Process and device for the evaporation of a liquid flow
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorJean-Pierre Tranier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a process for liquid evaporation by heat exchange with a gas which condenses, the pressure of the liquid to be evaporated is reduced and it is enriched in a constituent which has little volatility after evaporation. According to an alternative form, the gas to be condensed can be enriched in the constituent which has little volatility.
Claims19
Process for the evaporation of a liquid flow by heat exchange with a gas flow which condenses, each of the two flows comprising at least two constituents, the process comprising:
- evaporating the liquid flow by heat exchange with the gas flow so as to obtain an evaporated liquid mixture;
- enriching the evaporated liquid mixture in less volatile constituent by conveying it into a mixing column, and by exchange of heat with the gas flow.
Device for the evaporation of a liquid flow by heat exchange with a gas flow, each of the two flows comprising at least two constituents, the device comprising:
- evaporating means for exchanging heat between the gas flow and the liquid flow so as to obtain an evaporated liquid mixture,
- mixing column means, positioned downstream of the evaporating means, for enriching in less volatile constituent the evaporated liquid mixture.
Process for the evaporation of a liquid flow heat exchange with a gas flow which condenses, each of the two flows comprising at least two constituents, the process comprising:
- enriching the gas flow in less volatile constituent before condensing the gas flow by heat exchange with the liquid flow so as to obtain a gaseous fluid enriched in less volatile constituent, the less volatile constituent being oxygen and the other, more volatile constituent being nitrogen,
- the gas flow being enriched in less volatile constituent by conveying the gas flow into the bottom of a mixing column fed at the head by a liquid which is richer in less volatile constituent than the gas flow to be enriched, wherein the gaseous fluid enriched in less volatile constituent condenses in a vessel evaporator of a low-pressure column of a medium-pressure/low-pressure double column, said low-pressure column containing an intermediate evaporator which condenses the head nitrogen of the medium-pressure column, said oxygen being evaporated by heat exchange with a vapor, is richer in oxygen than air, drawn off from the head of a mixing column where a fraction of the air to be distilled and the liquid fraction which is richer in oxygen originating from an intermediate level of the low-pressure column are brought into contact for exchange of heat and material;
- and
- conveying liquid produced in the vessel of the mixing column and the condensed vapor into the low-pressure column.
Device for the evaporation of a liquid flow by heat exchange with a gas flow, each of the two flows comprising at least two constituents, the device comprising:
- evaporator means for exchanging heat between the gas flow and the liquid flow so as to obtain an evaporated liquid mixture, and
- mixing column means, positioned downstream of evaporator means, for enriching in less volatile constituent the evaporated liquid mixture, said evaporator means comprising an exchanger situated at the bottom of a low-pressure column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.