Column for the cryogenic separation of gaseous mixtures and method for the cryogenic separation of a mixture containing hydrogen and CO using this column

Column for the cryogenic separation of gaseous mixtures, characterized in that it comprises:

• a cylindrical wall (1);
• means (2) of introducing the gaseous mixture into the said column;
• at least one assembly consisting of:
• two active zones (5, 14, 28, 29) spaced staggered along the height of the column and filling the entire cross section thereof;
• a liquid trap (10, 26, 27) located between the said active zones (5, 14, 28, 29), consisting of a cylindrical container with a perforated bottom (11) and the outer side wall of which defines, with the cylindrical wall (1) of the column, an annular space (9) in which the gases circulating upwards inside the column can pass after they have passed through the active zone (5, 14, 28, 29) above which the said liquid trap (10, 26, 27) is positioned;
• an internal lining (30, 31) of the cylindrical wall (1) of the column, having its lower end (13) located level with the upper edge of a liquid trap (10, 26, 27), means (15) for causing the gases leaving the active zone (5, 14, 28) located below the said liquid trap (10, 26, 27) to pass into the said internal lining (30, 31), and means (18) for causing the said gases and the condensed liquid they contain to leave the said internal lining (30, 31), returning them to the interior of the column above the said liquid trap (10, 26, 27);
• an external jacket (21, 32, 33) of the cylindrical wall (1) of the column, located facing the said internal lining, comprising means (22, 34, 35) of introducing a cooling fluid (23) into its lower part and means (24, 36, 37) of extracting the said fluid at its upper part, the said external jacket (21, 32, 33) allowing heat transfers between the said cooling fluid (23) and the gaseous and liquid matter circulating in the internal lining (30, 31) via the cylindrical wall (1) of the column;
• means (38) for introducing a liquefied gas into the upper part of the column to scrub the gas extracted at the top of the column;
• means (39) of extracting the most volatile gas from the said gaseous mixture at the top of the said column,
• and means (6, 7) of extracting, in the liquid state, the least volatile gas or gases of the said gaseous mixture at the bottom of the said column.