Process and unit for supplying a gas under pressure to an installation that consumes a constituent of air
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorsRobert Ekins, Alain Guillard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Air is distilled in a distillation apparatus (13) associated with a heat exchange line (11) in which is circulated a heat transfer fluid under high pressure. A storage (20, 23)is supplied, at least intermittently, with gas in liquid phase; and gas in liquid phase withdrawn from the storage is raised to a vaporization pressure, and vaporized under this pressure in the heat exchange line (11). The supply of liquefied gas to the storage can be from the distillation apparatus (13) and/or from an external source such as a tank truck (29, 34). It is useful particularly for the supply of oxygen, nitrogen and argon under pressure to installations for the production of stainless steel such as electric arc furnaces.
Claims13
A process for supplying a consuming installation with at least one constituent of air from a gas under pressure, liquefiable at a cryogenic temperature under this pressure, comprising:
- distilling air in a distillation apparatus having a heat exchange line in which at least one heat transfer fluid is circulated at a high pressure substantially greater than an operating pressure of the distillation apparatus;
- storing at least intermittently at least one constituent of argon in liquid phase;
- producing at least one portion of said gas under pressure by bringing argon in liquid phase withdrawn from said storing to a vaporization pressure greater than its storage pressure;
- and
- vaporizing said withdrawn argon in liquid phase under said vaporization pressure in said heat exchange line;
- wherein said storing is effected at least in part from a source of argon in liquid phase external to said distillation apparatus.
A unit for supplying to a consuming installation at least one constituent of air from a gas under pressure, liquefiable at a cryogenic temperature under this pressure, comprising an apparatus for the distillation of air, comprising a heat exchange line which comprises passages for at least one heat transfer fluid under high pressure substantially greater than a pressure of operation of the distillation apparatus, the unit also comprising a storage for argon in liquid phase adapted to be supplied in an intermittent fashion, and means for compression of said argon in liquid phase, connected upstream of vaporization passages under pressure for this gas in the heat exchange line, further comprising means for supplying to said storage said argon in liquid phase from a source external to said distillation apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.