US20080245102A1 - Process and Apparatus for the Separation of Air by Cryogenic Distillation - Google Patents

Process and Apparatus for the Separation of Air by Cryogenic Distillation Download PDF

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Publication number
US20080245102A1
US20080245102A1 US11/813,761 US81376106A US2008245102A1 US 20080245102 A1 US20080245102 A1 US 20080245102A1 US 81376106 A US81376106 A US 81376106A US 2008245102 A1 US2008245102 A1 US 2008245102A1
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subcooler
stream
nitrogen
heat exchanger
main heat
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Frederic Judas
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LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
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Assigned to L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE reassignment L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: JUDAS, FREDERIC
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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
    • F25J3/04763—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used
    • F25J3/04866—Construction and layout of air fractionation equipments, e.g. valves, machines
    • F25J3/04945—Details of internal structure; insulation and housing of the cold box
    • 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
    • F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
    • F25J3/04078—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit providing pressurized products by liquid compression and vaporisation with cold recovery, i.e. so-called internal compression
    • F25J3/04084—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit providing pressurized products by liquid compression and vaporisation with cold recovery, i.e. so-called internal compression of 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
    • 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
    • F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
    • F25J3/04078—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit providing pressurized products by liquid compression and vaporisation with cold recovery, i.e. so-called internal compression
    • F25J3/0409—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit providing pressurized products by liquid compression and vaporisation with cold recovery, i.e. so-called internal compression of 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
    • F25J3/04151—Purification and (pre-)cooling of the feed air; recuperative heat-exchange with product streams
    • F25J3/04187—Cooling of the purified feed air by recuperative heat-exchange; Heat-exchange with product streams
    • F25J3/04218—Parallel arrangement of the main heat exchange line in cores having different functions, e.g. in low pressure and high pressure cores
    • 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
    • F25J3/04151—Purification and (pre-)cooling of the feed air; recuperative heat-exchange with product streams
    • F25J3/04187—Cooling of the purified feed air by recuperative heat-exchange; Heat-exchange with product streams
    • F25J3/0423—Subcooling of liquid process streams
    • 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
    • F25J3/04151—Purification and (pre-)cooling of the feed air; recuperative heat-exchange with product streams
    • F25J3/04187—Cooling of the purified feed air by recuperative heat-exchange; Heat-exchange with product streams
    • F25J3/04236—Integration of different exchangers in a single core, so-called integrated cores
    • 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
    • F25J3/04436—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 at least a triple pressure main column system
    • F25J3/04448—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 at least a triple pressure main column system in a double column flowsheet with an intermediate 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
    • F25J3/04763—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
    • F25J3/04787—Heat exchange, e.g. main heat exchange line; Subcooler, external reboiler-condenser
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S62/00—Refrigeration
    • Y10S62/902—Apparatus
    • Y10S62/903—Heat exchange structure

Definitions

  • This invention applies to the separation of air by cryogenic distillation. Over the years, significant efforts have been devoted to improving the production process and lowering the cost of operation and equipment. One way to reduce costs of air separation units is to reduce the size and complexity of the equipment and piping systems.
  • Air is frequently separated by cryogenic distillation in a double column comprising the steps of feeding compressed, cooled, and purified air to a high pressure column where it is separated into a first nitrogen enriched stream at the top of the column and a first oxygen enriched stream at the bottom of the column. At least a portion of the first oxygen enriched stream is fed to a low pressure column to yield a second nitrogen enriched stream at the top and a second oxygen enriched stream at the bottom. A second oxygen enriched stream is separated at the bottom and a second nitrogen enriched stream is separated at the top of the low pressure column.
  • Air is sometimes separated by cryogenic distillation in a triple column comprising the steps of feeding compressed, cooled, and purified air to a high pressure column where it is separated into a first nitrogen enriched stream at the top of the column and a first oxygen enriched stream at the bottom of the column. At least a portion of the first oxygen enriched stream is fed to an intermediate pressure column to yield a second nitrogen enriched stream at the top and a second oxygen enriched stream at the bottom. At least a portion of the second nitrogen enriched stream is sent to a low pressure column or top condenser of an argon column, and at least a portion of the second oxygen enriched stream is sent to the low pressure column. A third oxygen enriched stream is separated at the bottom and a third nitrogen enriched stream is separated at the top of the low pressure column. Typically, the distillation columns are stacked on top of each other.
  • the nitrogen flow is split and the line sizes are dramatically decreased.
  • the design problems and increased costs associated with the large piping and headers in the area of the subcooler are alleviated.
  • the present invention is directed to a process and apparatus for separating air by cryogenic distillation that satisfies the need to reduce the sizes of piping and equipment associated with an air separation unit.
  • the nitrogen stream exiting a system of separation columns is divided into two or more streams with each stream routed to a discrete subcooler.
  • the air stream referenced above can, and preferably is, divided into multiple streams of a variety of pressures. These streams are cooled and fed to the system of separation columns as required for the operation of that system.
  • the system of separation columns referenced above can be those of any of a variety of processes for separating air into its components.
  • the current invention has the advantage of reducing the piping size and thus addressing the design and construction problems associated the subcoolers, piping, and associated equipment.
  • the improved design lowers the fabrication costs of the subcoolers and the plant construction costs.
  • the system has the further advantage of improved safety and reliability by reducing the thermal stresses and thus the failure rate of the equipment.
  • the main heat exchanger may be divided into multiple discrete units, to reduce the complexity, reduce costs, and improve layout of separation systems.
  • the subcoolers of the current invention may be integrated with the discrete main heat exchangers to further reduce piping complexity and equipment costs.
  • the present invention is directed to a process and apparatus for separating air by cryogenic distillation that satisfies the need to reduce the sizes of piping and equipment associated with an air separation unit.
  • the invention divides the nitrogen stream exiting a system of separation columns into two or more streams, with each stream routed to a discrete subcooler.
  • system of separation columns means a combination of columns required to effect the separation of air into its components.
  • a typical air separation process will have three column sections integrated into one system. The bottom column is the high pressure column, the middle column is the medium pressure column and the top column is the low pressure column.
  • the combination of columns and the associated equipment is the system of separation columns.
  • the system of separation columns typically separate nitrogen and oxygen from air, but may include systems that separate argon, xenon, krypton, or other components of air.
  • subcooler means the apparatus for cooling a liquid of the process that uses nitrogen exiting the system of separation columns to cool process streams before that nitrogen passes to the main heat exchanger. “Subcooling” typically refers to cooling a stream to a temperature lower than that liquid's saturation temperature for the existing pressure. However, in the invention, a subcooler may be used to simply cool a process stream. A subcooler typically passes a cold nitrogen stream exiting the cryogenic columns in a countercurrent fashion with warmer column streams in order to subcool the column streams and warm the exiting nitrogen stream before passing it to the main heat exchanger.
  • lean liquid means the liquid stream coming from the upper section of the high pressure separation column that is oxygen lean. In one embodiment, this stream operates at about 6 bar pressure.
  • liquid air means liquefied air, for example the liquid stream that exits the side of the high pressure column, typically in the middle section. In one embodiment, this stream operates at about 6 bar pressure.
  • liquid oxygen stream means the liquid stream coming from the bottom of the medium pressure column. In one embodiment, this stream operates at about 2 bar pressure.
  • first high pressure air stream (First HP Air) means the air stream entering the main heat exchanger that has passed through the primary compression system and a booster compressor. In one embodiment, the pressure is raised to about 50 bars.
  • cooled first high pressure air stream means the First HP Air stream after it is cooled in the main heat exchanger. This stream typically feeds the side of the medium pressure column after being expanded in an expansion valve or expansion turbine.
  • second high pressure air stream (Second HP Air) means the air stream entering the main heat exchanger which has passed through the primary compression system and a booster compressor. In one embodiment, the pressure is raised to about 69 bars.
  • cooled second high pressure air stream means the Second HP Air stream after it is cooled in the main heat exchanger. This stream typically feeds the side of the high pressure column after being expanded in an expansion valve or expansion turbine.
  • low pressure liquid oxygen stream means the oxygen stream exiting the system of separation columns before it has been vaporized in the main heat exchanger that operates at pressures less than the high pressure liquid oxygen stream.
  • the LP Lox operates at about 12 bars pressure.
  • CMP air cooled medium pressure air stream
  • one embodiment of the current invention separates air into components by compressing it into a medium pressure air stream (MP Air) 2 , a first high pressure air stream (First HP Air) 4 , and a second high pressure air stream (Second HP Air) 6 . These streams are cooled in a main heat exchanger 8 , and then fed to a system of separation columns ASU.
  • the system of separation columns separates a low pressure nitrogen stream 10 from the air streams for removal from the system.
  • the process utilizes at least a first subcooler 12 and a second subcooler 14 to cool incoming feed streams or streams from the system of separation columns while warming the low pressure nitrogen as it passes to the main heat exchanger 8 .
  • the first subcooler 12 and second subcooler 14 are discrete units.
  • One of ordinary skill in the art of designing and fabricating cryogenic subcoolers can fabricate the discrete subcoolers required for the present invention.
  • the nitrogen streams exiting the first subcooler 12 and the second subcooler 14 are sent to the main heat exchanger 8 to provide cooling to the medium pressure air stream (MP Air) 2 , first HP air stream (HP air 1 ) 4 , and second high pressure air stream (Second HP Air) 6 .
  • the nitrogen streams exiting the first subcooler 12 and the second subcooler 14 are preferably routed to the main heat exchanger 8 in separate lines, but may be combined into one line supplying the main heat exchanger 8 .
  • the first subcooler nitrogen stream 16 flow rate and the second subcooler nitrogen stream 18 flow rate are controlled by a first control valve 32 and a second control valve 34 , preferably, but not necessarily, located in their respective flow conduits. These control valves are preferably, but not necessarily, located on the outlet of the main heat exchanger 8 .
  • the flow rates of the respective streams are preferably controlled by a control scheme that divides the low pressure nitrogen stream 10 on a ratio basis between the first subcooler 12 and the second subcooler 14 .
  • the First HP Air 4 and Second HP Air 6 streams typically enter the main heat exchanger at above 40 bars pressure.
  • the MP Air 2 typically enters the main heat exchanger at about 6 bars pressure, but can be about 4 to about 10 bars.
  • FIG. 2 utilizes the same process as described above.
  • the main heat exchanger is separated into a low pressure main heat exchanger (LPMHE) 42 and high pressure main heat exchanger (HPMHE) 44 , which are discrete exchangers.
  • LPMHE low pressure main heat exchanger
  • HPMHE high pressure main heat exchanger
  • the low pressure nitrogen exiting the first subcooler 12 is preferably, but not necessarily, routed to the LPMHE 42 .
  • the low pressure nitrogen exiting the second subcooler 14 is preferably, but not necessarily, routed to the HPMHE 44 . It is known by one of ordinary skill in the art how to design and fabricate a LPMHE and a HPMHE.
  • FIG. 3 also uses the same process of FIG. 1 as described above. Also, like the process of FIG. 2 , the main heat exchanger is separated into a low pressure main heat exchanger (LPMHE) 42 and high pressure main heat exchanger (HPMHE) 44 , which are discrete exchangers. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 3 , the first subcooler 12 is integrated into the LPMHE 42 and the second subcooler 14 is integrated into the high pressure main heat exchanger 44 .
  • LPMHE low pressure main heat exchanger
  • HPMHE high pressure main heat exchanger

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Emergency Medicine (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
US11/813,761 2005-11-17 2006-02-03 Process and Apparatus for the Separation of Air by Cryogenic Distillation Abandoned US20080245102A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IB2005003449 2005-11-17
IBPCT.IB2005/003449 2005-11-17
PCT/IB2006/000215 WO2007057730A1 (en) 2005-11-17 2006-02-03 Process and apparatus for the separation of air by cryogenic distillation

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US11/347,160 Expired - Fee Related US7546748B2 (en) 2005-01-14 2006-03-30 Process and apparatus for the separation of air by cryogenic distillation

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EP (1) EP1952081A1 (de)
JP (1) JP2009516149A (de)
CN (1) CN101103240A (de)
WO (1) WO2007057730A1 (de)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007057730A1 (en) * 2005-11-17 2007-05-24 L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude Process and apparatus for the separation of air by cryogenic distillation
US9222725B2 (en) * 2007-06-15 2015-12-29 Praxair Technology, Inc. Air separation method and apparatus
FR2920866A1 (fr) 2007-09-12 2009-03-13 Air Liquide Ligne d'echange principale et appareil de separation d'air par distillation cryogenique incorporant une telle ligne d'echange
FR2928446A1 (fr) * 2008-03-10 2009-09-11 Air Liquide Procede de modification d'un appareil de separation d'air par distillation cryogenique
CN101806529A (zh) * 2010-03-12 2010-08-18 杭州杭氧股份有限公司 一种整体式主换热器与过冷器
US11635254B2 (en) 2017-12-28 2023-04-25 L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude Utilization of nitrogen-enriched streams produced in air separation units comprising split-core main heat exchangers
US11054182B2 (en) * 2018-05-31 2021-07-06 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Process and apparatus for separating air using a split heat exchanger
US20210404740A1 (en) * 2018-10-26 2021-12-30 L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude Plate fin heat exchanger assembly

Citations (11)

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US2682162A (en) * 1951-02-17 1954-06-29 Langer Julian Separation of gases into two components by distillation
US3339370A (en) * 1963-11-12 1967-09-05 Conch Int Methane Ltd Process for the separation of nitrogen and oxygen from air by fractional distillation
US3798917A (en) * 1970-05-12 1974-03-26 Messer Griesheim Gmbh Fractionation of air to obtain oxygen of about seventy percent purity
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JP2009516149A (ja) 2009-04-16
WO2007057730A1 (en) 2007-05-24
CN101103240A (zh) 2008-01-09
US20060169000A1 (en) 2006-08-03
EP1952081A1 (de) 2008-08-06

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