GB890342A - Low temperature air separation with improved argon recovery - Google Patents

Low temperature air separation with improved argon recovery

Info

Publication number
GB890342A
GB890342A GB14468/60A GB1446860A GB890342A GB 890342 A GB890342 A GB 890342A GB 14468/60 A GB14468/60 A GB 14468/60A GB 1446860 A GB1446860 A GB 1446860A GB 890342 A GB890342 A GB 890342A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
oxygen
nitrogen
pressure column
rich
withdrawn
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB14468/60A
Inventor
Robert Edmond Latimer
Howard Melvin Scofield
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Union Carbide Corp
Original Assignee
Union Carbide Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to US449938A priority Critical patent/US2934908A/en
Priority to US450452A priority patent/US2934907A/en
Application filed by Union Carbide Corp filed Critical Union Carbide Corp
Priority to GB14468/60A priority patent/GB890342A/en
Publication of GB890342A publication Critical patent/GB890342A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04406—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
    • F25J3/04763—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used
    • F25J3/04769—Operation, control and regulation of the process; Instrumentation within the process
    • F25J3/04793—Rectification, e.g. columns; Reboiler-condenser
    • F25J3/048—Argon recovery
    • 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
    • F25J2235/52—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams the fluid being oxygen enriched compared to air ("crude oxygen")
    • 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
    • F25J2245/02—Recycle of a stream in general, e.g. a by-pass stream

Landscapes

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

Abstract

890,342. Air rectification processes. UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION. April 25, 1960, No. 14468/60. Class 8(2). In a two-stage air rectification process wherein argon-rich nitrogen gas is withdrawn from a low pressure column 12 through an intermediate level conduit 37, product oxygen is withdrawn from a lower level e.g. liquid oxygen through a conduit 36, gaseous nitrogen is withdrawn from the top of column 12 through a duct 34 and wherein reflux is provided by liquid nitrogen withdrawn from a high pressure column shelf 18 through a valved duct 22 and by liquid oxygen withdrawn from the base of the high pressure column 11 through a valved duct 24, 26 the composition of the reflux at the head of the low pressure column 12 is such as to be in phase equilibrium with the rising vapour in the vicinity of the nitrogen-rich reflux feed level thereby producing a region in said head within which substantially no change occurs in the oxygen content of the descending liquid but an effective change is maintained of the argon content. Such a flux condition is referred to as a "top oxygen-pinch " and is obtained by maintaining the effluent nitrogen purity at about 98À5% and that of the nitrogen reflux at 96% by adjustment of the expansion valve 23. Other " oxygen pirches" " in the upper portion of column 12 are obtained by location of the oxygen-rich feed conduit 26 and that of a feed duct 31 through which oxygen-rich vapour passes from the condenser chamber 32 of an auxiliary argon column 30 to the low pressure column 12. A desired " oxygen-pinch " is held by maintaining a predetermined difference e.g., 1À4% in the oxygen content of the vapour on the second and third trays 14 below the oxygen-rich vapour feed point by controlling the argon discharge valve 40 by means of a control member 56 responsive to thermometers 50. In a modification wherein oxygen product is withdrawn from the low pressure column in the vapour phase the reflux liquid nitrogen control valve 23 is itself controlled by means responsive to thermometers arranged at different levels in the high pressure column. In a further modification wherein product oxygen is discharged in the liquid phase, oxygen-rich 'liquid is pumped from the base to the head of the high pressure column just above the nitrogen shelf, and the top oxygen-pinch is controlled by regulating the oxygen-rich vapour feed by a mechanism responsive to purity measurements as described above.
GB14468/60A 1954-08-16 1960-04-25 Low temperature air separation with improved argon recovery Expired GB890342A (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US449938A US2934908A (en) 1954-08-16 1954-08-16 High argon recovery using proper shelf-top pinch principle
US450452A US2934907A (en) 1954-08-17 1954-08-17 High argon recovery using kettle top feed-top pinch principle
GB14468/60A GB890342A (en) 1960-04-25 1960-04-25 Low temperature air separation with improved argon recovery

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB14468/60A GB890342A (en) 1960-04-25 1960-04-25 Low temperature air separation with improved argon recovery

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB890342A true GB890342A (en) 1962-02-28

Family

ID=10041745

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB14468/60A Expired GB890342A (en) 1954-08-16 1960-04-25 Low temperature air separation with improved argon recovery

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB890342A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2219385A (en) * 1988-06-02 1989-12-06 Union Carbide Corp Air separation process and apparatus
EP0609814A1 (en) * 1993-02-01 1994-08-10 Praxair Technology, Inc. Process for maximizing the recovery of argon from an air separation system at high argon recovery rates
EP0684436A1 (en) * 1994-05-27 1995-11-29 Praxair Technology, Inc. Cryogenic rectification system capacity control method

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2219385A (en) * 1988-06-02 1989-12-06 Union Carbide Corp Air separation process and apparatus
GB2219385B (en) * 1988-06-02 1992-09-16 Union Carbide Corp Air separation process and apparatus
EP0609814A1 (en) * 1993-02-01 1994-08-10 Praxair Technology, Inc. Process for maximizing the recovery of argon from an air separation system at high argon recovery rates
EP0684436A1 (en) * 1994-05-27 1995-11-29 Praxair Technology, Inc. Cryogenic rectification system capacity control method

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5224336A (en) Process and system for controlling a cryogenic air separation unit during rapid changes in production
US5406800A (en) Cryogenic rectification system capacity control method
ES8701681A1 (en) Nitrogen generation.
ATE71215T1 (en) AIR DISTILLATION TO OBTAIN HIGH PURITY OXYGEN.
US6173586B1 (en) Cryogenic rectification system for producing very high purity oxygen
ES8701682A1 (en) Nitrogen generation.
GB890342A (en) Low temperature air separation with improved argon recovery
US5996373A (en) Cryogenic air separation process and apparatus
ATE260452T1 (en) LOW TEMPERATURE DISTILLATION PLANT FOR AIR SEPARATION
GB1511976A (en) Separation of low-boiling gas mixtures
US5980607A (en) Steelmaking method with oxygen from rectification of air
GB1215377A (en) Air rectification plant for the production of pure nitrogen
US5916261A (en) Cryogenic argon production system with thermally integrated stripping column
GB1021290A (en) Improvements in or relating to processes producing nitrogen-containing hydrogen of low carbon monoxide content
US2833127A (en) Gas separation control process
GB1057087A (en) Improvements in or relating to gas separation
GB1052146A (en)
GB884408A (en) Improvements in or relating to processes and devices for the manufacture of liquid nitrogen
GB974639A (en) Separation of air
US2788638A (en) Process of and apparatus for separation of gas mixtures
GB1158566A (en) Extractive Distillation
ES390769A1 (en) Fractionation of air to obtain oxygen of about seventy percent purity
JP3320758B2 (en) Method for optimizing control of mass transfer zone in distillation column
GB998914A (en) Improvements in or relating to methods of and apparatus for producing liquid oxygen and/or liquid nitrogen
SU637600A1 (en) Method of regulating air separation plant operation