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US 5,582,036 AGranted
Cryogenic air separation blast furnace system
AssigneePraxair Technology, Inc.
InventorsRaymond F. Drnevich, Craig S. LaForce, Gerald A. Paolino, Neil M. Prosser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system which integrates a cryogenic air separation plant with a blast furnace system enabling efficient oxygen enrichment of the blast air, and, if desired, production of additional higher purity oxygen.
Claims10
A method for producing oxygen-enriched blast air comprising:
- (A) compressing air to produce blast air;
- (B) dividing the blast air into a blast air portion and a feed air portion;
- (C) at least partially condensing the feed air portion and passing the resulting feed air into a double column comprising a higher pressure column and a lower pressure column;
- (D) producing intermediate oxygen by cryogenic rectification within the double column and passing intermediate oxygen from the double column into a side column;
- (E) separating intermediate oxygen by cryogenic rectification within the side column into oxygen product fluid, having an oxygen concentration which exceeds that of the intermediate oxygen, and remaining vapor;
- (F) passing remaining vapor from the side column into the lower pressure column of the double column;
- (G) vaporizing some oxygen product fluid by indirect heat exchange with the feed air portion to carry out the said at least partial condensation of the feed air portion;
- and
- (H) withdrawing oxygen product fluid from the side column and combining withdrawn oxygen product fluid with the blast air portion to produce oxygen-enriched blast air.
6 more elements
Apparatus for enriching blast air with oxygen comprising:
- (A) a blast air blower having an output line;
- (B) a side column having a bottom reboiler;
- (C) a double column comprising a first column and a second column;
- (D) means for withdrawing column feed from the output line, and passing the column feed to the bottom reboiler and from the bottom reboiler into the first column;
- (E) means for passing fluid from the lower portion of the second column into the side column;
- (F) means for passing fluid from the upper portion of the side column into the second column;
- (G) means for withdrawing enriching fluid from the side column;
- and
- (H) means for passing enriching fluid from the side column into the output line at a point downstream of the point where column feed is withdrawn from the output line.
6 more elements
A method for producing oxygen-enriched blast air comprising:
- (A) compressing air to produce blast air;
- (B) dividing the blast air into a blast air portion and a feed air portion;
- (C) at least partially condensing the feed air portion and passing the resulting feed air into a double column comprising a higher pressure column and a lower pressure column;
- (D) producing lower purity oxygen by cryogenic rectification within the double column and passing first lower purity oxygen from the double column into a side column;
- (E) separating first lower purity oxygen by cryogenic rectification within the side column into higher purity oxygen fluid, having an oxygen concentration which exceeds that of the first lower purity oxygen, and remaining vapor;
- (F) passing remaining vapor from the side column into the lower pressure column of the double column;
- (G) vaporizing some higher purity oxygen fluid by indirect heat exchange with the feed air portion to carry out the said at least partial condensation of the feed air portion;
- and
- (H) withdrawing second lower purity oxygen from the double column and combining withdrawn second lower purity oxygen with the blast air portion to produce oxygen-enriched blast air.
6 more elements
Apparatus for enriching blast air with oxygen comprising:
- (A) a blast air blower having an output line;
- (B) a side column having a bottom reboiler;
- (C) a double column comprising a first column and a second column;
- (D) means for withdrawing column feed from the output line, and passing the column feed to the bottom reboiler and from the bottom reboiler into the first column;
- (E) means for passing fluid from the lower portion of the second column into the side column;
- (F) means for passing fluid from the upper portion of the side column into the second column;
- (G) means for withdrawing enriching fluid from the second column;
- and
- (H) means for passing enriching fluid from the second column into the output line at a point downstream of the point where column feed is withdrawn from the output line.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.