Refrigeration – Cryogenic treatment of gas or gas mixture – Liquefaction
Patent
1995-10-31
1996-12-17
Capossela, Ronald C.
Refrigeration
Cryogenic treatment of gas or gas mixture
Liquefaction
62640, 95 52, 95 54, F25J 100
Patent
active
055841945
ABSTRACT:
A method and apparatus for producing liquid nitrogen from air comprising a gaseous mixture of about 78% by volume of nitrogen, about 21% by volume of oxygen, less than 1.0% by volume of argon, and small amounts of carbon dioxide, water vapour, and other trace elements and compounds comprise an extractor that extracts portions of the oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapour so as to produce a nitrogen-rich gaseous mixture comprising about 90% to about 99% by volume of nitrogen, about 10% to about 1% by volume of oxygen, and no more than trace amounts of carbon dioxide, water vapour, and other elements and compounds. A nitrogen recycle compressor compresses the nitrogen-rich gaseous mixture to a specified pressure. A gas expander expands and thereby cools the compressed nitrogen-rich gaseous mixture to a lower specified pressure which is slightly above atmospheric pressure, thereby cooling the nitrogen-rich gaseous mixture, which is fed into a heat exchanger, which cools a higher pressure nitrogen-rich gaseous mixture flowing in a separate pass of the heat exchanger, until at least a portion of the higher pressure nitrogen-rich gaseous mixture condenses to liquid state. A liquid/gas separator separates the liquid nitrogen from the nitrogen-rich gaseous mixture, which liquid nitrogen is extracted from the apparatus, through an outlet, for subsequent storage or use.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3452541 (1969-07-01), Builder
patent: 4595405 (1986-06-01), Agrawal et al.
patent: 4841732 (1989-06-01), Sarcia
patent: 4874413 (1989-10-01), Thonnelier
patent: 5388413 (1995-02-01), Major et al.
Promotional publication "Generon Supplying Membrane for Industry".
Capossela Ronald C.
Hewson Donald E.
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