Air separation

Details Air separation Air separation

1991-04-17

1992-06-23

Capossela, Ronald C.

Refrigeration

Processes

Circulating external gas

62 38, 62 43, F25J 302

Patent

active

051232499

ABSTRACT:
A compressed air stream is separated in a double rectification column having a higher pressure stage and a lower pressure stage. The lower pressure stage contains a low pressure drop liquid-vapor contact means having a pressure drop of less than about 400.0 Pa per theoretical stage, for example a structured packing, to effect mass transfer between ascending vapor and descending liquid. A product gaseous oxygen stream is withdrawn from the lower pressure stage through an outlet thereof and is warmed to about ambient temperature in a heat exchanger in countercurrent flow relationship with the compressed air stream which is thereby cooled. Refrigeration for the process is created by expansion of part of the incoming air. By using a low pressure drop liquid-vapor contact means in the lower pressure stage, the resulting operating pressure in the higher pressure stage is able to be lower than in a conventional process enabling the incoming air to be compressed to a lower pressure (for example a pressure in a range of about 5.0 to 6.0 bar). At such pressures, two expansion turbines are used to enable the heat exchanger to be operated efficiently.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3086371 (1963-04-01), Schilling et al.
patent: 4224045 (1980-09-01), Olsewski et al.
patent: 4303428 (1981-12-01), Vandenbussche
patent: 4410343 (1983-10-01), Ziemer
patent: 4696689 (1987-09-01), Mori et al.
patent: 4883518 (1989-11-01), Skolaude et al.

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