System and method for the production of argon in an air separation plant facility or enclave having multiple cryogenic air separation units

An argon producing air separation enclave comprising:

• a first air separation unit having a first distillation column system configured to receive a first purified, cooled, and compressed feed air stream and to produce a first oxygen product stream, a first nitrogen stream, a first argon rejection stream, and a first crude liquid argon stream;
• a second air separation unit having a second distillation column system configured to receive a second purified, cooled, and compressed feed air stream and to produce a second oxygen product stream, a second nitrogen stream, and an argon-oxygen rich vapor stream;
• an argon column arrangement comprising an argon superstaged column or argon ultra-superstaged column, and an argon condenser;
• wherein the argon column arrangement is configured for receiving the argon-oxygen rich vapor stream from an intermediate location of a lower pressure column of the second distillation column system at a location proximate the bottom of the argon superstaged column or argon ultra-superstaged column, a portion of the first crude liquid argon stream from the first air separation unit at an intermediate location of the argon superstaged column or argon ultra-superstaged column, and a reflux stream from the argon condenser, the argon superstaged column or argon ultra-superstaged column are further configured to produce an argon rich vapor stream proximate the top of the argon superstaged column or argon ultra-superstaged column and liquid oxygen stream proximate the bottom of the argon superstaged column or argon ultra-superstaged column;
• wherein the argon condenser is configured to condense a first portion of the argon vapor stream to form the reflux stream via indirect heat exchange with a condensing stream taken from the second distillation column system or taken from the first distillation column system;
• wherein the liquid oxygen stream is pumped to the lower pressure column of the second distillation column system;
• and
• wherein a second portion of the argon vapor stream is taken as an argon product stream if the argon column arrangement includes an argon ultra-superstaged column arrangement or taken as an argon-nitrogen stream to be further refined in a high ratio column if the argon column arrangement includes an argon superstaged column.