US20080034790A1 - Method And Installation For Enriching A Gas Stream With One Of The Components Thereof - Google Patents

Method And Installation For Enriching A Gas Stream With One Of The Components Thereof Download PDF

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Publication number
US20080034790A1
US20080034790A1 US10/577,621 US57762104A US2008034790A1 US 20080034790 A1 US20080034790 A1 US 20080034790A1 US 57762104 A US57762104 A US 57762104A US 2008034790 A1 US2008034790 A1 US 2008034790A1
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Prior art keywords
fraction
stream
pressure
column
separation unit
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US10/577,621
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Patrick Le Bot
Xavier Pontone
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LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
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LAir Liquide SA a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
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Application filed by LAir Liquide SA a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude filed Critical LAir Liquide SA a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Assigned to L'AIR LIQUIDE, SOCIETE ANONYME A DIRECTOIRE ET CONSEIL DE SURVEILLANCE POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE reassignment L'AIR LIQUIDE, SOCIETE ANONYME A DIRECTOIRE ET CONSEIL DE SURVEILLANCE POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LE BOT, PATRICK, PONTONE, XAVIER
Publication of US20080034790A1 publication Critical patent/US20080034790A1/en
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    • 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
    • F25J3/0446—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 the heat generated by mixing two different phases
    • 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
    • F25J3/04248—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion
    • F25J3/04284—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using internal refrigeration by open-loop gas work expansion, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams
    • F25J3/0429—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using internal refrigeration by open-loop gas work expansion, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams of feed air, e.g. used as waste or product air or expanded into an auxiliary column
    • F25J3/04303—Lachmann expansion, i.e. expanded into oxygen producing or low 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
    • F25J3/0446—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 the heat generated by mixing two different phases
    • F25J3/04466—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 the heat generated by mixing two different phases for producing oxygen as a mixing column overhead gas by mixing gaseous air feed and liquid 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
    • 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
    • F25J3/04521—Coupling of the air fractionation unit to an air gas-consuming unit, so-called integrated processes
    • F25J3/04527—Integration with an oxygen consuming unit, e.g. glass facility, waste incineration or oxygen based processes in general
    • F25J3/04551—Integration with an oxygen consuming unit, e.g. glass facility, waste incineration or oxygen based processes in general for the metal production
    • F25J3/04557—Integration with an oxygen consuming unit, e.g. glass facility, waste incineration or oxygen based processes in general for the metal production for pig iron or steel making, e.g. blast furnace, Corex
    • 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
    • F25J3/04521—Coupling of the air fractionation unit to an air gas-consuming unit, so-called integrated processes
    • F25J3/04593—The air gas consuming unit is also fed by an air stream
    • F25J3/046—Completely integrated air feed compression, i.e. common MAC
    • 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
    • F25J3/04812—Different modes, i.e. "runs" of operation
    • 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
    • F25J2200/00—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification
    • F25J2200/04—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in a dual pressure main column system
    • F25J2200/06—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in a dual pressure main column system in a classical double column flow-sheet, 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
    • F25J2235/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams
    • F25J2235/42—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams the fluid being nitrogen
    • 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
    • F25J2235/50—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams the fluid being 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
    • F25J2240/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for expanding of process streams
    • F25J2240/40—Expansion without extracting work, i.e. isenthalpic throttling, e.g. JT valve, regulating valve or venturi, or isentropic nozzle, e.g. Laval
    • F25J2240/42—Expansion without extracting work, i.e. isenthalpic throttling, e.g. JT valve, regulating valve or venturi, or isentropic nozzle, e.g. Laval the fluid being 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
    • F25J2250/00—Details related to the use of reboiler-condensers
    • F25J2250/30—External or auxiliary boiler-condenser in general, e.g. without a specified fluid or one fluid is not a primary air component or an intermediate fluid
    • F25J2250/40—One fluid being 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
    • F25J2250/00—Details related to the use of reboiler-condensers
    • F25J2250/30—External or auxiliary boiler-condenser in general, e.g. without a specified fluid or one fluid is not a primary air component or an intermediate fluid
    • F25J2250/42—One fluid being nitrogen

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method and to an installation for enriching a gas stream with one of its constituents.
  • it relates to a method of enriching air with oxygen.
  • the means known from EP-A-0 531 182 for economically achieving this enrichment consists in cryogenically distilling one portion of the stream of air for the blast furnace. What is thus obtained is a nitrogen-rich stream and an oxygen-rich stream, the latter then being remixed into the stream of air downstream of the air separation unit.
  • FIG. 1 shows a separation unit described in EP-A-0 531 182 intended for enriching air with oxygen. It is fed from the air system constituting the charge for a blast furnace at a pressure P.
  • the air distillation unit is intended to produce low-purity oxygen, for example having a purity of 80 to 97% and preferably 85 to 95%, at a defined pressure slightly above the pressure P, for example advantageously at a pressure of 1 ⁇ 10 4 Pa abs to 1 ⁇ 10 5 Pa above the pressure P.
  • the unit essentially comprises a heat exchange line 1 A, a double distillation column 2 A, which itself comprises a medium-pressure column 3 A, a low-pressure column 4 A and a main condenser-reboiler 5 A, and a mixing column 6 A.
  • the columns 3 A and 4 A typically operate at about 5.45 ⁇ 10 5 Pa and about 1.5 ⁇ 10 5 Pa respectively.
  • a mixing column is a column having the same structure as a distillation column but used for mixing in a manner close to reversibility, a relatively volatile gas, introduced at the bottom of the column, with a less-volatile liquid, introduced at the top of the column.
  • Such mixing generates refrigeration energy and therefore allows the energy consumption associated with the distillation to be reduced.
  • this mixing is also profitably used for impure oxygen to be produced directly at the pressure P, as will be described below.
  • an airstream is compressed to the pressure of the mixing column by a compressor 14 A, cooled in the exchange line 1 A, subcooled in the subcooler 21 A and sent to the bottom of the mixing column 6 A.
  • Liquid oxygen of greater or lesser purity depending on the setting of the double column 2 A, is withdrawn from the bottom of column 4 A, raised by a pump 13 A to a pressure P 1 , slightly above the aforementioned pressure P, in order to take account of the pressure drops (P 1 ⁇ P less than 2 ⁇ 10 5 Pa), and introduced into the top of the column 6 .
  • Three fluid streams are withdrawn from the mixing column 6 A: from its base, liquid similar to the rich liquid and joined with the latter via a line 15 A provided with an expansion valve 15 A′; from an intermediate point, a mixture essentially consisting of oxygen and nitrogen, which is sent to an intermediate point on the low-pressure column 4 A via a line 16 A provided with an expansion valve 17 A; and, from its top, impure oxygen which, after being warmed in the heat exchange line, is discharged, substantially at the pressure P, from the installation via a line 18 A as production gas OI.
  • the figure also shows auxiliary heat exchangers 19 A, 20 A, 21 A for recovering available refrigeration from the fluids circulating in the installation.
  • FIG. 2 shows schematically an integrated apparatus for enriching an airstream intended for a blast furnace according to the prior art.
  • An airstream is compressed in a blower S, so as to form a compressed stream 1 .
  • This stream is divided into two fractions 2 and 3 .
  • the first fraction 2 is cooled by a chiller R, for example a water chiller, compressed in a booster C and sent to an air separation unit (ASU).
  • the air separation unit operates for example by cryogenic distillation and includes, upstream of the separation columns, a purification unit and an exchange line. It produces a stream 10 of oxygen containing between 80 and 95 mol % oxygen and a nitrogen stream 11 , which may be a waste stream. At least one portion of the oxygen-enriched stream 10 is mixed with the second air fraction 3 .
  • the oxygen-enriched, mixed stream 15 is heated in a cowpers W and sent to a blast furnace BF.
  • a compressor C will be installed. This makes it possible to raise the pressure of the total airstream intended for the air separation unit (according to FIG. 2 ) or (as a variant of FIG. 1 ) of the airstream intended for feeding the mixing column (i.e. about 30% of the stream of air treated by the separation unit).
  • One subject of the invention is a method of enriching a pressurized gas stream with one of its constituents A, which comprises the steps of:
  • Another subject of the invention is an installation for enriching a pressurized gas stream with one of its constituents A, which comprises:
  • the separation method will use a mixing column operating at a pressure equal to or higher than the pressure of the medium-pressure column, without the need for an additional air compression means.
  • Another subject of the invention is a method of separating air using an apparatus comprising at least one medium-pressure column, a low-pressure column thermally coupled to the low-medium-pressure column, and a mixing column operating at a pressure above the pressure of the medium-pressure column, in which:
  • the nitrogen-enriched liquid is vaporized by heat exchange with part of the feed air.
  • the air thus liquefied may be sent to at least one of the medium-pressure and low-pressure columns.
  • the nitrogen-enriched liquid is pressurized by a pump and/or by hydrostatic pressure.
  • Another subject of the invention is an air separation installation comprising:
  • e means for sending nitrogen-enriched and oxygen-enriched streams from the medium-pressure column to the low-pressure column;
  • FIGS. 3 and 5 show a unit for enriching a gas stream according to the invention and FIG. 4 shows a particularly suitable separation unit for carrying out the invention.
  • FIG. 3 shows schematically an integrated unit for the enrichment of an airstream intended for a blast furnace according to the prior art.
  • a stream of air is compressed in a blower S in order to form a compressed stream 1 .
  • This stream is divided into two fractions 2 and 3 .
  • the first fraction 2 is cooled by means of a chiller R, for example a water chiller, and sent to an air separation unit (ASU) without being compressed between the chiller and the inlet of the air separation unit.
  • the air separation unit operates for example by cryogenic distillation and includes a purification unit and an exchange line upstream of the separation columns. It produces an oxygen stream 10 containing between 80 and 95 mol % oxygen and a nitrogen stream 11 , which may be a waste stream.
  • the second air fraction 3 is expanded by means of an expansion means V, which may for example be a valve, an orifice, a reduced-diameter pipe or a turbine. At least one portion of the oxygen-enriched stream 10 is mixed, downstream of the expansion means V, with the expanded second air fraction 3 .
  • the oxygen-enriched, mixed stream 15 is heated in a cowpers W and sent to a blast furnace BF.
  • This solution dispenses with the air booster for raising the pressure upstream of the air separation unit. The consumption of energy of the whole system will therefore be better.
  • FIG. 4 adopts elements of FIG. 1 having the same reference numerals, which will not be described in detail.
  • the purified air 7 a at the medium pressure of 5.45 bara coming from the main air compressor for the blast furnace wind or from an expansion turbine is separated into at least two separate flows before entering the medium-pressure column 2 A.
  • the first flow 100 is fed directly into the bottom of the medium-pressure column 2 A in gaseous form.
  • the second flow 200 is at least partly condensed in a heat exchanger 101 A.
  • the liquefied portion is introduced into one of the distillation columns (either the medium-pressure column 2 A or the low-pressure column 4 A).
  • the stream 202 is sent to the bottom of the medium-pressure column, whereas the stream 204 is sent to the low-pressure column after being subcooled in the exchanger 19 A.
  • a liquid stream 300 enriched in nitrogen compared to air is withdrawn from the medium-pressure column 3 A, compressed by means of a pump 400 or by a simple hydrostatic height, vaporized in the heat exchanger 101 A against the condensation of medium-pressure air, in order to form a gaseous nitrogen stream 500 which is then fed into the bottom of the mixing column 6 A.
  • the feed for the mixing column 6 A takes place at a pressure above that of the air 100 feeding the medium-pressure column 3 A, and does so without an additional compressor.
  • the heat exchanger 101 A has a ⁇ T of 0.60° C.
  • the subcooler 21 A is omitted and there is no longer any withdrawal of medium-pressure gaseous nitrogen NG.
  • a third flow of air is sent to a booster 8 A, cooled in the exchange line 1 A and expanded in the blowing turbine 9 A, but other means of refrigeration are conceivable, including expansion of the air intended for the medium-pressure column.
  • the advantage of the invention is that there is no need for an air compression step for air intended for the mixing column or for the medium-pressure column.
  • FIG. 5 shows schematically an integrated unit for enriching a stream of air intended for a blast furnace according to the prior art.
  • a stream of air is compressed in a blower S in order to form a compressed stream 1 .
  • This stream is divided into two fractions 2 and 3 .
  • the first fraction 2 is cooled by means of a chiller R, for example a water chiller, compressed in a booster C and sent to an air separation unit (ASU).
  • the air separation unit operates for example by cryogenic distillation and includes a purification unit and an exchange line upstream of the separation columns. It produces an oxygen stream 10 containing between 80 and 95 mol % oxygen and a nitrogen stream 11 , which may be a waste stream.
  • the second air fraction 3 is expanded by means of an expansion means V, which may for example be a valve, an orifice, a reduced-diameter pipe or a turbine.
  • At least one portion of the oxygen-enriched stream 10 is mixed, downstream of the expansion means V, with the expanded second air fraction 3 .
  • the oxygen-enriched, mixed stream 15 is heated in a cowpers W and sent to a blast furnace BF.
  • the booster C and the valve V have short-circuiting means.
  • the first fraction 2 is compressed and the second fraction is not expanded.
  • a second operation at least one portion of the first fraction is not compressed and the second fraction is expanded before at least one portion of the first stream is mixed therewith.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
  • Separation Of Gases By Adsorption (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
  • Blast Furnaces (AREA)
US10/577,621 2003-11-10 2004-11-05 Method And Installation For Enriching A Gas Stream With One Of The Components Thereof Abandoned US20080034790A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0350819 2003-11-10
FR0350819A FR2862004B3 (fr) 2003-11-10 2003-11-10 Procede et installation d'enrichissement d'un flux gazeux en l'un de ses constituants
PCT/FR2004/050570 WO2005047790A2 (fr) 2003-11-10 2004-11-05 Procede et installation d'enrichissement d'un flux gazeux en l'un de ses constituants

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US20080034790A1 true US20080034790A1 (en) 2008-02-14

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US10/577,621 Abandoned US20080034790A1 (en) 2003-11-10 2004-11-05 Method And Installation For Enriching A Gas Stream With One Of The Components Thereof
US13/046,141 Abandoned US20110192193A1 (en) 2003-11-10 2011-03-11 Method And Installation For Enriching A Gas Stream With One Of The Components Thereof

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US (2) US20080034790A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP1697690A2 (fr)
JP (1) JP2007512491A (fr)
CN (1) CN100543388C (fr)
BR (1) BRPI0416327A (fr)
FR (1) FR2862004B3 (fr)
WO (1) WO2005047790A2 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20080245101A1 (en) * 2005-04-08 2008-10-09 Richard Dubettier-Grenier Integrated Method and Installation for Cryogenic Adsorption and Separation for Producing Co2
US20130000352A1 (en) * 2011-06-30 2013-01-03 General Electric Company Air separation unit and systems incorporating the same

Families Citing this family (3)

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EP1697690A2 (fr) 2006-09-06
CN100543388C (zh) 2009-09-23
FR2862004B3 (fr) 2005-12-23
JP2007512491A (ja) 2007-05-17
WO2005047790A8 (fr) 2006-06-01
US20110192193A1 (en) 2011-08-11
WO2005047790A2 (fr) 2005-05-26
WO2005047790A3 (fr) 2005-08-11
FR2862004A1 (fr) 2005-05-13
CN1878999A (zh) 2006-12-13
BRPI0416327A (pt) 2007-01-09

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