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US 12,510,294 B2Granted
Process for cryogenic fractionation of air, air fractionation plant and integrated system composed of at least two air fractionation plants
AssigneeLinde Aktiengesellschaft
InventorDimitri Golubev
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for cryogenic fractionation of air uses an air fractionation plant (100-400) comprises a rectification column system (10) having a high-pressure column (11) operated at a pressure level of 9 to 14.5 bar, a low-pressure column (12) operated at a pressure level of 2 to 5 bar, and an argon column (13). A recirculating stream is formed using a second top gas or a portion thereof, which is heated, compressed, cooled again, and after partial or complete liquefaction or in the unliquefied state is introduced partially or completely, or in fractions, into the first rectification column (11) and/or into the second rectification column (12).
Claims17
A process for cryogenic fractionation of air using an air fractionation plant with a rectification column system having a first rectification column, a second rectification column, and a third rectification column, the process comprising:
- operating the first rectification column at a first pressure level, feeding a first feed stream into the first rectification column, wherein first feed stream is formed using cooled compressed air, and forming a first sump liquid enriched in oxygen and argon in comparison to the first feed stream and a nitrogen-rich first top gas in the first rectification column,
- operating the second rectification column at a second pressure level, feeding a second feed stream formed using at least a portion of the first sump liquid into the second rectification column, and forming an oxygen-rich second sump liquid and a nitrogen-rich second top gas in the second rectification column, and
- feeding a third feed stream into the third rectification column, wherein the third feed stream is formed using fluid which has a higher argon content than the second sump liquid and the second top gas and which is removed from the second rectification column, and forming a third top gas enriched in argon in comparison to the third feed stream in the third rectification column,
- wherein
- the first pressure level ranges from 9 to 14.5 bar at the top of the first rectification column and the second pressure level ranges from 2 to 5 bar at the top of the second rectification column, and
- the second top gas or a part thereof is used to form a recirculating stream, the recirculating stream is heated, compressed, cooled again, and, after partial or complete liquefaction, is completely fed into the second rectification column, wherein the partial or complete liquefaction of the recirculating stream is carried out, after cooling, by condensing the recirculating stream partially or completely using a condenser evaporator located in a sump area of a further rectification column.
3 more elements
An air fractionation plant comprising:
- a rectification column system which has a first rectification column, a second rectification column, and a third rectification column, and which
- wherein the first rectification column is configured to operate at a first pressure level, the first rectification column having a feed line for feeding a first feed stream, formed using cooled compressed air, into the first rectification column, a first sump liquid removal line for removing a first sump liquid, enriched in oxygen and argon in comparison to the first feed stream, from the first rectification column, and a first top gas removal line for removing a nitrogen-rich first top gas from the first rectification column,
- wherein the second rectification column is configured to operate at a second pressure level, the first rectification column having a second feed line for feeding a second feed stream, formed using at least a portion of the first sump liquid, into the second rectification column, a second sump liquid removal line for removing an oxygen-rich second sump liquid from the second rectification column, and a second top gas removal line for removing a nitrogen-rich second top gas from the second rectification column, and
- wherein the third rectification column has a third feed stream line for feeding a third feed stream, which is formed using fluid having a higher argon content than the second sump liquid and the second top gas, into the third rectification column, the third feed stream being removed from the second rectification column, and a third feed stream top gas line for removing a third top gas, enriched with argon in comparison to the third feed stream, from the third rectification column,
- wherein the air fractionation plant is configured to be operated such that
- the first pressure level ranges from 9 to 14.5 bar at the top of the first rectification column and the second pressure level ranges from 2 to 5 bar at the top of the second rectification column, and
- the air fractionation plant further comprises means for forming a recirculating stream from the second top gas or a part thereof, means for heating, compressing, and cooling the recirculating stream, means for partial or complete liquefaction of the recirculating stream, and means for completely feeding the partially or completely liquefied recirculating stream into the second rectification column, wherein the means for partial or complete liquefaction of the recirculating stream comprises a condenser evaporator located in a sump area of a further rectification column.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.