EP4184100A1 - Method and cryogenic production arrangement for producing a liqui liquid nitrogen product - Google Patents
Method and cryogenic production arrangement for producing a liqui liquid nitrogen product Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP4184100A1 EP4184100A1 EP21020577.9A EP21020577A EP4184100A1 EP 4184100 A1 EP4184100 A1 EP 4184100A1 EP 21020577 A EP21020577 A EP 21020577A EP 4184100 A1 EP4184100 A1 EP 4184100A1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- nitrogen
- air separation
- compressor
- mode
- liquefaction
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 title claims abstract description 407
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 title claims abstract description 204
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 27
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 22
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 17
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 105
- XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N Argon Chemical compound [Ar] XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 20
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 12
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 12
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 11
- 229910052786 argon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 10
- 238000005191 phase separation Methods 0.000 description 6
- 239000012071 phase Substances 0.000 description 4
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000007791 liquid phase Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 description 2
- MYMOFIZGZYHOMD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Dioxygen Chemical compound O=O MYMOFIZGZYHOMD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- DOTMOQHOJINYBL-UHFFFAOYSA-N molecular nitrogen;molecular oxygen Chemical compound N#N.O=O DOTMOQHOJINYBL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 150000002829 nitrogen Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
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- 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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- F25J1/0002—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the fluid to be liquefied
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- F25J1/0015—Nitrogen
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- 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
- F25J3/04309—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 nitrogen
- F25J3/04315—Lowest pressure or impure nitrogen, so-called waste nitrogen expansion
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- 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
- F25J3/04321—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 oxygen
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- 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
- F25J3/04333—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using quasi-closed loop internal vapor compression refrigeration cycles, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams
- F25J3/04351—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using quasi-closed loop internal vapor compression refrigeration cycles, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams of nitrogen
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- 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
- F25J3/044—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 single pressure main column system only
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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
- F25J3/04709—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as an auxiliary column system in at least a dual pressure main column system
- F25J3/04715—The auxiliary column system simultaneously produces oxygen
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- 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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- 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
- F25J3/04793—Rectification, e.g. columns; Reboiler-condenser
- F25J3/048—Argon recovery
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- 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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- 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
- F25J3/04824—Stopping of the process, e.g. defrosting or deriming; Back-up procedures
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- 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
- F25J3/04866—Construction and layout of air fractionation equipments, e.g. valves, machines
- F25J3/04872—Vertical layout of cold equipments within in the cold box, e.g. columns, heat exchangers etc.
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- 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
- F25J3/04866—Construction and layout of air fractionation equipments, e.g. valves, machines
- F25J3/04872—Vertical layout of cold equipments within in the cold box, e.g. columns, heat exchangers etc.
- F25J3/04878—Side by side arrangement of multiple vessels in a main column system, wherein the vessels are normally mounted one upon the other or forming different sections of the same column
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- 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
- F25J3/04866—Construction and layout of air fractionation equipments, e.g. valves, machines
- F25J3/04951—Arrangements of multiple air fractionation units or multiple equipments fulfilling the same process step, e.g. multiple trains in a network
- F25J3/04963—Arrangements of multiple air fractionation units or multiple equipments fulfilling the same process step, e.g. multiple trains in a network and inter-connecting equipment within or downstream of the fractionation unit(s)
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- 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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- 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
- F25J2200/08—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in a triple pressure main column system
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- 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
- F25J2200/20—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in an elevated pressure multiple column system wherein the lowest pressure column is at a pressure well above the minimum pressure needed to overcome pressure drop to reject the products to atmosphere
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- 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
- F25J2200/34—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification using a side column fed by a stream from the low pressure column
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- 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
- F25J2200/72—Refluxing the column with at least a part of the totally condensed overhead gas
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- 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
- F25J2200/90—Details relating to column internals, e.g. structured packing, gas or liquid distribution
- F25J2200/94—Details relating to the withdrawal point
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- 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
- F25J2210/00—Processes characterised by the type or other details of the feed stream
- F25J2210/42—Nitrogen
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- 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
- F25J2215/00—Processes characterised by the type or other details of the product stream
- F25J2215/50—Oxygen or special cases, e.g. isotope-mixtures or low purity O2
- F25J2215/52—Oxygen production with multiple purity O2
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- 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
- F25J2215/00—Processes characterised by the type or other details of the product stream
- F25J2215/50—Oxygen or special cases, e.g. isotope-mixtures or low purity O2
- F25J2215/56—Ultra high purity oxygen, i.e. generally more than 99,9% O2
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- 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
- F25J2235/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams
- F25J2235/58—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams the fluid being argon or crude argon
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- 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
- F25J2240/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for expanding of process streams
- F25J2240/40—Expansion without extracting work, i.e. isenthalpic throttling, e.g. JT valve, regulating valve or venturi, or isentropic nozzle, e.g. Laval
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
- F25J2245/42—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams the recycled stream being 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
- F25J2245/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams
- F25J2245/50—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams the recycled stream being 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
- F25J2250/00—Details related to the use of reboiler-condensers
- F25J2250/02—Bath type boiler-condenser using thermo-siphon effect, e.g. with natural or forced circulation or pool boiling, i.e. core-in-kettle heat exchanger
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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
- F25J2250/00—Details related to the use of reboiler-condensers
- F25J2250/20—Boiler-condenser with multiple exchanger cores in parallel or with multiple re-boiling or condensing streams
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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
- F25J2270/00—Refrigeration techniques used
- F25J2270/02—Internal refrigeration with liquid vaporising loop
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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
- F25J2270/00—Refrigeration techniques used
- F25J2270/04—Internal refrigeration with work-producing gas expansion loop
- F25J2270/06—Internal refrigeration with work-producing gas expansion loop with multiple gas expansion loops
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a method for producing a liquid nitrogen product and to a cryogenic production arrangement according to the pre-characterizing clauses of the independent claims.
- Liquid and gaseous air products may be produced by cryogenic separation of air in an air separation unit (ASU) as e.g. described in H.-W. Haring (ed.), Industrial Gases Processing, Wiley-VCH, 2006, especially section 2.2.5, "Cryogenic Rectification. "
- ASU air separation unit
- a cryogenic air separation unit comprises a rectification column system which is classically provided as a two-column system, in particular as a double-column system, but air separation units including single-, three- or multi-column systems are known as well.
- rectification columns for the recovery of nitrogen and/or oxygen in liquid and/or gaseous form, i.e. for nitrogen-oxygen separation, rectification columns can be provided for the recovery of further air components.
- Known double-column systems comprise a so-called pressure column (also referred to as a high-pressure column, medium-pressure column or lower column) and a so-called low-pressure column (upper column).
- pressure column also referred to as a high-pressure column, medium-pressure column or lower column
- low-pressure column upper column
- Air separation units can be designed differently depending on the air products to be supplied and their pressures and physical states.
- so-called internal compression is used to provide pressurized gaseous air products, particularly oxygen.
- a cryogenic liquid is withdrawn from the rectification column system, subjected to a pressurization in liquid state, and converted to the gaseous or supercritical state by heating in the main heat exchanger.
- Haring see above
- Section 2.2.5.2 "Internal Compression
- a high-pressure counter-current stream of nitrogen or air is required for thermodynamic reasons.
- One possibility to provide a counter-current nitrogen stream is to use a so-called recycle nitrogen compressor (RNC).
- RNC recycle nitrogen compressor
- nitrogen which was withdrawn from the rectification column system and heated in the main air compressor is further compressed, passed through the main heat exchanger for the purpose mentioned, and thereafter expanded into the rectification column system in the form of so-called recycle nitrogen.
- Recycle nitrogen may particularly be withdrawn from the pressure column of a double-column system.
- nitrogen to be used as recycle nitrogen may also be withdrawn from a nitrogen product stream compressed in a nitrogen product compressor.
- the present invention particularly relates to such an embodiment in which, in other words, nitrogen is withdrawn from the rectification column system, heated in the main heat exchanger, compressed in a nitrogen compressor (the term "compressor” also relating to certain compressor stages of a larger machine which may also compress further process streams or, more generally, any arrangement suitable for compressing a gas) and is in one part used as a nitrogen product and in a further part cooled in the main heat exchanger and recycled into the rectification column system.
- a nitrogen compressor also relating to certain compressor stages of a larger machine which may also compress further process streams or, more generally, any arrangement suitable for compressing a gas
- the present invention is not limited to cases in which recycle nitrogen is used in the context of internal compression or any other specific configuration of an air separation unit such as defined by the number of columns, of the specific air product(s) produced, their physical state(s) and the production amount(s).
- the present invention targets at improving air separation processes and apparatus in which recycle nitrogen streams are formed in the way just explained, i.e. by branching off a partial stream from a nitrogen product downstream of a nitrogen compressor.
- the present invention proposes method for producing a liquid nitrogen product and a cryogenic production arrangement including the features of the independent claims.
- Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims and of the description that follows.
- the present invention particularly provides an advantageous solution for cases in which an air separation unit including a nitrogen compressor used for compressing a gaseous nitrogen product as well as recycle nitrogen is operated in turndown mode in certain phases.
- a turndown mode includes operating the air separation unit in an operation mode in which less air products are provided and less feed air is processed in the air separation unit, i.e. wherein the air separation unit is not operated at full load. This also results in the nitrogen compressor being only partially loaded and therefore not being fully utilized.
- a turndown mode may also be the regular operation mode of an air separation unit which is part of a gas production arrangement including the one or several, e.g. two or three, air separation units.
- Such an arrangement may e.g. be adapted to provide air separation products to a semiconductor manufacturing plant (i.e. a so-called fab) or a different consumer.
- fab semiconductor manufacturing plant
- each of the air separation units in such an arrangement may operate in said turn-down mode, providing a certain degree of redundancy: If one of the air separation units needs to be shut down, e.g. for maintenance or in case of an equipment failure, the operating mode of the remaining air separation unit(s) may be changed to full load, compensating for the air separation unit being having been shut down.
- the present invention proposes to use the free capacity of the nitrogen compressor by providing a nitrogen liquefaction unit (NLU) and to compress unliquefied nitrogen this nitrogen liquefaction unit, at least partly substituting a recycle compressor in the nitrogen liquefaction unit.
- NLU nitrogen liquefaction unit
- Nitrogen liquefaction units are also well known from the art. Atypical example of a nitrogen liquefaction unit comprising two expansion turbines for gas is shown in Haussinger et al., Nitrogen, Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH, 2005, page 10, paragraph "Nitrogen Liquefaction" and Figure 8 there in.
- Nitrogen liquefaction in such a nitrogen liquefaction unit typically comprises compressing a first nitrogen feed stream from atmospheric pressure or slightly above in a first nitrogen compression unit, forming an intermediate pressure nitrogen stream.
- the intermediate pressure nitrogen stream is used in forming a second nitrogen feed stream which is further compressed in a second nitrogen compression unit, forming a high pressure nitrogen stream.
- a first partial stream of the high pressure nitrogen stream is boostered to a yet higher pressure in serially arranged boosters coupled with expansion turbines.
- the first partial stream is cooled in a heat exchanger system of the nitrogen liquefaction unit and expanded, using one of the expansion turbines and a throttle valve, into a phase separation vessel to form a liquid fraction and a gaseous fraction.
- the gaseous fraction is heated in the heat exchanger system and is combined with a second partial stream of the high pressure nitrogen stream which is, without being boostered, partially cooled in the heat exchanger system, expanded in the other one of the expansion turbines and heated as well in the heat exchanger system, thereby forming a gas stream which is used in forming the second nitrogen feed stream together with the intermediate pressure nitrogen stream.
- the liquid phase formed in the phase separation vessel is subcooled against itself, forming a gaseous fraction which is used in forming the first nitrogen feed stream.
- a subcooled liquid fraction is provided as a nitrogen product.
- the present invention proposes a method for producing a liquid nitrogen product using a cryogenic production arrangement comprising one or more (such as 2, 3, 4, 5 and up to 10) air separation units, the or each of the air separation unit(s) comprising a rectification column system, a main heat exchanger and a nitrogen compressor.
- nitrogen is withdrawn from the rectification column system(s), heated in the main heat exchanger(s) and fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) of the (or each of the) air separation unit(s) in an amount referred to as "first compressor feed amount.”
- this first compressor feed amount may be larger or smaller in different operating modes.
- nitrogen herein, this is intended to not only relate to a fluid exclusively contain nitrogen but also to mixtures of components rich in nitrogen, “rich” denoting a content of at least 90, 95 or 99% on a molar, weight, or volume basis.
- the arrangement comprises one or more nitrogen liquefaction units which is or are used in forming the liquid nitrogen product.
- the arrangement is operated in a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the first compressor feed amount is made to be larger in the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation by increasing a load or production capacity of the air separation unit(s).
- the first mode of operation corresponds to a turndown mode of the air separation unit(s)
- the second mode of operation corresponds to a mode wherein the air separation unit(s) is/are operated at a higher load as compared to the turndown mode, a "load" particularly corresponding to the amounts of fluids processed in, and provided by, the air separation unit(s).
- Nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) is, in the first mode of operation, partially fed to the to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) in a liquefaction feed amount, wherein, in the first mode of operation, the liquefaction feed amount is partially liquefied in the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) forming the liquid nitrogen product and leaving an unliquefied remainder, and wherein the unliquefied remainder is, in the first mode of operation, at least in part fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) in a second compressor feed amount.
- nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) is, in the order indicated, withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s), cooled in the main heat exchanger(s) and recycled to the rectification column system(s) of the air separation unit(s) in a recycle amount.
- the recycle amount may be larger or smaller in different operating modes.
- the recycle amount is typically smaller than the first compressor feed amount as a further part of the nitrogen compressed in the nitrogen compressor(s) is used as a nitrogen product.
- the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) In the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation, particularly less nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the first air separation unit(s), or no such nitrogen, is fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s).
- the arrangement comprises the air separation units as (a) first air separation unit(s) and further comprises one or more second air separation units not comprising a nitrogen compressor and providing compressed gaseous nitrogen to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s).
- three first air separation units, one second air separation unit, and one nitrogen liquefaction unit may be used. This configuration has been shown to be operable in a particularly balanced manner best utilizing the resources available.
- the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) In the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation, particularly less nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the first air separation unit(s), or no such nitrogen, is fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s).
- further nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the first air separation unit(s) may be used for forming a pressurized gaseous liquid nitrogen product, as mentioned before.
- the nitrogen liquefied using the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) may be directly used or may be stored for later retrieval, e.g. in a tank system.
- the method the present invention may particularly include that, in the first mode of operation, the nitrogen fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) is further compressed in the liquefaction unit(s), as generally mentioned before. Only such (further) compression is required as the main compression tasks are realized by the nitrogen compressor(s) of the first air separation unit(s).
- the first compressor feed amount may be fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) at an absolute pressure of 2 to 4 bar, the liquefaction feed amount may be fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) at an absolute pressure of 9 to 14 bar, and the liquefaction feed amount may be further compressed in the liquefaction unit(s) to a pressure of 13 to 25 bar.
- a cryogenic production arrangement for producing a liquid nitrogen product comprising one or a plurality of air separation units is also part of the present invention.
- the or each of the air separation unit(s) comprise(s) a rectification column system, a main heat exchanger and a nitrogen compressor, and the production arrangement is adapted for nitrogen, in the order indicated, to be withdrawn from the rectification column system(s), heated in the main heat exchanger(s) and fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) of the first air separation unit(s) in a first compressor feed amount.
- the arrangement comprises one or more nitrogen liquefaction units adapted to form the liquid nitrogen product, and the arrangement is adapted to be operated in a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the first compressor feed amount is made to be larger in the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation by increasing a load of the first air separation unit(s).
- Nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) is, in the first mode of operation, partially fed to the to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) in a liquefaction feed amount, wherein, in the first mode of operation, the liquefaction feed amount is partially liquefied in the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) forming the liquid nitrogen product and leaving an unliquefied remainder, and wherein the unliquefied remainder is at least in part fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) in a second compressor feed amount.
- an air separation unit which may be (particularly as a "first" air separation unit) part of an arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention, is designated 100.
- the air separation unit 100 comprises a compression section 1, an air prepurification unit 2, a main heat exchanger 3, and a rectification column system 10.
- the rectification column system 10 comprises, in the embodiment shown, a high pressure column or pressure column 11, a low pressure column subdivided into a first column section 12a and a second column section 12b, a crude argon column subdivided into a first column section 13a and a second column section 13b, a pure argon column 14, and a column 15 for providing ultrapure oxygen.
- a stream of atmospheric air is aspired by the compression section 1, as generally known in the art, and prepurified in the prepurification section 2.
- a stream of prepurified and compressed air thus formed is introduced into the main heat exchanger 3 and withdrawn therefrom at its cold end.
- the cooled and particularly essentially liquefied stream of air thus formed is introduced as a stream a into the high-pressure column 11 of the rectification column system 10.
- Operation of the rectification column system 10 may essentially correspond to the operation of a conventional air separation unit.
- the division of the low pressure column into the first column section 12a and the second column section 12b is preferably such that the position of division corresponds to a position of the argon maximum or a position in proximity thereto, such that the crude argon column may be supplied with gas withdrawn from the top of column section 12a of the low pressure column.
- the crude argon column being subdivided into the first column section 13a and the second column section 13, its operation may correspond to the operation of a regular, undivided argon column.
- An essential aspect of the operation of the rectification column system 10 as shown in figure 1 is that, from the top of the second section 12b of the low-pressure column (like it would be the case for the top of an undivided low pressure column), a stream c of nitrogen is withdrawn and, after having been passed through a counter- stream subcooler 4, heated in the main heat exchanger 3.
- the heated steam c now referred to with d, is partially or fully compressed in a nitrogen compressor 5, forming a compressed nitrogen stream e.
- a partial stream f of the compressed nitrogen stream e is withdrawn from the air separation unit 100 as a compressed nitrogen product, while a further partial stream g of the compressed nitrogen stream e is used as a nitrogen recycle and, to this purpose, cooled in the main heat exchanger 3, thereafter passed through a main condenser thermally connecting the pressure column 11 and the first section 12a of the low pressure column together with gas withdrawn from the top of the pressure column 11 and, after having been liquefied in the main condenser, fed into the pressure column 11 and/or to the upper part of the second section 12b of the low pressure column.
- the air separation unit 100 may particularly be adapted to provide a stream h of pure argon which may be passed through a subcooler 6 and which may thereafter be stored in a liquid argon tank 7. Liquid argon from tank 7 may be gasified using the main heat exchanger 3 to form a gaseous argon product.
- a stream i of (ultra)pure oxygen may be provided and e.g. pressurized in a runtank system 9 or using a pump (not shown).
- the air separation unit 100 is operated using a rest gas turbine to which a stream k of impure nitrogen may be provided as generally known in the art.
- Turn-down mode operation of the air separation unit 100 may, as also explained before, also be the regular mode of operation of the air separation unit 100 in an arrangement comprising several such units 100, e.g. for supplying nitrogen to a semiconductor manufacturing unit.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a nitrogen liquefaction unit which may be used in an arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- the nitrogen liquefaction unit shown in figure 2 is designated 300. It comprises a feed compressor 310, booster/expander arrangements 320 and 330, a heat exchanger 340, a phase separation vessel 350, a subcooler 360 and a liquid nitrogen storage tank 370.
- a feed stream of nitrogen A is fed into the nitrogen liquefaction unit 300 an absolute pressure of e.g. about 12 bar.
- the nitrogen is subdivided into a first partial stream B and a second partial stream C.
- the nitrogen of stream B is serially boostered in boosters of the booster/expander combinations 320 and 330 and is afterwards, at an absolute pressure of e.g. about 46 bar, partially liquefied in the heat exchanger 340, forming a steam C, which is passed into the phase separation vessel 350.
- a partial stream of stream B is, after having been partially cooled in the heat exchanger 340, withdrawn therefrom and, as a stream E, expanded in the expander of the booster/expander combination 330, e.g. to an absolute pressure of about 3.5 bar.
- Stream E is thereafter also fed into the phase separation vessel 350 at the bottom of which a liquid phase forms, which is withdrawn as stream F, cooled against itself in the subcooler 360, and, in a subcooled state, stored in the liquid nitrogen storage tank 370.
- Partial stream C mentioned already before is partially cooled in the heat exchanger 340 and thereafter expanded in the expander of the booster/expander combination 320, before it is combined, in the heat exchanger 340, with a gas phase withdrawn from the top of phase separation vassal 350.
- Said combined gas phase i.e. a stream G of so-called recycle nitrogen, is withdrawn from the nitrogen liquefaction unit 300 as shown in figure 2 at an absolute pressure of e.g. about 3 bar.
- a gas phase (not specifically indicated) forming in the subcooler 360 is vented to the atmosphere (as shown) or separately compressed to e.g. about 3 bar abs. and mixed to the stream G.
- FIG 3 illustrates an air separation unit which may be used (as a "second" air separation unit) in an arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- the air separation unit shown in figure 3 is designated 200.
- Air separation units of the type shown in figure 3 and variants thereof have been extensively described elsewhere, such as e.g. in EP 2 789 958 A1 , and detailed explanations are therefore omitted.
- the air separation unit 200 as illustrated in figure 3 features a single rectification column 210 in the rectification column system 10.
- FIG 4 an arrangement according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and designated 1000.
- the arrangement 1000 is shown in a strictly simplified manner and includes, in the example shown, two "first" air separation units, such as the air separation unit 100 shown in figure 1 , which are therefore designated accordingly in figure 4 , and one "second" air separation unit, e.g. as shown in figure 3 , which is therefore designated 200.
- the nitrogen compressors of the first air separation units 100 are shown separately and are indicated 5, essentially as in figure 1 .
- a nitrogen liquefaction unit is also part of the arrangement shown in an embodiment in figure 4 .
- the nitrogen liquefaction unit may be provided as shown in figure 2 and is therefore designated 300.
- the nitrogen compressors 5 of the first air separation units 100 which operate in a turn-down mode in the illustration of figure 4 , are supplied with additional nitrogen from nitrogen liquefaction unit 300, particularly with nitrogen in the form of recycle nitrogen at an absolute pressure of, e.g. about 3 bar.
- a part of the nitrogen compressed in the nitrogen compressors 5 of the first air separation units 100 is provided as a nitrogen product, as indicated with a solid arrow, and further nitrogen is, as again shown with dashed lines, withdrawn from the nitrogen product at a pressure of, in the example shown, e.g. about 12 bar and passed through to the nitrogen liquefaction unit 300, together with further nitrogen from the second air separation unit 300.
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Abstract
A method for producing a liquid nitrogen product using a cryogenic production arrangement (1000) comprising one or more air separation units (100), the or each of the air separation unit(s) (100) comprising a rectification column system (10), a main heat exchanger (3), and a nitrogen compressor (5) is proposed, wherein nitrogen is, in the order indicated, withdrawn from the rectification column system(s) (10), heated in the main heat exchanger(s) (3) and fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) (100) in a first compressor feed amount. The arrangement (1000) further comprises one or more and one or more nitrogen liquefaction units (300), and in that the arrangement (1000) is operated in a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the first compressor feed amount is made to be larger in the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation by increasing a production capacity of the air separation unit(s) (100), wherein nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) (100) is, in the first mode of operation, partially fed to the to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) (300) in a liquefaction feed amount, wherein, in the first mode of operation, the liquefaction feed amount is partially liquefied in the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) (300) forming the liquid nitrogen product and leaving an unliquefied remainder, and wherein the unliquefied remainder is at least in part fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) in a second compressor feed amount. A corresponding arrangement (1000) is also part of the present invention.
Description
- The present invention relates to a method for producing a liquid nitrogen product and to a cryogenic production arrangement according to the pre-characterizing clauses of the independent claims.
- Liquid and gaseous air products may be produced by cryogenic separation of air in an air separation unit (ASU) as e.g. described in H.-W. Haring (ed.), Industrial Gases Processing, Wiley-VCH, 2006, especially section 2.2.5, "Cryogenic Rectification."
- A cryogenic air separation unit comprises a rectification column system which is classically provided as a two-column system, in particular as a double-column system, but air separation units including single-, three- or multi-column systems are known as well. In addition to rectification columns for the recovery of nitrogen and/or oxygen in liquid and/or gaseous form, i.e. for nitrogen-oxygen separation, rectification columns can be provided for the recovery of further air components.
- The rectification columns of the aforementioned column systems are operated at different pressures. Known double-column systems comprise a so-called pressure column (also referred to as a high-pressure column, medium-pressure column or lower column) and a so-called low-pressure column (upper column).
- Air separation units can be designed differently depending on the air products to be supplied and their pressures and physical states. For example, so-called internal compression is used to provide pressurized gaseous air products, particularly oxygen. For internal compression, a cryogenic liquid is withdrawn from the rectification column system, subjected to a pressurization in liquid state, and converted to the gaseous or supercritical state by heating in the main heat exchanger. For details, reference is made to Haring (see above), Section 2.2.5.2, "Internal Compression."
- For converting a pressurized, cryogenic liquid in an air separation unit including internal compression to the gaseous or supercritical state, a high-pressure counter-current stream of nitrogen or air is required for thermodynamic reasons. One possibility to provide a counter-current nitrogen stream is to use a so-called recycle nitrogen compressor (RNC). In a recycle nitrogen compressor, nitrogen which was withdrawn from the rectification column system and heated in the main air compressor is further compressed, passed through the main heat exchanger for the purpose mentioned, and thereafter expanded into the rectification column system in the form of so-called recycle nitrogen. Recycle nitrogen may particularly be withdrawn from the pressure column of a double-column system.
- As an alternative to a dedicated recycle nitrogen compressor, nitrogen to be used as recycle nitrogen may also be withdrawn from a nitrogen product stream compressed in a nitrogen product compressor. The present invention particularly relates to such an embodiment in which, in other words, nitrogen is withdrawn from the rectification column system, heated in the main heat exchanger, compressed in a nitrogen compressor (the term "compressor" also relating to certain compressor stages of a larger machine which may also compress further process streams or, more generally, any arrangement suitable for compressing a gas) and is in one part used as a nitrogen product and in a further part cooled in the main heat exchanger and recycled into the rectification column system.
- The present invention is not limited to cases in which recycle nitrogen is used in the context of internal compression or any other specific configuration of an air separation unit such as defined by the number of columns, of the specific air product(s) produced, their physical state(s) and the production amount(s).
- The present invention targets at improving air separation processes and apparatus in which recycle nitrogen streams are formed in the way just explained, i.e. by branching off a partial stream from a nitrogen product downstream of a nitrogen compressor.
- Against this background, the present invention proposes method for producing a liquid nitrogen product and a cryogenic production arrangement including the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims and of the description that follows.
- The present invention particularly provides an advantageous solution for cases in which an air separation unit including a nitrogen compressor used for compressing a gaseous nitrogen product as well as recycle nitrogen is operated in turndown mode in certain phases. Such a turndown mode includes operating the air separation unit in an operation mode in which less air products are provided and less feed air is processed in the air separation unit, i.e. wherein the air separation unit is not operated at full load. This also results in the nitrogen compressor being only partially loaded and therefore not being fully utilized.
- A turndown mode may also be the regular operation mode of an air separation unit which is part of a gas production arrangement including the one or several, e.g. two or three, air separation units. Such an arrangement may e.g. be adapted to provide air separation products to a semiconductor manufacturing plant (i.e. a so-called fab) or a different consumer. During normal operation, each of the air separation units in such an arrangement may operate in said turn-down mode, providing a certain degree of redundancy: If one of the air separation units needs to be shut down, e.g. for maintenance or in case of an equipment failure, the operating mode of the remaining air separation unit(s) may be changed to full load, compensating for the air separation unit being having been shut down.
- To tackle the problem of the nitrogen compressor being only partially loaded and therefore not being fully utilized in turndown mode, the present invention proposes to use the free capacity of the nitrogen compressor by providing a nitrogen liquefaction unit (NLU) and to compress unliquefied nitrogen this nitrogen liquefaction unit, at least partly substituting a recycle compressor in the nitrogen liquefaction unit.
- Nitrogen liquefaction units are also well known from the art. Atypical example of a nitrogen liquefaction unit comprising two expansion turbines for gas is shown in Haussinger et al., Nitrogen, Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH, 2005, in.
- Nitrogen liquefaction in such a nitrogen liquefaction unit typically comprises compressing a first nitrogen feed stream from atmospheric pressure or slightly above in a first nitrogen compression unit, forming an intermediate pressure nitrogen stream. The intermediate pressure nitrogen stream is used in forming a second nitrogen feed stream which is further compressed in a second nitrogen compression unit, forming a high pressure nitrogen stream.
- A first partial stream of the high pressure nitrogen stream is boostered to a yet higher pressure in serially arranged boosters coupled with expansion turbines. After boostering, the first partial stream is cooled in a heat exchanger system of the nitrogen liquefaction unit and expanded, using one of the expansion turbines and a throttle valve, into a phase separation vessel to form a liquid fraction and a gaseous fraction. The gaseous fraction is heated in the heat exchanger system and is combined with a second partial stream of the high pressure nitrogen stream which is, without being boostered, partially cooled in the heat exchanger system, expanded in the other one of the expansion turbines and heated as well in the heat exchanger system, thereby forming a gas stream which is used in forming the second nitrogen feed stream together with the intermediate pressure nitrogen stream.
- The liquid phase formed in the phase separation vessel is subcooled against itself, forming a gaseous fraction which is used in forming the first nitrogen feed stream. A subcooled liquid fraction is provided as a nitrogen product.
- The present invention proposes a method for producing a liquid nitrogen product using a cryogenic production arrangement comprising one or more (such as 2, 3, 4, 5 and up to 10) air separation units, the or each of the air separation unit(s) comprising a rectification column system, a main heat exchanger and a nitrogen compressor. According to the present invention, nitrogen is withdrawn from the rectification column system(s), heated in the main heat exchanger(s) and fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) of the (or each of the) air separation unit(s) in an amount referred to as "first compressor feed amount." As mentioned below, this first compressor feed amount may be larger or smaller in different operating modes.
- If reference is made to "nitrogen" herein, this is intended to not only relate to a fluid exclusively contain nitrogen but also to mixtures of components rich in nitrogen, "rich" denoting a content of at least 90, 95 or 99% on a molar, weight, or volume basis.
- According to the present invention, the arrangement comprises one or more nitrogen liquefaction units which is or are used in forming the liquid nitrogen product. The arrangement is operated in a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the first compressor feed amount is made to be larger in the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation by increasing a load or production capacity of the air separation unit(s). In other words, the first mode of operation corresponds to a turndown mode of the air separation unit(s) and the second mode of operation corresponds to a mode wherein the air separation unit(s) is/are operated at a higher load as compared to the turndown mode, a "load" particularly corresponding to the amounts of fluids processed in, and provided by, the air separation unit(s).
- Nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) is, in the first mode of operation, partially fed to the to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) in a liquefaction feed amount, wherein, in the first mode of operation, the liquefaction feed amount is partially liquefied in the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) forming the liquid nitrogen product and leaving an unliquefied remainder, and wherein the unliquefied remainder is, in the first mode of operation, at least in part fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) in a second compressor feed amount.
- Advantages of operating the arrangement according to the present invention, which includes utilizing the "free" capacity of the nitrogen compressor(s) for compressing further nitrogen have already been explained before.
- According to the present invention, preferably further nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) is, in the order indicated, withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s), cooled in the main heat exchanger(s) and recycled to the rectification column system(s) of the air separation unit(s) in a recycle amount. Also the recycle amount may be larger or smaller in different operating modes. The recycle amount is typically smaller than the first compressor feed amount as a further part of the nitrogen compressed in the nitrogen compressor(s) is used as a nitrogen product.
- In the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation, particularly less nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the first air separation unit(s), or no such nitrogen, is fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s).
- In an embodiment, the arrangement comprises the air separation units as (a) first air separation unit(s) and further comprises one or more second air separation units not comprising a nitrogen compressor and providing compressed gaseous nitrogen to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s).
- According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, three first air separation units, one second air separation unit, and one nitrogen liquefaction unit may be used. This configuration has been shown to be operable in a particularly balanced manner best utilizing the resources available.
- In the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation, particularly less nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the first air separation unit(s), or no such nitrogen, is fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s).
- Furthermore, in the first and the second mode of operation, further nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the first air separation unit(s) may be used for forming a pressurized gaseous liquid nitrogen product, as mentioned before.
- In the first mode of operation and in the second mode of operation according to the invention, particularly no nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the first air separation unit(s) is fed to the second air separation unit(s), the second air separation unit(s) being particularly adapted to be operated without recycle nitrogen.
- In any case, the nitrogen liquefied using the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) may be directly used or may be stored for later retrieval, e.g. in a tank system.
- The method the present invention may particularly include that, in the first mode of operation, the nitrogen fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) is further compressed in the liquefaction unit(s), as generally mentioned before. Only such (further) compression is required as the main compression tasks are realized by the nitrogen compressor(s) of the first air separation unit(s).
- According to the present invention, in the first mode of operation, the first compressor feed amount may be fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) at an absolute pressure of 2 to 4 bar, the liquefaction feed amount may be fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) at an absolute pressure of 9 to 14 bar, and the liquefaction feed amount may be further compressed in the liquefaction unit(s) to a pressure of 13 to 25 bar. For specific advantages, reference is made to the explanations above.
- A cryogenic production arrangement for producing a liquid nitrogen product comprising one or a plurality of air separation units is also part of the present invention. The or each of the air separation unit(s) comprise(s) a rectification column system, a main heat exchanger and a nitrogen compressor, and the production arrangement is adapted for nitrogen, in the order indicated, to be withdrawn from the rectification column system(s), heated in the main heat exchanger(s) and fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) of the first air separation unit(s) in a first compressor feed amount.
- According to the present invention, the arrangement comprises one or more nitrogen liquefaction units adapted to form the liquid nitrogen product, and the arrangement is adapted to be operated in a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the first compressor feed amount is made to be larger in the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation by increasing a load of the first air separation unit(s). Nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) is, in the first mode of operation, partially fed to the to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) in a liquefaction feed amount, wherein, in the first mode of operation, the liquefaction feed amount is partially liquefied in the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) forming the liquid nitrogen product and leaving an unliquefied remainder, and wherein the unliquefied remainder is at least in part fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) of the air separation unit(s) in a second compressor feed amount.
- As to further features and advantages of the arrangement according to the present invention and preferred embodiments thereof, specific reference is made to the explanations above relating to the inventive method and its embodiments. This particularly holds for an arrangement which is adapted to perform a method as explained above in different embodiments, such an arrangement also being provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- Further advantageous embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings.
-
-
Figure 1 schematically illustrates an air separation unit which may be part of an arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention. -
Figure 2 schematically illustrates a nitrogen liquefaction unit which may be part of an arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention. -
Figure 3 schematically illustrates a further air separation unit which may be part of an arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention. -
Figure 4 schematically illustrates an arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention in a simplified block diagram. - Hereinbelow, explanations relating to specific method steps likewise apply to hardware components, plant units and the like used for performing such method steps, and vice versa. Repeated explanations of method steps or hardware components with an identical or comparable function and/or of identical or similar technical realisation are not repeated for reasons of conciseness.
- In
Figure 1 , an air separation unit which may be (particularly as a "first" air separation unit) part of an arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention, is designated 100. - As essential components, the
air separation unit 100 comprises a compression section 1, anair prepurification unit 2, a main heat exchanger 3, and arectification column system 10. Therectification column system 10 comprises, in the embodiment shown, a high pressure column or pressure column 11, a low pressure column subdivided into afirst column section 12a and asecond column section 12b, a crude argon column subdivided into afirst column section 13a and asecond column section 13b, apure argon column 14, and acolumn 15 for providing ultrapure oxygen. - In the
air separation unit 100, a stream of atmospheric air is aspired by the compression section 1, as generally known in the art, and prepurified in theprepurification section 2. A stream of prepurified and compressed air thus formed is introduced into the main heat exchanger 3 and withdrawn therefrom at its cold end. The cooled and particularly essentially liquefied stream of air thus formed is introduced as a stream a into the high-pressure column 11 of therectification column system 10. - Operation of the
rectification column system 10, which may also be configured differently, may essentially correspond to the operation of a conventional air separation unit. The division of the low pressure column into thefirst column section 12a and thesecond column section 12b is preferably such that the position of division corresponds to a position of the argon maximum or a position in proximity thereto, such that the crude argon column may be supplied with gas withdrawn from the top ofcolumn section 12a of the low pressure column. With the exception of the crude argon column being subdivided into thefirst column section 13a and the second column section 13, its operation may correspond to the operation of a regular, undivided argon column. - An essential aspect of the operation of the
rectification column system 10 as shown infigure 1 is that, from the top of thesecond section 12b of the low-pressure column (like it would be the case for the top of an undivided low pressure column), a stream c of nitrogen is withdrawn and, after having been passed through a counter- stream subcooler 4, heated in the main heat exchanger 3. The heated steam c, now referred to with d, is partially or fully compressed in anitrogen compressor 5, forming a compressed nitrogen stream e. - A partial stream f of the compressed nitrogen stream e is withdrawn from the
air separation unit 100 as a compressed nitrogen product, while a further partial stream g of the compressed nitrogen stream e is used as a nitrogen recycle and, to this purpose, cooled in the main heat exchanger 3, thereafter passed through a main condenser thermally connecting the pressure column 11 and thefirst section 12a of the low pressure column together with gas withdrawn from the top of the pressure column 11 and, after having been liquefied in the main condenser, fed into the pressure column 11 and/or to the upper part of thesecond section 12b of the low pressure column. - The
air separation unit 100 may particularly be adapted to provide a stream h of pure argon which may be passed through a subcooler 6 and which may thereafter be stored in a liquid argon tank 7. Liquid argon from tank 7 may be gasified using the main heat exchanger 3 to form a gaseous argon product. - As a further product of the
air separation unit 100, a stream i of (ultra)pure oxygen may be provided and e.g. pressurized in a runtank system 9 or using a pump (not shown). Theair separation unit 100 is operated using a rest gas turbine to which a stream k of impure nitrogen may be provided as generally known in the art. - As mentioned before, operation of the
air separation unit 100 as shown infigure 1 in a turn-down mode particularly results in a partial load of thenitrogen compressor 5 such that its capacity is not fully utilized. Turn-down mode operation of theair separation unit 100 may, as also explained before, also be the regular mode of operation of theair separation unit 100 in an arrangement comprising severalsuch units 100, e.g. for supplying nitrogen to a semiconductor manufacturing unit. -
Figure 2 illustrates a nitrogen liquefaction unit which may be used in an arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention. The nitrogen liquefaction unit shown infigure 2 is designated 300. It comprises afeed compressor 310, booster/expander arrangements heat exchanger 340, aphase separation vessel 350, asubcooler 360 and a liquidnitrogen storage tank 370. - A feed stream of nitrogen A is fed into the
nitrogen liquefaction unit 300 an absolute pressure of e.g. about 12 bar. After further compression in thefeed compressor 310, e.g. to an absolute pressure of about 17.9 bar, the nitrogen is subdivided into a first partial stream B and a second partial stream C. - The nitrogen of stream B is serially boostered in boosters of the booster/
expander combinations heat exchanger 340, forming a steam C, which is passed into thephase separation vessel 350. A partial stream of stream B is, after having been partially cooled in theheat exchanger 340, withdrawn therefrom and, as a stream E, expanded in the expander of the booster/expander combination 330, e.g. to an absolute pressure of about 3.5 bar. Stream E is thereafter also fed into thephase separation vessel 350 at the bottom of which a liquid phase forms, which is withdrawn as stream F, cooled against itself in thesubcooler 360, and, in a subcooled state, stored in the liquidnitrogen storage tank 370. - Partial stream C mentioned already before is partially cooled in the
heat exchanger 340 and thereafter expanded in the expander of the booster/expander combination 320, before it is combined, in theheat exchanger 340, with a gas phase withdrawn from the top ofphase separation vassal 350. Said combined gas phase, i.e. a stream G of so-called recycle nitrogen, is withdrawn from thenitrogen liquefaction unit 300 as shown infigure 2 at an absolute pressure of e.g. about 3 bar. A gas phase (not specifically indicated) forming in thesubcooler 360 is vented to the atmosphere (as shown) or separately compressed to e.g. about 3 bar abs. and mixed to the stream G. -
Figure 3 illustrates an air separation unit which may be used (as a "second" air separation unit) in an arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention. The air separation unit shown infigure 3 is designated 200. Air separation units of the type shown infigure 3 and variants thereof have been extensively described elsewhere, such as e.g. inEP 2 789 958 A1air separation unit 100 as illustrated infigure 1 , theair separation unit 200 as illustrated infigure 3 features asingle rectification column 210 in therectification column system 10. - In
figure 4 , an arrangement according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and designated 1000. Thearrangement 1000 is shown in a strictly simplified manner and includes, in the example shown, two "first" air separation units, such as theair separation unit 100 shown infigure 1 , which are therefore designated accordingly infigure 4 , and one "second" air separation unit, e.g. as shown infigure 3 , which is therefore designated 200. - The nitrogen compressors of the first
air separation units 100 are shown separately and are indicated 5, essentially as infigure 1 . A nitrogen liquefaction unit is also part of the arrangement shown in an embodiment infigure 4 . The nitrogen liquefaction unit may be provided as shown infigure 2 and is therefore designated 300. - As shown with dashed lines in
figure 4 , thenitrogen compressors 5 of the firstair separation units 100, which operate in a turn-down mode in the illustration offigure 4 , are supplied with additional nitrogen fromnitrogen liquefaction unit 300, particularly with nitrogen in the form of recycle nitrogen at an absolute pressure of, e.g. about 3 bar. A part of the nitrogen compressed in thenitrogen compressors 5 of the firstair separation units 100 is provided as a nitrogen product, as indicated with a solid arrow, and further nitrogen is, as again shown with dashed lines, withdrawn from the nitrogen product at a pressure of, in the example shown, e.g. about 12 bar and passed through to thenitrogen liquefaction unit 300, together with further nitrogen from the secondair separation unit 300.
Claims (11)
- A method for producing a liquid nitrogen product using a cryogenic production arrangement (1000) comprising one or more air separation units (100), the or each of the air separation unit(s) (100) comprising a rectification column system (10), a main heat exchanger (3), and a nitrogen compressor (9), wherein nitrogen is, in the order indicated, withdrawn from the rectification column system(s) (10), heated in the main heat exchanger(s) (3) and fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) (9) of the air separation unit(s) (100) in a first compressor feed amount, characterized in that the arrangement (1000) further comprises one or more nitrogen liquefaction units (300), and in that the arrangement (1000) is operated in a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the first compressor feed amount is made to be larger in the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation by increasing a nitrogen production capacity of the air separation unit(s) (100), wherein nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) (100) is, in the first mode of operation, partially fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) (300) in a liquefaction feed amount, wherein, in the first mode of operation, the liquefaction feed amount is partially liquefied in the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) (300) forming the liquid nitrogen product and leaving an unliquefied remainder, and wherein the unliquefied remainder is at least in part fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) in a second compressor feed amount.
- The method according to claim 1, wherein further nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) (100) is, in the order indicated, withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) (5), cooled in the main heat exchanger(s) (3) and recycled to the rectification column system(s) (10) of the air separation unit(s) in a recycle amount.
- The method according to claim 1 or according to claim 2, wherein further nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) (100) is used as a gaseous nitrogen product.
- The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation, less or no nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) (100) is fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) (300).
- The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arrangement (1000) comprises the air separation units (100) as first air separation unit(s) (100) and further comprises one or more second air separation units (200) not comprising a nitrogen compressor (5) and providing compressed gaseous nitrogen to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) (300).
- The method according to claim 5, wherein, neither in the first nor in the second mode of operation, nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the first air separation unit(s) (100) is fed to the second air separation unit(s) (200).
- The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the nitrogen liquefied using the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) (300) is stored for later retrieval.
- The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in the first mode of operation, the nitrogen fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) (300) in the liquefaction amount is further compressed in the liquefaction unit(s) (300).
- The method according to claim 8, wherein, in the first mode of operation, the first compressor feed amount is fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) (100) at an absolute pressure of 2 to 4 bar, the liquefaction feed amount is fed to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) (300) at an absolute pressure of 9 to 14 bar, and/or the liquefaction feed amount is further compressed in the liquefaction unit(s) (300) to a pressure of 13 to 25 bar.
- A cryogenic production arrangement (1000) for producing a liquid nitrogen product comprising one or a more air separation units (100), the or each of the air separation unit(s) (100) comprising a rectification column system (10), a main heat exchanger (3) and a nitrogen compressor (5), wherein the arrangement (1000) is adapted, in the order indicated, for nitrogen to be withdrawn from the rectification column system(s) (10), heated in the main heat exchanger(s) (3) and fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) (100) in a first compressor feed amount, characterized in that the arrangement (1000) further comprises one or more and one or more nitrogen liquefaction units (300), and in that the arrangement (1000) is adapted to be operated in a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the first compressor feed amount is made to be larger in the second mode of operation as compared to the first mode of operation by increasing a nitrogen production capacity of the air separation unit(s) (100), wherein nitrogen withdrawn from the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) (100) is, in the first mode of operation, partially fed to the to the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) (300) in a liquefaction feed amount, wherein, in the first mode of operation, the liquefaction feed amount is partially liquefied in the nitrogen liquefaction unit(s) (300) forming the liquid nitrogen product and leaving an unliquefied remainder, and wherein the unliquefied remainder is at least in part fed to the nitrogen compressor(s) (5) of the air separation unit(s) in a second compressor feed amount.
- The arrangement (1000) according to claim 10, comprising means adapted to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
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EP21020577.9A EP4184100A1 (en) | 2021-11-18 | 2021-11-18 | Method and cryogenic production arrangement for producing a liqui liquid nitrogen product |
EP22020547.0A EP4184101A1 (en) | 2021-11-18 | 2022-11-11 | Method and cryogenic production arrangement for producing a liquid nitrogen product |
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EP21020577.9A EP4184100A1 (en) | 2021-11-18 | 2021-11-18 | Method and cryogenic production arrangement for producing a liqui liquid nitrogen product |
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EP22020547.0A Withdrawn EP4184101A1 (en) | 2021-11-18 | 2022-11-11 | Method and cryogenic production arrangement for producing a liquid nitrogen product |
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EP2789958A1 (en) | 2013-04-10 | 2014-10-15 | Linde Aktiengesellschaft | Method for the low-temperature decomposition of air and air separation plant |
EP3339784A1 (en) * | 2016-12-22 | 2018-06-27 | Linde Aktiengesellschaft | Method for operating an installation and assembly with an installation |
CN210119067U (en) * | 2019-06-13 | 2020-02-28 | 兰文旭 | Liquid air separation device utilizing cheap electric power at night |
WO2021204424A2 (en) * | 2020-04-09 | 2021-10-14 | Linde Gmbh | Process for cryogenic fractionation of air, air fractionation plant and integrated system composed of at least two air fractionation plants |
Family Cites Families (1)
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US9714789B2 (en) * | 2008-09-10 | 2017-07-25 | Praxair Technology, Inc. | Air separation refrigeration supply method |
-
2021
- 2021-11-18 EP EP21020577.9A patent/EP4184100A1/en not_active Withdrawn
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2022
- 2022-11-11 EP EP22020547.0A patent/EP4184101A1/en not_active Withdrawn
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EP2789958A1 (en) | 2013-04-10 | 2014-10-15 | Linde Aktiengesellschaft | Method for the low-temperature decomposition of air and air separation plant |
EP3339784A1 (en) * | 2016-12-22 | 2018-06-27 | Linde Aktiengesellschaft | Method for operating an installation and assembly with an installation |
CN210119067U (en) * | 2019-06-13 | 2020-02-28 | 兰文旭 | Liquid air separation device utilizing cheap electric power at night |
WO2021204424A2 (en) * | 2020-04-09 | 2021-10-14 | Linde Gmbh | Process for cryogenic fractionation of air, air fractionation plant and integrated system composed of at least two air fractionation plants |
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"Industrial Gases Processing", 2006, WILEY-VCH, article "Cryogenic Rectification" |
"System and Method to Supply Gaseous Nitrogen from a LNG-based Liquefier Associated with Air Separation ED - Darl Kuhn", IP.COM, IP.COM INC., WEST HENRIETTA, NY, US, 28 December 2010 (2010-12-28), XP013143217, ISSN: 1533-0001 * |
ADRIAN CASPARI ET AL: "A flexible air separation process: 1. Design and steady-state optimizations", AICHE JOURNAL, JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC, US, vol. 65, no. 11, 17 July 2019 (2019-07-17), XP071010698, ISSN: 0001-1541, DOI: 10.1002/AIC.16705 * |
HAUSSINGER ET AL.: "Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry", 2005, WILEY-VCH, article "Nitrogen", pages: 10 |
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