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AssigneeAir Products and Chemicals, Inc.
InventorsRakesh Agrawal, Donn Michael Herron, Jung Soo Choe
Estimating the term…
A process separates a multicomponent feed by distillation into at least one stream enriched in the most volatile component, one stream enriched in the least volatile component, and one stream enriched in a component of intermediate volatility. In one embodiment, the process produces an argon-enriched stream from a cryogenic air separation process. The distillation system includes at least one distillation column that produces a nitrogen-enriched stream from the top of the column, an oxygen product stream from the bottom of the column, and an argon-enriched stream from a partitioned section. The geometry of the partitioned section minimizes vapor and liquid distribution, and includes a vertical separating element and an end separating element to isolate the partitioned section from the intermediate distillation section. The equivalent diameter (De) of the partitioned section is at least 60% of the ideal diameter (Di) of the partitioned section, wherein the equivalent diameter is defined as four times the cross sectional flow area enclosed by the vertical separating element divided by the perimeter formed by the vertical separating element, and the ideal diameter (Di) is the diameter of a circle which has the same cross sectional flow area as that cross sectional flow area which is enclosed by the vertical separating element.
A process for distillation of a multicomponent fluid containing at least three components, each component having a different volatility, into at least three streams, said process using a distillation column system having at least a first distillation column having disposed therein at least a first distillation section and a second distillation section, comprising the steps of:
A process for distillation of a stream of air into at least three streams, said process using a distillation column system having at least a first distillation column having disposed therein at least a first distillation section and a second distillation section, comprising the steps of:
A distillation column system for distillation of a multicomponent fluid containing at least three components, each component having a different volatility, into at least three streams, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.