EP0629829B2 - Air distillation plant - Google Patents

Air distillation plant Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0629829B2
EP0629829B2 EP94401215A EP94401215A EP0629829B2 EP 0629829 B2 EP0629829 B2 EP 0629829B2 EP 94401215 A EP94401215 A EP 94401215A EP 94401215 A EP94401215 A EP 94401215A EP 0629829 B2 EP0629829 B2 EP 0629829B2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
air
installation
column
connections
frame
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
EP94401215A
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German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0629829B1 (en
EP0629829A1 (en
Inventor
Gilles Bracque
François Dehaine
Jean-Pierre Gourbier
Daniel Gourdain
Alain Grelaud
Alain Guillard
Michel Mouliney
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.)
Air Liquide SA
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Original Assignee
Air Liquide SA
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
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Application filed by Air Liquide SA, LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude filed Critical Air Liquide SA
Publication of EP0629829A1 publication Critical patent/EP0629829A1/en
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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
    • F25J3/0489—Modularity and arrangement of parts of the air fractionation unit, in particular of the cold box, e.g. pre-fabrication, assembling and erection, dimensions, horizontal layout "plot"
    • 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
    • F25J3/04872—Vertical layout of cold equipments within in the cold box, e.g. columns, heat exchangers etc.
    • 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
    • F25J3/04945—Details of internal structure; insulation and housing of the cold box
    • 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
    • Y10S62/902—Apparatus
    • Y10S62/905—Column

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to air distillation installations.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a flexible solution which can be used for practically all air distillation installations, up to large sizes.
  • the installation shown in Figure 1 includes an air compression module or group 1, two air cleaning bottles (desiccation-decarbonation) by adsorption 2A, 2B with alternating operation, a "hot” module 3, a "cold” module 4, a double distillation column 5, and a set of straight connecting pipes 6.
  • the module 1 comprises, on a base 7, an electric motor 8 driving a main compressor 9, and the intermediate refrigerants 10 of the compressor.
  • the discharge of the latter leads to a connector 11 for output of the module 1.
  • the bottles 2A, 2B are bottles conventional adsorption, each provided with two connections, respectively 12A, 12B.
  • the module 3 comprises a parallelepipedic frame 13 in which are fixed all the "hot" elements of the installation other than the compression module and the purification bottles: the final refrigerant 14 of the compressor, connected to a connection of inlet 15 disposed opposite the connector 11, and a refrigeration unit 17 mounted in series with the coolant 14, a heater 18 for adsorbent regeneration gas, the pipe 19 for evacuating the residual gas from the column, provided with a silencer 20, and also all the control, command and instrumentation members relating to the elements 14 to 20, shown diagrammatically at 21.
  • the module 3 also has two connections 22A, 22B for each bottle 2A, 2B respectively, and connections 23 for connection with the cold module 4, three in number in this example.
  • the module 4 comprises the main heat exchange line 24, consisting of several bodies of parallelelipedic exchangers of the brazed plate type, a subcooler 25, the cold accessories of the installation such as cryogenic pumps 26 and turbines 27 , and all of the control, command and instrumentation members relating to elements 24 to 27, shown diagrammatically at 28.
  • the module 4 also includes fittings 29 for input / output of the heat exchange line, in number equal to the connections 23 and arranged opposite them, and of the connections 30 for connection to the column 5. All of the elements 24 to 30 are mounted in a parallelepiped frame 31. All of the cold parts of the cold elements ( exchangers 24 and 25, cryogenic valve bodies, pumps 26, turbines 27, etc.) are thermally insulated, for example by means of perlite.
  • modules 3 and 4 may vary in type and number.
  • these modules include all the connecting pipes from their elements to each other, with the corresponding automatic and / or remote-controlled valves.
  • Column 5 is a double column comprising a medium pressure column surmounted by a low pressure column, with a main vaporizer-condenser which brings the overhead vapor (nitrogen) of the medium pressure column into contact with heat exchange liquid.
  • low pressure column tank (oxygen) This double column, the height of which is considerably greater than that of modules 3 and 4, is vacuum-insulated by a cylindrical wall 32 from which emerge fittings 33 equal in number to the fittings 30 and arranged opposite them.
  • modules 3 and 4 of generally parallelepiped shape whose external dimensions allow road transport.
  • modules 3 and 4 are combined into a single module 103 transportable by road, this module containing all the necessary elements during operation of the installation, mounted in a parallelepipedic frame 113 equipped with all fittings 15, 22A, 22B and 30, all of the control, command and instrumentation members being assembled on one side of the module, at 121.
  • the assembly on site is then even simpler than in the case of Figure 1.
  • the or each module 3, 4 or 103 may have on one side, in its lower part, a compartment 34 very easy to access where are grouped all the control, command and control elements. instrumentation 21, 28 or 121.
  • the heat exchange line 24 can partly overhang the sub-cooler 25 and partly the compartment 34.
  • the assemblies 21 and 28 can be placed in facing compartments open towards one another, and provide between them, between the modules 3 and 4, a work station 35 having direct access to all the control, command and instrumentation organs of the installation.
  • the installation also includes the various usual equipment linked to the supply of electric current, cooling water and possibly auxiliary gas, this equipment being connected to the corresponding components of the modules described above.

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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)
  • Separation Of Gases By Adsorption (AREA)
  • Compressor (AREA)

Description

La présente invention est relative aux installations de distillation d'air.The present invention relates to air distillation installations.

La conception de ces installations est soumise à des impératifs de natures différentes, tels que la facilité de montage sur site et la commodité du transport des éléments de l'installation jusqu'au site, les choix dans ce dernier domaine étant étroitement limités par les gabarits maximaux routiers et ferroviaires.The design of these installations is subject to imperatives of different kinds, such as the ease of assembly on site and the convenience of transporting the elements of the installation to the site, the choices in this latter field being strictly limited by the templates. road and rail maximums.

Il a été proposé de pré-assembler en atelier l'ensemble de l'installation, à l'exclusion du groupe compresseur d'air et des bouteilles d'épuration d'air par adsorption. Le travail sur site est alors réduit à un minimum. Cependant, ceci n'est possible que pour les petites installations, et de plus n'est réellement économique que pour les installations comprenant une colonne de distillation de faible hauteur, telle que les installations du type HPN (High Purity Nitrogen) produisant uniquement de l'azote.It has been proposed to pre-assemble the entire installation in the workshop, excluding the air compressor group and air purification bottles by adsorption. Site work is then reduced to a minimum. However, this is only possible for small installations, and moreover is only really economical for installations comprising a low-height distillation column, such as installations of the HPN (High Purity Nitrogen) type producing only 'nitrogen.

L'invention a pour but de fournir une solution souple utilisable pour pratiquement toutes les installations de distillation d'air, jusqu'à des tailles importantes.The object of the invention is to provide a flexible solution which can be used for practically all air distillation installations, up to large sizes.

A cet effet, suivant un premier mode de réalisation, l'invention a pour objet une installation de distillation d'air comprenant :

  • (A) un groupe compresseur d'air dont le refoulement est relié à un raccord de sortie;
  • (B) deux bouteilles d'épuration d'air par adsorption présentant des raccords d'entrée/sortie;
  • (C) une première ossature dans laquelle sont montés : (a) les accessoires aval du compresseur tels qu'un ensemble de pré-refroidissement d'air; (b) les accessoires des bouteilles d'épuration, tels qu'un ensemble de vannes et un réchauffeur de gaz de régénération; et (c) les conduites de liaison des accessoires précités, avec leurs organes de sécurité et leurs vannes automatiques et/ou commandées à distance, ces conduites se terminant éventuellement par des raccords pour le raccordement à d'autres parties de l'installation, et les organes de contrôle, de commande et d'instrumentation correspondants;
  • (D) une seconde ossature dans laquelle sont montés : (d) les échangeurs de chaleur principaux et les sous-refroidisseurs; (e) l'ensemble des accessoires froids tels que les vannes cryogéniques et éventuellement les pompes cryogéniques et les turbines de détente; et (f) les conduites de liaison des éléments montés dans la seconde ossature, avec leurs organes de sécurité et leurs vannes automatiques et/ou commandées à distance, ces conduites se terminant éventuellement par des raccords pour le raccordement à d'autres parties de l'installation, et les organes de contrôle, de commande et d'instrumentation correspondants, les parties froides étant isolées thermiquement;
  • (E) une colonne de distillation d'air munie d'un certain nombre de raccords pour les arrivées et les départs de fluides; et
  • (F) des tuyaux de liaison entre les raccords associés des parties (A) à (E) de l'installation.
To this end, according to a first embodiment, the invention relates to an air distillation installation comprising:
  • (A) an air compressor group whose discharge is connected to an outlet fitting;
  • (B) two adsorption air cleaning bottles having inlet / outlet connections;
  • (C) a first frame in which are mounted: (a) the downstream accessories of the compressor such as an air pre-cooling assembly; (b) the accessories for purification bottles, such as a set of valves and a regeneration gas heater; and (c) the connecting pipes of the aforementioned accessories, with their safety members and their automatic and / or remotely controlled valves, these pipes possibly ending in fittings for connection to other parts of the installation, and the corresponding control, command and instrumentation bodies;
  • (D) a second framework in which are mounted: (d) the main heat exchangers and the sub-coolers; (e) all cold accessories such as cryogenic valves and possibly cryogenic pumps and expansion turbines; and (f) the connecting pipes of the elements mounted in the second framework, with their safety members and their automatic and / or remotely controlled valves, these pipes eventually ending in fittings for connection to other parts of the installation, and the corresponding control, command and instrumentation members, the cold parts being thermally insulated;
  • (E) an air distillation column provided with a number of connections for the inflow and outflow of fluids; and
  • (F) connecting pipes between the associated fittings of parts (A) to (E) of the installation.

De plus, on peut adopter les caractéristiques suivantes :

  • une tuyauterie de mise à l'air du gaz résiduaire de la colonne est montée dans l'une au moins des deux ossatures;
  • tous les tuyaux de liaison sont rectilignes;
  • la colonne est isolée sous vide;
  • la colonne est une double colonne de distillation d'air comprenant une colonne moyenne pression surmontée d'une colonne basse pression;
  • les bouteilles d'épuration sont montées dans l'une au moins des deux ossatures;
  • le groupe compresseur d'air est monté dans ladite première ossature.
In addition, the following characteristics can be adopted:
  • a pipe for venting the residual gas from the column is mounted in at least one of the two frameworks;
  • all connecting pipes are straight;
  • the column is vacuum-insulated;
  • the column is a double air distillation column comprising a medium pressure column surmounted by a low pressure column;
  • the purification bottles are mounted in at least one of the two frameworks;
  • the air compressor unit is mounted in said first frame.

Un exemple de réalisation de l'invention va maintenant être décrit en regard des dessins annexés, sur lesquels :

  • la Figure 1 représente schématiquement, en vue de dessus, un mode de réalisation de l'installation suivant l'invention;
  • la Figure 2 est une vue analogue d'un l'installation non conforme à l'invention; et
  • la Figure 3 représente schématiquement, en perspective, une partie d'un agencement préféré d'un module de ces installations.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
  • Figure 1 schematically shows, in top view, an embodiment of the installation according to the invention;
  • Figure 2 is a similar view of an installation not according to the invention; and
  • Figure 3 shows schematically, in perspective, part of a preferred arrangement of a module of these installations.

L'installation représentée à la Figure 1 comprend un module ou groupe de compression d'air 1, deux bouteilles d'épuration d'air (dessication-décarbonatation) par adsorption 2A, 2B à fonctionnement alterné, un module "chaud" 3, un module "froid" 4, une double colonne de distillation 5, et un ensemble de tuyaux de liaison rectilignes 6.The installation shown in Figure 1 includes an air compression module or group 1, two air cleaning bottles (desiccation-decarbonation) by adsorption 2A, 2B with alternating operation, a "hot" module 3, a "cold" module 4, a double distillation column 5, and a set of straight connecting pipes 6.

Chacun des sous-ensembles ci-dessus est représenté de façon très schématique, mais tous leurs constituants sont, en soi, classiques, et leurs liaisons ainsi que leur fonctionnement correspondent à ce que l'on rencontre habituellement dans les installations de distillation d'air à double colonne. On ne décrira donc les éléments 1 à 6 que de façon sommaire.Each of the above sub-assemblies is represented very schematically, but all their constituents are, in themselves, conventional, and their connections as well as their functioning correspond to what is usually encountered in air distillation installations. double column. Elements 1 to 6 will therefore only be described in summary.

Ainsi, le module 1 comprend, sur un socle 7, un moteur électrique 8 entraînant un compresseur principal 9, et les réfrigérants intermédiaires 10 du compresseur. Le refoulement de ce dernier aboutit à un raccord 11 de sortie du module 1.Thus, the module 1 comprises, on a base 7, an electric motor 8 driving a main compressor 9, and the intermediate refrigerants 10 of the compressor. The discharge of the latter leads to a connector 11 for output of the module 1.

Les bouteilles 2A, 2B sont des bouteilles d'adsorption classiques, munies chacune de deux raccords, respectivement 12A, 12B.The bottles 2A, 2B are bottles conventional adsorption, each provided with two connections, respectively 12A, 12B.

Le module 3 comprend une ossature parallélépipédique 13 dans laquelle sont fixés l'ensemble des éléments "chauds" de l'installation autres que le module de compression et les bouteilles d'épuration : le réfrigérant final 14 du compresseur, relié à un raccord d'entrée 15 disposé en regard du raccord 11, et un groupe frigorifique 17 monté en série avec le réfrigérant 14, un réchauffeur 18 de gaz de régénération de l'adsorbant, la conduite 19 d'évacuation du gaz résiduaire de la colonne, muni d'un silencieux 20, et également l'ensemble des organes de contrôle, de commande et d'instrumentation relatifs aux éléments 14 à 20, schématisé en 21. Le module 3 comporte encore deux raccords 22A, 22B pour chaque bouteille 2A, 2B respectivement, et des raccords 23 de liaison avec le module froid 4, au nombre de trois dans cet exemple.The module 3 comprises a parallelepipedic frame 13 in which are fixed all the "hot" elements of the installation other than the compression module and the purification bottles: the final refrigerant 14 of the compressor, connected to a connection of inlet 15 disposed opposite the connector 11, and a refrigeration unit 17 mounted in series with the coolant 14, a heater 18 for adsorbent regeneration gas, the pipe 19 for evacuating the residual gas from the column, provided with a silencer 20, and also all the control, command and instrumentation members relating to the elements 14 to 20, shown diagrammatically at 21. The module 3 also has two connections 22A, 22B for each bottle 2A, 2B respectively, and connections 23 for connection with the cold module 4, three in number in this example.

Le module 4 comprend la ligne d'échange thermique principale 24, constituée de plusieurs corps d'échangeurs parallélélipédiques du type à plaques brasées, un sous-refroidisseur 25, les accessoires froids de l'installation telle que des pompes cryogéniques 26 et des turbines 27, et l'ensemble des organes de contrôle, de commande et d'instrumentation relatifs aux éléments 24 à 27, schématisé en 28. Le module 4 comporte encore des raccords 29 d'entrée/sortie de la ligne d'échange thermique, en nombre égal aux raccords 23 et disposés en regard de ceux-ci, et des raccords 30 de liaison à la colonne 5. L'ensemble des éléments 24 à 30 sont montés dans une ossature parallélépipédique 31. L'ensemble des parties froides des éléments froids (échangeurs 24 et 25, corps de vannes cryogéniques, pompes 26, turbines 27, etc) sont isolées thermiquement, par exemple au moyen de perlite.The module 4 comprises the main heat exchange line 24, consisting of several bodies of parallelelipedic exchangers of the brazed plate type, a subcooler 25, the cold accessories of the installation such as cryogenic pumps 26 and turbines 27 , and all of the control, command and instrumentation members relating to elements 24 to 27, shown diagrammatically at 28. The module 4 also includes fittings 29 for input / output of the heat exchange line, in number equal to the connections 23 and arranged opposite them, and of the connections 30 for connection to the column 5. All of the elements 24 to 30 are mounted in a parallelepiped frame 31. All of the cold parts of the cold elements ( exchangers 24 and 25, cryogenic valve bodies, pumps 26, turbines 27, etc.) are thermally insulated, for example by means of perlite.

On comprendra que, suivant, l'installation considérée, les éléments des modules 3 et 4 peuvent varier en type et en nombre. De plus, ces modules comportent toutes les conduites de liaison de leurs éléments les uns aux autres, avec les vannes automatiques et/ou commandées à distance correspondantes.It will be understood that, depending on the installation considered, the elements of modules 3 and 4 may vary in type and number. In addition, these modules include all the connecting pipes from their elements to each other, with the corresponding automatic and / or remote-controlled valves.

La colonne 5 est une double colonne comprenant une colonne moyenne pression surmontée d'une colonne basse pression, avec un vaporiseur-condenseur principal qui met en relation d'échange thermique la vapeur de tête (azote) de la colonne moyenne pression et le liquide de cuve (oxygène) de la colonne basse pression. Cette double colonne, dont la hauteur est considérablement supérieure à celle des modules 3 et 4, est isolée sous vide par une paroi cylindrique 32 d'où émergent des raccords 33 en nombre égal aux raccords 30 et disposés en regard de ceux-ci.Column 5 is a double column comprising a medium pressure column surmounted by a low pressure column, with a main vaporizer-condenser which brings the overhead vapor (nitrogen) of the medium pressure column into contact with heat exchange liquid. low pressure column tank (oxygen). This double column, the height of which is considerably greater than that of modules 3 and 4, is vacuum-insulated by a cylindrical wall 32 from which emerge fittings 33 equal in number to the fittings 30 and arranged opposite them.

La Demanderesse a constaté que même pour des installations de taille importante, par exemple produisant plusieurs centaines de tonnes par jour d'oxygène, même du type à vaporisation d'oxygène liquide sous pression, il est possible de réaliser de la manière décrite plus haut des modules 3 et 4 de forme générale parallélépipédique dont les dimensions extérieures permettent le transport routier.The Applicant has found that even for large installations, for example producing several hundred tonnes per day of oxygen, even of the type with vaporization of liquid oxygen under pressure, it is possible to carry out in the manner described above. modules 3 and 4 of generally parallelepiped shape whose external dimensions allow road transport.

Ainsi, sur le site, il suffit de positionner les sous-ensembles 1, 2A, 2B, 3, 4 et 5, puis de relier les raccords correspondants par les tuyaux droits 6.Thus, on the site, it suffices to position the sub-assemblies 1, 2A, 2B, 3, 4 and 5, then to connect the corresponding fittings by the straight pipes 6.

Pour les installations de taille relativement modérée ou petite, et/ou de conception simplifiée, on peut même, comme représenté sur la Figure 2, réunir les modules 3 et 4 en un module unique 103 transportable par route, ce module contenant tous les éléments nécessaires au fonctionnement de l'installation, montés dans une ossature parallélépipédique 113 équipée de tous les raccords 15, 22A, 22B et 30, l'ensemble des organes de contrôle, de commande et d'instrumentation étant rassemblés d'un côté du module, en 121. L'assemblage sur site est alors encore plus simple que dans le cas de la Figure 1.For installations of relatively moderate or small size, and / or of simplified design, it is even possible, as shown in Figure 2, to combine modules 3 and 4 into a single module 103 transportable by road, this module containing all the necessary elements during operation of the installation, mounted in a parallelepipedic frame 113 equipped with all fittings 15, 22A, 22B and 30, all of the control, command and instrumentation members being assembled on one side of the module, at 121. The assembly on site is then even simpler than in the case of Figure 1.

Comme représenté sur la Figure 3, le ou chaque module 3, 4 ou 103 peut comporter sur une face, dans sa partie inférieure, un compartiment 34 très facile d'accès où sont regroupés l'ensemble des organes de contrôle, de commande et d'instrumentation 21, 28 ou 121. En particulier, dans le module froid 4 ou dans le module unique 103, représentés sur la Figure 3, la ligne d'échange thermique 24 peut surplomber pour partie le sous-refroidisseur 25 et pour partie le compartiment 34.As shown in Figure 3, the or each module 3, 4 or 103 may have on one side, in its lower part, a compartment 34 very easy to access where are grouped all the control, command and control elements. instrumentation 21, 28 or 121. In particular, in the cold module 4 or in the single module 103, represented in FIG. 3, the heat exchange line 24 can partly overhang the sub-cooler 25 and partly the compartment 34.

De plus, dans l'installation de la Figure 1, on peut disposer les ensembles 21 et 28 dans des compartiments en vis-à-vis ouverts l'un vers l'autre, et prévoir entre eux, entre les modules 3 et 4, un poste de travail 35 ayant un accès direct à tous les organes de contrôle, de commande et d'instrumentation de l'installation.In addition, in the installation of FIG. 1, the assemblies 21 and 28 can be placed in facing compartments open towards one another, and provide between them, between the modules 3 and 4, a work station 35 having direct access to all the control, command and instrumentation organs of the installation.

Bien entendu, l'installation comporte en outre les divers équipements habituels liés à l'alimentation en courant électrique, en eau de refroidissement et éventuellement en gaz auxiliaires, ces équipements étant reliés aux composants correspondants des modules décrits ci-dessus.Of course, the installation also includes the various usual equipment linked to the supply of electric current, cooling water and possibly auxiliary gas, this equipment being connected to the corresponding components of the modules described above.

Par ailleurs, notamment dans le cas d'installations de petite taille, on peut envisager de monter les bouteilles d'épuration 2A, 2B dans l'ossature unique ou dans l'une au moins des deux ossatures, et/ou le groupe de compression 1 dans l'ossature unique ou dans l'ossature "chaude".Furthermore, in particular in the case of small installations, it is possible to envisage mounting the purification bottles 2A, 2B in the single framework or in at least one of the two frameworks, and / or the compression group. 1 in the single framework or in the "hot" framework.

Claims (6)

  1. Air distillation installation, comprising
    - (A) an air compressor unit (1) the output of which is connected to an outlet connection (11);
    - (B) two bottles (2A, 2B) for purifying air by adsorption having inlet/outlet connections (12A, 12B);
    - (C) a first frame (13) in which are mounted: (a) the accessories downstream of the compressor such as an air-precooling assembly (14, 17); (b) the purifying bottle accessories, such as an assembly of valves and a regeneration gas pre-heater (18); and (c) the connecting pipes for the above-mentioned accessories, with their safety devices and their automatic and/or remote-controlled valves, these pipes optionally terminating in connections (15, 22A, 22B, 23) for connection to other sections (1, 2A, 2B, 4) of the installation, and the corresponding control, operating and instrumentation devices (21);
    - (D) a second frame (31) in which are mounted; (d) the principal heat exchangers (24) and the sub-coolers (25); (e) the set of cold accessories such as the cryogenic valves and optionally the cryogenic pumps (26) and the expansion turbines (27); and (f) the connecting pipes for the elements mounted in the second frame, with their safety devices and their automatic and/or remote-controlled valves, these pipes optionally terminating in connections (29, 30) for connection to other sections (3, 5) of the installation, and the corresponding operating, control and instrumentation devices (28), the cold sections being thermally insulated;
    - (E) an air distillation column (5) equipped with a specific number of connections (33) for the fluid inlets and outlets; and
    - (F) connecting pipes (6) between the associated connections (11-15, 12A-22A, 12B-22B, 23-29, 30-33) of the sections (A) to (E) of the installation, it being possible for the air compressor unit to be mounted in the first frame, and for the purification bottles to be mounted in at least one of the frames, the air distillation column being situated outside the frames.
  2. Installation according to claim 1, characterised in that each frame (13, 31) groups together all the operating, control and instrumentation devices (21, 28) in one lateral housing located at its lower section, the two housings facing one another and including a workstation (35) for one operator.
  3. Installation according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the pipework (19) for discharging the residual gas from the column (5) to the air is mounted (31) in at least one (13) of the two frames (13, 31).
  4. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that all the connecting pipes (6) are rectilinear.
  5. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the column (5) is insulated under vacuum.
  6. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the column (5) is a double air distillation column comprising a medium pressure column on top of which is a low-pressure column.
EP94401215A 1993-06-03 1994-06-02 Air distillation plant Expired - Lifetime EP0629829B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR9306645 1993-06-03
FR9306645A FR2706025B1 (en) 1993-06-03 1993-06-03 Air distillation installation.

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0629829A1 EP0629829A1 (en) 1994-12-21
EP0629829B1 EP0629829B1 (en) 1997-05-02
EP0629829B2 true EP0629829B2 (en) 2000-04-05

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94401215A Expired - Lifetime EP0629829B2 (en) 1993-06-03 1994-06-02 Air distillation plant

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US (1) US5461871A (en)
EP (1) EP0629829B2 (en)
JP (1) JPH06347164A (en)
CN (2) CN1049842C (en)
CA (1) CA2124898A1 (en)
DE (1) DE69402914T3 (en)
ES (1) ES2104301T5 (en)
FR (1) FR2706025B1 (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1049842C (en) 2000-03-01
EP0629829B1 (en) 1997-05-02
JPH06347164A (en) 1994-12-20
US5461871A (en) 1995-10-31
ES2104301T5 (en) 2000-07-01
EP0629829A1 (en) 1994-12-21
FR2706025B1 (en) 1995-07-28
DE69402914D1 (en) 1997-06-05
CA2124898A1 (en) 1994-12-04
DE69402914T3 (en) 2000-11-09
CN1118277A (en) 1996-03-13
CN1261653A (en) 2000-08-02
DE69402914T2 (en) 1997-12-18
ES2104301T3 (en) 1997-10-01
FR2706025A1 (en) 1994-12-09

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