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US 6,295,836 B1Granted
Cryogenic air separation system with integrated mass and heat transfer
AssigneePraxair Technology, Inc.
InventorsTu Cam Nguyen, Bayram Arman, Dante Patrick Bonaquist
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cryogenic air separation system comprising an integrated core and typically including a double column wherein incoming feed air is cooled in the core which also processes a stream from the double column. A separating section of the core processes a stream from the double column to form product.
Claims4
A cryogenic air separation system in flow communication with a double column separation apparatus having a higher pressure column and a lower pressure column, said air separation system comprising:
- an integrated core comprising:
- (i) a first intake passage cooling a first incoming feed air stream, and directing the cooled first incoming feed air stream into the separation apparatus, said first intake passage being in a heat exchange relationship with at least one other passage of said integrated core,
- (ii) a first cooling passage cooling a first bottom stream from the separation apparatus, and directing the cooled first bottom stream back into a separation section, said first cooling passage being in a heat exchange relationship with at least one other passage of said integrated core,
- (iii) a first warming passage warming a first overhead stream from the separation apparatus, and discharging the warmed first overhead stream from said integrated core, said first warming passage being in a heat exchange relationship with at least one other passage of said integrated core, and
- (iv) a vaporization passage vaporizing a liquid phase stream and discharging the vaporized liquid phase stream from said integrated core, said vaporization passage being in a heat exchange relationship with at least one other passage of said integrated core;
- and
- a separating section separating a second bottom stream from the separation apparatus to form an oxygen enriched stream and a nitrogen enriched stream, wherein the nitrogen enriched stream is directed back into the separation apparatus and the oxygen enriched stream is separated into a vapor phase stream and the liquid phase stream, the vapor phase stream being directed back into said separating section.
4 more elements
A method for separating air comprising the steps of:
- cooling, in an integrated core, a first incoming feed air stream against at least one other stream flowing through the integrated core, and directing the cooled incoming feed air stream into a separation apparatus;
- cooling, in the integrated core, a first bottom stream from the separation apparatus against at least one other stream flowing through the integrated core, and directing the cooled first bottom stream back into the separation apparatus;
- warming, in the integrated core, a first overhead stream from the separation apparatus against at least one other stream flowing through the integrated core, and discharging the warmed first overhead stream from the integrated core;
- vaporizing, in the integrated core, a liquid phase stream against at least one other stream in the integrated core, and discharging the vaporized liquid phase stream from the integrated core;
- separating a second bottom stream from the separation apparatus to form an oxygen enriched stream and a nitrogen enriched stream;
- and
- feeding the nitrogen enriched stream back into the separation apparatus;
- and
- further separating the oxygen enriched stream into a vapor phase stream and the liquid phase stream.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.