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
  • F25J3/04521—Coupling of the air fractionation unit to an air gas-consuming unit, so-called integrated processes
  • F25J3/04563—Integration with a nitrogen consuming unit, e.g. for purging, inerting, cooling or heating
• • 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
  • F25J3/04012—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling
  • F25J3/04018—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling of main feed 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
  • 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
  • F25J3/04012—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling
  • F25J3/04024—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling of purified feed air, so-called boosted 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
  • 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
  • F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
  • F25J3/04109—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers
  • F25J3/04115—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers characterised by the type of prime driver, e.g. hot gas expander
  • F25J3/04121—Steam turbine as the prime mechanical driver
• • 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
  • F25J3/04109—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers
  • F25J3/04115—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers characterised by the type of prime driver, e.g. hot gas expander
  • F25J3/04133—Electrical motor as the prime mechanical driver
• • 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
  • F25J3/04539—Integration with an oxygen consuming unit, e.g. glass facility, waste incineration or oxygen based processes in general for the H2/CO synthesis by partial oxidation or oxygen consuming reforming processes of fuels
• • 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
  • F25J3/04951—Arrangements of multiple air fractionation units or multiple equipments fulfilling the same process step, e.g. multiple trains in a network
• • 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
• • 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

Definitions

• the present invention to an installation for producing oxygen and / or nitrogen under high pressure by air distillation.
• the invention applies to the production of very large quantities of oxygen under high pressure, in particular for the supply of production units of synthetic hydrocarbons.
• GTL units Industrial synthetic hydrocarbon production units, known as “Gas-To-Liquids” (GTL units), can have a production capacity of around 50,000 barrels per day, which corresponds to a consumption of around 12 000 tonnes per day of oxygen. To produce such quantities of oxygen, it is necessary to provide 'several air distillation units in parallel, typically three or four units. In addition, to bring the oxygen to the high pressure necessary for the operation of the GTL unit, it is advantageous to pump the liquid oxygen produced by distillation to this high pressure, and to vaporize the liquid by exchange of heat with a circulating fluid compressed to a pressure sufficient to allow the vaporization of oxygen, this fluid being typically pressurized air. This avoids the always delicate use of gaseous oxygen compressors.
• each air distillation unit generally comprises two compression devices: on the one hand, a main air compressor, which supplies all atmospheric air treated at a medium distillation pressure (typically 5 to 8 bars for distillation in an apparatus comprising at least two distillation columns), on the other hand a secondary compressor, in particular an air booster, which brings part of the compressed air flow at a high pressure allowing the vaporization of the pumped liquid oxygen.
• a main air compressor which supplies all atmospheric air treated at a medium distillation pressure (typically 5 to 8 bars for distillation in an apparatus comprising at least two distillation columns)
• a secondary compressor in particular an air booster, which brings part of the compressed air flow at a high pressure allowing the vaporization of the pumped liquid oxygen.
• each main compressor is generally driven by a clean steam turbine, which can be a back pressure turbine, escaping a higher pressure. at "atmospheric pressure, or a condensing turbine, escaping a pressure 'lower than atmospheric pressure and associated with a water condenser, cooled by water or by ambient air, and with a pump recycling of water to the steam boiler.
• each secondary compressor is driven by a steam turbine
• the invention aims to reduce the investment associated with installations of the aforementioned type.
• the subject of the invention is an installation for producing oxygen and / or nitrogen under high pressure by air distillation, characterized in that it comprises main air compression means suitable for compressing atmospheric air to be distilled; expansion means which drive said main compression means; air pre-cooling means; means for purifying air with water and C0 2 ; a main heat exchange line adapted to cool compressed air up to a temperature allowing its distillation; N (N> 1) parallel air distillation apparatus producing liquid oxygen and / or liquid nitrogen; means for pumping liquid oxygen and / or liquid nitrogen at at least one high pressure; and secondary compression means adapted to compress a circulating fluid to a high pressure allowing the vaporization of the liquid oxygen and / or of the liquid nitrogen pumped (s) to form oxygen and / or production nitrogen gas, characterized in that said secondary compression means are driven by electric motors, and in that the installation comprises an auxiliary turbine which drives an alternator, the latter supplying electric • motors (11) with electric current .
• the secondary compression means comprise N '(N'> 1) secondary compressors, each of which is driven by one of said electric motors;
• the secondary compressors are air boosters suitable for overpressing part of the compressed air by the main air compression means; said expansion means are turbines similar to said auxiliary turbine;
• the installation further comprises means for final compression of gaseous oxygen and / or production nitrogen gas adapted to compress oxygen and / or vaporized nitrogen (s) at a high production pressure;
• the final compression means are driven by electric motors themselves driven by said alternator;
• the supply of motors with electric current is supplemented by an addition from the electric network, at least at certain stages of operation of the installation;
• the alternator produces a surplus of electrical energy, which is exported to the electrical network, at least at certain stages of operation of the installation;
• the installation comprises at least one industrial unit, in particular a unit for the production of synthetic hydrocarbons, supplied with oxygen, and / or nitrogen under high pressure; and said expansion means and said auxiliary turbine are steam turbines, and the industrial unit produces steam which feeds these steam turbines.
• the installation shown in the drawings comprises four air distillation units in parallel, 1A to ID, which supply high pressure oxygen to one or more GTL 2 unit (s).
• the high production pressure of units 1A to ID is typically understood. between 30 and 65 bars, and each of these units typically produces around 3000 tonnes of oxygen per day.
• Each unit 1 (i.e. 1A to ID) includes:
• an air or water pre-cooler 5 an air or water pre-cooler 5; an apparatus 6 for purifying air with water and C0 2 by adsorption;
• an air distillation apparatus 8 comprising at least one air distillation column; - at least one liquid oxygen pump 9; and
• the installation also comprises a fifth condensing steam turbine 12, which can advantageously be analogous to turbines 4A to 4D, that is to say of the same type and substantially of the same power, and which drives a single alternator 13.
• the latter supplies the four motors 11 with electrical current.
• the products from the device 8 are heated against the flow of air in the exchange line 7.
• the liquid oxygen produced by the low pressure column (LOX) is pumped to the high production pressure at 9, and vaporized by condensation of the pressurized air, then reheated near room temperature, to provide the desired flow of high pressure gaseous oxygen (HPGOX).
• Each compressor 3 consumes a power on the order of 50 to 60 MW, while each booster 10 consumes a power on the order of 15 MW.
• the steam turbine 12 can be analogous to each of the turbines 4A to 4D, also providing a power of the order of 60 MW. A significant gain can thus be obtained on the stock of spare parts for the entire installation.
• each distillation unit can optionally supply nitrogen gaseous under high pressure (HPGN) in unit 2.
• This nitrogen can be compressed in gaseous form by a nitrogen compressor 14, as shown.
• the nitrogen can be pumped at high pressure in liquid form and vaporized in the exchange line 7 by condensation of an additional flow of pressurized air.
• the alternator 13 can produce insufficient electrical power to drive the motors 11, in which case an additional electrical power is supplied by the network 15.
• the alternator can on the contrary produce excess electrical power ; this is then exported to network 15.
• each compressor 4 compresses the air to a pressure different from the distillation pressure.
• turbines 3 and 12 can be replaced by gas turbines, especially if the site has natural gas.
• Electric motors powered by an alternator such as the alternator 13, driven by a turbine can also be used to drive the compressors 14A to 14D and / or additional oxygen compressors 16A to 16B, shown in phantom, which brings gaseous products at their final supply pressure to unit 2.

Landscapes

• 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)
• Engine Equipment That Uses Special Cycles (AREA)
• Oxygen, Ozone, And Oxides In General (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8866534

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (19)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 2001
  • 2001-08-14 FR FR0110817A patent/FR2828729B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2002
  • 2002-08-01 JP JP2003521058A patent/JP2005500503A/ja active Pending
  • 2002-08-01 EP EP02779604A patent/EP1419353A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2002-08-01 WO PCT/FR2002/002780 patent/WO2003016804A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2002-08-13 US US10/217,922 patent/US6581411B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events