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
• • 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
  • F25J3/04406—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
• • 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
  • F25J3/04703—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 being arranged in more than one vessel
• • 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
  • F25J3/04721—Producing pure argon, e.g. recovered from a crude argon column
  • F25J3/04727—Producing pure argon, e.g. recovered from a crude argon column using an auxiliary pure argon column for nitrogen rejection
• • 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
  • F25J3/04872—Vertical layout of cold equipments within in the cold box, e.g. columns, heat exchangers etc.
  • F25J3/04878—Side by side arrangement of multiple vessels in a main column system, wherein the vessels are normally mounted one upon the other or forming different sections of the same 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
  • F25J2235/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams
  • F25J2235/58—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams the fluid being argon or crude argon
• • 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
  • F25J2245/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams
  • F25J2245/50—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams the recycled stream being oxygen
• • 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
• • 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
  • Y10S62/911—Portable

Definitions

• the invention relates to a low-temperature air separation plant with a plurality of modules which comprise at least one heat exchanger unit, a pressure column and a low-pressure column, and with the modules belonging to the respective modules
• argon by low-temperature rectification a fraction essentially containing oxygen, nitrogen and argon is removed from the low-pressure column of a two-column apparatus and fed to a crude argon column.
• the argon is then freed from oxygen in the crude argon column and removed as an oxygen-free product at the top of the crude argon column.
• the crude argon column is usually arranged so that its bottom is approximately at the level of the argon tap of the low pressure column.
• EP-A-0628 777 therefore proposes dividing the crude argon column into two sub-columns, the first sub-column extending from the height of the argon tap to the top of the low-pressure column and the size of the second sub-column being selected according to the process conditions.
• EP-A-0 870-524 uses this procedure and proposes one
• Low-temperature air separation plant in which the raw argon column is also divided and the columns are arranged so that the cold box surrounding the columns is filled as completely as possible.
• the object of the present invention is to develop a low-temperature air separation plant which is as simple to manufacture as possible.
• cryogenic air separation plant In the context of the present description, the components of the cryogenic air separation plant are conceptually divided into modules, accessories and the
• the modules include all components that are one of those for the
• the modules to be thermally insulated include machines such as
• Expansion machines and cryogenic pumps heat exchange devices such as Main heat exchanger, main condenser, top condensers and
• Accessories include instrumentation, fittings, measuring devices, e.g. for flow measurements and analytics, measuring lines as well as inspection facilities and similar constructive devices. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the pipes are not included in the accessories in this description, but are considered separately.
• Cold box is understood to mean a container, a casing or a casing which is suitable for holding one or more components, in particular modules, of a low-temperature air separation plant and for thermally isolating them from the environment.
• the cold box is either thermally insulated itself or can be filled with suitable thermal insulation material.
• the modules to be accommodated in cold boxes ie the modules to be thermally insulated, are divided into at least two cold boxes.
• a separate cold box can be provided for each of the two sub-columns of a divided crude argon column.
• the pressure column and low pressure column can be accommodated in a further cold box or can also be divided into two cold boxes. In this way, the cold box sizes can be reduced, which makes transportation easier.
• the modules are divided into the cold boxes in such a way that at least one cold box is kept as simple as possible. This is in the sense of
• a cold box is designed as a secondary box in which there are essentially only modules without their accessories.
• the secondary box is assigned a main box, which contains the majority of the accessories of the modules arranged in the secondary box.
• the secondary box can thus be carried out very easily and is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
• the main box is preferably designed such that it not only includes the accessories of the associated secondary box, but also contains one of the modules. Under certain circumstances, however, it is also advantageous to only accommodate the accessories of the modules of the secondary boxes in the main box.
• the invention is particularly useful in a cryogenic air separation plant which has a crude argon rectification unit which has a first and a second sub-column, a crude argon line leading from the upper region of the first sub-column to the lower region of the second sub-column, means for recycling
• the crude argon column is divided into two in such a system in order to reduce the overall height.
• the two sub-columns are housed in different cold boxes.
• the first sub-column itself has no top condenser, but is supplied with the necessary return liquid from the bottom of the second sub-column.
• the first sub-column therefore essentially only has connections for supplying and discharging liquid and gas to the low-pressure column and to the second sub-column.
• the accessories for the first sub-column such as, for example, inspection devices, measuring and analysis devices, are now preferably also not arranged in the cold box containing the first sub-column, but predominantly in the cold box for the second sub-column.
• the cold box with the first sub-column can thus be carried out very simply and represents the secondary box in the sense of the present invention.
• the second cold box contains as main box the second sub-column, the argon head capacitor and the accessories for both sub-columns.
• the crude argon rectification unit can thus be divided into two modules, neither of which exceed the permissible transport dimensions, the first module being particularly easy to prefabricate.
• a pure argon column with its accessories is also integrated in the main box with the second sub-column. It is particularly preferred that not only all accessories, but also the entire piping of the crude argon rectification unit are located in the main box.
• Raw argon rectification unit in a main box with two associated sub-boxes has proven to be cheap.
• the crude argon rectification unit is also divided into two sub-columns. Both sub-columns are preferably arranged in a secondary box.
• a first sub-box comprises the first sub-column, a second sub-box the second sub-column with the argon head capacitor.
• a main box is provided for the accessories of both sub-modules, which particularly preferably also includes the piping of the two sub-columns.
• the argon rectification unit is equipped with a pure argon column, it is favorable to arrange the pure argon column with accessories in the main box.
• the secondary box contains a maximum of 40% of the fittings, a maximum of 40% of the instrumentation, a maximum of 40% of the measuring lines and equipment and a maximum of 40% of the inspection facilities.
• the proportion of said accessories located in the secondary box is preferably at most 30%, particularly preferably at most 20%.
• the piping of the module housed in the secondary box is also very particularly preferably located in the assigned main box, with more than 60%, particularly advantageously more than 70% and very particularly more than 80% of the piping being assigned to the main box ,
• the main box and the secondary box cuboid, i.e. with a right-angled floor plan, as this makes the connections to the boxes and the ducts through the walls of the boxes easier to make.
• the shape of the main box and / or the secondary box is adapted to the shape of the modules and / or accessories to be accommodated in the box. It is therefore advantageous to surround a rectification column which is to be accommodated in a secondary box, for example the first partial column of a divided crude argon rectification unit, with a cylindrical box.
• the concept according to the invention of dividing into a main box with an associated secondary box, which has proven itself in a divided crude argon column, can of course also be transferred to the nitrogen-oxygen rectification unit. It is also advantageous to arrange the pressure column and the low pressure column in a secondary box each and to provide a main box which essentially only contains the accessories of the pressure column and low pressure column. Furthermore, an embodiment in which the low-pressure column, possibly with countercooling countercurrent, and the pressure column, preferably with the main condenser, are located in the main box are favorable.
• the variant in which the cold box of the pressure column is designed as the main box and that of the low pressure column as the secondary box also has advantages. In all of the variants mentioned, a large part of the piping is preferably arranged in the main box.
• FIG. 1 shows the process diagram of an air separation plant according to the invention
• FIGS. 2a and 2b air separation plants according to the invention, in which a divided crude argon column is accommodated in a main and a secondary box
• FIGS. 3a and 3b show an alternative division of a divided crude argon column into main and secondary boxes and the
• Figures 4 to 6 analog versions with a division of pressure and low pressure column on main and secondary boxes.
• the air separation plant shown in FIG. 1 has a double column rectifier with main condenser 1, pressure column 2 and low pressure column 3 for the production of nitrogen at the top of the low pressure column 3 and oxygen from the bottom of the low pressure column 3.
• the double column is together with the supercooling counterflow 4 and other cold components, not shown, such as e.g. cryogenic pumps, housed in several cold boxes, the arrangement of which is explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6.
• the argon rectification unit consists of two sub-columns 6, 7, which form the crude argon column, a pure argon column 8 and the corresponding top condensers 9, 10.
• the first sub-column 6 is usually through a line 17, via which a fraction containing oxygen and argon into the first sub-column 6 can be fed, connected to the low-pressure column 3.
• the return line 18 serves to return residual liquid accumulating in the sump of the first sub-column 6 to the low-pressure column 3.
• a pump 12 is provided in this return line 18 for conveying the residual liquid.
• the first sub-column 6 does not have a top capacitor.
• the return liquid for this column 6 is formed by the bottom liquid of the second partial column 7, which is pumped to the head of the partial column 6 by means of a pump 11.
• return liquid for the second part 7 of the crude argon column is produced by condensation of the top fraction in indirect heat exchange against bottom liquid from the pressure column 2. which is supplied via line 19.
• the resulting steam is returned via line 13 to the low pressure column 3.
• Excess bottom liquid is fed from the top condenser 9 via line 14 into the low-pressure column 3.
• the top condenser 10 of the pure argon column 8 is also supplied with sump liquid from the pressure column 2. Incident steam and excess liquid are also conducted into the low-pressure column 3 via the lines 15 and 16, which open into the lines 13 and 14.
• the main heat exchanger 5, the pressure column 2, the low pressure column 3 and the two sub-columns 6, 7 for crude argon rectification are each housed in their own cold box 21, 22, 23, 24, 25.
• the cold box 25 containing the second partial column 7 is designed as a main box, to which the cold box 24 containing the first partial column 6 is assigned as a secondary box.
• the main box 25 includes, in addition to the sub-column 7, the argon head capacitor 9, the pure argon column 8 and its top capacitor 10. Furthermore, more than three-quarters of the accessories of the first sub-column 6, i.e. the measuring and operating devices, the fittings and the inspection devices, as well as more than three quarters of the piping of the first sub-column, are arranged in the main box 25.
• FIG. 2 b shows an alternative embodiment in which a common cold box 26 is provided for the pressure column 2 and the low pressure column 3.
• the cold boxes 24, 25 of the two sub-columns 6 and 7 also have the main box-sub-box ratio explained with reference to FIG. 2a.
• the individual cold boxes are interconnected via junction boxes in which, for example, the connecting lines run. It is at In all the arrangements shown in the figures, it is also advantageous to place two or more cold boxes that have to be connected to one another directly next to one another, to connect them to one another and to remove the common wall of the cold boxes, so that a single cold box is created.
• the two designs according to FIGS. 3a and 3b differ from those of FIGS. 2a and 2b in that the second sub-column 7 is also located in a secondary box 27.
• the main box 28 comprises the predominant part of the accessories of the two sub-columns 6, 7, the pure argon column 8 as well as the capacitors 9, 10 and the pure argon column 8.
• the pressure column 2 and the low pressure column 3 are each housed in their own cold box 22, 23.
• Figure 3b corresponds essentially to Figure 3a, but the pressure column 2 and the low pressure column 3, analogous to the embodiment of Figure 2b, are in a common cold box 26.
• the argon rectification unit with the two sub-columns 6, 7 is divided into two sub-boxes 24, 27 for the sub-columns 6, 7 and a main box 28, which contains the corresponding accessories and the piping.
• FIGS. 4 to 6 show further embodiments of the concept according to the invention when dividing the cold boxes into main and secondary boxes.
• FIG. 4a shows a low-temperature air separation plant in which the cold box for the double column consisting of pressure column 2 and low-pressure column 3 is divided according to the invention.
• the low pressure column 3 is accommodated in a secondary box 35.
• the pressure column 2 with the main condenser and the accessories of the low pressure column 3 is located in the main box 34.
• the crude argon column is divided and, as already shown in FIG. 2, is also arranged in two cold boxes 24, 25 designed as main and secondary boxes. This version allows the individual modules to be transported with the associated cold boxes, even for large systems.
• Figure 4b shows a modification of the arrangement of Figure 4a, in which the raw argon column is divided and housed in two cold boxes 31, 32, in which the Both cold boxes 31, 32 for the first and second sub-columns 6, 7 are designed in a conventional manner, ie in which all the accessories assigned to the respective sub-column 6, 7 are also in the corresponding cold box 31, 32.
• a common cold box 33 is provided for the two sub-columns 6, 7 for the production of argon.
• the two sub-columns 6, 7 are usually arranged side by side.
• bottom liquid is pumped from the second sub-column 7 to the top of the first sub-column 6.
• FIGS. 5a to 5c Different variants of this embodiment are shown in FIGS. 5a to 5c.
• Figures 5a-5c correspond to the arrangements according to * Figures 4a to 4c, only the main box-auxiliary box-relationship is reversed between the Druckchulenbox and Niederbuchcicklalenbox.
• the main condenser can either be arranged with the low-pressure column 3 and the accessories of the pressure column 2 and those of the low-pressure column 3 in the main box 30, or preferably placed on or above the pressure column 2 and installed in the secondary box 29.
• FIGS. 6a to 6d Further advantageous variants are shown in FIGS. 6a to 6d.
• a separate main box 36 is provided for the accessories of the pressure column 2 and the low pressure column 3.
• the pressure column 2 and the low pressure column 3, on the other hand, are each housed in a secondary box 29, 35.
• the main condenser is also in the secondary box 29 with the pressure column integrated.
• the two sub-columns 6, 7 of the crude argon column are likewise connected to one another in two using the main box-secondary BPX principle according to the invention.
• FIGS. 6b and 6c show slight modifications of the arrangement according to FIG. 6a, in which the two sub-columns 6, 7 are accommodated on the one hand in two conventional cold boxes 31, 32 (FIG. 6b) which are not connected to one another according to the invention, and on the other hand in a common cold box 33 can be found (Figure 6c).
• Figure 6d an arrangement is shown in which both the pressure column 2 and the low pressure column 3 and the two sub-columns 6, 7 are accommodated in separate secondary boxes 29, 35, 24, 27 and two main boxes 36, 28 are provided which on the one hand the secondary boxes 29, 35, on the other hand the secondary boxes 24, 27 are assigned.
• a single main box is connected to the four secondary boxes 29, 35, 24, 27.
• the various figures are intended to indicate the type of cold boxes used for the various modules, i.e. clarify whether a main box, a secondary box or a conventional cold box is used. Their arrangement to one another is not necessarily correctly represented in the figures.
• the cold boxes are preferably arranged such that the cold boxes, between which many
• Pipe connections and other connecting lines run as close together as possible.
• the cold boxes are connected to each other via insulated connection boxes or by joining the affected cold boxes together and removing the partition.

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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)
• Sorption Type Refrigeration Machines (AREA)
• Air-Conditioning For Vehicles (AREA)
• Compression-Type Refrigeration Machines With Reversible Cycles (AREA)

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• 2000
  • 2000-08-18 DE DE10040391A patent/DE10040391A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-10-19 EP EP00122779A patent/EP1180655A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2001
  • 2001-08-13 AT AT01974179T patent/ATE295520T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-08-13 AU AU2001293766A patent/AU2001293766A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-08-13 DE DE50106217T patent/DE50106217D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-08-13 KR KR1020037002302A patent/KR100752818B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-08-13 EP EP01974179A patent/EP1309827B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-08-13 US US10/344,667 patent/US6948337B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2001-08-13 CN CNB018143288A patent/CN1239874C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2001-08-13 WO PCT/EP2001/009348 patent/WO2002016847A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 2001-08-13 JP JP2002521901A patent/JP2004535543A/ja active Pending
  • 2001-08-17 TW TW090120252A patent/TW500908B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation

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