Oxygen production by paramagnetic removal of magnetized oxygen from liquid air

Abstract

The production of oxygen by the liquefaction of air at temperatures lower than (-)270.degree. F., followed by the fractional separation of the liquid components is increased in efficiency of oxygen production as well as purity of oxygen produced by inserting into the flow line of the process, my invention of paramagnetic removal of magnetic oxygen. Following the liquefaction of air the liquid air at a temperature, preferably less than -252.87.degree. C. (1 ATM.); is passed through the magnetic flux between the poles of a high intensity magnet. The paramagnetic oxygen is attracted to the two poles, depending on its "Location Polarization", and thus separates from the other liquid nonmagnetic constituents. This concentrated stream of liquid oxygen at temperature generally less than -182.97.degree. C. (1 ATM); or gaseous oxygen if at temperature greater than -182.97.degree. C. (1 ATM); is removed from the system as oxygen. The balance can be further fractionally separated for each constituent or discharged directly back through the reversing heat exchangers to assist in additional air liquefaction.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.