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US 6,237,366 B1Granted
Cryogenic air separation system using an integrated core
AssigneePraxair Technology, Inc.
InventorsBayram Arman, Tu Cam Nguyen, Dante Patrick Bonaquist, Kenneth Kai Wong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cryogenic air separation system wherein an integrated core receives and cools an incoming feed air stream, a rectification section facilitates mass transfer of the feed air stream, a separation section in a heat exchange relationship with the rectification section processes fluid from the rectification section, and a section in a heat exchange relationship with an entrance passage discharges fluid from the integrated core.
Claims10
A heat-transfer and mass-transfer integrated core comprising:
- an entrance passage cooling an incoming feed air stream;
- a rectification section comprising at least one passage facilitating mass transfer of the feed air stream to produce a first liquid stream enriched in a heavy component and a first vapor stream enriched in a light component;
- a first exit passage in a heat exchange relationship with said entrance passage, said first exit passage warming the first vapor stream and discharging the first vapor stream from said integrated core;
- a separation section comprising at least one passage in a heat exchange relationship with the at least one passage of said rectification section, said separation section facilitating separation of the first liquid stream into a second liquid stream and a second vapor stream;
- a second exit passage, in a heat exchange relationship with said entrance passage, warming and discharging the second vapor stream from said integrated core;
- and
- a vaporization section comprising at least one passage in a heat exchange relationship with said entrance passage, said vaporization section vaporizing the second liquid stream, and discharging the vaporized second liquid stream from said integrated core.
4 more elements
A cryogenic air separation system comprising:
- a double column separation system for fractionating air streams, said double column separation system comprising:
- (i) a lower pressure column;
- and
- (ii) a higher pressure column in flow communication with said lower pressure column;
- and
- an integrated heat exchange core in flow communication with said double column system, said integrated core comprising:
- (i) a first intake passage for cooling a first feed air stream, said first intake passage having a warmer section and a cooler section, said cooler section feeding a cooled vapor stream to said higher pressure column;
- (ii) a stripping section comprising at least one passage in a heat exchange relationship with said cooler section of said first intake passage, said stripping section stripping a bottom liquid stream from said lower pressure column to form a first liquid stream, enriched in a heavy component, and a first vapor stream, enriched in a light component, said at least one passage of said stripping section feeding the first vapor stream into said lower pressure column;
- (iii) a first exit passage in a heat exchange relationship with said first intake passage, said first exit passage vaporizing and discharging the first liquid stream;
- (iv) a second exit passage in a heat exchange relationship with said first intake passage, said second exit passage warming and discharging a first top vapor stream received from said higher pressure column;
- and
- (v) a third exit passage in a heat exchange relationship with said first entrance passage, said third exit passage discharging a second top vapor stream received from said lower pressure column.
9 more elements
A method of separating air in an integrated heat exchange core, said method comprising the steps of:
- cooling an incoming feed air stream against at least one exiting stream:
- rectifying the incoming feed air to form a first liquid stream enriched in a heavy component and a first vapor stream enriched in a light component;
- discharging the first vapor stream from the integrated core while warming the first vapor stream against the incoming feed air stream;
- feeding the first liquid stream through the integrated core in a heat exchange relationship with the rectification section so as to separate the first liquid stream into a second liquid stream and a second vapor stream;
- discharging the second vapor stream from the integrated core while warming the second vapor stream against the first incoming feed air stream;
- vaporizing the second liquid stream in a heat exchange relationship with the incoming feed air stream;
- and
- discharging the second liquid stream vaporized in said vaporizing step from the integrated core.
5 more elements
An air separation method comprising the steps of:
- cooling a first feed air stream along an intake passage having a warmer end and a cooler end in an integrated core;
- feeding the first cooled vapor stream into a higher pressure column of a double column separation system;
- stripping a bottom liquid received in the integrated core from a lower pressure column of the double column separation system along a passage in a heat exchange relationship with the first feed air stream, to form a first liquid stream, enriched in a heavy component, and a first vapor stream, enriched in a light component;
- feeding the first vapor stream into the lower pressure column;
- vaporizing the first liquid stream formed in said stripping step along a passage in a heat exchange relationship with the first feed air stream in the integrated core;
- warming a first top vapor stream received from the higher pressure column along at least one passage of the integrated core;
- discharging the warmed first top vapor stream from the integrated core;
- warming a second top vapor stream received from the lower pressure column of the double column separation system along at least one passage of the integrated core;
- and
- discharging the warmed second top vapor stream from the integrated core.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.