Process and installation for the production of gaseous oxygen under pressure
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorsAlain Guillard, Norbert Rieth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Process and apparatus for the production of gaseous oxygen under median pressure with a double distillation column (5). The low pressure column (7) of the double column (5)is operated under a pressure substantially greater than atmospheric pressure and slightly greater than the desired production pressure of oxygen, this low pressure being about 2 to 5 bars. The medium pressure column (6) of the double column (5) is under a corresponding pressure, namely, about 8 to 16 bars. The gaseous production oxygen is directly recovered from the base of the low pressure column, and the installation is maintained cold, at least in part, by free expansion of at least one gaseous product leaving the low pressure column.
Claims14
Process for the production from air of gaseous oxygen under medium pressure in an installation with a double distillation column (5) comprising a medium pressure column (6) and a low pressure column (7), comprising:
- maintaining the low pressure column (7) under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure and greater than a desired production pressure of oxygen, of about 2 to 5 bars,
- maintaining the medium pressure column (6) under a pressure of about 8 to 16 bars;
- directly removing gaseous product oxygen from the base of the low pressure column, and
- maintaining the installation cold by expansion of at least one gaseous product leaving the low pressure column.
In an installation for the production of gaseous oxygen under pressure, comprising:
- an air compressor (1);
- an apparatus (2) for purification of the compressed air;
- a double column (5) for distillation of the purified air, the double column comprising a medium pressure column (6) and a low pressure column (7) connected by an evaporator-condenser (8);
- a heat exchange line (3) to cool the purified air by indirect heat exchange with products from the double column;
- and means (15, 17-18, 19-20, 21) for keeping the installation cold;
- the improvement wherein the low pressure column (7) is under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure and greater than the oxygen production pressure, said low pressure being about 2 to 5 bars, a column (13) for oxygen production directly connected to the base of the low pressure column to withdraw therefrom gaseous oxygen, and cold supply means comprising a valve (15) for expanding at least one gaseous product leaving the low pressure column (7) prior to introduction of the expanded product into said heat exchange line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.