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Processes and Device for Low Temperature Separation of Air

  • US 20110067444A1
  • Filed: 09/20/2010
  • Published: 03/24/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
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1. A process for the low-temperature separation of air with a distillation-column system comprising at least one separation column, said process comprising:

  • compressing a main air stream in an air compressor at a first pressure and purifying the main air stream in a purification device;

    compressing a first air stream, which is formed from at least one portion of the purified main air stream, in a recompressor at a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure;

    branching off a throttling stream and a turbine steam from the further compressed first air stream;

    cooling the throttling stream and liquefying or pseudo-liquefying the throttling stream in a main heat exchanger and passing the throttling stream to an expansion equipment;

    conducting the expanded throttling stream into the distillation-column system;

    cooling the turbine stream in the main heat exchanger and, under an intermediate temperature of the main heat exchanger, conducting the turbine stream into an expansion machine and expanding the turbine stream to produce work;

    conducting the expanded turbine stream at least in part into the distillation-column system;

    taking off a liquid product stream from the distillation-column system at an increased pressure and vaporizing or pseudo-vaporizing the liquid product stream by indirect heat exchange with the throttling stream and drawing off as a gaseous product stream,wherein the turbine stream is cooled so that, if the pressure of the turbine stream is subcritical, the dewpoint temperature or a lower temperature is attained, or, if the pressure of the turbine stream is subcritical, the turbine stream is pseudo-liquefied,wherein the cooled-down or pseudo-liquefied turbine stream is expanded at least at the dewpoint temperature at an intermediate pressure that is below the second pressure, andwherein the turbine stream expanded at the intermediate pressure is heated up in the main heat exchanger at the intermediate temperature before it is conducted to an expansion machine.

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