System for purifying argon by cryogenic distillation

A system configured to purify argon by cryogenic distillation, the system comprising:

• i. a single column surmounted by a top-end condenser, a fluid inlet in a lower part of the column, a fluid outlet in an upper part of the column, and N distillation sections where N≥4, each section being made up of a stack of units of structured packing, of a cross-corrugated type, each of said units of structured packing comprising a packet of rectangular corrugated sheets, of which at least the two uppermost sections of said N distillation sections of said single column are equipped respectively with a first liquid distributor and with a second liquid distributor, the second liquid distributor being configured to perform a function of mixing together liquids that fall onto the second liquid distributor, each of the first and second liquid distributors being positioned above a respective section among said two uppermost sections and of which at least two lowermost sections of the column are respectively equipped with a (N−1) th and an Nth liquid distributor configured to perform a function of mixing together liquids that fall onto the (N−1) th liquid distributor and the Nth liquid distributor, and which is arranged above the respective section;
• or
• ii. a first column and a second column surmounted by a top-end condenser, a fluid inlet in a lower part of the first column, a fluid outlet in an upper part of the second column, means for connecting a top end of the first column and a bottom end of the second column to allow a bottom liquid from the second column to be conveyed to the top end of the first column and allow a top-end gas from the first column to be conveyed to the second column, the first and second columns comprising in total N distillation sections where N≥4, each section being made up of a stack of units of structured packing, of a cross-corrugated type, each of said stack of units of structured packing comprising a packet of rectangular corrugated sheets, of which at least a two uppermost sections of the second column are equipped respectively with a first liquid distributor and with a second liquid distributor configured to perform a function of mixing together liquids that fall onto the first liquid distributor of the second liquid distributor respectively, each of the first and second liquid distributors being positioned above a respective section and of which at least two lowermost sections of the first column are respectively equipped with a (N−1)th and an Nth liquid distributor configured to perform a function of mixing together liquids that fall onto the (N−1)th liquid distributor and the Nth liquid distributor, and which is arranged above the respective section,
• wherein the first, second, (N−1)th and Nth liquid distributors are each dimensioned to contain a maximum height of liquid head, wherein the maximum height of liquid head for which the first and second liquid distributors are dimensioned is greater than the maximum height of liquid head for which the (N−1)th and Nth liquid distributors are dimensioned.