US2107797A - Apparatus for producing and storing oxygen - Google Patents

Apparatus for producing and storing oxygen Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US2107797A
US2107797A US106165A US10616536A US2107797A US 2107797 A US2107797 A US 2107797A US 106165 A US106165 A US 106165A US 10616536 A US10616536 A US 10616536A US 2107797 A US2107797 A US 2107797A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
oxygen
liquid
pressure
receivers
air
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 - Lifetime
Application number
US106165A
Inventor
Messer Adolf
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.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2107797A publication Critical patent/US2107797A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

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
    • F25J3/044—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 single pressure main column system only
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C9/00—Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied or solidified gases from vessels not under pressure
    • F17C9/02—Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied or solidified gases from vessels not under pressure with change of state, e.g. vaporisation
    • 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
    • F25J3/04781—Pressure changing devices, e.g. for compression, expansion, liquid pumping
    • 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
    • F25J2200/50—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification using multiple (re-)boiler-condensers at different heights of the 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
    • F25J2215/00—Processes characterised by the type or other details of the product stream
    • F25J2215/50—Oxygen or special cases, e.g. isotope-mixtures or low purity O2
    • 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
    • F25J2235/04—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams using a pressure accumulator
    • 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
    • F25J2250/20—Boiler-condenser with multiple exchanger cores in parallel or with multiple re-boiling or condensing 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
    • F25J2290/00—Other details not covered by groups F25J2200/00 - F25J2280/00
    • F25J2290/62—Details of storing a fluid in a tank

Definitions

  • the warmer or outlet end ofqthe oxygen evaporating coil is'generally connected to a gas hold- '10 er of the floating bell type where the oxygen accumulates and from which it is withdrawn-and compressed for storage at a high pressure.
  • One object of the-present invention is to pro-- vide 'a process and apparatus for separating oxygen from airand storing said oxygen at a suitable pressure "for use without further compressing or the provision forvery high pressure storwage.
  • the very low temperature which exists in the filled I receiver normally inhibits rapid evaporation of .the liquid oxygen, and in carrying out the present invention, pressure is utilized for forcing out the liquid oxygen from said receiver.
  • the second stage-of the aircompressor may be utilized as such pressure means.
  • FIG. 1 there is shown a column in having a heat interchanger i i; at the upper end for precooling the incoming air, and a rectifying section l2 at the lower end for separating the air into oxygen and nitrogen.
  • the air is introduced under pressure through a coil 13 of the interchanger l in countercurrent heat interchange relationship with thecoil ll through which the evaporation of the separated liquid oxygen takes place.
  • This precooled air after leaving the'heat interchanger ll, passes through a coil ii at the bottom of the rectifying section wherethe separated liquid oxygen collects,-and then through an expansion valve It to a nozzle disposed over a series of trays i8.
  • the nitrogen gas passes up- 'wardly'around the'heat. interchanger II and out through an outlet 20 while the oxygen collects in liquid form at the bottom 01 the column.
  • the liquid oxygen collected at the bottom of the column III is gradually withdrawn 'and'temporarily stored in a receiver before passing through the heat interchanger coil ll.
  • a pipe 24 is con- 35 nected to the bottom of the column l0 and has a pair of branch outlets 25 and 26 extending into I the tops'of two receivers 22 and 23, these branches being controlled byvalves 21 and 28.
  • outlet pipes 30 and 3i forming branches of a pipe 32 connected to the inlet end of the oxygen evaporating coil i4. These outlet pipes are provided-with valves 33 and SI. 45
  • Means are provided for forcingthe liquid from either of the receivers 22 and 23 through the evaporating coil [4 of the heat interchanger ii.
  • a pipe 36 leading from a suitable source of pressure such as the second stage of the air compressor, and having a pair of branch connections 31 and 38 which lead respectively into the upper ends of the receivers 22 and 23, and controlled by valves 40 and ll.
  • the outlet end of'the oxygen evaporating coil l4 leads to a storage holder 42, the connection between said coil and said holder being controlled by an adjustable regulating valve 43.
  • This hold- 5 er 2 is provided with a valved outlet 44 leadingto a' suitable point where the oxygen may be used in the workshop.v
  • the oz-wgen As the oz-wgen is separated and collected in liquid form in the bottom of the column I, it is I delivered to and from the receivers 22 and 23 alternately. As shown in the drawing, the valves 21, 34 and are opened and the valves 28, 33
  • An air, separating apparatus including a rectification column, a heat interchanger, a pair 01' liquid'oxygen receivers, valved means between the bottom of said rectification column and said receivers for delivering liquid oxygen from said column selectively to either one of said receivers,
  • valved means ' for delivering liquid oxygen from I either one of saidreceivers through said heat interchanger; and air pressure means for forcing the liquid oxygen from either one of said receiv- ADOLF' nmssna.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
  • Oxygen, Ozone, And Oxides In General (AREA)

Description

Feb. 8, 1938. I ME SER 2,107,797
APPARATUS EOi-"i PRODUCING AND STORING OXYGEN Filed Oct. 17, 1936 INVENTOR Aab lf'lyesser ATTORNEYS r Patented 8, 1938 UNITED STATES Arrmrus roa raonuomo. ANDs'roR ING oxronn Adolf Mam, Frankfort-on-the-Main, Gem
Application October'- 17 1936, Serial No.'106,165 Germany September 4, 1936 V 2 Claims. 7 (c1. 62 -122).
g In certain types of air separating plants for the production of oxygen and nitrogen, the liquid oxygen produced and collected in the rectification column is forced out by a low pressure, for
instance about 0.5 atm into the oxygen evaporating coil on the low pressure side oi the 'ap paratus where the liquid oxygen is evaporated.
The warmer or outlet end ofqthe oxygen evaporating coil is'generally connected to a gas hold- '10 er of the floating bell type where the oxygen accumulates and from which it is withdrawn-and compressed for storage at a high pressure.
In many cases, especially where the oxygen isproduced at the, plant where it is to be con-,
sumed, a pressure of only about 10 atm. is required, so that any compressing of the oxygen to I any higher degree, entails un'ne'cessary expenses. An oxygen producing plant suitable for such oxygen users has been so well developed that even 0 an intermittent operation. of the plant is eco-' nomical and the accumulation of very large quantities of. oxygen in order to insure a cone .stantv supply'is not necessary.
i One object of the-present invention is to pro-- vide 'a process and apparatus for separating oxygen from airand storing said oxygen at a suitable pressure "for use without further compressing or the provision forvery high pressure storwage. a
4 In carrying out thepresent invention, I proare advantageously directly connected with the bottom of the rectification column to receive the 7 liquid oxygen from said column; After the re 5 ceiver'has been filled'to a predetermined level, the liquid-oxygen supply thereto is shut oif and the stored oxygen isforcedthrough the oxygen evaporating coils forming part of the heat inter changer for precooling the incoming air. The very low temperature which exists in the filled I receiver normally inhibits rapid evaporation of .the liquid oxygen, and in carrying out the present invention, pressure is utilized for forcing out the liquid oxygen from said receiver. For instance, the second stage-of the aircompressor may be utilized as such pressure means.
Preferably more than one receiver is provided,
andthe receivers are filled and emptied alternately so that while one receiver is being filled, with liquid oxygen, the liquid oxygen which has [already been stored in the other receiver is forced by air pressure throughv the oxygen evapcrating coils. as already pointed out. I
- 'At the outlet or warmer end of the oxygen 'vide one or more liquid oxygen receivers which evaporating coils, there is provided a storage gas liquid oxygen and effects the storing of the gase- 5 ous oxygen in the holder at the desired pressure.
j In the accompanying drawing there is shown for. the purpose of illustration, an apparatus which embodies the present infintion and which may be'used to carry out myimproved process.
In this drawing there is shown a column in having a heat interchanger i i; at the upper end for precooling the incoming air, and a rectifying section l2 at the lower end for separating the air into oxygen and nitrogen. The air is introduced under pressure through a coil 13 of the interchanger l in countercurrent heat interchange relationship with thecoil ll through which the evaporation of the separated liquid oxygen takes place. This precooled air, after leaving the'heat interchanger ll, passes through a coil ii at the bottom of the rectifying section wherethe separated liquid oxygen collects,-and then through an expansion valve It to a nozzle disposed over a series of trays i8.
As the resulting liquid air trinkles downwardly over the trays II, the nitrogen gas passes up- 'wardly'around the'heat. interchanger II and out through an outlet 20 while the oxygen collects in liquid form at the bottom 01 the column.
As a feature of the present invention, the liquid oxygen collected at the bottom of the column III is gradually withdrawn 'and'temporarily stored in a receiver before passing through the heat interchanger coil ll. As shown, a pipe 24 is con- 35 nected to the bottom of the column l0 and has a pair of branch outlets 25 and 26 extending into I the tops'of two receivers 22 and 23, these branches being controlled byvalves 21 and 28.
Extending substantially from the bottoms of the receivers 22 and 23 are outlet pipes 30 and 3i forming branches of a pipe 32 connected to the inlet end of the oxygen evaporating coil i4. These outlet pipes are provided-with valves 33 and SI. 45
Means are provided for forcingthe liquid from either of the receivers 22 and 23 through the evaporating coil [4 of the heat interchanger ii. For this purpose there is provided a pipe 36.leading from a suitable source of pressure such as the second stage of the air compressor, and having a pair of branch connections 31 and 38 which lead respectively into the upper ends of the receivers 22 and 23, and controlled by valves 40 and ll.
The outlet end of'the oxygen evaporating coil l4 leads to a storage holder 42, the connection between said coil and said holder being controlled by an adjustable regulating valve 43. This hold- 5 er 2 is provided witha valved outlet 44 leadingto a' suitable point where the oxygen may be used in the workshop.v
As the oz-wgen is separated and collected in liquid form in the bottom of the column I, it is I delivered to and from the receivers 22 and 23 alternately. As shown in the drawing, the valves 21, 34 and are opened and the valves 28, 33
and 40 are closed, so that the liquid oxygen is "being delivered through the valve 21 into the upper end of the receiver 22 while the liquid oxygen which has already been stored in the receiver 23 is forced by the pressure in the pipe 36 through the valve 34 and into the evaporating coll M. The evaporated oxygen leaving the 0011 ll passes. into the storage holder 42 at a pressure depending on the adjustment of the valve 43. When theliquidreaches the desired level in thereceiver as shown by the gauge glass 45 or by other suitable means, the valves are reversed. By reversing the valves at the proper intervals, liquidoxygen may be continuously produced and continuously withdrawn from the col- I umn at low pressure, and liquid oxygen continuously evaporated and stored at a readily usable high pressure without the use of any additional pumping or compressing mechanism.
Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:- 1 4 1. An air separating apparatus including a rectification column, aheat interchanger,- a liqthrough the heat interchanger.
2 An air, separating apparatus including a rectification column, a heat interchanger, a pair 01' liquid'oxygen receivers, valved means between the bottom of said rectification column and said receivers for delivering liquid oxygen from said column selectively to either one of said receivers,
valved means 'for delivering liquid oxygen from I either one of saidreceivers through said heat interchanger; and air pressure means for forcing the liquid oxygen from either one of said receiv- ADOLF' nmssna.
ers through said heatinterchanger.
US106165A 1936-09-04 1936-10-17 Apparatus for producing and storing oxygen Expired - Lifetime US2107797A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2107797X 1936-09-04

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2107797A true US2107797A (en) 1938-02-08

Family

ID=7985277

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US106165A Expired - Lifetime US2107797A (en) 1936-09-04 1936-10-17 Apparatus for producing and storing oxygen

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (1) US2107797A (en)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2423631A (en) * 1942-01-26 1947-07-08 Univ Minnesota Conversion apparatus
US2501999A (en) * 1944-09-04 1950-03-28 Arthur J Fausck Apparatus for separating the constituents of atmosphere
US2544421A (en) * 1948-01-02 1951-03-06 Daniel And Florence Guggenheim Automatic control mechanism for gas storage tanks
US2651921A (en) * 1951-03-12 1953-09-15 Rant John W Du Storage and vaporizing apparatus for liquefied petroleum gas mixtures
US2772545A (en) * 1952-05-13 1956-12-04 Air Prod Inc Liquefied gas pressurizing systems
US20140223924A1 (en) * 2013-02-11 2014-08-14 Chart Inc. Integrated Cryogenic Fluid Delivery System

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2423631A (en) * 1942-01-26 1947-07-08 Univ Minnesota Conversion apparatus
US2501999A (en) * 1944-09-04 1950-03-28 Arthur J Fausck Apparatus for separating the constituents of atmosphere
US2544421A (en) * 1948-01-02 1951-03-06 Daniel And Florence Guggenheim Automatic control mechanism for gas storage tanks
US2651921A (en) * 1951-03-12 1953-09-15 Rant John W Du Storage and vaporizing apparatus for liquefied petroleum gas mixtures
US2772545A (en) * 1952-05-13 1956-12-04 Air Prod Inc Liquefied gas pressurizing systems
US20140223924A1 (en) * 2013-02-11 2014-08-14 Chart Inc. Integrated Cryogenic Fluid Delivery System
US9829156B2 (en) * 2013-02-11 2017-11-28 Chart Inc. Integrated cryogenic fluid delivery device with vaporizer having a conformal geometry

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
RU1838732C (en) Method and set for low-temperature separation of air
US2280383A (en) Method and apparatus for extracting an auxiliary product of rectification
JPH01318882A (en) Method of separating mixture composed of oxygen, nitrogen and argon
US2360468A (en) Separation of oxygen from air by liquefaction
US2107797A (en) Apparatus for producing and storing oxygen
US2090163A (en) Method of liquefying and storing fuel gases
EP0158395B1 (en) Method of liquefying a gas and liquefier for carrying out the method
US2057804A (en) Method of separating the constituents of air
US3742721A (en) Method of regulation of the temperature of the liquefied gas or gaseous mixture in an apparatus for the liquefaction of gaseous fluids
US2959021A (en) Process for air separation by liquefaction and rectification
US2316056A (en) Method and apparatus for rectifying fluid mixtures
US3882689A (en) Flashing liquid refrigerant and accumulating unvaporized portions at different levels of a single vessel
US2213338A (en) Method and apparatus for fractionating gaseous mixtures
US2545462A (en) System for separation of argon from air
US2990689A (en) Method and apparatus for the production of argon
US2620637A (en) Air fractionating cycle and apparatus
US1850529A (en) Process for extracting helium
US2754666A (en) Method and apparatus for liquefying gases
US2089543A (en) Method and apparatus for separation of gaseous mixtures
US1881116A (en) Apparatus for the extraction of helium from gaseous mixtures
US2380417A (en) Process and apparatus for producing industrial oxygen
US1959884A (en) Apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous mixtures
US2012080A (en) Method of and apparatus for separating and purifying helium from a gaseous mixture
US2685179A (en) Method and apparatus for treating gaseous mixtures
US2601764A (en) Apparatus for providing oxygen or other gases to meet variable demands