
It is known to produce air products in liquid or gaseous form by cryogenic separation of air in an air separation plant (air separation unit) and is described, for example, in h.(Ed.), industrial gas processing, wiley-VCH,2006, particularly in section 2.2.5, "cryogenic rectification".
The classical type of air separation plant has a column system which can be designed, for example, as a two-column system, in particular as a two-column system, but can also be designed as a three-column system or as a multi-column system. In addition to the rectification column for the recovery of liquid and/or gaseous nitrogen and/or oxygen, i.e. for the separation of nitrogen and oxygen, a rectification column for the recovery of other air components, in particular inert gases, may be provided.
The rectification columns of the column system just mentioned are operated in different pressure ranges. Known double column systems include so-called pressure columns (also known as higher, medium or lower pressure columns) and so-called lower pressure columns (also known as upper columns). The higher pressure column is usually operated in the pressure range of 4 to 7 bar, especially about 5.3 bar, while the lower pressure column is usually operated in the pressure range of 1 to 2 bar, especially about 1.4 bar. In some cases, higher pressures may also be used in both rectification columns. The pressures indicated here and below are the absolute pressures at the top of the respective columns.
For air separation, a so-called main air compressor/charge air compressor (MAC-BAC) method or a so-called High Air Pressure (HAP) method may be used. The main air compressor/charge air compressor process is a more conventional process, while the high air pressure process is increasingly used as a surrogate in more recent times. A high pressure process is used in the context of the present invention.
The main air compressor/charge air compressor method is characterized in that only a part of the total amount of feed air supplied into the column system is compressed to a pressure within a pressure range which is significantly higher than the pressure range in which the pressure column is normally operated (see above). Another part of the feed air quantity is compressed only to a pressure in this pressure range or at most to a maximum pressure of 1 bar to 2 bar above this pressure and fed into the pressure column without further expansion. For example inAn example of such a method is shown in fig. 2.3A (see above).
However, in the high-pressure process, the total amount of air supplied to the pressure column, and in particular the total amount of air supplied to the column system as a whole, is compressed to a pressure within a pressure range that is significantly higher than the pressure range in which the pressure column operates. The corresponding pressure ranges are, for example, between 10 bar and 100 bar. Thus, the air fed into the pressure column is expanded in a high pressure process before being fed into the column. The high-pressure method has been described several times and is known, for example, from EP 2980514 A1 and EP 2963367 A1.
In the device disclosed in US 6257020 B1 for separating air by cryogenic distillation, all the air is compressed to medium pressure. A portion of the air is compressed to an intermediate pressure and a portion of the air is compressed to a high pressure. The high pressure air is split into at least two portions and expanded in two turboexpanders, with the cooling stream from the warm turboexpander being at least partially recycled to the warm end of the exchanger at a higher pressure. The liquid from the air separation unit is evaporated in the exchanger.
According to US 5,400,600A, the feed air, which is compressed in its entirety to the first high pressure P1, is partially further compressed to a pressure P2. At intermediate temperatures, a portion of each air stream expands in the turbine. One of the turbines may have an output at a pressure P3 between P1 and intermediate pressure. A major portion of the separated oxygen is withdrawn from the lower pressure column as a liquid, pumped to the production pressure and evaporated in the heat exchange line by condensation or pseudo-condensation of air at one of the pressures P1, P2 and P3, depending on whether the condensation takes place at subcritical pressure or supercritical pressure.
The air separation plant may be designed differently depending on the air product to be supplied and its desired accumulation and pressure conditions. For example, so-called internal compression is known to provide gaseous pressure products. In this process, a cryogenic liquid is withdrawn from the column system, pressurized in the liquid state, and converted to the gaseous or supercritical state by heating in a main heat exchanger. In this way, for example, internally compressed gaseous oxygen, internally compressed gaseous nitrogen or internally compressed gaseous argon may be produced. Internal compression offers a number of advantages over external compression, which is also possible and is for example possible in (see above), section 2.2.5.2, section "internal compression" is explained. The invention also relates to an air separation process comprising internal compression.
Classical air separation processes and equipment are sometimes not optimal where a more unusual product spectrum (i.e., amount or proportion of liquid or gaseous air product at a certain pressure) is desired.
For example, the low pressure oxygen product (at about 3 bar to 9 bar) combined with a large amount of liquid product is a somewhat unusual product spectrum, especially if the ratio of the value characterizing the total amount of all liquid products (referred to herein as "liquid nitrogen equivalent") to the low pressure gaseous oxygen product is about 0.93. For the definition of the terms "liquid product" and "gaseous product" and equivalent of liquid nitrogen, reference is made to the following explanation. For such product spectrum, high pressure air separation methods or apparatus comprising so-called excess air turbines are considered. In the excess air turbine, the compressed and cooled air is re-expanded without being separated, heated and discharged from the air separation plant or returned to the inlet of the main air compressor. In this way, additional cooling capacity can be obtained. An air separation plant with excess air turbine is shown for example in US 3,905,201A. In high pressure processes, the air supplied to the excess air turbine is typically formed from air that has been expanded to a pressure within a corresponding pressure range along with the air supplied to the pressure tower. The air is heated before and after being expanded in the excess air turbine. In the excess air turbine, pressurized nitrogen, typically from a pressure column, is also expanded and then treated accordingly with the excess air.
However, as found in accordance with the present invention, the high air pressure method with excess air turbine has some drawbacks. First, the relatively high volume of process air flow (in one illustrative example, about 150000 standard cubic meters per hour at about 15.8 bar) in the "warm" section of the apparatus represents a disadvantage, considering the capital expenditure of the piping and molecular sieve slides/vessels required for conditioning the feed air. Second, a relatively large excess air turbine (for expanding the mixed stream comprising excess air and pressurized nitrogen from the pressure column) is required, again increasing capital expenditure. Third, a product compressor for low pressure nitrogen from the low pressure column must be provided which must handle an amount of about 19000 standard cubic meters per hour. This also results in high capital expenditure, as four stages of compressors are typically required. Low pressure recirculation is also generally not very efficient for high liquid production and also requires relatively high heat exchanger surfaces.
It is an object of the present invention to propose a method and an apparatus with which the above-mentioned product requirements can be met more efficiently and in particular with lower operating and capital expenditure.
Disclosure of Invention
Against this background, the invention proposes a method for cryogenic separation of air and a corresponding device having the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are subject of the dependent claims and the following description.
In the following, some basic principles of the invention are explained and terms used to describe the invention are defined before turning to certain features and advantages of the invention.
For more information on the equipment and devices used in air separation plants, reference can be made to the technical literatureSuch as(see above), especially section 2.2.5.6, "device". In the following, some aspects of such devices are explained in more detail for clarity and clearer differentiation.
In air separation methods and apparatus, multi-stage turbocompressors are used to compress all the air to be separated, such compressors being referred to as "main air compressors" or simply "main compressors". The mechanical design of a turbocompressor is basically known to the person skilled in the art. In a turbo compressor, the medium to be compressed is compressed by means of turbine blades or impellers which are arranged on a turbine wheel or directly on a shaft. The turbo compressor forms one structural unit, but in a multi-stage turbo compressor it may comprise a plurality of compressor stages. The compressor stage typically includes a corresponding arrangement of turbine wheels or turbine blades. All of these compressor stages may be driven by a common shaft. However, it is also conceivable for the compressor stages to be driven in groups with different shafts, wherein the shafts can also be connected to one another via gears with different rotational speeds.
The main air compressor is characterized in that it compresses the total air quantity fed into the column system, i.e. the total feed air, which is separated for the production of the air product. Accordingly, a "charge air compressor" or "post-compressor" may also be provided, wherein however only a part of the air volume compressed in the main air compressor is brought to an even higher pressure. This may also be a turbo compressor. To compress a portion of the air volume, an additional turbine compressor, also referred to as a booster, is typically provided, but such additional turbine compressor compresses air only to a relatively small extent compared to the main or charge air compressor. The charge air compressor may also be present in a high-pressure process, wherein the charge air compressor compresses a part of the air volume starting from a correspondingly higher pressure. If the charge is fed to the supercharger at a temperature above 0 ℃, in particular above 10 ℃ or above 20 ℃ and at most 50 ℃, the supercharger is referred to as a "warm supercharger".
The air may also be expanded at several points in the air separation plant, for which purpose an expander in the form of a turbo expander may be used. The turbo-expander may also be coupled to and drive the turbo-compressor. The turboexpander is also referred to as an "expansion turbine", or simply "turbine" or "expander" hereinafter, these terms being used synonymously. The term "turbocharger" or "turbo-charged turbine" is also used for such an arrangement if one or more turbo-compressors are driven without externally supplied energy (i.e. via one or more turbo-expanders). In a turbocharger, a turbo-expander or expansion turbine and a turbo-compressor or supercharger are mechanically coupled, wherein the coupling may be such as to result in the same speed (e.g., via a common shaft) or different speeds (e.g., via a plug-in gearbox).
In a typical air separation plant, suitable expansion turbines are available at different locations for cooling and liquefying the fluid stream. These turbines are in particular so-called joule-thomson turbines, claude turbines, raman turbines and the excess air turbines already mentioned above. For the function and purpose of some of these turbines, reference is also made to technical literature, for example F.G. Kerry, industrial Gas Handbook: gas Separation and Purification, CRC Press,2006, especially section 2.4, "Contemporary Liquefaction Cycles", section 2.6, "Theoretical Analysis of the Claude Cycle" and section 3.8.1, "The Lachmann Principle".
Generally, the term "air product" as used herein shall refer to a liquid or gaseous fluid in which the content of at least one air component (nitrogen, oxygen, inert gas) of atmospheric air is higher than the content in atmospheric air. The air product may be a substantially pure air component, "substantially pure" referring to a content of at least 90%, 95% or 99%. Such air products may be referred to herein by the names of the primary components ("oxygen", "nitrogen", etc.) only, even if small amounts of one or more other components are present in the air product. A "liquid product" is an air product that is withdrawn from the air separation plant in a liquid state and that does not evaporate therein, rather than an internally compressed air product that is initially produced in a liquid state and that evaporates thereafter or an internally compressed air product that has been withdrawn from the column system in a gaseous state ("gas product").
The above mentioned equivalent of liquid nitrogen LIN-E corresponds to the sum of all liquid nitrogen products LIN, all liquid oxygen products LOX times a factor of 1.07 and all liquid argon products LAR times a factor of 0.9, all of which values are normalized in cubic meters per hour (Nm 3 And/h). In other words, LIN-E [ Nm ] 3 /h]＝LIN[Nm 3 /h]+1.07 x LOX[Nm 3 /h]+0.9 x LAR[Nm 3 /h]。
Different air products such as liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen or liquid argon may be withdrawn from the air separation plant in liquid form without evaporation, wherein the amounts formed and withdrawn accordingly are denoted herein by terms such as "liquid amount", "liquid discharge amount" or "liquid yield", which are different from the air products evaporated by internal compression, the amounts of which are hereinafter referred to as "internal compression amount", etc.
Hereinafter, pressure ranges and temperature ranges are given to characterize pressure and temperature. This is to indicate that the pressure and temperature need not be in the form of accurate pressure or temperature values. For example, in the rectifying column of an air separation plant, there are also different pressures, but all these pressures lie within the integrated pressure range. The different pressure ranges and temperature ranges may be separate ranges or overlapping ranges. The pressure indicated here in bar is always absolute.
Features and advantages of the invention
According to one embodiment of the invention, neither the recycle stream withdrawn from the same column and reintroduced thereafter is used, nor the excess air expanded in the excess air turbine. In order to provide gaseous feed air (hereinafter referred to as "first partial air stream") to be introduced into the pressure column, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a (main) expander is provided. As a result, the air to be separated in the column system is provided in relatively low amounts, e.g., about 140000 standard cubic meters per hour, at a pressure level of, e.g., about 21.5 bar, resulting in relatively compact "warm" components of the apparatus (including the components described above) in one embodiment of the invention.
Further according to the invention, the joule-thomson flow (hereinafter referred to as "second partial air" flow) required to internally evaporate the compressed oxygen at a pressure in the range of 3 bar to 9 bar, for example about 5 bar, is supplied from another expander operating at an outlet pressure of for example about 13 bar, which also makes the unit quite compact. According to one embodiment of the invention, improved refrigeration distribution is achieved by using a warm booster to so-called self-boost the other expander, as described below, but the other expander may also be coupled with a brake and/or a generator, e.g. as provided in another embodiment of the invention.
To vaporize the internal compressed oxygen product in the main heat exchanger, a countercurrent flow of air is desirably required which is condensed under pressure and in an amount which allows the vaporization process to proceed with the smallest possible temperature difference. On the other hand, in order to obtain a liquid product, a certain total cooling power (in this case the sum of the power of the two turbines) is required. The efficiency of the plant does not depend on how much this cooling power is, but on how it is divided between the two turbines, as this affects the Q-T distribution in the main heat exchanger.
The amount of air provided in the form of a joule-thomson stream (i.e., the second partial air stream) expanded in the other expander is primarily defined by the vaporization of the oxygen product. If a warm booster is not used to increase the pressure of the stream, as may be in an embodiment of the invention in which the further expander is coupled to a brake and/or a generator, the turbine power may be affected only by its inlet temperature. In contrast, if a warm booster is used, there is in fact a further degree of freedom to optimize the turbine power, since not only the inlet temperature but also the inlet pressure can be varied. With the use of a warm booster according to an embodiment of the invention, it was found that significantly higher power can be achieved for the turbine that expands the second part of the air stream and significantly lower power can be achieved for the (main) turbine, thus significantly improving the efficiency of the process. The Q-T diagram (enthalpy/temperature curve in the main heat exchanger) reveals the differences described: however, if the expander for the second portion of the air stream is coupled with a braking device such as a generator, as is the case in embodiments of the present invention, the power of the turbine may be, for example, approximately 452kW, resulting in a decrease in temperature from, for example, approximately 279K to 238K, i.e. a decrease of 41K. Conversely, where a warm booster is used in various embodiments of the invention, the power of the turbine may be, for example, about 743kW and the temperature reduction may be, for example, about 277K to 209K, i.e., a reduction of 68K. In general, there is a lower average temperature difference in the main heat exchanger, corresponding to lower thermodynamic losses.
The use of a cold compressor or cold booster as a braking device for the turbine that expands the second portion of the air stream has proven to be less advantageous because the amount of cold required to produce the liquid product (which is expensive in terms of the energy required for its production) is lost by cold compression. (in this process no excessive cooling capacity is produced, since a large amount of liquid product is to be obtained, for example corresponding to a ratio of liquid nitrogen equivalent to internally compressed gaseous oxygen of more than 0.6).
Thus, according to the present invention, there is no problem with unbalanced Ns numbers (i.e., specific speed) of the expander and the supercharger because the flow rates of the expander and the supercharger are the same. In a single stage compressor that compresses the entire amount of pressurized nitrogen withdrawn from the pressure column, an amount of, for example, about 19000 standard cubic meters per hour is compressed downstream of heating in the main heat exchanger.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, a second mode of operation is provided wherein, instead of the large amount of liquid oxygen provided in the first mode of operation, a relatively much smaller amount of oxygen is provided and the amount of internal compressed oxygen is significantly increased compared to the first mode of operation. Further explanation is given below.
According to the present invention, a method of cryogenic separation of air using an air separation plant is provided that includes a column system having a pressure column operating at a pressure in a first pressure range and a low pressure column operating at a pressure in a second pressure range that is lower than the first pressure range. The invention thus relates in particular to an air separation plant or unit comprising at least the known double column system as explained at the outset, but which can also be configured differently.
According to the invention, the tower system and at least the pressure tower thereof are supplied with compressed air, all air supplied to the tower system being compressed to a pressure within a third pressure range, which is at least 5 bar higher than the first pressure range. In other words, as previously described, this corresponds to a high voltage configuration. A number of partial air streams are formed from the air compressed to the first pressure range, which partial air streams are at least partially further compressed, cooled in the main heat exchanger and expanded before being introduced into the tower system.
According to the invention, the partial air flow comprises a first partial air flow, the air of which is compressed in the first supercharger at least partially in the sequence shown and in a single pass to a pressure in a fourth pressure range higher than the third pressure range, cooled in the main heat exchanger, expanded in a first expander mechanically coupled to the first supercharger to a pressure in the first pressure range, i.e. it is self-pressurized, and introduced into the pressure column. According to the invention, the first supercharger is operated as a warm supercharger, i.e. at an inlet temperature of more than 0 ℃.
As mentioned above, in order to provide gaseous feed air to be introduced into the pressure column, one (main) expander is provided, which is the first expander just mentioned. Advantages regarding this feature include the option of providing a relatively compact "warm" component of the device, as explained above.
According to the invention, the partial air flow comprises a second partial air flow, the air of which is supplied at least partially in the sequence shown and in a single pass to a second expander at a pressure in a fifth pressure range which is higher than or corresponds to the third pressure range, is expanded in the second expander to a pressure in a sixth pressure range which is higher than the first pressure range and lower than the fifth pressure range, is further expanded to a pressure in the first pressure range or the second pressure range, and is introduced into the column system in particular in the liquid phase or in the two-phase state after being expanded in a joule-thomson valve.
In this context, the expression "in a single pass" is intended to refer to an arrangement in which none of the referred to partial air streams (i.e. the first partial air stream or the second partial air stream) is heated in the main heat exchanger or recycled to any upstream location compressed to the third, fourth or fifth pressure level, compressed again and introduced into the column system only thereafter. Preferably, a major part of the first and second partial streams, i.e. at least 75%, 80% or 90% or all or substantially all of the air of the first and second partial streams, is introduced into the column system, in particular not recompressed.
Furthermore, the air separation plant operates without a turbine that expands the air of the first and/or second partial streams into the low pressure column. That is, in the present invention, no "raman" or "turbine" air is used that is "blown" into the column system, and as mentioned, no recycle stream of feed air is formed.
In one embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the air of the second portion of the air stream is compressed in a second booster mechanically coupled to the second expander to a pressure in a fifth pressure range before being expanded in the second expander. That is, in this case, the fifth pressure range is higher than the third pressure range. According to this embodiment of the invention, the second supercharger is also operated as a warm supercharger, i.e. at an inlet temperature of more than 0 ℃. For the advantage of using the "self-boosting" of such a turbine, reference is made to the description already given above for such an embodiment.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein the fifth pressure range corresponds to the third pressure range, and thus the air of the second part of the air flow is not compressed in the supercharger before being expanded in the second expander, the second expander may be coupled to a braking device, in particular selected from an oil brake and a generator or a combination thereof. In yet another embodiment, a combination of the second booster and the braking device may be used to brake the second expander.
Thus, according to the invention and embodiments thereof, essentially two partial streams are formed which are ultimately fed into the column system, as opposed to an arrangement such as disclosed for example in US 5,400,600A, in which a raman stream is also formed which is blown into the low pressure column. The arrangement as disclosed in US 5,400,600A is not compatible with the arrangement provided according to an embodiment of the invention, because the specific speeds of the turbine and the supercharger are not within technically feasible limits due to the large difference in amounts (the amount of turbine air, i.e. the amount of the first partial flow, will be too large and the amount of joule thomson air, i.e. the amount of the second partial flow, will be relatively small). That is, the expert will not take into account modifying the arrangement as proposed in US 5,400,600A to obtain the arrangement proposed according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In this regard, the air of the second portion of the air stream is at least partially cooled in the first cooling step before being expanded to a pressure in the sixth pressure range and is at least partially cooled (and liquefied) after being expanded to a pressure in the sixth pressure range in the second cooling step, wherein the first and second cooling steps are performed using a main heat exchanger.
Still further according to the invention, the internally compressed gaseous oxygen is produced and withdrawn from the process or apparatus at an absolute pressure of between 3 bar and 9 bar, preferably between 4 bar and 6 bar. The invention is therefore particularly suitable for providing the product spectrum mentioned at the outset.
The second portion of the air stream corresponds to the joule-thomson stream as described above, which is required to vaporize the internal compressed oxygen. With regard to the advantages of treating this portion of the air flow according to the invention, reference is made to the explanations already given above.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the improved refrigeration distribution already mentioned above is provided in that the air of the second part-air stream is compressed at least partly to this pressure in the fifth pressure range before the first cooling step, and in particular in that the second expander is mechanically coupled to the second supercharger in this case. According to the corresponding embodiment of the present invention, there is no problem of unbalanced Ns numbers of the expander and the supercharger.
However, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the air of the second partial air stream may also be subjected to the first cooling step without being previously boosted in a warm booster.
In an embodiment of the invention, the partial air stream comprises a third partial air stream, the air of which is at least partially liquefied in the main heat exchanger, expanded to a pressure in the first or second pressure range and introduced into the column system. This third portion of the air stream is liquefied, in particular in the main heat exchanger, to provide a further joule-thomson flow.
When forming such a third partial air flow, in a preferred embodiment of the invention and at least in the first mode of operation, the air of the third partial air flow is at least partially compressed in the first booster to a pressure in the fourth pressure range and liquefied in the main heat exchanger at this pressure.
However, in such an embodiment, in the second mode of operation, the air of the third partial air flow may also be at least partially liquefied in the main heat exchanger at a pressure in the third pressure range, in which case the air of the third partial air flow is not compressed in the first supercharger to a pressure in the fourth pressure range, but bypasses the first supercharger by a suitable valve arrangement.
The second mode of operation corresponds in particular to an increase in the formation of internal compressed oxygen at the expense of the formation of liquid oxygen. In other words, in the second mode of operation, at least 1.1 times, 1.2 times, 1.3 times, 1.4 times, 1.5 times, 1.6 times, 1.7 times, 1.8 times, 1.9 times and up to 2.5 times or 3.0 times the amount of internally compressed gaseous oxygen may be withdrawn from the air separation plant compared to the first mode of operation, and in the second mode of operation up to 0.0 times, 0.1 times, 0.2 times, 0.3 times, 0.4 times or 0.5 times the amount of liquid oxygen may be withdrawn from the air separation plant compared to the first mode of operation.
According to the invention, the first supercharger and the second supercharger are preferably operated at an inlet temperature in a temperature range above 0 ℃, in particular above 10 or 20 ℃ and at most about 50 ℃.
According to the invention, as described above, internally compressed gaseous oxygen at a pressure in the range of 3 bar to 9 bar is withdrawn from the process or apparatus. In connection therewith, it is furthermore preferred to withdraw the liquid product also from the air separation process or plant, wherein at least in the first mode of operation the ratio of the total amount of all liquid products (expressed as liquid nitrogen equivalents as previously described) to the total amount of all gaseous oxygen products or internally compressed gaseous oxygen is in the range of 0.6 to 1.6.
According to the invention, the first pressure range is in particular from 4 to 7 bar, the second pressure range is from 1 to 2 bar, the third pressure range is from 15 to 28 bar, the fourth pressure range is from 25 to 38 bar, the fifth pressure range is from 20 to 45 bar when not corresponding to the third pressure range, and the sixth pressure range is from 9 to 21 bar absolute.
Furthermore, in the method according to the invention, from the air compressed to the first pressure range, a relative proportion of 0,6 to 0.8 is provided as a first partial air stream and a relative proportion of 0.15 to 0.3 is provided as a second partial air stream. A relative proportion of 0.05 to 0.15 may be provided as the third partial air flow.
As mentioned above, the air of the second part of the air stream is preferably at least partly liquefied in the main heat exchanger before being expanded to a pressure in the first pressure range or the second pressure range and thereafter introduced into the column system.
In this regard, the air of the first portion of the air stream is preferably at least partially cooled in the main heat exchanger to a temperature in the temperature range between-132 ℃ and-92 ℃ before being expanded in the first expander, and the air of the second portion of the air stream is preferably at least partially cooled in the first cooling step to a temperature in the temperature range between-30 ℃ and at least partially cooled in the second cooling step to a temperature in the temperature range between-87 ℃ and-47 ℃.
In the process according to the invention, the gaseous nitrogen withdrawn from the pressure column may in particular be heated in a main heat exchanger and thereafter compressed to a product pressure of, for example, 7 to 12 bar.
An air separation plant comprising a column system having a pressure column adapted to operate at a pressure in a first pressure range, a low pressure column adapted to operate at a pressure in a second pressure range lower than the first pressure range, a first booster adapted to operate at an inlet temperature greater than 0 ℃, a first expander mechanically coupled to the first booster, and a main heat exchanger is also part of the present invention.
According to the invention, the air separation plant comprises means adapted to supply compressed air to the column system and at least to the pressure column, to compress all air supplied to the column system to a pressure within a third pressure range of at least 5 bar above the first pressure range, to form a number of partial air streams from the air compressed to the first pressure range, and to at least partially further compress, cool and expand the partial air streams in the main heat exchanger before being introduced into the column system.
According to the invention, the partial air flow comprises a first partial air flow, and the air separation plant comprises means adapted to subject the air of the first partial air flow at least partly in the shown order and in a single pass to a pressure in a fourth pressure range higher than the third pressure range in the first supercharger, to a pressure in the first expander expanded to the first pressure range, to cooling in the main heat exchanger before the expansion to a pressure in the first pressure range, and to be introduced into the pressure column after the expansion to a pressure in the first pressure range.
In the apparatus according to the invention, the partial air flow comprises a second partial air flow, and the air separation apparatus comprises means adapted to subject the air of the second partial air flow to expansion from a pressure in a fifth pressure range in the second expander, which is higher than or corresponds to the third pressure range, to a pressure in a sixth pressure range between the first pressure range and the fifth pressure range, to further expansion to a pressure in the first pressure range or the second pressure range and to introduction into the pressure column, at least partly in the shown order and in a single pass.
The air separation apparatus according to the invention is adapted to at least partially cool the air of the second part of the air flow before being expanded to a pressure in the sixth pressure range in the first cooling step and to at least partially cool the air of the second part of the air flow after being expanded to a pressure in the sixth pressure range in the second cooling step and to perform the first and second cooling steps using the main heat exchanger.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising an internal compression pump, which apparatus is adapted to produce and withdraw internally compressed gaseous oxygen in and from a process or device at an absolute pressure of between 3 bar and 9 bar, preferably between 4 bar and 6 bar, and which air separation device is adapted to operate without expanding the air of the first partial stream and/or the air of the second partial stream into a turbine in the low pressure column.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a second supercharger may be provided, which is adapted to operate at an inlet temperature of more than 0 ℃ and which is mechanically coupled to the second expander. The second supercharger is in particular adapted to compress at least a part of the air of the second portion of the air flow to a pressure within a fifth pressure range, in this case higher than the third pressure range.
With regard to other features and specific advantages of the device according to the invention, reference is made to the above description of the method according to the invention and its embodiments. The same applies to the apparatus according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, which comprises means adapted to perform the corresponding method.
The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention.
Drawings
Fig. 1 shows an air separation plant according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 2 shows an air separation plant according to another particularly preferred embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 3 shows an air separation plant according to another particularly preferred embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 4 shows an air separation plant according to another particularly preferred embodiment of the invention.
Hereinafter, the explanation regarding the method and its steps will be equally applicable to an apparatus adapted to perform such a method.
Embodiments of the invention
Fig. 1 shows an air separation plant 100 according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention.
As mentioned, air separation plants of the type shown are described elsewhere, for example in h.Industrial Gases Processing, wiley-VCH,2006, in particular section 2.2.5, "Cryogenic Rectification (cryogenic rectification)". For a detailed explanation of the structure and function, refer additionally to the related art literature. The air separation plant for use in the present application may be designed in various ways as long as it comprises the features as claimed.
The air separation plant 100 shown in fig. 1 comprises a main air compressor 1, an absorber slide 2, a main heat exchanger 3, an expansion turbine 4 coupled to a supercharger 5 (i.e. a boost turbine), an expansion turbine 6 coupled to a supercharger 7 (i.e. another expansion turbine), internal compression pumps 8.1 and 8.2, a reverse flow subcooler 9 and a column system 10.
In the example shown, distillation column system 10 includes a conventional dual column arrangement consisting of high pressure column 11 and low pressure column 12, and crude argon column 13 and pure argon column 14.
In the air separation plant 100, a supply air flow formed by atmospheric air a is drawn in and compressed by means of a main air compressor 1 via a filter which is not separately marked. The air separation plant operates on the basis of a high pressure process and thus the air is compressed to a pressure within a corresponding high pressure range, previously referred to as the "third pressure range". The compressed feed air stream, which is still denoted a, is optionally pre-cooled in a pre-cooling unit, not shown in detail, and is then purified in the absorber slide 2 in a manner known per se.
A portion B of the compressed and purified air stream a is further compressed in a booster 5 coupled to the expansion turbine 4 to a pressure in a pressure range above an initial pressure range, which was previously referred to as a "fourth pressure range". The supercharger 5 and the expansion turbine 4 are referred to as a "first supercharger" and a "first expansion turbine", respectively. The supercharger 5 operates as a warm supercharger as defined above.
The partial stream C (previously referred to as "first partial air stream") in the partial stream B is partially cooled in the main heat exchanger 3 at a pressure in this particular example in the fourth pressure range, is then expanded in the first expansion turbine 4 and is introduced into the pressure column 11. The expansion is performed in the first expansion turbine 4 to a pressure within a pressure range in which the pressure tower 11 operates, and this pressure range is referred to herein before as a "first pressure range".
The other part stream D of the part stream B (previously referred to as "third part air stream") is completely cooled and liquefied in the main heat exchanger 3 at a fourth pressure range and then expanded to a pressure in the first pressure range and introduced into the pressure column 11 using a valve not separately labeled. Alternatively, the last expansion step mentioned may also be performed to a pressure within the pressure range in which the low pressure column 12 is operated, which pressure range was previously referred to as the "second pressure range", in which case a third portion of the air stream may be introduced into the low pressure column 12.
In the example shown here, the other part of the flow E of compressed and purified air a (previously referred to as "second part of the flow") is further compressed in a booster 7 coupled to the expansion turbine 6 to a pressure in a pressure range which is also higher than the initial pressure range (previously referred to as "fifth pressure range") and is then cooled and liquefied in the main heat exchanger 3 before being expanded in the expansion turbine 6, reintroduced into the main heat exchanger 3, further cooled therein and introduced into the pressure column 11. The supercharger 7 and the expansion turbine 6 are previously referred to as "second supercharger" and "second expansion turbine", respectively, and the cooling steps of the main heat exchanger 3 before and after expansion of the expansion turbine 6 are referred to as "first cooling step" and "second cooling step", respectively. Like supercharger 5, supercharger 7 operates as a warm supercharger as defined above. It should be noted that in alternatives not according to the invention, the supercharger 7 may also be omitted, in which case the expansion turbine 6 may also be coupled to a generator or a brake instead. Further, in this case, the second portion of the air stream is provided to the first cooling step at a pressure within a third pressure range.
In the second expansion turbine 6, the expansion is performed to a pressure in a pressure range (hereinafter referred to as a "sixth pressure range") higher than the first pressure range and lower than the third pressure range and the fifth pressure range. Thereafter, the second partial flow E is expanded to a pressure within the first pressure range using a valve not separately labeled. The partial streams D and E, i.e. the aforementioned third and second partial streams, are combined in the example shown and then introduced into the pressure column 11. As with the partial air stream D, the partial air stream E may alternatively be expanded to a pressure within the second pressure range instead of the pressure within the first pressure range, in which case the partial air stream E may also be introduced into the lower pressure column 12.
In higher pressure column 11, an oxygen-rich liquid bottom fraction and a nitrogen-rich gas top fraction are formed. The oxygen-enriched liquid bottom fraction withdrawn from the high-pressure column 11 is, as such, partly used as heating medium in the oil pan evaporator of the pure argon column 14 and fed in defined proportions to the top condenser of the pure argon column 14 and to the top condenser of the crude argon column 13. The fluids vaporized in the vaporization chambers of the head condensers of the crude argon column 13 and the pure argon column 14 are combined and transferred to the low pressure column 12, such as the purified amount of liquid remaining in these vaporization chambers.
On the one hand, the gaseous nitrogen-rich head product is taken off the head of higher pressure column 11, liquefied in the main condenser of the heat exchange connection created between higher pressure column 11 and lower pressure column 12, and fed back into higher pressure column 11 as reflux. The other part is internally compressed in pump 8.1, heated in the main heat exchanger and provided as internally compressed gaseous nitrogen product GAN IC. Yet another portion is subcooled in subcooler 9 and expanded into lower pressure column 12. Furthermore, a part or gaseous nitrogen-rich head product (in the form of a stream denoted F) is heated in gaseous form in the main heat exchanger 3 and is partly provided as sealing gas SG and is compressed in a compressor 20 for gaseous nitrogen, which compressor 20 is arranged downstream of the warm side of the main heat exchanger.
An oxygen-rich liquid bottom fraction and a nitrogen-rich gas top fraction are formed in lower pressure column 12. The former is partly pressurized in liquid form in pump 8.2, heated in main heat exchanger 3 and can be used as an internally compressed gaseous oxygen product ICGOX 1. The other part is at least partly subcooled in subcooler 9 and provided as liquid oxygen product LOX. A liquid nitrogen-rich stream is withdrawn from the liquid retention device at the head of low pressure column 12 and is discharged from air separation unit 100 as liquid nitrogen product LIN. The gaseous nitrogen-rich stream withdrawn from the head of the lower pressure column 12 passes through subcooler 9 and main heat exchanger 5 and is provided as nitrogen product LPGAN at the pressure of lower pressure column 12. Furthermore, a stream is taken from the upper section of the lower pressure column 12 and, after heating in the main heat exchanger 3, is used as so-called impure nitrogen in a pre-cooling unit, not shown, or, after heating by means of an electric heater, as a regeneration stream in the absorption slide 2. And then discharged to the atmosphere ATM.
The operation of an argon system comprising a crude argon column 13 and a pure argon column 14 is generally known and will not be explained in more detail. Using an argon system, a liquid argon product LAR is provided, while mainly nitrogen from the top of the pure argon column can be vented to atmosphere.
In one specific example, air stream a may be provided in an amount of about 139700 standard cubic meters per hour and at a pressure of about 21.50 bar (third pressure range) while further compression is performed in booster 5 to a pressure of about 31.6 bar (fourth pressure range). The partial air flow D, i.e. the first partial air flow, is formed in this example in an amount of about 11000 standard cubic meters per hour. In the first turbine 4, an amount of work corresponding to about 1688 kw is provided. In this example, the partial air flow E, i.e. the second partial air flow, may be compressed in the second supercharger 7 to a pressure of about 37.5 bar (fifth pressure range). In this example, the partial air flow E is formed in an amount of about 31750 standard cubic meters per hour. In the second turbine 6, a quantity of work corresponding to about 742 kw is provided. The outlet pressure of the second turbine 6 (fifth pressure range) is in this example about 13 bar.
With respect to the air product provided, in the just-mentioned example, pressurized gaseous nitrogen PGAN may be provided in an amount of about 19200 standard cubic meters per hour, with the pressurized gaseous nitrogen PGAN being supplied to the compressor 20 at a pressure of about 5.1 bar. The internal compressed nitrogen GAN IC was provided at a rate of about 1160 standard cubic meters per hour and a pressure of about 61 bar. In this example, the internal compressed oxygen ICGOX 1 is provided in an amount of about 18500 standard cubic meters per hour and at a pressure of about 4.8 bar. Liquid oxygen LOX is provided in an amount of about 7600 standard cubic meters per hour, while liquid argon LAR is provided in an amount of about 992 standard cubic meters per hour. Liquid nitrogen LIN is provided in an amount of about 8200 standard cubic meters per hour.
Additional fluid streams may be provided and processed as desired, one non-limiting example being shown in the form of stream X.
Fig. 2 shows an air separation plant 200 according to another particularly preferred embodiment of the invention.
Unlike the air separation plant 100 shown in fig. 1, the first booster 5 can be bypassed in the air separation plant 200 according to fig. 2, as shown by the flow d.1 provided instead of the flow d.2, so that part of the air flow D can be taken directly from the air flow a, i.e. at the first pressure level. This bypass is achieved by closing valve 202 while opening valve 201, and is preferably achieved in an operating mode previously referred to as the "second operating mode". The operation for the air separation plant 100 shown in fig. 1 is achieved by opening the valve 202 and closing the valve 201, essentially by providing a flow d.2 instead of a flow d.1, which operation mode was previously referred to as "first operation mode".
The second mode of operation corresponds in particular to the increased formation of internal compressed oxygen ICGOX 1 at the expense of the formation of liquid oxygen LOX. For example, in a second mode of operation, the production of internal compressed oxygen ICGOX 1 may be increased to an amount of about 26000 cubic meters per hour, while the production of liquid oxygen may be decreased to an amount of about 100 standard cubic meters per hour. (the production volume in the first mode of operation may substantially correspond to the production volume discussed previously with respect to the air separation plant 100.)
As a result of the reduced liquid production, the total amount of air supplied in the form of air stream a is not reduced, stream a being provided for example in an amount of about 141500 standard cubic meters per hour, but its pressure is reduced to for example about 17.4 bar absolute. This means that the first supercharger 5 may not be able to cope with the significantly increased amount of air supplied to it. Here, the bypass d.1 via the valve 201 starts to act, thereby reducing the load on the first supercharger 5.
In this second mode of operation, and in the air separation apparatus 200, the air stream a may be provided in an amount of about 141500 standard cubic meters per hour and at a pressure of about 17.4 bar (third pressure range) while performing further compression in the first booster 5 to a pressure of about 23.1 bar (fourth pressure range). In the first turbine 4, a work amount corresponding to about 1331 kw is provided. In this example, a partial air flow E, i.e. a second partial air flow, may be compressed in the second supercharger 7 to a pressure of about 24 bar (fifth pressure range). In this example, the partial air flow E is formed in an amount of about 24000 standard cubic meters per hour. In the second turbine 6, a work amount corresponding to about 344 kw is provided. The outlet pressure of the second turbine (sixth pressure range) is in this example about 12.6 bar. The third portion of air stream D is formed in an amount of about 22500 standard cubic meters per hour.
Regarding the provided air product, in this second mode of operation, and in the air separation plant 200, pressurized gaseous nitrogen PGAN may be provided in an amount of about 19200 standard cubic meters per hour, with the pressurized gaseous nitrogen PGAN being supplied to the compressor 20 at a pressure of about 5.3 bar. The internal compressed nitrogen GAN IC was provided at a rate of about 1160 standard cubic meters per hour and a pressure of about 61 bar. In this example, the internal compressed oxygen ICGOX 1 is provided in an amount of about 2600 standard cubic meters per hour, as already mentioned, and at a pressure of about 4.8 bar. Liquid oxygen LOX is provided in an amount of about 100 standard cubic meters per hour, as also mentioned, while liquid argon LAR is provided in an amount of about 992 standard cubic meters per hour, low pressure gaseous nitrogen LPGAN is provided in an amount of about 10500 standard cubic meters per hour, and liquid nitrogen is provided in an amount of 10200 standard cubic meters per hour.
It follows that the second mode of operation may be used to provide other air separation products in substantially the same amount in addition to the internal compressed oxygen ICGOX 1 and the liquid oxygen LOX.
In other words, in the first operating mode of the air separation plant 200 and in the air separation plant 100, the air of the third partial air flow (D) is at least partially compressed in the first booster 5 to a pressure in the fourth pressure range and liquefied in the main heat exchanger 3 at a pressure in the fourth pressure range. In contrast, in the second mode of operation of the air separation apparatus 200, but not in the air separation apparatus 100, the air of the third portion of the air stream D is at least partially liquefied in the main heat exchanger 3 at a pressure within a third pressure range.
Fig. 3 shows an air separation plant 300 according to another particularly preferred embodiment of the invention.
In the air separation plant 300, the liquid oxygen, which is internally compressed using the pump 8.2, is split into two partial streams before being heated in the main heat exchanger 3 and is provided after passing through the main heat exchanger 3 in the form of two different fractions of internally compressed oxygen (ICGOX 1 and ICGOX 2).
Fig. 4 shows an air separation plant 400 according to another particularly preferred embodiment of the invention.
As shown in fig. 4, a partial stream E of compressed and purified air stream a, referred to herein as the "second partial air stream", is not further compressed in a supercharger, such as supercharger 7 shown previously. That is, the "fifth" pressure range referred to above in this case corresponds to the "third" pressure range. In the example shown in fig. 4, the expansion turbine 6 is mechanically coupled to a generator G.
Claims (15)
1. A method for cryogenic separation of air using an air separation plant (100, 200, 300, 400) comprising a column system (10) having a pressure column (11) operating at a pressure in a first pressure range and a low pressure column (12) operating at a pressure in a second pressure range lower than the first pressure range, wherein
Supplying the tower system (10) and at least the pressure tower (11) thereof with compressed air (A), all air supplied to the tower system (10) being compressed to a pressure in a third pressure range of at least 5 bar above the first pressure range, and forming a number of partial air streams from the air (A) compressed to the first pressure range, which are at least partially further compressed, cooled in a main heat exchanger (3) and expanded, and then introduced into the tower system (10),
said partial air flow comprising a first partial air flow (C), the air of which is compressed at least partially in the sequence shown and in a single pass in a first booster (5) operating at an inlet temperature of more than 0 ℃ to a pressure in a fourth pressure range higher than said third pressure range, cooled in said main heat exchanger (3), expanded to a pressure in said first pressure range in a first expander (4) mechanically coupled to said first booster (5), and introduced into said pressure column (11),
the partial air flow comprises a second partial air flow (E), the air of which is supplied at least partially in the sequence shown and in a single pass to a second expander at a pressure in a fifth pressure range which is higher than or corresponds to the third pressure range, expanded in the second expander (6) to a pressure in a sixth pressure range between the first pressure range and the fifth pressure range, further expanded to a pressure in the first pressure range or the second pressure range, and introduced into the column system (10),
Said air of said second partial air stream is at least partially cooled before being expanded to a pressure in said sixth pressure range in a first cooling step and at least partially cooled after being expanded to a pressure in said sixth pressure range in a second cooling step, said first and second cooling steps being performed using said main heat exchanger (3),
internal compressed gaseous oxygen is produced in and withdrawn from the process at an absolute pressure of between 3 and 9 bar, and,
-the air separation plant (100, 200, 300) operates without expanding the air of the first partial stream (C) and/or the air of the second partial stream (E) into a turbine in a low pressure column (12).
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fifth pressure range is higher than the third pressure range, wherein at least a portion of the air of the second partial air stream (E) is compressed to a pressure within the fifth pressure range in a second booster (7) mechanically coupled to the second expander (6) before being expanded in the second expander (6), the second booster (7) being coupled to an inlet temperature of greater than 0 ℃.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the partial air flow comprises a third partial air flow (D), the air of which third partial air flow (D) is at least partially liquefied in the main heat exchanger (3), expanded to a pressure in the first or second pressure range and introduced into the column system (10).
4. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the air of the third partial air flow (D) is at least in a first operating mode at least partially compressed in the first supercharger (5) to a pressure in the fourth pressure range and liquefied in the main heat exchanger (3) at a pressure in the fourth pressure range.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein in a second mode of operation the air of the third partial air flow (D) is at least partially liquefied in the main heat exchanger (3) at a pressure within the third pressure range.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein in the second mode of operation, at least 1.1 times and at most 3.0 times the amount of internally compressed gaseous oxygen is withdrawn from the air separation plant as compared to the first mode of operation, and wherein in the second mode of operation, at most 0.5 times the amount of liquid oxygen is withdrawn from the air separation plant as compared to the first mode of operation.
7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a liquid product is withdrawn from the air separation plant (100, 200), wherein the ratio of the equivalent value characterizing the total amount of liquid product to the total amount of internally compressed gaseous oxygen is in the range from 0.6 to 1.6, said equivalent value corresponding to the sum of all liquid nitrogen products, all liquid oxygen products multiplied by a factor of 1.08 and all liquid argon products multiplied by a factor of 0.8, all values being expressed in normalized cubic meters per hour.
8. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the first pressure range is from 4 bar to 7 bar, the second pressure range is from 1 bar to 2 bar, the third pressure range is from 15 bar to 28 bar, the fourth pressure range is from 20 bar to 38 bar, the fifth pressure range is from 20 bar to 45 bar, and the sixth pressure range is from 9 bar to 21 bar absolute.
9. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein from the air (a) compressed to the third pressure range, a relative proportion of 0.6 to 0.8 is provided as the first partial air flow (C) and a relative proportion of 0.15 to 0.30 is provided as the second partial air flow (E).
10. The method according to claim 2 and any one of its dependent claims, wherein a relative proportion of 0.05 to 0.15 is provided as the third partial air flow from the air (a) compressed to the third pressure range.
11. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the air of the second partial air stream (E) is at least partially liquefied in the main heat exchanger (3) and thereafter introduced into the tower system (10) before being expanded to a pressure in the first pressure range or in the second pressure range.
12. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the air of the first partial air stream (C) is at least partially cooled in the main heat exchanger (3) to a temperature in the temperature range between-132 ℃ and-92 ℃ before being expanded in the first expander (4), and wherein the air of the second partial air stream (E) is at least partially cooled in the first cooling step to a temperature in the temperature range between-30 ℃ and at least partially cooled in the second cooling step to a temperature in the temperature range between-87 ℃ and-47 ℃.
13. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein gaseous nitrogen withdrawn from the pressure column (11) is heated in the main heat exchanger (3) and thereafter compressed to product pressure.
14. An air separation plant (100, 200, 300, 400) comprising a column system (10) having a pressure column (11) adapted to operate at a pressure in a first pressure range, a low pressure column (12) adapted to operate at a pressure in a second pressure range lower than the first pressure range, a first booster (5) adapted to operate at an inlet temperature of more than 0 ℃, a first expander (4) mechanically connected to the first booster (7), a second expander (6) and a main heat exchanger (3), wherein
Said air separation plant (100, 200, 300, 400) comprising means adapted to supply compressed air (A) to said column system (10) and at least to said pressure column (11) to compress all air supplied to said column system (10) to a pressure in a third pressure range of at least 5 bar above said first pressure range to form a number of partial air streams from the air (A) compressed to a pressure in said first pressure range and to at least partially further compress, cool and expand said partial air streams in said main heat exchanger (3) before being introduced into said column system (10),
Said partial air flow comprising a first partial air flow (C) and said air separation plant (100, 200, 300, 400) comprising means adapted to compress said air of said first partial air flow (C) at least partially in the shown sequence and in a single pass in said first booster (5) to a pressure in a fourth pressure range higher than said third pressure range, expand in said first expander (4) to a pressure in said first pressure range and cool in said main heat exchanger (3) before said expansion to a pressure in said first pressure range and be introduced into said pressure column (11) after said expansion to a pressure in said first pressure range,
said partial air flow comprising a second partial air flow (E), and said air separation plant (100, 200, 300) comprising means adapted to subject said air of said second partial air flow (E) at least partially in the order shown and in a single pass to expansion from a pressure in a fifth pressure range in said second expander (6) higher than or corresponding to said third pressure range to a pressure in a sixth pressure range between said first pressure range and said fifth pressure range, to further expansion to a pressure in said first pressure range or said second pressure range and to introduction into said column system (10),
The air separation plant (100, 200, 300, 400) is adapted to at least partially cool the air of the second partial air flow before being expanded to a pressure in the sixth pressure range in a first cooling step and to at least partially cool the air of the second partial air flow after being expanded to a pressure in the sixth pressure range in a second cooling step and to perform the first and second cooling steps using the main heat exchanger (3),
-the air separation plant (100, 200) comprises means adapted to generate and withdraw internally compressed gaseous oxygen in the air separation plant (100, 200) at an absolute pressure between 3 bar and 9 bar, and
-the air separation plant (100, 200, 300, 400) is adapted to operate without expanding the air of the first partial stream (C) and/or the air of the second partial stream (E) into a turbine in the low pressure column (12).
15. The air separation apparatus (100, 200, 300) according to claim 14, wherein a second booster (7) is provided, which is adapted to operate at an inlet temperature of more than 0 ℃ and is mechanically coupled to the second expander (6), wherein the second booster (7) is adapted to compress at least a portion of the air of the second partial air flow to a pressure within the fifth pressure range, which is higher than the third pressure range.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP20020557.3 | 2020-11-24 | ||
| EP20020557 | 2020-11-24 | ||
| PCT/EP2021/025455 WO2022111850A1 (en) | 2020-11-24 | 2021-11-22 | Process and plant for cryogenic separation of air |
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| CN116547488A true CN116547488A (en) | 2023-08-04 |
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| CN202180078870.9A Pending CN116547488A (en) | 2020-11-24 | 2021-11-22 | Method and apparatus for cryogenic separation of air |
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| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US20240003620A1 (en) |
| EP (1) | EP4251938A1 (en) |
| CN (1) | CN116547488A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2022111850A1 (en) |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS5146073B1 (en) | 1969-08-12 | 1976-12-07 | ||
| FR2692664A1 (en) | 1992-06-23 | 1993-12-24 | Lair Liquide | Process and installation for producing gaseous oxygen under pressure. |
| GB9410686D0 (en) * | 1994-05-27 | 1994-07-13 | Boc Group Plc | Air separation |
| US5802873A (en) * | 1997-05-08 | 1998-09-08 | Praxair Technology, Inc. | Cryogenic rectification system with dual feed air turboexpansion |
| FR2776760B1 (en) * | 1998-03-31 | 2000-05-05 | Air Liquide | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AIR SEPARATION BY CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION |
| FR2787560B1 (en) | 1998-12-22 | 2001-02-09 | Air Liquide | PROCESS FOR CRYOGENIC SEPARATION OF AIR GASES |
| CN106415175B (en) * | 2014-06-02 | 2019-06-04 | 普莱克斯技术有限公司 | Air-seperation system and method |
| EP2963371B1 (en) * | 2014-07-05 | 2018-05-02 | Linde Aktiengesellschaft | Method and device for creating a pressurised gas product by the cryogenic decomposition of air |
| EP2963367A1 (en) | 2014-07-05 | 2016-01-06 | Linde Aktiengesellschaft | Method and device for cryogenic air separation with variable power consumption |
| EP2980514A1 (en) | 2014-07-31 | 2016-02-03 | Linde Aktiengesellschaft | Method for the low-temperature decomposition of air and air separation plant |
-
2021
- 2021-11-22 WO PCT/EP2021/025455 patent/WO2022111850A1/en active Application Filing
- 2021-11-22 US US18/253,513 patent/US20240003620A1/en active Pending
- 2021-11-22 CN CN202180078870.9A patent/CN116547488A/en active Pending
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| WO2022111850A1 (en) | 2022-06-02 |
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