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US 5,295,351 AGranted
Air separation
AssigneeThe BOC Group, Inc.
InventorThomas Rathbone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a process integration, particularly with a blast furnace, low grade fuel gas produced by the furnace is compressed and moisturized. The moisturized fuel is burnt using a major part of a compressed air stream to support its combustion. The resulting combustion gases are then expanded with the generation of power. The minor part of the air is separated into oxygen and nitrogen. Oxygen is used in the blast furnace.
Claims15
An integrated method of separating air and generating power, comprising:
- a) compressing air without removing at least part of the heat of compression thereby generated;
- b) dividing the compressed air flow into a major stream and a minor stream;
- c) cooling the compressed minor air stream by heat exchange with a pressurized stream of water;
- d) separating the minor air stream into oxygen and nitrogen;
- e) moisturizing a stream of compressed low grade fuel gas by introducing it into said pressurized stream of water downstream of the heat exchange between the stream of water and the minor air stream;
- f) burning said stream of compressed low grade fuel gas utilizing said major air stream to support its combustion;
- and
- g) expanding with the performance of external work the combustion gases from the burning of the gaseous fuel stream, the work performed comprising the generation of said power.
5 more elements
An integrated plant for separating air and generating power, comprising:
- a gas turbine comprising an air compressor, a combustion chamber and an expander;
- a heat exchanger having a first inlet communicating with an outlet from the air compressor and a second inlet communicating with a source of pressurized water, whereby in operation an air stream withdrawn from the compressor is able to be heat exchanged with a pressurized stream of water;
- means for separating the heat exchanged air into oxygen and nitrogen;
- means for moisturizing a compressed low grade fuel gas with said heat exchanged pressurized stream of water;
- and power generation means adapted to be driven by the gas turbine, wherein the combustion chamber communicates with an outlet from the air compressor and with said means for moisturizing the low grade compressed fuel gas and is able in operation to employ air from the compressor to support combustion of the fuel gas to provide hot gaseous combustion products for expansion in the expander.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.