AU2008274334B2 - Process to compress air and its use in an air separation process and systems using said processes - Google Patents

Process to compress air and its use in an air separation process and systems using said processes Download PDF

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AU2008274334B2
AU2008274334B2 AU2008274334A AU2008274334A AU2008274334B2 AU 2008274334 B2 AU2008274334 B2 AU 2008274334B2 AU 2008274334 A AU2008274334 A AU 2008274334A AU 2008274334 A AU2008274334 A AU 2008274334A AU 2008274334 B2 AU2008274334 B2 AU 2008274334B2
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compressor
air
driver
axial
iii
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AU2008274334A1 (en
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Paul Anton Den Held
Hendrik Jan Van Der Ploeg
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Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV
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Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04763—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used
    • F25J3/04866—Construction and layout of air fractionation equipments, e.g. valves, machines
    • F25J3/04969—Retrofitting or revamping of an existing air fractionation unit
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
    • F25J3/04012—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling
    • F25J3/04018—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling of main feed air
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
    • F25J3/04012—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling
    • F25J3/04024—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling of purified feed air, so-called boosted air
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
    • F25J3/04109—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers
    • F25J3/04115—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers characterised by the type of prime driver, e.g. hot gas expander
    • F25J3/04121—Steam turbine as the prime mechanical driver
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
    • F25J3/04109—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers
    • F25J3/04115—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers characterised by the type of prime driver, e.g. hot gas expander
    • F25J3/04133—Electrical motor as the prime mechanical driver
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04248—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion
    • F25J3/04284—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using internal refrigeration by open-loop gas work expansion, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams
    • F25J3/0429—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using internal refrigeration by open-loop gas work expansion, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams of feed air, e.g. used as waste or product air or expanded into an auxiliary column
    • F25J3/04303—Lachmann expansion, i.e. expanded into oxygen producing or low pressure column
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04406—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air using a dual pressure main column system
    • F25J3/04412—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air using a dual pressure main column system in a classical double column flowsheet, i.e. with thermal coupling by a main reboiler-condenser in the bottom of low pressure respectively top of high pressure column
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04642—Recovering noble gases from air
    • F25J3/04648—Recovering noble gases from air argon
    • F25J3/04654—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column
    • F25J3/04666—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system
    • F25J3/04672—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system having a top condenser
    • F25J3/04678—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system having a top condenser cooled by oxygen enriched liquid from high pressure column bottoms

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)

Description

WO 2009/007310 PCT/EP2008/058635 PROCESS TO COMPRESS AIR AND ITS USE IN AN AIR SEPARATION PROCESS AND SYSTEMS USING SAID PROCESSES Field of the invention The present invention is directed to a process to compress air and the use of such a process as part of an air separation process. The invention is also directed to 5 systems using said processes to respectively compress air and to separate oxygen from air. Background of the invention Air separation in an Air Separation Unit (ASU) is frequently applied to obtain a substantially pure or 10 enriched stream of air for use in a combustion process. This combustion may be a complete combustion as applied in the so-called oxy-fuel processes. The combustion may also be a partial combustion of a carbonaceous fuel to obtain a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The 15 latter gas mixture is also referred to as synthesis gas and can be used as feedstock in a so-called Fischer Tropsch synthesis to prepare paraffins. Such a route is used in the so-called gas (GTL) or coal to liquid (CTL) process. Such a process is economically interesting when 20 applied at a large scale. The synthesis gas can also be used as fuel in an Integrated Combined Cycle process or in direct ore reduction process. The following two articles are directed to air separation and GTL: 25 Ramdohr, M., "Optimize air compressor performance for GTL plants new mechanical advances enable compression solutions for evolving gas-to-liquids processes", Hydrocarbon Processing, Gulf Publishing Co. Houston, US, vol. 83, no. 1 January 2004 (2004-1) pages 49-51 and 2 Scharle W J et al, "Oxygen facilities for synthetic fuel projects", November 1981 (1981 11), transactions of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, series B: Journal of Engineering for Industry, ASME. New York, US, pages 409-417. EP-A-757217 is directed to an air separation process. In this process air is 5 compressed in a main air compressor (MAC) to a pressure between 5 and 6 bar. The compressed air is further increased in pressure in a series of so-called booster compressors (BAC) to a pressure of 49 bar. Part of the compressed air is let down in pressure and the cold is used to cool the remaining part of the compressed air. The cooled and compressed air is subsequently distilled and oxygen is separated from the other air 10 components. EP-A-1 197717 describes a process to compress air in an air separation unit wherein the main air compressor (MAC) and the booster air compressor (BAC) are driven by a common steam turbine. Between the steam turbine and the booster compressor a gear system is present. 15 As discussed above there is a desire to increase the scale a GTL and CTL process. This means that the capacity of the air separation unit increases . In a large scale GTL or CTL application an ASU having a capacity of 3600 t/d oxygen is feasible with a combined MAC and BAC driven by a common steam turbine. When desiring an even larger capacity, e.g. about 5000 t/d oxygen the MAC 20 becomes difficult to design. Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the above disadvantages or to provide a useful alternative. 25 Summary of the invention According to a first aspect of the invention there is disclosed herein a process to compress air by performing the following steps, 3 (i) compressing air in a compressor, (ii) cooling the compressed air as obtained in step (i) (iii) further compressing the air of step (ii) in a compressor, (iv) further compressing at least part of the compressed air as obtained in step (iii) in 5 a booster compressor, wherein the compressor in step (i) is an axial compressor, the compressor of step (i) and (iii) are driven by a common first driver and the booster compressor is driven by a separate second driver and wherein the compressor of step (ii) and (iii) are split into two individual casings. Applicants found in a preferred embodiment that by splitting the main air to compressor in two individual casings driven by a common driver more freedom in the design of the compressors is achieved. This results in that the design of the individual compressors can preferably be simpler as compared to a situation wherein a large single MAC would be used. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is disclosed herein a 15 process for separating oxygen from air by cryogenic air separation, wherein compressed air as obtained in step (iii) of the above process is cooled against expanded air as obtained in step (iv) of the above process and wherein oxygen is separated by means of distillation from the cooled and compressed air. According to a third aspect of the present invention there is disclosed herein a 20 system for compressing air comprising (a) an axial compressor, (b) cooling means to cool, in use, the compressed air as obtained in the axial compressor, (c) a radial or isothermal compressor to further compress, in use, the compressed 25 and cooled air as obtained in the axial compressor, and (d) a booster compressor to further compress, in use, at least part of the compressed air as obtained in the radial or isothermal compressor, wherein the axial compressor and the radial or isothermal compressor have a common first driver 4 and wherein the axial compressor and the radial or isothermal compressor are split into two individual casings and wherein the booster compressor is provided with a second driver separate from the first driver. 5 Brief description of the drawings Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a state of the art system for compressing air. Figure 2 shows a system for compressing air according to an embodiment of the io invention. Figure 3 shows a system for air separation wherein the system according to Figure 2 is applied. Detailed description of the invention is In step (i) of the process according to an embodiment of the present invention air is compressed in a compressor. Because the pressure does not have to be raised to the same high level as in a single MAC of the state of the art it is possible to use in step (i) state of the art compressors, which have a large capacity at the desired pressure differential. Preferably an axial compressor is used in step (i) . 20 Most preferably an axial compressor is used which is obtained by modifying an existing axial compressor, as derived from an existing axial compressor of a large industrial or aeroderivative gas turbine, by reducing the number of stages. Alternatively conventional axial WO 2009/007310 PCT/EP2008/058635 -5 compressor designs can be applied as well. Examples for gas turbine derived axial compressors are the axial compressor stages of the well known GE (General Electric) designed Frame 7 and Frame 9 machines, Siemens designed 5 industrial gas turbines of the V84.xand V94.x designs and Mitsubishi designed industrial gas turbines of the type F501 and F701. The capacity of the compressor in step (i) is preferably greater than 15000 t/d air and more preferably 10 between 25000 and 40000 t/d air. In step (i) the pressure is preferably raised from ambient to between 0.3 and 1.2 MPa and more preferably to between 0.6 and 0.8 MPa. The temperature of the compressed air as obtained in step (i) may be between 150 15 and 250 0 C. In step (ii) the temperature of this compressed air is reduced to preferably below 60 0 C and more preferably below 50 0 C before said air is further compressed in step (iii). Cooling is preferably performed by indirect heat exchange against water or air. 20 In step (iii) the compressed and cooled air of step (ii) is further compressed. Preferably the air is compressed to between 1 and 2 MPa and more preferably to between 1.2 and 1.8 MPa. The compressor in step (iii) may be an axial, radial or isothermal compressor and more 25 preferably a radial or isothermal compressor. Examples of commercially available compressors suited for performing step (iii) are standard type compressor on the market. Examples are Siemens, GE, Mitsubishi and ManTurbo. The compressor in step (i) and the compressor in step (iii) 30 are driven by a common first driver. This driver may be a steam turbine, electric motor or a gas turbine and preferably a steam turbine. The steam turbine preferably operates on steam having a pressure of between 1.8 and 11 6 Mpa inlet pressure, and is preferably designed for pass- out steam and/or admission steam or both. Preferably the compressor of step (i) is directly driven by the driver. Between the 5 common driver and the compressor of step (iii) a gear box is preferably placed. In step (iv) at least part of the compressed air as obtained in step (iii) is further compressed in a booster compressor. Preferably this air is cooled before being further compressed in step (iv) . Preferably between 20 and 50 wt% of the air which is prepared io in step (iii) is further compressed in step (iv). The booster compressor will preferably increase the pressure to above 7 MPa and more preferably to between 8 and 11 MPa. The booster compressor is preferably an inline radial compressor (IRC) or isothermal compressor. Examples of commercially is available compressors suited for performing step (iv) are The RIK type of ManTurbo for the isothermal design and other standard type radial compressors as offered by for example Siemens, GE and Mitsubishi for use as a booster compressor. The compressor in step (iv) is driven by a driver which operates separate from the driver of steps (i) and (iii). This is preferable when the driver for the main compression steps in (i) and (iii) is steam 20 driven and wherein the availability of high-pressure steam is low. By having a separate driver for step (iv) the possibility exists to either chose for an electric motor driver or for a steam turbine, which can operate on a lower pressure steam. In case an electric motor driver is used a gear box between driver and the compressor of step (iv) is preferred. 25 An aspect of the present invention is also directed to a process for separating oxygen from air by cryogenic air separation, wherein compressed air as obtained in step 7 (iii) of the above process is cooled against expanded air as obtained in step (iv) of said process. Oxygen is subsequently separated by means of distillation from the cooled and compressed air. Cryogenic air separation is a well known process. See for example Kirk Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1993, s 4th edition, Vol. 7, pages 662-664 or in the earlier referred to EP-A-757217. An aspect of the invention is also directed to a system for compressing air comprising (a) an axial compressor, 1o (b) cooling means to cool, in use, the compressed air as obtained in the axial compressor, (c) a radial or isothermal compressor to further compress, in use, the compressed and cooled air as obtained in the axial compressor, and (d) a booster compressor to further compress, in use, at least part of the compressed 15 air as obtained in the radial or isothermal compressor, wherein the axial compressor and the radial or isothermal compressor have a common first driver and wherein the axial compressor and the radial or isothermal compressor are split into two individual casings and wherein the booster compressor is provided with a second driver separate from the first driver. 20 The preferred compressors and driver options for the above system are the same as discussed for the corresponding steps of the process discussed above. Detailed description of the drawings 25 Figure 1 shows a compressor system according to the state of the art. Air is fed via line 1 to a main air compressor 2 (MAC), which is typically a single axial compressor, 8 and compressed air is discharged via line 4. Cooler 5 cools the compressed air and cooled air as present in line 6 is split into two streams 10 and 9. Compressed air in line 9 is subsequently further increased in pressure in booster air compressor 8 (BAC), which is typically a radial centrifugal compressor. Main air compressor 2 and the booster air 5 compressor 8 are driven by a common driver 3, which is typically a steam turbine. Between the driver 3 and the booster air compressor 7 a gear box 7 is shown. Figure 2 shows a system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Air is supplied via line 12 to an axial compressor 13. The compressed air in io line 14 is cooled in heat exchanger 16. Heat exchanger 16 is suitably an indirect heat exchanger using air or water as the cooling medium. The cooled air in line 17 is further compressed in a radial compressor 19. The axial compressor 13 is directly driven by a steam turbine 15. Radial compressor 19 is driven by the same steam turbine 15 via gear box 18. The combined axial compressor 13 and radial compressor 19 have the same is function as the main air compressor 2 of Figure 1. As shown both the axial compressor 13 and radial compressor 19 have their own individual casing. By using this configuration a simpler axial compressor can be used than compressor 2 of Figure 1. This allows a high capacity for the combined compressors 13 and 19. 20 Part of the compressed air in line 20 is discharged from the system in line 21 as the compressed air as made in step (iii) of the process according to an embodiment of the present invention. Another part of the compressed air is provided via line 22 to a booster air compressor. The air in line 20 is cooled in a heat exchanger 23. This heat exchanger 23 may also be located in line 20. The cooled air is further compressed in a booster 25 compressor 24 to obtain a second stream of compressed air in line 27. This booster 9 compressor 24, which is suitably a radial compressor, is driven by an electric motor 26. Between electric motor 26 and the compressor 24 a gear box 25 is present. Figure 3 shows a system for air separation. It illustrates how the system for 5 compressing air of Figure 2 can preferably be applied in a cryogenic air separation system as described in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1993, 4th edition, Vol. 7, pages 662-664 and especially the Figure 1 on page 662. 10 The corresponding reference numbers of Figure 2 and 3 have the same meaning. Additionally shown is an air inlet filter 49. Compressed air in line 20 as obtained in compressor 19 is cooled in heat exchanger 23 against cooling water to obtain cooled air in line 28. Water is separated in vessel 29 and to avoid freezing of water and carbon dioxide in the colder parts of the downstream process the air is passed through an adsorbent bed 15 of molecular sieves 30 to obtain dry air in line 31. Part of this air in line 22 is further increased in pressure in the booster compressor 24 of Figure 2 to obtain the second stream of compressed air in line 27. The air in line 27, optionally after a pre-cooling step is cooled in main heat exchanger 32 against returning cold product nitrogen in line 46 and oxygen in line 48. The cooled and compressed air as obtained in line 33 is work expanded 20 to WO 2009/007310 PCT/EP2008/058635 - 10 near atmospheric pressure and fed to distillation column 36. This expansion provides the needed refrigeration for the air separation process. The main air stream 31 is cooled in the main heat 5 exchanger 32 and in a secondary heat exchanger 37 to near its dew point. Nitrogen and oxygen are separated in a two stage distillation process from this stream 31. First air in line 38 is provided to the lower end of column 39, which operates at the elevated pressure of the air in 10 line 38. A crude liquid oxygen stream is discharged at the bottom of this column in line 40. This crude oxygen stream is heat exchanged in heat exchanger 41, let down in pressure in valve 43 and fed to distillation column 36. In distillation column 36 nitrogen is obtained as the 15 top product in line 45 and purified oxygen is obtained as the bottom product in line 47. After heat exchange a product stream of purified oxygen is obtained in line 48. A nitrogen reflux in column 39 is created by sending back part of a liquid nitrogen of line 50 via line 52 to 20 column 39. Another part of this liquid nitrogen of line 50 is provided as reflux to column 36 via line 51. Since argon, as present in air, boils between oxygen and nitrogen a peak in argon concentration occurs in column 36. An argon rich stream in line 53 is withdrawn 25 from column 36 and fed to an argon distillation column 54. An argon product stream is obtained via line 55. The bottom product of this column 54 is recycled via line 53' to column 36. Reflux of the argon column is achieved by cooling with part of the crude liquid oxygen via line 56 30 and valve 58. A waste stream 57 is withdrawn from the top part of column 36 containing argon, oxygen and nitrogen.

Claims (19)

1. Process to compress air by performing the following steps, (i) compressing air in a compressor, (ii) cooling the compressed air as obtained in step (i) 5 (iii) further compressing the air of step (ii) in a compressor, (iv) further compressing at least part of the compressed air as obtained in step (iii) in a booster compressor, wherein the compressor in step (i) is an axial 10 compressor, the compressor of step (i) and (iii) are driven by a common first driver and the booster compressor is driven by a separate second driver and wherein the compressor of step (ii) and (iii) are split into two individual casings. 15
2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the first driver is a steam turbine.
3. Process according to claim 2, wherein the steam turbine operates on steam having a pressure of between 1.8 and 11 Mpa inlet pressure. 20
4. Process according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the compressor in step (iii) is a radial or isothermal compressor and wherein between compressor and the first driver a gear box is present.
5. Process according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein 25 the second driver is a steam turbine or electric motor.
6. Process according to claim 5, wherein the second driver is an electric motor driver and wherein between motor driver and booster compressor a gear box is present. 12
7. Process according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the capacity of the axial compressor in step (i) is between 25000 and 40000 t/d air.
8. Process according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the pressure is 5 increased in step (i) from ambient to between 0.3 and 1.2 MPa.
9. Process according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the pressure is increased in step (iii) to between I and 2 MPa.
10 10. Process according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the pressure is increased in step (iv) to between 8 and 11 MPa.
11. Process for separating oxygen from air by cryogenic air separation, wherein compressed air as obtained in step (iii) of the process according to any one of is claims 1-10 is cooled against expanded air as obtained in step (iv) of said process and wherein oxygen is separated by means of distillation from the cooled and compressed air.
12. System for compressing air comprising (a) a axial compressor, 20 (b) cooling means to cool, in use, the compressed air as obtained in the axial compressor, (c) a radial or isothermal compressor to further compress, in use, the compressed and cooled air as obtained in the axial compressor, and (d) a booster compressor to further compress, in use, at least part of the 25 compressed air as obtained in the radial or isothermal compressor, wherein the axial compressor and the radial or isothermal compressor have a common first driver and wherein the axial compressor and the radial or isothermal compressor are split into two individual casings and wherein the booster compressor is provided with a second driver separate from the first driver. 30
13. System according to claim 12, wherein the first driver is a steam turbine.
14. System according to any one of claims 12-13, wherein the second driver 35 is a steam turbine or electric motor. 13
15. System according to claim 14, wherein the second driver is a motor driver and wherein between motor driver and booster compressor a gear box is present. s
16. System according to any one of claims 12-15, wherein the axial compressor (a) is a modified axial compressor as derived from an existing axial compressor of a large industrial or aeroderivative gas turbine, wherein the number of stages of the large industrial or aeroderivative gas turbine compressor part is reduced. 10
17. Process to compress air substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
18. Process for separating oxygen from air by cryogenic air separation, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 or Figure 3 of the is accompanying drawings.
19. System for compressing air substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings. Dated 2 February 2011 Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON & FERGUSON
AU2008274334A 2007-07-06 2008-07-04 Process to compress air and its use in an air separation process and systems using said processes Expired - Fee Related AU2008274334B2 (en)

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