Method and system for treating an oxygen-rich liquid bath collected at the foot of a cryogenic distillation column
AssigneeL'Air Liquide
InventorsJean-Yves Lehman, Bernard Saulnier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for treating a liquid bath of oxygen. A liquid bath of at least 70 mol % of oxygen is located at the base of a cryogenic distillation column. The bath is continuously boiled by an aluminum reboiler. A portion of the liquid bath is purged to prevent a build up of inflammable impurities in the bath. A portion of the purge is sent to a second reboiler, which is less inflammable than the first reboiler. Oxygen boiled by the second reboiler is sent back to the column, and a portion of the oxygen rich liquid bath treated by the second reboiler is also purged. The invention also relates to an apparatus of carrying out this method.
Claims14
1-10. (canceled)
A method which may be used for treating a liquid bath of oxygen, said method comprising:
- a) providing a liquid bath in the bottom of a cryogenic distillation column or a column element, wherein:
- 1) said liquid bath comprises at least about 70 mol % oxygen;
- and
- 2) said column or column element forms part of a system of columns that are used for the separation of air;
- b) boiling continuously a portion of said liquid bath with at least one first reboiler, wherein said first reboiler is made of aluminum;
- c) purging a portion of said liquid bath, wherein said purging prevents an excessive build up of inflammable impurities in said bath;
- d) sending said purged portion to at least one second reboiler, wherein said second reboiler is less inflammable than said first reboiler;
- e) sending oxygen boiled by said second reboiler back to said column;
- and
- f) purging a portion of the oxygen rich liquid bath treated by said second reboiler.
An apparatus which may be used for the cryogenic distillation of air, said apparatus comprising:
- a) a cryogenic distillation column or column element, wherein said column comprises a sump;
- b) at least one first aluminum reboiler for treating an oxygen rich liquid bath, wherein said first aluminum reboiler is located in said sump;
- c) a first purge, wherein:
- 1) said first purge sends at least a portion of said bath into at least one second reboiler;
- and
- 2) said second reboiler is less inflammable than said first reboiler;
- d) a conduit which sends oxygen vaporized by said second reboiler back into said column;
- and
- e) a second purge, wherein said second purge purges a portion of said bath in said second reboiler.
An apparatus which may be used for cryogenic distillation of air, said apparatus comprising:
- a) a low pressure column, wherein said low pressure column comprises a sump;
- b) at least one first aluminum reboiler for treating an oxygen rich liquid bath, wherein said first aluminum reboiler is located in said sump;
- c) a medium pressure column, wherein said medium pressure column is thermally coupled to said low pressure column by said first aluminum reboiler;
- d) at least one partition located in said sump;
- e) at least one second reboiler, wherein:
- 1) said second reboiler is located in said sump;
- 2) said partition separates said first reboiler and said second reboiler;
- and
- 3) said second reboiler is less inflammable than said first reboiler;
- f) a first purge, wherein said first purge sends at least a portion of said oxygen rich liquid bath to said second reboiler;
- g) a conduit which sends oxygen vaporized by said second reboiler back into said low pressure column;
- h) a second purge, wherein said second purge purges at least a portion of said oxygen rich liquid bath in said second reboiler;
- and
- i) a nitrogen conduit connecting said medium pressure column with said first reboiler.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.