Combined plant of a furnace and an air distillation device and implementation process
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorAlain Guillard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The combined plant comprises at least one furnace (F), at least one air distillation device containing at least one medium-pressure column (MP) and a mixing column (CM) which has an oxygen outlet line (O) for supply to the furnace (F), at least one blowing engine (S) which feeds at least the furnace (F) and the medium-pressure column (MP), and at least one air compressor (C) which supplies at least the mixing column (CM) with air at a pressure which is greater than the pressure of the air supplied by the blowing engine (S).
Claims16
Process for operating a combined plant comprising at least one furnace and an air separation apparatus comprised of a distillation column including a medium-pressure column, and a mixing column, the method comprising:
- compressing a feed flow of air from a blowing engine to a first pressure P.sub.1 ;
- dividing the feed flow into a first flow and a second flow;
- sending said first flow at said first pressure to the blast furnace;
- sending said second flow at said first pressure to the medium-pressure column;
- providing a compressor which supplies a stream of air at a second pressure P.sub.2, which is greater than the first pressure;
- sending said stream of air at said second pressure to said mixing column to generate a stream of oxygen;
- and
- feeding said stream of oxygen to said furnace.
A plant comprising:
- at least one furnace and an air separation apparatus comprised of a distillation column including a medium-pressure column, and a mixing column;
- at least one blowing engine structured and arranged to deliver air at a first pressure into a main compressed air line connected to the furnace;
- a diversion line from the main compressed air line for supplying air at said first pressure to the medium-pressure column;
- the medium pressure column having a fluid transfer line connected to the mixing column;
- at least one air compressor structured and arranged to supply air at a second pressure greater than said first pressure to at least the mixing column;
- and
- the mixing column having a gaseous oxygen outlet which is fluidly connected to the main compressed air line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.