FR2497119A1 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING A GAS MIXTURE BY ADSORPTION - Google Patents

Abstract

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING A GAS MIXTURE BY ADSORPTION. A THERMAL EXCHANGE IS CARRIED OUT IN AN EXCHANGER 61 BETWEEN THE NON-ADSORBED CONSTITUENT GAS EXTRACTED FROM THE ADSORPTION TOWER AND THE RAW GAS MIXTURE FROM THE ARRIVAL OF DUCT 22, THERE IS NON-ADSORBED CONSTITUENT GAS EXTRACTED FROM THE ADSORPTION TOWER AND THE INLET CRUDE GAS MIXTURE OF DUCT 22, THERE IS NON-ADSORBING CONSTITUENT GAS THEREFORE HAS BEEN HEATERED GAS MIXED GAS IS COOLED; THIS NON-ADSORBED CONSTITUENT IS TAKEN TO UNDERGO ADIABATIC RELAXATION IN 67 IN ORDER TO ENSURE RECOVERY OF WORK ON IT. THE PROCESS THEREFORE MAKES AN EFFICIENT RECOVERY OF ENERGY FROM THE UNADSORBED CONSTITUENT GAS AND ENSURES A REDUCTION IN THE SIZE OF COOLING TO BE SUBJECTED TO THE CRUDE GAS MIXTURE TO BRING IT TO ADSORPTION TEMPERATURE. APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PROCESS.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for

  separation of a gaseous mixture in

  which, in particular, gases of the gaseous mixture,

  staged, for example, by air formed of oxygen and azo

  te, or by a mixture of air and moisture, is separated into

  causing adsorption thereof by an adsorbing agent

  bant. As represented in FIG. 1 of the attached drawings,

  in one of the conventional adsorp-

  to separate oxygen from nitrogen,

  natural mordenite or zeolite 5A synthetic

  only as an adsorbent and is adsorbed

  preferentially a gaseous component formed by a-

  zote. In this conventional method, collector pipes

  these 3, 4, 5 and 6 are mounted on both sides of two adsorption towers 1 and 2. The collecting pipe 3 is connected to an air supply pipe 8 provided with a valve 7, to an exhaust duct 10 provided with a valve 9, and a nitrogen gas outlet duct 12 provided with

  11. In a similar way, the collec-

  5 is connected to an air supply line 14 provided with a valve 13, to an air discharge line 16 provided with a valve 15 and to a nitrogen gas outlet line

  18 provided with a valve 17. The collecting pipe 4 is

  linked to a gaseous oxygen outlet pipe 20 provided with a valve 19 and a gaseous oxygen supply line 22 provided with a valve 210. Similarly, the collecting pipe 6 is connected to an outlet pipe of gaseous oxygen 24 provided with a valve 23 and with a gaseous oxygen supply line 26 provided with a valve 25. The supply lines

  8 and 14 are connected to a main pipe of

  air duct 29 which is in communication with a compressor

  driven by a motor 27. The evacuation

  10 and 16 are connected to a main air outlet pipe 30, and the nitrogen gas outlet pipes 12 and 18 are connected to a main gas outlet pipe 33 which is in communication with a

  motor driven suction pump 32.

  The oxygen output lines 20 and 24 are connected to a main oxygen gas outlet pipe 35 provided with a pressure reducing valve 34, while the oxygen supply lines 22 and 26 are connected to a main pipe.

  supply of gaseous oxygen 37 which starts from the main pipe

  the oxygen outlet 35 from the upstream side of the flap valve

  tensioner 34 and comprises a valve 36 itself.

  The adsorption towers 1 and 2 are respectively filled with an adsorption agent suitable for adsorbing nitrogen.

  gaseous. Air is compressed by the compressor 28 entrapment

  engine 27, and it flows from this nilt in the con-

  the main supply of air. 29. We will assume that

  That a desensitization operation is carried out in the adsorption tower 1 and that a desorption operation is carried out in the adsorption tower 2r. The valves 7 and 19 located on each side of the adsorption tower 1 are open, while the valves 9, 11 and 21 are closed. The compressed air that is admitted through the main air supply pipe 29 passes through the air supply pipe 8, enters the collecting pipe 3 through the valve 1, and then into the adsorption tower 1. compressed air enters the adsorption tower 1 and the

  through, the nitrogen gas contained in the air is

  sorbed preferentially by the adsorbent agent, and

  residual gaseous xygen is co-nitrated and extracted by

  4. By the valve 19, the orrgene

  Zeux arrived in the conduct of the second exit of oxygen.

  35 through the oxygen outlet line 20, and passes through the expansion valve 34 to be delivered to other process equipment, while maintaining the

  adsorption tower I at a predetermined adsorption pressure

  undermined. Meanwhile, a desorption operation is

  performed in the other round of delay 2. Thus, initiating

  lanment 15 is open and the other valves 13, 17, 23, 95 and 36 are closed. Thanks to the opening of

  valve 15, there is extraction of the air containing in

  the oxygen content of the adsorption tower 2, which passes through the valve 15, the exhaust air duct 16 and the main air discharge pipe 30 and is then discharged. When the pressure prevailing in

  adsorption tower 2 has been reduced to a predetermined value

  completed by the air exhaust, there is closure of the

  valve 15, then opening of the valve 17 and putting into operation

  motor 31 to extract the air contained in the adsorption tower 2 through the main nitrogen outlet pipe 55, the nitrogen outlet line 18 and the valve 17 in order to further reduce the pressure in the adsorption tower 2; as a result, the nitrogen adsorbed by the adsorbent is desorbed. After the nitrogen

  was desorbed and delivered by the adsorption tower

  2, there is closure of the valve 17, with opening of the valves 36 and 25; therefore, a part of the compressed oxygen flowing through the main outlet pipe

  of oxygen 35 passes through the main water pipe

  of oxygen 57, the oxygen supply line 26 and the

  collector pipe 6 to be sent to the tower of

  sorption 2 and increase the pressure in the latter

  re. In conventional processes such as the one just described, energy is required to compress the air and to cool the air when compressed, and no provision is made for usefully recovering such air. energy.

  One of the aims of the present invention is to

  a process and an apparatus for separating a gaseous mixture by adsorption by means of which can be carried out

  efficient energy recovery.

  For this purpose, the present invention provides a process for the separation of a crude gas mixture, of the kind in which the raw gas mixture is compressed and then cooled and then sent to an adsorption tower filled with an adsorbent at the same time. effect of adsorbing a constituent gas

  adsorption present in said gaseous mixture, allowing

  thus to one or to the non-adsorbed constituent gases

  to be extracted from said adsorption tower, which process is characterized in that a heat exchange is

  between the non-adsorbed constituent gas extracted from

  said adsorption tower and the incoming raw gas mixture, said non-adsorbed constituent gas thus being heated while said raw gas mixture is cooled, and in that said non-adsorbed constituent gas is subjected to adiabatic expansion so as to to provide a work recovery thereon, said method thus making it possible to efficiently recover energy from the unadsorbed constituent gas and to ensure a reduction

  the importance of cooling to the melange

  gas to bring it to the adsorption temperature

tion.

  The invention also proposes an apparatus for separating

  paration of a crude gas mixture of the kind comprising at least one adsorption tower, a raw gas mixture supply line on which is inserted a compressor, the winch fittings provided at each end of said tower to the effect of order admission and passage of the said

  gas mixture in said tower so as to allow

  a gas constituting adsorption, and an outlet pipe for extracting and discharging the gas

  non-adsorbed component of the tower, which appears to be

  it is characterized in that said channel of

  tie is mounted to pass through one of the heat exchanger circuits, the other circuit of which is connected to the raw gas mixture supply line, and that an adiabatic expansion device is inserted on

said outlet pipe.

  The characteristics and advantages of the present

  will appear in more detail in the description below.

  after several forms of its implementation, which is

  given in a non-limiting manner with reference to the drawings

nexes, on which:

  Fig.1 is a block diagram showing a-

  embodiment of a conventional apparatus for carrying out an adsorption air separation process; and Fig.2 to 9 are functional diagrams of eight

  forms of implementation of the method and apparatus

  corresponding for adsorption air separation according to the invention. The provisions of fig.u represent a

  first embodiment of the invention, including the

  base cement is very similar to that implemented in the conventional method described above, and whose homologous constituent elements are designated by the same numerical references. Thus, the process uses adsorption towers 1 and 2 and manifolds 3 to 6 as described above. Also as described above, the collector 3 is connected to lines 8 and 10 provided with respective valves 7 and 9. On the other hand, in this form

  embodiment, the exit duct of gaseous oxygen

  11 of the valve 11 has the numeral 51. In a

  Similarly, the manifold 5 is connected to lines 14 and 16 provided with respective valves 13 and 15, but the gaseous oxygen outlet line provided with the valve 17 carries the reference numeral 52 and opens into a main line. oxygen outlet 57, which is connected to the suction pump 32. The collecting pipe 4 is connected to a nitrogen gas outlet pipe 53 provided with a valve 19 and to a nitrogen gas supply line

  54 with a varme 21. In a similar way, the driving

  the collector 6 is connected to an outlet pipe of

  zote gaseous 55 provided with a valve 23 and with a pipe of

  conducted nitrogen gas 56 provided with a valve 25. The conductors

  Nitrogen output tubes 53 and 55 are connected to a nitrogen gas main outlet pipe 58, while the nitrogen supply lines 54 and 56 are connected to a

  main line for supplying nitrogen gas 59 which is

  a valve 36 connected to the nitrogen outflow main line 58. On the main supply line

  29 between the compressor 28 and the air ducts

  8 and 10 are inserted in succession in the direction of flow a heat exchanger 61, a cooler

  secondary water circulation system 60, a water separator

  ge 63, a desiccator 6 * and a refrigerating unit 42.

  The downstream end of the main outlet pipe of

  zote 58 is connected to a cooling agent inlet

  heat exchanger 61. The cooling agent outlet

  heat exchanger 61 is brought into contact with

  connection via a connecting line 68 with the admission of an expansion turbine 67 coupled to the motor 27, and a nitrogen gas outlet line 68 is connected to the

  outlet of the expansion turbine 67.

  Adsorption towers 1 and 2 are filled with a

  adsorption agent for the adsorption of O 2 such that, for example, a zeolite in the range of iron with a valence of two or more is separated from pure zeolite zaolite (zeolite, hereinafter referred to as zeolite, type 1e-raA). in which iron of a valence of two or more is spiked with pure tpe ia-A zeolite and part of. sE: Ad is replaced by potassium fzeolite called.pr t 7pe -)

  r funct> ioxe: ent, air is created by the

  presser-- 28, and it does not lift the coidut3e deaeenSe die 29. The air comprie, which is at = éère raised raised, traverses abs = d of 1cger e heat 6I5 of l-equol he

  is cooled, and is then re-submitted

  drainage by the secondary cooler. water circulation 60. It is exhausted sent to the drain separator 63, condensed water cooled and is removed, then sent to the desiccator 613 where it is cleared of moisture that is ssable to contain 3air who

  fate of f1 ...... cateu 6 and esie raoy to goue fri, -

  1, O - i 2 is comparable to the temperature

erature of aaswtzur.

  It is possible that the adsorption

  is carried out in the adsorption tower and that an opera-

  de-absorption is effected in the adsorption tower

  2- Leas van 7 and 19 of the adsorption stage I are opened.

  and the valves 9, Il at 21 are closed Q Laf_: acr cmpr

  and subsequently cooled that comes from the coduite -

  main d:, air d'air 29 -traverse the cond-ite daenoée

  of air 8 and the collecting pipe 3 via the

  No. 7, and it enters the adsorption tower 1 Oxygen

  in the air is absorbed by the adsorbent

  naked in tower 1, and the residual gaseous nitrogen is concentrated

  and is extracted by the collector pipe 4, lazote pas-

  21 by venne to take the exit line

  nitrogen 53 and arrive in the main

  Nitrogen 58. He is then sent as

  cooling to the heat exchanger 61. In the sample

  heat exchanger 61 is carried out a heat exchange with the air, so that the nitrogen undergoes a warm-up before

  to be sent by the connecting line 66 to the turbo

  The expansion vessel 67, in which the nitrogen undergoes an adiabatic hold and operates the expansion turbine 67. After having undergone a pressure reduction under the effect of the adiabatic expansion performed in the expansion turbine 67, the nitrogen is delivered to other equipment by driving

  68. In the meantime, the other round of ad-

  Sorption 2 performs a desorption operation and the vanishing

  first 15 is opened while the other valves 13, 17, 23, 25 and 36 are closed. The opening of the valve gives rise to the extraction, by the collecting pipe

  5, air containing predominantly nitrogen that con-

  holds the tower 2, and this air is admitted by the valve 15 through the air discharge lines 16 and 30, and is then discharged. When the pressure prevailing in the tower 2 has been reduced to a predetermined value, for example near the atmospheric pressure, by the evacuation of the air, there is closure of the valve 15, then opening

  17. At the same time, the motor 31 is started up

  in order to extract the air contained in the tower 2 by the main oxygen outlet pipe 57, the oxygen outlet pipe 52 and the valve 17 by means of the suction pump 32; thus, the pressure prevailing in the tower

  adsorption 2 undergoes a further reduction, which

  the desorption of oxygen adsorbed by the adsorbent agent does not take place. After the oxygen has been desorbed and it has

  delivered by the tower 2, the valve 17 is closed, but

  as valves 36 and 25 are opened, so that a portion of the compressed nitrogen gas which flows through the main nitrogen outlet pipe 58 is fed into tower 2 through the main supply line of nitrogen

  59, the nitrogen supply pipe 56 and the collector pipe

  trice 6, resulting in a rise in pressure

  prevailing in the adsorption tower 2.

  In this embodiment of the invention, the amount of oxygen adsorbed by the adsorbent is about 1/5 of the total air. As a result, N 2 and O 2 can be separated from each other by adsorbing only a small amount of gas. In addition, as the proportion of nitrogen that is not adsorbed by the adsorbent is about 4/5 of the total air and nitrogen, which accounts for most of the air, is delivered by the adsorption tower to the heat exchanger 61 in which an exchange is effected

  thezuic between nitrogen and air to warm up the azo

  To simultaneously cool the air, the cold carried by the nitrogen can be put to effective use and the rate of cold recovery applied is also high. In addition, since the heated nitrogen is sent to the expansion turbine 67 to drive the latter undergoing adiabatic expansion, and the power provided by the expansion turbine 67 drives the motor 27, the energy of

  Nitrogen compression can be recovered efficiently.

  and the recovery efficiency of the energy expended

  for compression.is also high. in addition,

  of the heating to which the nitrogen is subjected, it is possible to obtain an increase in the power supplied by the

expansion turbine 67.

  Practical experience of air separation into nitrogen

  and oxygen by adsorption by the implementation of the

  The arrangement described above has provided the following results: In all the data and quantitative results which will follow, the volumes appearing in the expression of the gas flow rates are related to the normal conditions of temperature and pressure, and the pressures indicated are

absolute pressures.

  An air separation test was conducted using an apparatus in which a control valve of

  pressure was placed in place of the turbine

  67 of the apparatus described above.

  Adsorption towers 1 and 2 were filled with

  500 kg of Fe-K-Na-A type zeolite with grain diameters

  about 1 mm. Air with a relative humidity of ", the temperature of 50% C and the pressure of 105pa was

  Compressed by the compressor 28 Up to 6.5 x 105 Pa.

  The temperature immediately after compression was about 240 ° C. The heated air at about 24 ° C. was subjected to pre-treatments such as cooling, drying, etc., and the compressed air cooled to 25 ° C. was sent to the tower. Adaorption 1 at a flow rate of 100 mb / h to give an O 2 fixation by Ye-K-Na-A type zeolite. The pressure prevailing at this time in the adsorption tower 1 * was about 6.105 Pa. The adsorption tower I provided an outlet flow of 57 m3 / h of nitrogen whose concentration

ean 02 was 11 at most.

  The adsorption tower 2, in which a desorption operation was carried out, provided a flow rate of 21m / h.

  oxegin concentration in (02 of 79, and the final pro-

  in adsorption tower 2 was reduced to 0.2 × 10 5 Pa.

  In this experiment, adsorption air separation was investigated in a small scale apparatus in which compressed air was delivered at a flow rate of 100 m / hr and, because of the weakness of gas flow delivered, it was not possible in this case

  to operate the expansion turbine 67. However, even when

  that the dimensioning of the apparatus is increased to one

  such as the delivery rate of the compressed air

  1 to the adsorption tower 1 draws up to 10,000 m / h to make it possible to operate the expansion turbine 67, an exploitation of the apparatus in the same mode as in the experiment described above This leads to the following conditions for obtaining N.sub.2 and O.sub.2: The gas delivered during the adsorption operation and the nitrogen gas at 0 concentration, of at most 1%,

  the flow rate is 5700 mS / h, and the gas delivered during the operation

  The desorption ration is oxygen at a concentration of

  02 of 79% with a flow rate of 2100 m3 / h.

  We will now calculate the amount of heat applied in the various devices of the device when it deals with compressed air admitted under a system.

  flow rate of 10,000 mS / h. In this example, although

  thalpies of air, nitrogen and oxygen are a little different from each other, we effec?

  will kill the caloula assuming, for the sake of simplicity

  cation, that they are equal to each other.

  The difference in enthalpy introduced when

  air at 30.0 and under 100 Pa Pa by Copresaion adiaba-

  tick at 6.5. i0 Pa using the compressor 2 is 201 kJ / kg.

  Hence, assuming that the performance of the com-

  preaour 28 is 80%. the necessary power to treat dry air at a rate of 10 OC-e m / (12.95 x! 0 kg / U) has the value: 201 kJ / kg xI2.95 x O13 k / h / 0 3.252 MJ / h In the case where the nitrogen at 25C and 6105Pa is de ned by the diathermatic diathermatic tower 1, which is used to determine the pH value, the dia- ... o o oi oi oi oi = otnnle S6de109 'i. get away

  that a2i.n 32i iakpCee qU2 li Qi; ziI3ax f 3 de

  tentO E? 85.%; eXt, the -PuiLM3zeet and the 1% o UI __ - deoxi of = 57F; 0 z: i! i7r val aou:

  109 kJ / kg x 7%, 05 Y / Ju8 - 619 J / h.

  zr voii 1% of3 the puiLZ: an @ ue at 2ozdi au, Z es-e 2 p ú aYeaS1t2p the tvurbine due gate 67, At l'inkihngeur doaie G 61 to "déliVre the adaz-tio e tower bc of use 8'vw.e.do ïGhal '& to-s 1cmia 3 auef 0 id22 2ei

  What is the name of Celje?

  this. i 200O%, 1 J [erSq to 0O 200 ost sent -

  the turbine is only at 200 C and at 6.! 05pa

  "3on 5 J 1 's3 has already been given

sion, 1

  172 and / "" f i-aneitqie ei l e of tur-

  Relaxing belt 67% - 80%, with plenty of power to loosen up to 67% for vslour:

  12 '/ kg x 7', x 103 kg / h x, 8b 975 -MJ / h.

  Therefore, thanks to the implementation of the

  their power, the power necessary to

  The compressor 28 may be economized by means of the rebounder b7. In addition, while the compressed air is reduced from 240 to 140C by the secondary cooler

24971 '

  in the case where the heat exchanger 61 is absent, when it uses the heat exchanger 61, the

  secondary cooler 60 does not have to pass the air

  awarded from 170 to 400C, from which also follows the possibility

  to reduce the supply of cold, or the cooling

  of the secondary cooler 60.

  Referring now to FIG.

  a second embodiment of the invention. The ele-

  constituent elements identical to those of the first form

  preferred embodiment carry the same numerical

  and only the parts of the apparatus will be described below.

  different from those of the first form of

preferred implementation.

  In this embodiment, the main driving

  Oxygen outlet pad 57 does not have an auxiliary pump.

  A main line for returning nitrogen gas 69 starts from the nitrogen outlet line 68 and ends in the collecting duct 4 with a nozzle.

  nitrogen return line 71 which is provided with a valve 70.

  In addition, the nitrogen return main line 69 is

  connected to the collecting pipe 6 by means of a

  nitrogen gas tower 73 provided with a valve 72.

  This second embodiment differs from

  the one shown in fig.2 with regard to the operation

  desorption ration carried out in the adsorption tower 2, which proceeds as follows: During the execution of the desorption operation, the delivery of the air contained in the adsorption tower

  2 is carried out in the same way as in the first form.

  preferred embodiment, and it lowers the pressure prevailing in the tower 2 to a value close to

  that of the atmosphere. After this reduction in the

  the valve 15 is closed and the valves 72 and 17 are open, in order to conduct in turn 2 a portion of the nitrogen gas flowing in the nitrogen outlet pipe by making it borrow the main pipe

  return of nitrogen 69 and nitrogen return line 73.

  In the adsorption tower 2, since nitrogen is introduced and the partial pressure of the oxygen is lowered, the oxygen is desorbed from the adsorbent and is

  extracted by the oxygen outlet pipe 52 and the

  main exit. After the oxygen has been removed

  delivered, the valves 17 and 72 are closed and the valves 36 and 25 are opened in order to send the compressed nitrogen into

  the tower to raise the pressure prevailing in it.

  Changes can be made to shapes

  embodiments of the invention described above without

  however, within the scope of the invention. For example, in both embodiments, the nitrogen main line 59, the valve 36, the nitrogen supply lines 54 and 56, and the valves 21 and, could be omitted and realized. pressure in the adsorption tower 2 by introducing compressed nitrogen into the adsorption tower 2 via the nitrogen outlet pipe 55, this by opening the valve 23. In addition, the increase in

  pressure could be achieved by opening the valve 13 a-

  end of sending the compressed air into the adsorption tower 2.

  If the air is freed from moisture before compression, the drain separator 63 and the desiccator 64 can also be omitted. Moreover, by cooling the compressed air by taking advantage of the cold of the low temperature nitrogen which is delivered by the expansion turbine 67, one can either remove the refrigerating unit 42, or take it of lower capacity. In addition, the heat exchanger 61

  and the water-cooled secondary cooler 60 can

  may be arranged in the reverse order. Noon needed-

The number of adsorption towers can be limited to two, in which case the respective pipes can be connected directly to the adsorption towers with removal of the collecting pipes. In addition, the

  The present invention is applicable not only to the

  paration of the air, but also to the separation of others

  gaseous mixtures where it is a question of adsorbing nitrogen.

  Reference will now be made to FIG. 4, which shows a third embodiment of the invention in which use is made of adsorption towers 1 and 2 which are filled with an oxygen adsorbent agent formed for example by an e-Na-A type zeolite or an Ie-K-1a-A type zeolite. An air duct 29 is provided for supplying the air serving as starting gas or raw gas in the adsorption towers 1 and 2, as well as air ducts 8 and 14 which leave the air duct 29 and are provided with respective valves 7 and 13. On the air duct 29 are inserted a heat exchanger 62, a compressor 28, a water-cooled secondary cooler 60 and a refrigeration unit 42. The compressor 28 is coupled a motor 27, which is itself coupled to an expansion turbine 67 which plays the rattle of an adiabatic expansion device. On the same side of the respective adsorption towers

  1 and 2, the air supply lines 8 and 14 are also provided with air evacuation lines 10 and 16 which are provided with respective valves 9 and 15, as well as with oxygen outlet lines 51. and 52, respectively provided with valves 11 and 17. The air discharge lines 10 and 16 meet to form a common air vent line 30. The oxygen outlet lines 51 and 52 also meet. to form a common oxygen outlet line 57, on which is inserted a suction pump 32 coupled to a motor 31. From the side directly opposite to that o the air supply lines 9 and 14 respectively terminate the towers. adsorption 1 and 2, respective nitrogen outlet pipes 53 and 55 are provided which are provided with

  respective valves 19 and 23, as well as

  nitrogen supply lines 54 and 56, which are themselves equipped with

  respective valves 21 and 25. The outlet pipes of

  Zote 53 and 55 join together to form a common nitrogen outlet line 58. The nitrogen supply lines 54 and 56 communicate with a nitrogen line 52 which starts from the nitrogen outlet line 58 and is equipped with a valve 56. An expansion turbine 67 is inserted on the nitrogen outlet pipe 58, and the downstream end of the nitrogen outlet pipe 58 communicates with the inlet of the cooling agent circuit. of the heat exchanger

  62. A nitrogen exhaust line 68 is

  strung at the outlet of the coolant circuit

of the heat exchanger 62.

  As a raw material, air rid of

  dust and moisture is sent 1 'heat exchanger

  their 62, in which it undergoes a cooling. The air

  leaving the heat exchanger 62 is sent to the compressor.

  28, driven by the engine 215 where it undergoes a com-

  pressure and a corresponding rise in temperature.

  From the compressor 28, this air is sent via the air duct 29 to the secondary cooler with water circulation.

  , where temperature is restored. It is then

  he was at the grouoi úrigorifiquo 42, where his tempe-ature undergoes a new eduction. It is now possible to decry the water or an adsorption operation is carried out in the adsorption tower I and a $ 7 operation. stitut'ion by

  desorption ee 'e tecuied dis ln & t3' - so 2.

  r In this case, the vernaculars 7 and 19 asl e3-cS '

  Sorption 1 is open, the valves 9, 11 and 21 are; closed, and the variables 13 and 23 associated with the other adsorption tower 2 are closed.

  refrigerant 2 passes through the pipe 29, the pipe

  you are in the air 8 and the 7th, and he enters the

adsorption tower.

  Inside the tower of adso-ticn 1, 1 mgZ contained in the air is adsorbed by an adsorbent agent. It is absorbed by the abscess, and it relaxes the atmosphere. passing through the valve 19, the nitrogen outlet pipe 53 and the nitrogen outlet pipe 58 to drive the expansion turbine 67 under

  1-effect of his preesion. The power of the turkey

  As a result, the motor 27, whose energy consumption is thus reduced in the storage turbine b7, relaxes the nitrogen, so that its pressure decreases and its temperature decreases accordingly. , and the aqui nitrogen leaves the expansion turbine

  67 enters the heat exchanger 62 Dlans the exchange

  heat 62, heat is exchanged with the air, so that the temperature of the nitrogen rises,

  and this one is sent through the azot evacuation pipe

  68 at a predetermined location or factory. On the other hand, with regard to the adsorption tower 2, whose valves 13 and 23 are closed, the valves 25 and 17 are also closed, the valve 15 being kept open alone, so that the air contained in the adsorption tower 1 is evacuated by the valve 15, the air discharge pipe 16 and the air discharge pipe 30 and that the pressure in the adsorption tower 2 is therefore reduced. Initially, the air accumulated in

  interstices separating the grains of adsorbent agent is

  it is exhausted by the air evacuation pipe 50, and then a gas with a gradually increasing 02 concentration is evacuated. When the concentration of O 2 of the gas evacuated by the exhaust air duct 30 has reached a predetermined value, the valve 15 is closed and the valve 17 is

  opened. The suction pump 32 is put into operation

  motor 31 to suck up the gas contained in

  the adsorption tower 2 through the valve 17 and the

  output of oxygen 52 and 57, from which follows that the pressure in the adsorption tower 2 decreases and

  that the oxygen adsorbed by the adsorbent agent is desorbed.

  After the oxygen has been desorbed by reducing the pressure to a predetermined value and the oxygen has been delivered to a predetermined location or plant by the valve 17 and the oxygen output lines 52 and 57,

  the valve 17 is closed and the valves 25 and 36 are open ..

  From the opening of the valves 25 and 96 it follows that a part of the nitrogen flowing in the nitrogen outlet pipe 58

  is sent to adsorption tower 2 by means of

  nitrogen outlet 59 and nitrogen feed line 56, which causes a rise in the pressure in the adsorption tower 2. Alternatively, the pressure in the adsorption tower 2 could be increased by sending compressed air in the place of nitrogen, this by opening the valve 13 while keeping the valves 25 and 36 closed and admitting the compressed air through the air duct and

the air supply duct 14.

  Since, in the embodiment described above, oxygen is adsorbed by the adsorbent and the oxygen to be adsorbed is about 1/5 of the total amount of air, N 2 and 2 can be separated. Mon

  on the other, absorbing only a small amount of gas.

  In addition, since the nitrogen that is not adsorbed by the adsorbent agent represents the remaining 4/5 of the air when it expands in the turbine b7 in which energy recovery takes place, the rate do recovery of energy

  Compressed air compression is very important.

  In addition, since the temperature of the air before compression is lowered by means of the cooled nitrogen which has expanded in the turbine b67, the compressor 28 can be driven by requiring a lower energy to compress the air by to a predetermined pressure, thereby raising the efficiency of the compressor 28. In addition, since the air temperature is lowered before

  compression, it only goes up slightly after compres-

  if we. As a result, the rise in the air temperature after compression is made lower, which reduces

  the amount of energy to provide for cooling.

  We will now describe practical examples of

  N 2 and O 2 air separation per adsorption carried out using the embodiment

  described above of the present invention.

Example -

  An air separation test was carried out using

  an apparatus in which a pressure regulating valve

  was placed in place of the expansion turbine 67

  implemented in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4.

  Adsorption towers 1 and 2 had been filled with 30 kg of Ye-K-Na-A type zeolite with

grains of about 1 mm. -

  Dry air at 25 ° C. and 105 Pa was carried by the compressor 28 at a pressure of 6.5 × 10 Pa. The temperature immediately after compression was about 250 ° C. The compressed air at about 230 ° C. was cooled to about 25 0, then sent to the adsorption tower 1 at a flow rate of 10m3 / h to give rise to an adsorption of the oxygen by Fe-K-Na-A type zeolite. The pressure prevailing at this time in the adsorption tower I was about 6.105 Pa. Nitrogen gas at 0 concentration of 1% at most was delivered by the adsorption tower.

249711,

1?

at a flow rate of 5.6 m5 / h.

  Gaseous oxygen at O 2 concentration of 78% was delivered at a rate of 2.0 mJ / hr by the adaorption tower 2, in which a desorption operation was in progress, and the final pressure prevailing in the tower

  adsorption 2 was reduced to 0.2 × 10 5 Pa.

  In this experiment, the separation of air by adsorption was studied using a reduced scale equipment in which compressed air was sent at a flow rate of 10 m 3 / h and, because of the low value of gas flow rate in this case it was not

  it is not possible to operate the expansion turbine 67.

  However, even when the design of the apparatus is increased to a scale such that the rate of delivery of the compressed air to the adsorption tower I can be

  rise to 10,000 mA / h in order to make possible the

  of the expansion turbine 67, an operation of

  the device in the same way as in the example of

  experience described above leads to conditions of ob-

  N 2 and O 2 are as follows: The gas delivered during the adsorption operation is nitrogen gas with a 02 concentration of not more than 1% whose flow rate is 5600 m3 / h, and the gas delivered during the desorption operation is concentrated oxygen

  year 02 78% whose flow is 2000 m3 / h.

  We will now calculate the amount of heat mines in play in the various devices of the device when it deals with compressed air admitted at a rate of 10,000 m5 / h. In this example, although the air, nitrogen and oxygen aenthalpies are a little different from each other, we will calculate them by doing as these enthalpies were:

  equal to each other, for the purpose of simplification.

  The enthalpy difference obtained when air

  dry at 250C and under 10 Pa was raised to 6.5.105Pa per

  adiabatic pressure by means of the compressor 28 is to

  209 kJ / kg, from which follows that if we assume that

  Since the pressure of the compressor 28 is 80%, the power required to treat a dry air flow rate of 10,000 m3 / h (12.95 x 105 kg / h) has the value of

  209 kJ / kg x 12.9-5 x 105 kg / t / 08 = 3.386 MJ / h.

  In the case where the nitrogen at 25 C and under 6 bars which is

  delivered by the adsorption tower I carrying out an operation

  The adoption option was submitted in the Detection Turbine 67 to an adiabatiquo which was preseed at 1.2. 105No. 1. Difference in income obtained from $ k / $ k. There is only one appetite. qwua has the value of turin in the range of 7 per cent of the flow of water in the range of the flow rate of λ / M h (7.0 x 0-l kw / h) for ae-: 09 ki / kg x '7, O0 x q105 Lg /' 08 61i MJ / .l, One sees do-n q-itenvi 1% e0: '-z'è oiuir to ent: ainer leorsom 2o Xr, ecu.s' p & r 1 the turbine of 67

  Pls s - gaseous gaseous:

  mowing 67 volts aa dmprathr: sabisso 6th 25 0 to eiu'oj-a -6? 0 p & has adibtiqua In these dtaoa j n uppoSe qU ó This azoo fe frq s e Q3 o. c Me n age, z de n oin ent Ci The rider fe e and q uI reartà 2eC du 11 th r 5.2 il that 4: r sec pètrntant r _. In this case, the air must be dry, and the air must be dry, so that the air must be at a minimum of 0 ° C. the eiety of the thalpi, with the intention when; of the bag at 20 ° C. at 6.5. 1Pa palr c opression diabetic

  176 kJ / kg. It should be noted that there are three co-owners

  Aour 28 is E fj la puiaa6: 'this case pcr and ner 1 pSs-e 28 a for vleur

  176 kJ / kg × 12E95 × 10 kg / h /, = 2846 mJ / h.

  In consequence, thanks to the fact that

  heat exchanger, the power we have had is only 2.846 MJ / h6 compared to 3.386 MJ / h

  which are required in the prior art, and

  Thus, a power saving of 540 MJ / h '' more than a power of 611 MJ / h can be recovered by the expansion turbine 67, the power

-9 249711

  can be saved for training

  compressor 28, and it can be realized on the consumption

  A total saving of 1,151 MJ / h is achieved by the energy consumption of the compressor 28, which increases the power required to drive the compressor. EXAMPLE 2 An air separation test was carried out using

  an apparatus in which a pressure regulating valve

  sion was mounted in place of the expansion turbine 67

  implemented in the apparatus shown in fig.2.

  The adsorption towers 1 and 2 had been filled with 20 kg of a zeolite of F'e-Na-A type with a size of

grains of about 1 mm.

  15. Dry air at 25 ° C. and under 10 ° Pa was carried by the compressor 28 at a pressure of 6.5 × 10 Pa.

  immediately after compression was about 2300C.

  The compressed air at around 250 C was cooled down to

  viron 00C, then sent to adsorption tower 1 under a

  flow rate of 10 m3 / h to give an oxy-

  gene by the M.e-Na-A zeolite. The pressure prevailing at this time in the adsorption tower 1 was about

  6.10 Pa. At the end of the adsorption tower 1,

  nitrogen milk at a concentration of 02 of not more than 1%,

a flow rate of 5.8 m3 / h.

  Oxygen gas with an O 2 concentration of 81%

  was delivered by adsorption tower 2 at a rate of

  2.0 m3 / h, and the final pressure in the tower

  sorption 2 was reduced to 0.2. 105Pa.

  In this experiment, we studied the separation of

  air adsorption using a device at 6-

  reduced scale in which the compressed air was sent at a flow rate of 10 m3 / h and, because of the so small value of the gas output flow rate in this case, it was not possible to operate the expansion turbine

  67. However, even when the sizing of the

  it is brought to a scale such that the flow of deli-

  The amount of compressed air sent to adsorption tower 1 can be increased to 10,000 m3 / h in order to make it possible

  the operation of the expansion turbine 67, an explo-

  The apparatus described in the same manner as in the example of the experiment described above leads to conditions for obtaining N 2 and O 2 which are the following: The gas delivered during the adsorption operation is of lazsote A 02 concentration of up to 1% which is

  supply at a flow rate of 5800 m3 / h, and the gas

  the desorption operation is oxygen A

  81% year-on-year, with a throughput of 2000 03 / k.

  We now calculate the amount of heat involved in the different devices of the device

  when it comes to treating compressed air under a

  bit of 10 O m3 / h. In this example, although the enthal-

  If air, oxygen and nitrogen are a little different from each other, the calculations should be made as if they were equal between

  they, this for the sake of simplification.

  The difference-of enthalpy introduced when air

  dry at 250C and under 10 Pa was raised to 6.5.105Pa by compres-

  adiabatic flow using the compressor 28 is 209 kJ / kg,

  It follows that if we assume that the performance of the com-

  pressure 28 is 80%, the power required for

  a dry air flow of 10,000 m3 / h (12.95 x 103 kg / h) has the value:

  209 kJ / kg x 12.95 x 103 kg / h / 0.8 - 3.386 MJ / h.

  In the case where the nitrogen at 0 C and under 6.105 Pa which is delivered by the adsorption tower 1 carrying out an adsorption operation has been underwent in the expansion turbine 67 to an adiabatic expansion which reduces the pressure A 1 , 2.105pa, -0 1 has enthalpy difference obtained is 100 kJ / kg, and it laments that we have assumed that the performance of the expansion turbine 67 is l80%, the power obtained by treatment of nitrogen gas at a flow rate of 5800 m3h (7.3 x I03 kg / h) has the value:

  100 μg / kg x 7.3 x 103 kg / h x 0.5 - 586 MJ / h.

  In addition, the gaseous nitrogen leaving the turbine of

  tent 67 sees its temperature drop from about 0 C to about

  -85 0 by adiabatic expansion, so that if we

  poses that this cold nitrogen is sent as coolant to the heat exchanger 62 and that it

  spring at OC, we see that the dry air penetrating before com-

  pressure in the heat exchanger 62 can undergo a-

  temperature drop of 48 C, so that dry air leaves the exchanger 62 under a temperature of -23 C. Therefore, the enthalpy difference introduced when dry air at -23 C and 105Pa has has been raised to 6.5.105Pa

  adiabatic compression is 180 kJ / kg, which is

  When the efficiency of the compressor 28 is 80%, the power required to drive the compressor 28 has the value:

  kJ / kg x 12.95 x 103 kg / h / 0.8 - 2.913 MJ / h.

  As a result, thanks to the implementation of the

  With heat 62, the power needed is only 2913 MJ / h. instead of the power of e

  3.386 MJ / h which was necessary in the prior art.

  re, and thus achieves a power saving of 473 MJ / h, D ep 1 us, since a power of 586 MJ / h can be recovered by the expansion turbine 67, the corresponding power can be saved for to drive the compressor 28, and a total power saving of 1.059 MJ / h can be achieved for the drive of the compressor 28, which is equal to about 31% of the power required to drive

the compressor.

  Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which represents a fourth embodiment of the invention. The constituent elements which are identical to those of the third embodiment bear the moaso numerical references, and only the parts of the apparatus which differ from those of the third form will be described below.

of realization.

  The oxygen outlet line 57 of this embodiment is devoid of the suction pump 32 and the motor 31 driving it which are provided in the third embodiment. A nitrogen return line 69 starts from the nitrogen discharge line 68 and,

  on the side of the adsorption towers 1 and 2 to which

  the associated outlet pipes 53 and 55 are

  also provided for the nitrogen e-pipes respectively.

  71 and 75 from the driving back? nitrogen

  69 and are respective valve mumied 7 and 72.

  The difference between this form of reality and the third; folue of realization r.e.cer ... e te'i% - tion of dssowto-n sou s sion CdUiten e. re. so here. the provision of the f or e, 5 or 2o0ct catte difx2rencz. Perdn 'q e epea &t; dt atpin sst in CGUrns den lt tGr..O 2.-

  ## EQU1 ## where ## EQU1 ##

  17,; 6 and? 92 ,. -While 15 being fitted for 2, then 1 of 1 dc the adeO.pj-ion 1?

air 16 e-a aie - ". ...

  aizi iesceudxe- i. The use of the 4O'QXi by the

  2: rb14to of sec.uatiLs o '' 3 2 <- f - 'ff 8; 34i <0 7J ^ -

  2Ä) oe te. IUY P IRante IJw xx-nv r 3 pe 3 conduct 350 -a completed, the 7ae lb eet:,? 6m ei lae 17 esi; 79 3ri y, the g reigns: x 'Vtas ei ea vacu -pear le. 17! G 1e-c teu: of ser y of <'2c5 xgè.e 52 -D ... ue a-.

  2. Pressure when this pressure is applied. u!;, e -.rel enz, pàt.ea; erminee, it opens in the ainne 72 a.2 f sent? by the return line 69 and the driving line of a part-doo, or the presession reduced in the toura dead.so.ption 2, in the region of the o-gene is dedc. 2nd meeting of the ad hoc meeting of the difference between the second meeting and the second meeting.

  dao-yne ratio to the amount of oxygen peroxygen

  sorbed on adsorbent and pressio. partial of

  The oxygen in the nitrogen evolved. and, chased by the

  In this case, the adsorbed oxygen is discharged from the inlet pipe 2 through the valve 17 and the outlet pipes 52 and 57 in.

  be sent to a location or a pre-determined location

  As a result of this, valves are closed? and 72, and opening valves 25 and 36. From the opening

  valves 36 and 25 then a part of the circulating nitrogen

  in the nitrogen outlet line 58 is located in

  in the adsorption tower 2 via the nitrogen pipe 59 and the nitrogen supply pipe 56, which gives rise to

  a rise in pressure in the tower of ad-

  sorption 2. Alternatively, one could create the elevation of

  pressure in the adsorption tower 2 by envol

  instead of nitrogen, the air line 29 and the air supply line 14 are fed into the adsorption tower 2

  by opening the valve 13 while keeping the valves closed

25 and 36.

  Various modifications may be made to this

  the fourth embodiment and those to be described later. For example, any number of adsorption towers could be used; the suction pump 32 could be coupled to the turbine of

  relaxation 67 instead of being at the motor 51. Moreover, and se-

  In the operating conditions, it could be possible to obtain a better energy balance instead of seeking to reduce the relative energy consumption of the compressor.

  28, to reduce the refrigeration load, which is

  it is expensive to use another heat exchanger, arranged either in place of the refrigerating unit 42 or downstream from the latter, by sending a part of the nitrogen which the expansion turbine 67 delivers to this new unit.

  heat exchanger and cooling the air under the

  of nitrogen-mediated cold. Moreover, we

  other adsorbent agent, suitable for

  ensure separation by N2 adsorption or separation

  moisture adsorption, or a separation of melange

gaseous gases other than air.

  Reference is now made to FIG. 6, which represents a fifth embodiment of the invention. The constituent elements which are identical to those of the first embodiment (FIG.

  the same numerical references. In addition, in the description

  below, only those parts of the apparatus which differ from those of the first embodiment will be considered,

  In this embodiment, the main driving

  air intake blade 29 is devoid of the separator of vi-

  dange 63 and desiccator b4, but a heat exchanger

  their 62 is inserted upstream of the compressor 28. Ea

  In this embodiment, the procedure of this embodiment is identical to that of the first embodiment except that the cold nitrogen that escapes from the turbine

  of relaxation 67 is led by line 65 in the exchange

  heat 62, where it cools the intake air and

  itself undergoes a rise in temperature

  before being admitted to outdoor equipment.

  We will now describe practical examples of

  perencea of separation of air into nitrogen and oxygen by adsorption which implement this fifth form of

  embodiment of the present invention.

  EXAMPLES An air separation test was carried out using an apparatus which included a pressure regulator valve mounted in place of the expander turbine 67 and a refrigeration unit mounted in place of the exchanger.

heat 61.

  Adsorption towers 1 and 2 had received a

  30 kg of Fe-K-Na-A type zeolite with a diameter of

grain8 of about 1 mm.

  Dry air at 25 ° C and 10 ° S was carried by compressor 28 at a pressure of 6.5 × 10 5 Pa. Immediately after compression, the compressed air was cooled to about 25 ° C and then sent to adsorption tower 1

  flow rate of 10 m3 / h to give an adsorption of Oqgè-

  by Fe-K-Na-A type zeolite. The pressure prevailing at this time in the adsorption tower 1 was about

  6.10 Pa. The trodadsorption 1 delivered nitrogen at the same time.

  02 at most 1% at a flow rate of 5.6 m3 / h.

  Adsorption tower 2, in which an operation

  dasorption was running, was coming out of the oxy-

  A gene concentration in 02 of 7te; whose flow rate was 2.0 m3 / h, and the ultimate pressure in the adsorption tower

2 was reduced to 0.2.10 5Pa.

  In this experiment, we studied the separation of

  air by adsorption using a

  reduced chlorine in which the compressed air was sent at a flow rate of 10 mph and, because of the low value of the gas flow rates in this case, it was not possible to operate the expansion turbine 67. However, even when the dimensionnment of the apparatus is carried on a scale such that the delivery rate of the compressed air sent to the adsorption tower 1 can

  rise to 10,000 mph so that it becomes possible to

  drag the expansion turbine b7, an exploitation of

  According to the same mode as in the example of the experiment described above leads to the following conditions for obtaining N 2 and O 2: The gas delivered during the adsorption operation is nitrogen at a concentration of 0.degree. ) of not more than 1%

  supplied at a flow rate of 5600 m 2 / h, and the gas delivered during

  the desorption process is concentrated oxygen.

  In 02, 78% flow rate is 2000 m3 / h.

  We will now calculate the amount of heat involved in the different devices of the device

* when it comes to treating compressed air under a

  bit of 10,000 m '/ h. In this example, although the enthal-

  the air, nitrogen and oxygen are a little different from each other, we will perform the calculations as if they were equal between

  they, this for the sake of simplification.

  The difference in enthalpy introduced when dry air at 259C and 105Pa was increased to 6.5.105Pa by adiabatic compression using compressor 28 is

  209 kJ / kg, from which follows that if we assume that

  the compressor 28 is 80%, the power required

  to treat dry air at a rate of 10 OO'3 / n (12.95 x 10 'kg / h) has the value:

  209 kJ / kg x 12.95 x 105 kg / h / O, b - 3.386 MJ / h. In the case where the 25uc nitrogen and 6,105Pa nitrogen that is supplied by the tower

  adsorption unit 1 carrying out an adsorption operation was subjected in the expansion turbine 63 to

  an adiabatic relaxation which reduces the pressure to 1.2.

  Pa, the enthalpy difference obtained is 109 kJ / kg, and it is assumed that the efficiency of the expansion turbine 63 is 80%, the power obtained by treating a nitrogen flow of 0%. m3 / h (7.0 x 103 kh) has the value: 109 J / kg x 70 x 103 kg / hx 0.8 = 611 MJ / h. Nitrogen at 25 ° C from all adaoption 1

  4Aret: -as long as refho: idis -

  D & E61, D8 O & R, 5, O & R, 5, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 7, 8, 8, 8

  at 5501t: tl'aLct> e penotse ansuite cane the turbn.e of ié-

  t eta d7. The success of erIt. JD el obteK ': the liowQUC of ita--

  3zots & 355th ,. Q, 10 was Fomsdn1alturbl of

  Title 67 Disagreement and the return of the prea-

  a. It should be noted that: -P poses e-e: d.-teUt2 es0t 113 kJf) / "jQr O, Ev tritw)? T / 9, js The result is that it will be lost. '

  M atio ns, o ff ort o

  With the aid of the above, it is possible to use the following methods: (a) and (2). D Sr -;> aiX5u9-g - "r94Et; IS, .Tr 2s <:; e; a @ dú <v4t 18 k / -'-,

  It is possible to see the data in the table below. e-Ju dI d l t% nte.u-

  a & lntermedi ary of the M o btet ueae Porsom delai ff sec t -lcYC et sous; 104iPa was found to be of 134 kJ / lrw of o, e5óec} eia if the o% udose% tlCe makes it 2dt C DDegz7asGb2? is- f2 p @ 43m3k poe16) g53T cenlreszsur 28s al 9ocF_ ralôur:

  4184 ka / kg x 12, 9.5 x 39 g / hr / hr, 2.90 MJ / hr.

  As a result, the implementation of

  At 62u, the power needed is only 9830 tau / h, instead of the power of 3.386 MJ / h, which was needed in the earlier tense, and thus saves money. of

  power of 406 MJ / h. Moreover, we can make

  power of 63 MJ / h at the turbine of

  tent 67, from which follows that the power to be supplied to the com-

  Presser 28 can be reduced by the corresponding amount and a total power saving of 469 MJ / h can be achieved.

  31% of the power needed to train the compres-

28.

  As the dry air before compression is lowered

  temperature by heat exchange with the low temperature nitrogen leaving the expansion turbine 67, and

  compressed air also undergoes a lowering

  by heat exchange with the nitrogen leaving the adsorption tower 1, it becomes possible to reduce the cooling load of the secondary cooler 60,

  refrigerating unit 41 'and similar members.

  EXAMPLE 2 An air separation test was carried out using

  of an apparatus in which a preemptive regulating valve

  sion was mounted in place of the expansion turbine 67

  of the apparatus represented by fig.b, and where

  The heat exchanger 61 is replaced by a refrigeration unit. Adsorption towers 1 and; had been loaded with 20 kg of seed-type Fe-Na-A zeolite

about 1 my.

  Dry air at 25 ° C and 105Pa was carried by compressor 28 at a pressure of 6.5.105Pa. Immediately after compression, the compressed air was cooled to about 0 ° C, and then sent to adsorption tower 1 under a

  flow rate of 10 mJ / h to give an adsorption of oily

  not by za olite of the type Na-A. The pressure prevailing at this time in the adsorption tower 1 was about 6.10 Pz at the outlet of the adsorption tower 1, a flow rate of 5, b mS / h of nitrogen at O 2 concentration was obtained. from 1%

at most.

  At the outlet of the adsorption tower, in which a desorption operation was in progress, a flow rate of 2 ml / h of oxygen at an O concentration of 81% was obtained, and the final pressure prevailing in the tower was The adsorption 2 was reduced to 0.2 × 10 5 Pa. In this experiment, adsorption air separation was investigated using a reduced-scale apparatus in which compressed air was delivered at a flow rate of 10 m 3. / h and, because of the low value of

  In this case, it was not possible to

  However, even when the dimensioning of the apparatus is carried on a scale such that the delivery rate of the compressed air sent to the adaorption tower 1 can be as high as 10 O000m / h

  so that it becomes possible to operate the turbine of

  In Example 67, an operation of the apparatus in the same mode as in the example of experiment described above leads to the following conditions for obtaining E2 and O2: The gas delivered during the adsorption operation is

  nitrogen at 02 concentration of not more than 1% which is

  or at a flow rate of 5W00 m / h, and the gas delivered during the desorption operation is oxygin A 02 concentration of 81'i whose flow rate is 2000 mS / ho We will now calculate the quantities of heat involved in the various devices of the device when it comes to treat compressed air under a flow rate of 10,000 n3 / h. In this example, although the enthalpies of air, oxygen, and nitrogen are one

  little different from each other, we will carry out

  Cultivated by acting as if they removed each other equally,

this for the sake of simplification.

  The enthalpy difference obtained when air

  dry at 25 ° C. and under 10 ° Pa was brought to U, 5.105 Pa by

  adiabatic pressure by means of the compressor 28 is to

  209 kJ / kg, from which follows that if we assume that the return

  Compressor 25 is de tiao, the power required to treat dry air under a flow rate of 10,000 min / h has the value:

  209 kJ / kg x 12, 95 x 100 kg / L / 0.8 - 3.386 MJ / hr.

  In the case where the nitrogen atom IUc and t.105Pa which is delivered by the adsorption tower 1 carrying out an adsorption operation has been subjected in the expansion turbine 67 to Ad29 249711 an adiabatic expansion which brings it back the pressure at 1.2 × 10 5 Pa, 1 difference of entnalpie obtained is 100 kJ / kg, and it follows that it has been assumed that the efficiency of the expansion turbine b7 is 50%, the power obtained by treatment of a nitrogen flow of 5800 mS / ha for value:

  kJ / kg x 7.3 x 103 kg / hr x 0.83 586 MJ / hr.

  The nitrogen at 0uC that is delivered by the adsorption tower

  1 penetrates as cooling agent in the heat exchanger b1, in which the nitrogen undergoes heat exchange with compressed dry air and is

  heated up to H5uC, then enters the turbine of

tent 67.

  The difference you get when you get nitrogen

  under 6.105Pa was reduced to 1.2.10 5Pa by adiabatic expansion.

  that in the turbine of tbnte -) b7 is 109 kJ / kg, o

  as a result, it is assumed that the efficiency of the turbines

  no detente 67 is of ovi, the power recovered by the expansion turbine u7 has the value:

  109 kJ / kg x 7.5 X 105 kg / h x 0.8 - 636 MJ / h.

  The gaseous nitrogen leaving the expansion turbine 67 has a temperature drop of about 55.degree. C. to about -54.degree. C. by adiabetic expansion, so that it is supposed that this cold nitrogen is sent as cooling agent. heat exchanger b2 and that it emerges from the latter to 0 0, we see that we can make the temperature

  compressed air having entered the heat exchanger

  their 62 a lowering of ku "C, so that the dry air exiting the heat exchanger 62 before compression is at

a temperature of -1 C.

  The enthalpy difference obtained when dry air

  at -110 and under 105Pa was raised to 6.5.105pa by compres-

  adiabatic pressure is -184 kJ / kg, from which it follows that it is assumed that the efficiency of the compressor 28 is 80%,

  the power required for the compressor 28 is

their:

  184 kJ / kg x 12.95 x 105 kg / h / 0.8 = 2.980 MJ / h.

  Consequently, thanks to the implementation of

  heat exchanger 02, the power demanded by the com-

  pressure is only 2,980 MJ / h, instead of the puiasance of 3,386 MJ / h which was nsessaire in the previous technaique, and one realizes in fact a power saving of 406 MJ / h D more, one can to recover a power of 636 MJ / ha of the expansion turbine 67, from which follows that a corresponding capacity can be saved and that it is possible to realize an energy saving eco-energy of 1.042 MJ. / h, which equals approximately 51%, of the pusaze requested

by the compressor 23.

  If I have not yet compressed a rate

  in the case of the exchange between Thailand and the Basin at the time of leaving the rebound 63 't; The greater air of the United States has, in fact, served him better than any other country in the world. heyCrmiqu a., which 5 or u i; In addition, they should also be used to reduce the cost of living.

  co.daele 60, the refrigerated grope g2 and orgean s silmi-

  kidney. 5 to report to the following table. which represents

  a re-enactment of a citizen

  have been satisfied that they are in favor of the second round of review (.l) 3).

  in the mammalian group, and in the above-mentioned form of

  After that, it will be clear that the patches of the device that differ from those of the second foame dre achievement

  In this iorme of realization, the main conduct

  air intake blade 29 is provided with the sparator of

  Dange 6 and the dryer b4, MayB it is adjoint u, heat sink 62 insàré n n smont the compressor 28. Rn functiornnement, the operating mode of this form of régiation is identical to that of the second form

  only with the cold nitrogen that escapes from the

  ft. of the U7 expansion turbine is directed by borrowing

  pipe 65, in the heat exchanger 62, where it is

  chills the intake air and thereby undergoes itself

  a rise in temperature before continuing his work.

  jet to the outside equipment.

  Reference is now made to FIG. 8, which shows a seventh embodiment of the invention. The constituent elements which are homologous to those of the first embodiment (FIG. 2) are designated

  by the same numerical references and, in the description

  Hereinafter, only parts of the apparatus which differ from those of the first embodiment will be considered.

  In this embodiment, the main driving

  air intake blade 29 is devoid of drain separator 63 and dessiccatour 64, but it is deputy

  a heat exchanger inserted upstream of the compressor 28.

  Instead of connecting to the downstream heat exchanger 61,

  the nitrogen outlet pipe 58 is connected here to the

  upstream heat exchanger u2. In addition, the pipe 65 now connects the outlet of the heat exchanger 62 to the inlet of the expansion turbine 67, while the exhaust of this turbine is sent by the pipe

  66 to the downstream heat exchanger 61.

  In operation, the procedure of this embodiment is identical to that of the first embodiment, except that the cold nitrogen from

  the outlet pipe 58 is heated by the air of ad-

  mission in the upstream heat exchanger 62 before being relaxed and cooled again in the turbine 67. It is

  then sent via line 65 to the heat exchanger

  their downstream 61, where it cools the intake air while itself undergoing a new rise in temperature before continuing its journey to other

outdoor equipment.

Example

  An air separation test was carried out using an apparatus having a pressure regulator valve mounted in place of the expander turbine 67 and a refrigeration unit mounted in place of the exchanger

heat 61.

  Adsorption towers 1 and 2 had received a

  20 kg of Fe-Na-A type zeolite with a grain size of about 1 mm. Dry air at 25 ° C. and 105 ° C. was carried by the compressor 28 at a pressure of 6.5 × 10 5 Pa. The temperature immediately after compression L was 230 ° C. The air at about 20 C was

  cooled to about U 'C, then sent to the tower of

  sorption 1 at a flow rate of 10 mS / h to give rise to

  oxygen adsorption by Ae-Na-A zeolite.

  The prevailing pressure at this point in the adsorption tower

  I was about 6.10 5Pa. At the exit of the tower of

  sorption 1, a flow rate of 2 mJ / h of nitrogen at a concentration of O 2 of 81 was obtained, and the final pressure in

  adsorption tower 2 was reduced to 0.2.10 Pa.

  In this experiment, the separation of air by adsorption was studied using a reduced-scale apparatus in which compressed air was sent at a flow rate of 10 mS / h and, because of the low value. of

  gas flow rate in this case, it was not possible

  However, even when the dimensioning of the apparatus is brought to a scale such that the rate of delivery of the compressed air sent to the adsorption tower 1 can be increased to 000. m3 / h so that it becomes possible to operate the expansion turbine b7, an operation of the device

  according to the same mode as in the example of experience

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The gas delivered during the adsorption process is nitrogen at a concentration of O 2 of at most 1% which is supplied at a flow rate of 5,800. m / h, and the gas delivered during the desorption operation is oxygen at

  02 concentration of 81 'whose flow rate is 2000 m3 / h.

  We will now calculate the amount of heat exchanged in the various devices of the device

  when it comes to treating compressed air under a

  bit of 10 000 m3 / h. In this example, although

  thalpiea.de air, oxygen and nitrogen are a

  different from each other, we

  will kill the calculations by doing as they were equal

  place them, this for the sake of simplification.

  The difference in enthalpy introduced when dry air at 25 ° C. and under 105 Pa was raised to 6.5 × 10 5 Pa by adiabatic pressure by means of the compressor 28 is W 209 kJ / kg, from which follows if it is assumed that the efficiency of the 2nd compressor is 80%, the power required to treat dry air at a rate of 000 m3 / ha for value: 209 kJ / kg x 12, 95 x 105 kg / h / 0.8 - 3.386 MJ / h. The difference of enthalpy introduced in the c & s o

  the nitrogen at O9C and 6.105Pa that is delivered by the tower of

  aorption 1 performing an adsorption operation was reduced to 1.2.105Pa by adiabatic expansion in the expansion turbine 67 is 100 kJ / kg, o o follows that if we assume that the turbine efficiency of relaxation is 80%, the power obtained by treatment of a nitrogen flow rate of 5800 m / h (7.3 x 105 kg / h) has the value

  kJ / kg x 7: x 105 kg / h x 0.8 - 586 MJ / h.

  The nitrogen that is delivered by the adsorption tower 1

  penetrates as a cooling agent into the sample

  heat 62, in which the nitrogen milk goes down to

  Q0 the temperature of the dry air admitted to 25 C before com

  pressure, while the nitrogen is heated to 18 C and enters the burner, 67 relaxation. Thus, the difference in enthalpy obtained when the air dry at 10'C and under lO5Pa was raised to b , 5.105 Pa by adiabatic coefficient is 201 kJ / kg, from which follows that it is assumed that the efficiency of the compressor 8 is 80%, the power required to drive the compressor 28 has value; 201 kJ: / kg x 12.95 x 10> kg / h / 0.8 3.252 MJ / h, and the difference in enthalpy introduced when the nitrogen at 18 C and under 6.105Pa was reduced to 1.2.105Pa by adiabatic expansion in the expansion turbine 67 is ds

  109 kJ / kg, from which follows that if it is assumed that the

  the expansion turbine 67 is 80%, the

  recovered by the expansion turbine 67 has the value:

  109 kJ / kg × 11, 0 × 103 kg / h × 0.8 = 632 MJ / h.

  As a consequence, thanks to the implementation of the

  heat exchanger 62, the power required for the compressor can be reduced by 4%, and the power recovery by the expansion turbine 67 can also be increased by about 10%. In other cases, we have considered the overall power saving, in contrast with the power of 3,386 MJ / h at

  Was eceaary in the early teakmicue, the

  The required amount is reduced to 3a252 MJ / h, which leads to a power saving of 134 MJ / h. In addition, since a power of 636 MJ / hr can be recovered, this power can be as much as $ 4 million, which leads to a total increase of $ 1 million. Aacec 77 M - n u0 i - a g wrvaon 24% of the conaor2aa-tiof ;; otel ae p <V In addition, we have sCaoo - a ozta that was "eapga 2; Do you want to relax? set ie. ' by JLt &s; v tCti.aw "at the beginning of the 69th century, this is the time of the year and the date of its return to O & C. l- at oeomp; r qu -pin '1 ecasux - $ ab; sa Rsm dcc <tc -filter temperature. - 'to' ty'Cw VxtiZ U _2tt .-- (year: 0 lt that f39 ', 4Le w ug 9 @ il 033 aJk0-wit esj de r1a2or @ by xeroi sci, the arc award winning kprra owprssstan to .Ca ray.8 1, Cft rridiSGeUz aecondae r' or 'similaixesa organ Dt: olu3 ls: .. k temp4r Eature die lri and di asso a -n e3 @ eon oasmible d 'co-lir ls the caaagj dc, ..' 31saasient q'2 nondoace xec! 's cbte ion ds __-,> ii ue, - ti in

  We will take a look at Fig. 9, which lists

  But here again, the following is the case: here again, this is the fourth element. It is the same thing as the one of the second year of realiza- tion. (fiógu 5) Bo'u deiqiés by the reS s reSrea. and, in the description above, it is important to note that the components of the apparatus. which differ from those of the ui -me

úúore de réaliszation.

  In this embodiment, the main conduit

  The air inlet blade 29 is opened from the vacuum chamber 6.5 and the duct section 4, 4 but it is associated with a heat exchanger b 'inserted upstream of the compressor 28. Instead of being connected. heat exchanger

249711 '

  downstream 61, the nitrogen outlet line 58 is here connected

  from the upstream heat exchanger 62. In addition,

  65 now connects the outlet of the heat exchanger 62 to the inlet of the expansion turbine 67, while the exhaust of this turbine is sent to the downstream heat exchanger 61 via line 66. , the procedure of this embodiment is identical to that of the second embodiment, except that the cold nitrogen from

  the outlet pipe 58 is heated by the air of ad-

  in the upstream heat exchanger 62 before being expanded and cooled again in the turbine 67. By the pipe 65, the nitrogen then arrives at the downstream heat exchanger 61 where it cools the air even further.

  of admission while undergoing a new element of

  temperature before being sent to other

outdoor equipment.

Claims (16)

  1.- Process for the separation of a gaseous mixture   crude, of the kind in which the raw gas mixture is   awarded and then cooled and then sent to a tower of   sorption filled with an adsorbent to adsorb an adsorbing constituent gas present in said gas mixture, thereby allowing one or more constituent gases   non-adsorbed residuals to be extracted from said tower of ad-   sorption, characterized in that a heat exchange is carried out between the non-adsorbed constituent gas extracted from   said adsorption tower and the raw gas mixture of   said non-adsorbed constituent gas being thus   heated while the said raw gas mixture is   it is cooled, and in that said non-adsorbed component is made to undergo adiabatic expansion to ensure a working recovery thereon, said method thus making it possible to efficiently recover energy   on the non-adsorbed constituent gas and to ensure a reduction   the importance of cooling to be subjected to   raw gas mixture to bring it to the temperature of   sorption. 2. Process according to claim 1, characterized   in that said heat exchange is carried out after   pressure of the incoming raw gas mixture, so that the heat generated during the compression at least contributes to setting the temperature of said crude gas mixture, and in that the unadsorbed constituent gas is brought to   undergo adiabatic relaxation after said heat exchange than.   3. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2,   characterized in that after heat exchange with the non-adsorbed constituent gas, the raw gas mixture is subjected   to a new cooling in order to eliminate the human   moiré, dried, then cooled to the temperature of sorption.   4. Process according to claim 1, characterized in   that said heat exchange is carried out before compres-   the incoming raw gas mixture and after   of non-adsorbed constituent gas, allowing 249711 V   thus the compression of said raw gas mixture of perform with reduced energy.   5. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that a heat exchange is performed both before and after compression of said raw gas mixture of arrival, the non-adsorbed constituent gas being made to undergo an initial heat exchange with said gas mixture after compression of the latter, after which the constituent gas   heated non-adsorbed material is subjected to adiabatic expansion   that in order to ensure an increased energy recovery, the now un-adsorbed constituent gas being cooled is made to undergo the second heat exchange operation in order to reduce the importance of the cooling to be subjected to the raw gas mixture.   6. Process according to claim 5, characterized in   after compression, the raw gas mixture is   cooled before being subjected to said initial heat exchange with the unadsorbed constituent gas, and in that after said initial heat exchange, the gaseous mixture   crude is cooled to the adsorption temperature.   7. The process according to claim 1, wherein   the adsorption is carried out at an equal or in-   below ambient temperature, characterized in that   a heat exchange is performed both before and after   pressure of the incoming raw gas mixture, the   wherein the non-adsorbed sludge is subjected to an initial heat exchange with said raw gas mixture before compression of the latter to heat the non-adsorbed constituent gas, after which the non-adsorbed constituent gas thus heated is subjected to an expansion. adiabatic with increased energy recovery, the non-adsorbed constituent gas has now cooled etanaaene to undergo said second heat exchange operation to promote   cooling said crude gas mixture.   8. Process according to claim 7, characterized in   after compression, the raw gas mixture is   chilled before being subjected to his second exchange   thermal with the non-adsorbed constituent gas.   9. Process according to any one of the claims 249711 9   characterized in that the adiabatic expansion is carried out in a turbine dt-te-te, and in that said bleb turbLbie is used u least one paiZLe to drive a compressor for compressing said mixture gas1eax gross arrival.   -10.- Process according to any one of the following:   pre-conditions, act4reis. in that the crude mixture is then added, such that the gps, nsuart has sorbed   is oxygen and in this case it is soroe is 11oMte.   - 1 of melon iiuóe q o: uelou.e of ivedica-   ionm pm e: es P caina-cterSis8 e2D in the case of, tomra d ae; O7TetQn -Som. 'S set up operation ss.rion is úeat: e! = The -at do.idases   tours ep u,: ie oPe ....... 'esn and effe- killed in milk r tower.   At the beginning of the year, the Mlnegzu gross ds gepae creed a disappointment:  VIl) o i e'n i menede -   = ie, to go through 1 of the shaders 30a * ag 4s provided for vM-1. In this case, the said mixture is apro in the said d oo dt-dera- tet and in the said tint. separating M-lawns and the duet of the poe e (oetettante d--ese and deh (Outputs the gas Ztiptu-aâant niore adso2bé de 2uel de l teux,   charac-terized in that the wave of scia is on-   of. in order to achieve a reduction in the heat exchanger capacity of a heat exchanger (612), which is connected to the bottom of the mixing chamber (29) and an additional expansion device is provided. ue (6) is to have said output cona;   13.- Iip & pre lj according to the ievendicetion 12j character   wherein said exchange of chaXLeu (61) is disposed downstream of the elago gaseous co-compressor (28).   gross, and in that said adiabatic expansion device   that (67) is inserted on said output connector (58) in downstream of the heat-exchanger.   14. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that a secondary cooler (60), a separator   drain (63), a desiccator (64) and a refrigerant   (42) are inserted in succession on the pipe   supplying crude gas mixture (29) upstream of said sample   heat generator (61). 15. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the heat exchanger (62) is inserted on the crude gas mixture supply line (29) upstream of the compressor (28), and on the outlet pipe gas   non-adsorbed component (58) downstream of the measuring device adiabatic tent (7b?).   16. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that two heat exchangers (61, 62) are inserted on the raw gas mixture feed pipe (29),   on both sides of the compressor (28), and that the   non-adsorbed component gas outlet (58) is mounted to successively pass through the heat exchanger (61) located downstream of the compressor, the device   adiabatic relaxation device (67) and the other heat exchanger their (62).   17. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that two heat exchangers (61, 62) are inserted on the raw gas mixture feed pipe (29),   on both sides of the compressor (28), and that the   non-adsorbed component gas outlet (58) is mounted to pass successively through the heat exchanger (62) upstream of the compressor, the adiabatic expansion device (67) and the other heat exchanger (61) .   18. Apparatus according to any one of the claims   12 to 17, characterized in that the measuring device   adiabatic tent (67) is a relaxation turbine, and   that said turbine is coupled to the means of entraIne-   (27) of the compressor (28) of raw gas mixture.   19. Apparatus according to any one of the claims   12 to 18, characterized in that the or an exchanger   heat exchanger (61, 62) for heat exchange.   that between the unadsorbed constituent gas and the raw gas mixture, before or after compression, is provided with a bypass line (73) to enable the temperature of the unadsorbed constituent gas to be regulated for delivery from it outside.   20. Apparatus according to any one of the claims   12 to 19, characterized in that part of the non   adsorbed to be delivered externally is sent by a conduction   supply (69) to the adsorption tower (1, 2), in the   the pressure has been lowered, to thereby allow the adsorption constituent gas contained in said tower   adsorption to be desorbed and chased.   21. Apparatus according to any one of the claims   12 to 20, characterized in that at least   two adsorption towers (1, 2) filled with adsorbing agents   appropriate, so that one of the turns (1; 2)   sorb one of the constituent gases while the other (2; 1) adsorbs another constituent gas, thus allowing   easily recover a selected constituent gas.