Process and Device for Obtaining Liquid Nitrogen by Low Temperature Air Fractionation
First Claim
1. Process for obtaining liquid nitrogen by low-temperature air fractionation in a distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation which comprises two distillation columns, namely a high-pressure column, a low-pressure column, and a single high-pressure column top condenser for liquefying overhead gas of the high-pressure column, which high-pressure column top condenser is constructed as a condenser-evaporator and comprises a liquefaction compartment and a single evaporation compartment, said process comprising:
- compressing feed air to a first pressure in a main air compressor and purifying the feed air;
liquefying or pseudoliquefying a throttle stream, which is formed by one part of the purified feed air, in a main heat exchanger at a second pressure which is higher than the first pressure;
expanding the liquefied or pseudoliquefied throttle stream;
introducing at least some of the expanded throttle stream as a refrigerant stream into the evaporation compartment of the high-pressure column top condenser;
introducing at least some of an overhead gas of the high-pressure column into the liquefaction compartment of the high-pressure column top condenser;
introducing at least some of the overhead nitrogen of the low-pressure column into a liquefaction compartment of a low-pressure column top condenser;
introducing an oxygen-enriched liquid from a bottom region of the low-pressure column into an evaporation compartment of the low-pressure column top condenser; and
generating a nitrogen product in the low-pressure column and removing at least of the nitrogen product as a liquid product.
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Abstract
A device for obtaining liquid nitrogen by low-temperature air fractionation in a distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation includes a high-pressure column; a low-pressure column; a high-pressure column top condenser which is constructed as a condenser-evaporator and comprises a liquefaction compartment and an evaporation compartment; a low-pressure column top condenser which is constructed as a condenser-evaporator and comprises a liquefaction compartment and an evaporation compartment. A throttle stream is formed by one part of a purified feed air that is liquefied or pseudoliquefied in a main heat exchanger. The throttle stream is expanded, and at least some of the expanded throttle stream is introduced as refrigerant stream into the evaporation compartment of the high-pressure column top condenser.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. Process for obtaining liquid nitrogen by low-temperature air fractionation in a distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation which comprises two distillation columns, namely a high-pressure column, a low-pressure column, and a single high-pressure column top condenser for liquefying overhead gas of the high-pressure column, which high-pressure column top condenser is constructed as a condenser-evaporator and comprises a liquefaction compartment and a single evaporation compartment, said process comprising:
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compressing feed air to a first pressure in a main air compressor and purifying the feed air; liquefying or pseudoliquefying a throttle stream, which is formed by one part of the purified feed air, in a main heat exchanger at a second pressure which is higher than the first pressure; expanding the liquefied or pseudoliquefied throttle stream; introducing at least some of the expanded throttle stream as a refrigerant stream into the evaporation compartment of the high-pressure column top condenser; introducing at least some of an overhead gas of the high-pressure column into the liquefaction compartment of the high-pressure column top condenser; introducing at least some of the overhead nitrogen of the low-pressure column into a liquefaction compartment of a low-pressure column top condenser; introducing an oxygen-enriched liquid from a bottom region of the low-pressure column into an evaporation compartment of the low-pressure column top condenser; and generating a nitrogen product in the low-pressure column and removing at least of the nitrogen product as a liquid product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Device for obtaining liquid nitrogen by low-temperature air fractionation, comprising:
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a distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation which comprises a high-pressure column having a single high-pressure column top condenser comprising a liquefaction compartment and a single evaporation compartment, and a low-pressure column; a main air compressor for compressing feed air to a first pressure; a purification appliance for purifying feed air compressed to the first pressure; means for forming a throttle stream by one part of the purified feed air; a main heat exchanger for liquefying or pseudoliquefying the throttle stream at a second pressure which is higher than the first pressure; means for expanding the liquefied or pseudoliquefied throttle stream; means for introducing the expanded throttle stream into the distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation; means for introducing at least some of the overhead gas of the high-pressure column into the liquefaction compartment of the high-pressure column top condenser; means for removing as liquid product a nitrogen product generated in the low-pressure column; means for introducing at least some of the expanded throttle stream as refrigerant stream into the evaporation compartment of the high-pressure column top condenser; a low-pressure column top condenser comprising a liquefaction compartment and an evaporation compartment; means for introducing at least some of the overhead nitrogen of the low-pressure column into the liquefaction compartment of the low-pressure column top condenser; and means for introducing an oxygen-enriched liquid from a lower region of the low-pressure column into the evaporation compartment of the low-pressure column top condenser.
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18. A Process for obtaining liquid nitrogen by low-temperature air fractionation, comprising:
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compressing feed air to a first pressure in a main air compressor and purifying the feed air; liquefying or pseudoliquefying a throttle stream which is formed by one part of the purified feed air in a main heat exchanger at a second pressure which is higher than the first pressure; expanding the liquefied or pseudoliquefied throttle stream; introducing at least some of the expanded throttle stream as a refrigerant stream into an evaporation compartment of a high-pressure column top condenser; introducing at least some of the overhead gas of the high-pressure column into a liquefaction compartment of the high-pressure column top condenser; introducing at least some of the overhead nitrogen of a low-pressure column into the liquefaction compartment of a low-pressure column top condenser; introducing an oxygen-enriched liquid from a bottom region of the low-pressure column into an evaporation compartment of the low-pressure column top condenser; and generating a nitrogen product in the low-pressure column and removing at least part of the nitrogen product as liquid product.
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19. A device for obtaining liquid nitrogen by low-temperature air fractionation, comprising:
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a distillation column system comprising a high-pressure column having a single high-pressure column top condenser comprising a liquefaction compartment and a single evaporation compartment; and
a low-pressure column comprising a low-pressure column top condenser comprising a liquefaction compartment and an evaporation compartment;a main air compressor for compressing feed air to a first pressure, a purification appliance for purifying feed air compressed to the first pressure; a compressor and cooler for forming a throttle stream by one part of the purified feed air; a main heat exchanger for liquefying or pseudoliquefying the throttle stream at a second pressure which is higher than the first pressure; a throttling valve for expanding the liquefied or pseudoliquefied throttle stream; a line for introducing at least some of the expanded throttle stream as a refrigerant stream into the evaporation compartment of the high-pressure column top condenser; a line for introducing at least some of the overhead gas of the high-pressure column into the liquefaction compartment of the high-pressure column top condenser; a line for introducing at least some of the overhead nitrogen of the low-pressure column into the liquefaction compartment of the low-pressure column top condenser; a line for introducing an oxygen-enriched liquid from a lower region of the low-pressure column into the evaporation compartment of the low-pressure column top condenser; and a line for removing as liquid product a nitrogen product generated in the low-pressure column.
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Specification