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US 5,161,380 AGranted
Cryogenic rectification system for enhanced argon production
AssigneeUnion Carbide Industrial Gases Technology Corporation
InventorHarry Cheung
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cryogenic rectification system comprising two cryogenic rectification plants wherein a fluid mixture comprising argon and nitrogen is withdrawn in a defined manner from the first plant and passed into the second plant such that argon production is enhanced to more than offset the additional separation power requirements.
Claims15
Cryogenic rectification method for enhanced argon production comprising:
- (A) providing a feed comprising oxygen, nitrogen and argon into a first cryogenic rectification plant comprising a first column and a second column;
- (B) separating the feed in the first column by cryogenic rectification into nitrogen-enriched fluid and oxygen-enriched fluid;
- (C) providing nitrogen-enriched fluid and oxygen-enriched fluid produced in the first column into the second column and separating the fluids provided into the second column by cryogenic rectification into nitrogen-rich fluid and oxygen-rich fluid;
- (D) withdrawing nitrogen-rich fluid from the second column at a point above the point where oxygen-enriched fluid is provided into the second column;
- (E) withdrawing a fluid mixture comprising nitrogen and argon from the second column at a point between the points where nitrogen-rich fluid is withdrawn from the second column and oxygen-enriched fluid is provided into the second column;
- and
- (F) passing the fluid mixture comprising nitrogen and argon withdrawn from the second column into a second cryogenic rectification plant comprising an argon column.
4 more elements
Cryogenic rectification apparatus for enhanced argon production comprising:
- (A) a first cryogenic rectification plant comprising a first column and a second column and means for providing a feed into the first column;
- (B) means for passing fluid from the lower portion of the first column into the second column;
- (C) means for withdrawing fluid from the upper portion of the second column at a point above the point where said fluid from the lower portion of the first column is passed into the second column;
- (D) intermediate passage means for withdrawing fluid from the second column at a point between the points where said fluid from the lower portion of the first column is passed into the second column and where said fluid is withdrawn from the upper portion of the second column;
- and
- (E) a second cryogenic rectification plant comprising an argon column and means for providing fluid withdrawn from the second column by the intermediate passage means into the second cryogenic rectification plant.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.