Plant for separation of a gas mixture by distillation

Details Plant for separation of a gas mixture by distillation Plant for separation of a gas mixture by distillation

2000-05-15

2001-03-27

Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)

Refrigeration

Cryogenic treatment of gas or gas mixture

Separation of gas mixture

C062S905000, C062S911000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06205815

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a plant for separation of a gas mixture by distillation and, in particular, by cryogenic distillation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In cryogenic distillation plants, a number of distillation columns are contained in a cold box so as to insulate them from the ambient heat. The height of the cold box is generally determined by the length of the longest column. At the present time, in order to produce argon with less than 1 ppm of oxygen cryogenically, up to 250 trays have to be fitted into the argon column which makes the cold box very tall and causes instability problems. In addition, it contains many empty spaces which must be filled with insulating material.
DE-A-2633272 describes a double column with a low-pressure column in two sections, the tops of the two sections being at the same height.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to make cold boxes more compact and to reduce the empty spaces inside them.
One object of the invention is to provide a plant for separation of a gas mixture by distillation, which comprises at least two columns, the tops of two of the columns being at the same height, characterized in that at least two of the columns are of the same length.
According to other aspects of the invention, provision is made so that:
two of the columns are of the same length and the tops of these columns are at the same height,
the tops of the three of the columns are at the same height,
the tops of all of the columns are at the same height,
the columns are designed for the separation of air and comprise a first column which is capable of operating at a medium pressure, a second column comprising two sections which are capable of operating at a low pressure, the first column and the first section being thermally coupled by a reboiler/condenser, means for sending fluids from the first column to the second section and means for sending a gas at the top of the first section to the collector of the second section and a liquid in the collector of the second section to the top of the first section, the second section optionally being of the same length as the length of the first section and of the first column,
four columns are designed for the separation of air, including two designed for the separation of an argon-enriched mixture,
one of the columns is shorter than at least one of the others and a storage tank is located in the space beneath this shorter column.


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