Installation producing low voltage electricity integrated in a unit separating gas from air
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorAlain Guillard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a combined plant consisting of a fluid production apparatus (P) having a main air compressor (44) and a fluid-consuming unit (2), a gas derived from the unit is expanded in a turbine (10, 20, 30, 40, 150) or another device capable of generating mechanical energy which drives a compressor (14, 24, 34, 44, 154° [sic]. Another turbine or device may expand another gas or the same gas derived from the unit so as to drive another compressor.
Claims32
A combined plant comprising:
- a unit for consuming a fluid from the air, a reaction occurring in said unit;
- an apparatus for producing said fluid from the air, comprising an air separation apparatus having a main air compressor;
- means for sending said fluid from the air separation apparatus to the unit;
- and
- a first device for producing mechanical energy from a portion of a gas derived from the unit,
- wherein said first device drives one of the main air compressor and a first compressor for compressing a gaseous product output by the air separation apparatus,
- said air separation apparatus comprises means for producing a component of said fluid as a liquid, said means for producing comprising means for withdrawing said liquid from the air separation apparatus, said liquid being removed as a final product and remaining in liquid form as the final product, and
- wherein said main air compressor and said first device are electrically connected only to one of means of generating low-voltage electricity and means of consuming low-voltage electricity, and are connected to means of generating and consuming one of medium-voltage and high-voltage electricity only through said one of means for generating low-voltage electricity and means of consuming low-voltage electricity.
An integrated process for producing a gas from the air in one of gaseous and liquid form, comprising the steps of:
- generating a fluid from the air using an apparatus for production of the fluid from the air comprising an air separation apparatus having a main air compressor;
- sending the fluid to a fluid consumption unit to cause a reaction, the reaction producing at least one gas;
- converting the at least one gas into mechanical energy using a first device;
- driving the main compressor using the first device,
- wherein the air separation apparatus produces a liquid component of air,
- said liquid component is withdrawn from the air separation apparatus as a final product and
- at least the first device and the main compressor do one of consume and generate only low-voltage electricity.
A combined plant comprising:
- a unit for consuming a fluid from the air, a reaction occurring in said unit, said reaction outputting a first gas as a byproduct of the reaction;
- an apparatus for producing said fluid from the air comprising an air separation apparatus having a main air compressor;
- a plurality of delivery lines for connecting said air separation apparatus and said unit, said plurality of delivery lines delivering said fluid to the unit;
- and
- a first device for producing mechanical energy from a portion of said first gas to drive the main air compressor,
- wherein said air separation apparatus comprises means for producing a liquid component of air and means for withdrawing said liquid component as a final product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.