EP0410831B1 - Installation de distillation d'air produisant de l'argon - Google Patents

Installation de distillation d'air produisant de l'argon Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0410831B1
EP0410831B1 EP90401933A EP90401933A EP0410831B1 EP 0410831 B1 EP0410831 B1 EP 0410831B1 EP 90401933 A EP90401933 A EP 90401933A EP 90401933 A EP90401933 A EP 90401933A EP 0410831 B1 EP0410831 B1 EP 0410831B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
column
liquid
condenser
argon
auxiliary
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP90401933A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0410831A1 (fr
Inventor
Odile Guilleminot
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Original Assignee
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude filed Critical LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Publication of EP0410831A1 publication Critical patent/EP0410831A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0410831B1 publication Critical patent/EP0410831B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • F25J3/04406—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
    • 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
    • F25J3/0469—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 and an intermediate re-boiler/condenser
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S62/00—Refrigeration
    • Y10S62/923—Inert gas
    • Y10S62/924—Argon

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an air distillation installation, of the type comprising a double air distillation column itself comprising a medium pressure column and a low pressure column, and an impure argon production column connected to the low pressure column and comprising a main overhead condenser cooled by vaporization of a rich expanded liquid withdrawn from the bottom of the medium pressure column.
  • the conventional solution for obtaining argon consists in withdrawing, by a so-called argon tapping pipe situated at an intermediate level of the low pressure column, a vapor with an argon concentration close to 10% and having a low nitrogen concentration ( ⁇ 0.1%).
  • This vapor is sent to the tank of an impure argon production column, called “mixing column”, and is concentrated in its lightest constituents (N2 + Ar) by contact through the trays with a liquid which s enriches with oxygen.
  • This liquid is obtained by liquefying part of the column head vapor in a condenser, the frigories of which are provided by the low-pressure vaporization of the rich liquid drawn off in the medium-pressure column tank, after sub-cooling to -185 °. C approx.
  • the liquid from the mixing column tank is returned to the low pressure column.
  • the mixture which contains only nitrogen, argon and traces of hydrogen, is cooled and sent to a distillation column where the argon is found in liquid form in tanks and light gases in mind.
  • the molar concentration of oxygen in the mixture does not exceed 2 to 3 percent.
  • a certain temperature difference is required at the condenser between the rich liquid which vaporizes and the vapor at the head of the column. It is therefore necessary that this overhead vapor is not too rich in nitrogen, and therefore that the nitrogen content of the tapping, about 30 times lower due to the very high reflux rate, is very small.
  • We can accept a nitrogen content of the order of 0.1% with argon tapping, which gives 0.1% ⁇ 30 3% in the argon mixture.
  • the object of the invention is to allow, in all cases, to produce argon in a double column installation, at the cost of a disturbance. minimum operation of the double column.
  • the subject of the invention is an air distillation installation of the aforementioned type, characterized in that it comprises an auxiliary column section supplied based on the top steam of the column for producing impure argon and equipped with an auxiliary head condenser, means for supplying this auxiliary condenser with a second liquid which is poorer in oxygen than the rich liquid, taken from the medium pressure column and expanded, and means for returning to reflux in the production column impure argon the tank liquid of said auxiliary section.
  • FIG. single diagrammatically represents an installation according to the invention.
  • the installation shown in the drawing essentially comprises a double column 1 for air distillation associated with a column of mixture 2.
  • the double column comprises a medium pressure column 3, operating at around 6 bar absolute, surmounted by a low pressure column 4, operating slightly above atmospheric pressure.
  • the overhead vapor (nitrogen) of column 3 is brought into indirect heat exchange relationship with the tank liquid (oxygen) of column 4 by means of a vaporizer-condenser 5.
  • the mixing column 2 is contained in a ferrule 6 and has a main overhead condenser 7.
  • the ferrule 6 extends upwards above the condenser 7 into an auxiliary ferrule 8 of reduced diameter which defines an auxiliary distillation section 9 to some theoretical platforms, materialized by distillation trays or by a packing, and equipped with an auxiliary head condenser 10.
  • Rich liquid consisting of oxygen-enriched air
  • Rich liquid is drawn off in the tank of column 3 by a line 18 and expanded in an expansion valve 19.
  • a part of the expanded liquid is sent to reflux in column 4 via a line 20 , and the rest is sent to the condenser 7 to be vaporized there, then to the column 4, via a line 21.
  • Column 2 is supplied at its base by a vapor taken off at an intermediate level of column 4 by means of an argon tapping pipe 22.
  • the tank liquid returns to column 4, at about the same level, via a driving 23.
  • the rich liquid and the lean liquid can be sub-cooled, as is conventional in the art, before being expanded.
  • the calculation can show that it suffices to relax the lean liquid to an intermediate pressure between those of columns 3 and 4 to produce the reflux of the section 9.
  • the condenser 10 is then supplied by means of a pipe distinct from the line 12, with its own valve expansion valve, and the line 17 is fitted with an additional expansion valve.
  • auxiliary section 9 can be arranged in a shell separate from the shell 6.
  • argon production means modifies the operating parameters of the latter in ways that are sometimes difficult to predict. There are thus borderline cases where one is not sure of the actual nitrogen content that will be obtained by argon tapping. In such cases, it is advantageous to provide the auxiliary section 9, starting from the unfavorable assumption where this nitrogen content is too high. If, in operation, this content proves to be sufficiently low, at least for certain steps of the installation, it is sufficient to close the valve 16. The installation then produces the suitable argon mixture in a conventional manner, by means of the single column 2.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
EP90401933A 1989-07-28 1990-07-04 Installation de distillation d'air produisant de l'argon Expired - Lifetime EP0410831B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8910221A FR2650378A1 (fr) 1989-07-28 1989-07-28 Installation de distillation d'air produisant de l'argon
FR8910221 1989-07-28

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0410831A1 EP0410831A1 (fr) 1991-01-30
EP0410831B1 true EP0410831B1 (fr) 1992-08-26

Family

ID=9384262

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP90401933A Expired - Lifetime EP0410831B1 (fr) 1989-07-28 1990-07-04 Installation de distillation d'air produisant de l'argon

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US5078766A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
EP (1) EP0410831B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPH0367984A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA2021730A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE69000274D1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2650378A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Families Citing this family (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0665042A2 (fr) * 1990-12-17 1995-08-02 L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude Colonne de distillation d'air à garnissage ondulé-croisé
US5133790A (en) * 1991-06-24 1992-07-28 Union Carbide Industrial Gases Technology Corporation Cryogenic rectification method for producing refined argon
US5228296A (en) * 1992-02-27 1993-07-20 Praxair Technology, Inc. Cryogenic rectification system with argon heat pump
FR2690711B1 (fr) * 1992-04-29 1995-08-04 Lair Liquide Procede de mise en óoeuvre d'un groupe turbine a gaz et ensemble combine de production d'energie et d'au moins un gaz de l'air.
US5311744A (en) * 1992-12-16 1994-05-17 The Boc Group, Inc. Cryogenic air separation process and apparatus
US5386691A (en) * 1994-01-12 1995-02-07 Praxair Technology, Inc. Cryogenic air separation system with kettle vapor bypass
GB9505645D0 (en) * 1995-03-21 1995-05-10 Boc Group Plc Air separation
US5956973A (en) * 1997-02-11 1999-09-28 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Air separation with intermediate pressure vaporization and expansion
FR2807150B1 (fr) * 2000-04-04 2002-10-18 Air Liquide Procede et appareil de production d'un fluide enrichi en oxygene par distillation cryogenique
US6397632B1 (en) 2001-07-11 2002-06-04 Praxair Technology, Inc. Gryogenic rectification method for increased argon production
CN112066644A (zh) * 2020-09-18 2020-12-11 乔治洛德方法研究和开发液化空气有限公司 一种生产高纯氮和低纯氧的方法和装置

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3127260A (en) * 1964-03-31 Separation of air into nitrogen
FR2041701B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1969-05-05 1974-02-01 Air Liquide
DE2135235A1 (de) * 1971-07-14 1973-08-16 Balabaew Verfahren zur luftzerlegung unter gewinnung von sauerstoff und argon
JPS59150286A (ja) * 1983-02-15 1984-08-28 日本酸素株式会社 アルゴンの製造方法
FR2550325A1 (fr) * 1983-08-05 1985-02-08 Air Liquide Procede et installation de distillation d'air au moyen d'une double colonne
US4781739A (en) * 1984-08-20 1988-11-01 Erickson Donald C Low energy high purity oxygen increased delivery pressure
US4756731A (en) * 1986-02-20 1988-07-12 Erickson Donald C Oxygen and argon by back-pressured distillation
GB8622055D0 (en) * 1986-09-12 1986-10-22 Boc Group Plc Air separation
DE3722746A1 (de) * 1987-07-09 1989-01-19 Linde Ag Verfahren und vorrichtung zur luftzerlegung durch rektifikation

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH0367984A (ja) 1991-03-22
FR2650378B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1994-12-23
FR2650378A1 (fr) 1991-02-01
US5078766A (en) 1992-01-07
EP0410831A1 (fr) 1991-01-30
DE69000274D1 (de) 1992-10-01
CA2021730A1 (fr) 1991-01-29

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