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
  • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
  • F25B30/00—Heat pumps
  • F25B30/06—Heat pumps characterised by the source of low potential heat
• • 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
  • F25J3/04636—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 hybrid air separation unit, e.g. combined process by cryogenic separation and non-cryogenic separation techniques
• • 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
  • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
  • F25B21/00—Machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects
• • 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
  • F25J3/04193—Division of the main heat exchange line in consecutive sections having different functions
• • 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
  • F25J3/04248—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion
  • F25J3/04278—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using external refrigeration units, e.g. closed mechanical or regenerative refrigeration units
• • 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
  • F25J3/04248—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion
  • F25J3/04284—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using internal refrigeration by open-loop gas work expansion, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams
  • F25J3/0429—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using internal refrigeration by open-loop gas work expansion, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams of feed air, e.g. used as waste or product air or expanded into an auxiliary column
  • F25J3/04303—Lachmann expansion, i.e. expanded into oxygen producing or low 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
  • F25J3/044—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
  • 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
  • F25J3/04642—Recovering noble gases from air
  • F25J3/04648—Recovering noble gases from air argon
  • F25J3/04654—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column
  • F25J3/0466—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column or auxiliary column system in a single pressure main column system
• • 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
  • F25J3/04872—Vertical layout of cold equipments within in the cold box, e.g. columns, heat exchangers etc.
  • F25J3/04884—Arrangement of reboiler-condensers
• • 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
  • F25J2200/40—Features relating to the provision of boil-up in the bottom of a 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
  • 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
  • F25J2200/00—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification
  • F25J2200/74—Refluxing the column with at least a part of the partially condensed overhead gas
• • 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
  • F25J2210/00—Processes characterised by the type or other details of the feed stream
  • F25J2210/06—Splitting of the feed stream, e.g. for treating or cooling in different ways
• • 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
  • F25J2270/00—Refrigeration techniques used
  • F25J2270/90—External refrigeration, e.g. conventional closed-loop mechanical refrigeration unit using Freon or NH3, unspecified external refrigeration
  • F25J2270/908—External refrigeration, e.g. conventional closed-loop mechanical refrigeration unit using Freon or NH3, unspecified external refrigeration by regenerative chillers, i.e. oscillating or dynamic systems, e.g. Stirling refrigerator, thermoelectric ("Peltier") or magnetic refrigeration
• • 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
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
  • Y02B30/00—Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a cryogenic temperature separation method and apparatus.
• the separation may be separation by distillation and / or dephlegmation and / or absorption.
• the equipment used for this separation will be called "column".
• a column may for example be a distillation or absorption column. Reduced to its simplest expression, it can be a phase separator. Otherwise a column can also be a device where a dephlegmation takes place.
• Magnetic refrigeration is based on the use of magnetic materials having a magnetocaloric effect. Reversible, this effect results in a variation of their temperature when they are subjected to the application of an external magnetic field.
• the optimal ranges of use of these materials are in the vicinity of their Curie temperature (Te).
• Te Curie temperature
• the magnetocaloric effect is said to be direct when the temperature of the material increases when it is put in a magnetic field, indirect when it cools when it is put in a magnetic field.
• the rest of the description will be made for the direct case, but the transposition to the indirect case is obvious to those skilled in the art. There are several thermodynamic cycles based on this principle.
• a typical magnetic refrigeration cycle consists of i) magnetizing the material to increase its temperature, ii) cooling the constant magnetic field material to reject heat, iii) demagnetizing the material to cool it, and iv) heating the material. constant magnetic field material (usually zero) to capture heat.
• a magnetic refrigeration device uses elements of magnetocaloric material, which generate heat when magnetized and absorb heat when demagnetized. It can implement a magnetocaloric material regenerator to amplify the temperature difference between the "hot source” and the “cold source”: this is called active regenerative refrigeration.
• US-A-6502404 describes the use of the magnetocaloric effect (instead of the conventional use of an expansion turbine) to provide cold (necessary to ensure the cooling of the process) to a cryogenic separation process of the air, the separation energy being conventionally provided by the pressurized air which makes it possible to operate the vaporizer-condenser of the double column (the low pressure column can be reduced to a simple vaporizer in the case of a nitrogen generator).
• the separation (distillation) is partly under pressure, typically between 5 and 6 bara in the medium pressure column.
• the present invention addresses the problem of how to carry out a separation entirely in very low pressure, the fluid to be separated does not convey the energy (in the form of pressure) used for the separation and the cold behavior of the process.
• the energy for the separation and the energy for the cold resistance are provided by heat pumps, independently of the fluid to be separated and its pressure.
• a heat pump is a thermodynamic device for transferring a quantity of heat from a medium considered as “transmitter” said “cold source” from which the heat is extracted to a medium considered as “receiver” said "hot source Where the heat is supplied, the cold source being at a colder temperature than the hot source.
• the conventional cycle used in the state of the art for this type of application is a thermodynamic cycle of compression - cooling (condensation) - relaxation - heating (vaporization) of a refrigerant.
• Figure 12 of the document "ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES - Magnetic Refrigeration 2005” shows a gain of a factor 2 on the coefficient of performance of a refrigeration system using a magnetic cycle compared to the conventional cycle.
• the low-pressure or even quasi-atmospheric separation makes it possible to simplify the design and the mechanical strength of the equipment of the separating apparatus, thus reducing its cost.
• An ambient temperature is the temperature of the ambient air in which the process is located, or a temperature of a cooling water circuit related to the air temperature.
• a subambient temperature is at least 10 ° C below room temperature.
• a cryogenic temperature is below -50 ° C.
• At. at least one first heat pump said heat pump separation, heat exchange directly or indirectly between a first cryogenic temperature cold source and a first hot source cryogenic temperature thereby providing at least partly the separation energy
• At least one second heat pump called a cooling balance heat pump, exchanging heat directly or indirectly between a second cold source at a first cryogenic temperature and a second hot source at a temperature above the first temperature, for example at the ambient temperature, thus providing at least a portion of the cold necessary to maintain the refrigeration balance of the process, the separation being effected in a single column or a set of columns, the pressure of the single column or columns of the assembly being less than 2 bara, preferably less than 1.5 bara, preferably at least one pressure which differs from the atmospheric pressure only by the losses of the elements connecting the column or columns with the atmosphere, the first cold source and the first heat source being thermally connected, directly or indirectly, to the single column or to a column of the assembly, characterized in that the first and second heat pumps use the magnetocaloric effect and in that the second heat sink consists of air (7) intended to separate in the single column or set of columns or by a fluid coming from the column single (19) or a column of the set.
• the first so-called separation heat pump transfers heat directly or indirectly from the top of the column, preferably by condensing gas from the column, to the column vessel, preferably by vaporization of liquid from the single column;
• the first so-called separation heat pump transfers heat directly or indirectly into a column of the assembly, preferably by condensing gas in a column of the assembly, to a column of the assembly, preferably by vaporization in a column from the whole ;
• the first and second heat pumps are thermally connected to each other through the single column.
• the second heat pump condenses directly or indirectly at least partially the air before introduction of air into the single column or into a column of the assembly;
• the second heat pump totally or directly condenses part of the air before introducing the part of the air that is totally condensed in the single column or in a column of the assembly, preferentially above the feed of the rest of the air;
• the process produces as final product at least one gas enriched in a component of the mixture
• the process produces as final product at least one liquid enriched in a component of the mixture
• cooling balance directly or indirectly cools or condenses a fluid coming from the single column or from a column of the assembly in a heat exchanger by heat exchange with a heat transfer fluid of the second heat pump;
• the first heat pump has no common heat exchanger with the second heat pump
• At least one fluid to be separated and / or derived from the separation of the column or column from the assembly is placed in direct contact with the magnetocaloric material of one of the first and second heat pumps;
• the heat exchange is at least partly carried out between a fluid to be separated and / or resulting from the separation of the column or a column from the assembly and a heat transfer fluid that has been in contact with the magnetocaloric material of one of the first and second heat pumps through an exchanger;
• the heat exchange is at least partly carried out between a fluid to be separated and / or resulting from the separation of the column or a column from the assembly and a heat transfer fluid having been in contact with the magnetocaloric material of a first and second heat pumps through an intermediate heat transport circuit.
• an apparatus for separating a mixture, for example air gas, by a subambient or even cryogenic separation process comprising a single column or a set of columns.
• the subambient or even cryogenic separation is carried out, means for sending a mixture, for example gas from the air, to the column or a set column, means for withdrawing at least one fluid enriched in a component of the mixture of the column or a set column, at least a first heat pump, using the magnetocaloric effect, called the separation heat pump, for exchanging heat directly or indirectly between a first cold source at subambient temperature or even cryogenic and a first hot source at subambient temperature, or even cryogenic thus providing at least part of the separation energy and at least one second heat pump, used the magnetocaloric effect, called the cooling balance heat pump, for exchanging heat directly or indirectly between a second cold source at a first subambient or even cryogenic temperature and a second hot source at a temperature above the first temperature, by example at temperature ambient, thus providing
• the apparatus comprises means for withdrawing a liquid product at the head or single column vessel or a column of the assembly
• the apparatus comprises means for withdrawing a gaseous product at the head or in the vat of the single column or of a column of the whole
• a flow of gaseous air 1 is compressed in a compressor 3 and cooled in a cooler 5 to form compressed and cooled air 7.
• This cooled air 7 is purified in a purification unit 9 to remove water and carbon dioxide and other impurities.
• the purified air is then cooled in a plate heat exchanger 11 with fins.
• the cooled air in the exchanger 11 is divided into two parts 13,15. Part 13 is sent to the middle of a single distillation column where it separates to form nitrogen enriched gas at the top of column 19 and an oxygen enriched liquid in the bottom of column 19.
• Part 15 of the air is condensed at least partially in a heat exchanger 17 by heat exchange with a fluid flow 23 which cools by means of a second pump. heat using the magnetocaloric effect 21.
• a cooling fluid 51 hot source of the second heat pump
• typically ambient air or cooling water is sent to the second heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 21.
• the column comprises a bottom reboiler 33 and a top condenser 35.
• the reboiler (the liquid reboiled in the reboiler is the indirect heat source of the first heat pump) is heated by means of a fluid circuit 37 in connection with a first heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 31.
• This first heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 31 also serves to cool a fluid 39 which cools the overhead condenser 35 (the condensed gas in the condenser is the source indirect cold of the first heat pump).
• the fluids 37 and 39 may be the same or different.
• An oxygen-enriched liquid 29 is withdrawn in the vat from the column 19 and a nitrogen-enriched gas 41 warms up in the exchanger 11 and serves, at least in part, subsequently to regenerate the purification unit 9.
• a gas Oxygen enriched is withdrawn in the bottom of the column 19, is heated in the exchanger 11 and is compressed by a compressor 27.
• FIG. 2 unlike FIG. 1, fluids 37, 39 are replaced by fluid flow rates from column 19.
• Column 19 has neither a head condenser nor a bottom reboiler.
• a portion 29A of the tank liquid (hot source of the first heat pump) vaporizes in the first heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 31 and is returned to the column in gaseous form.
• Part 41A of the overhead gas (cold source of the first heat pump) is sent to the first heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 31 where it condenses.
• the formed liquid is returned to the top of the column.
• the fluid 15 (cold source of the second heat pump) is sent directly into the second heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 21 where it condenses at least partially.
• FIG. 4 the heat transfer between the bottom reboiler 33 and the top condenser 35 is carried out as in FIG. 1, by a first heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 31.
• a part 43 of the nitrogen gas at the top of the column is condensed in the heat exchanger 17 by means of a second heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 21.
• the condensed nitrogen is returned to the column, so that a part of Condensation at the top of the column is carried out by means of the second heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 21.
• part of the oxygen-enriched gas 26 can be cooled and at least partially condensed in a heat exchanger 17 by means of a fluid circuit 53.
• the fluid 53 transfers heat to a second heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 21, itself cooled by means of a cooling fluid 51, typically ambient air or cooling water.
• column 19 has a top condenser 35 but no bottom reboiler. All the air for the column is cooled by means of a heat exchanger 1 1, then a heat exchanger 17 where it is at least partially condensed, a fluid 23 and a second pump. heat using the magnetocaloric effect 21. As in Fig. 1, only a portion of the air can pass into the heat exchanger 17. The nitrogen 41 heats up and is compressed by a compressor 42. The bottom liquid 29 of the column warms up first. in the heat exchanger 53, where it is at least partially vaporized and then in the exchanger 1 1. A fluid circuit 55 cools in the exchanger 53 and recovers heat at the first heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 31. The overhead condenser is cooled as in Figure 1.
• the column has neither condenser nor reboiler. All the air 7 cools in the heat exchanger 1 1, then a heat exchanger 17 where it is at least partially condensed by means of a second heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 21, as for Figure 3. As in Figure 1, only a portion of the air can pass into the heat exchanger 17. Alternatively, all or part of the air can be directly sent to the second heat pump using the The magnetocaloric effect 21.
• the tank liquid 37 is entirely sent to a first heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 31 where it vaporizes at least partially.
• the vaporized flow 37A then warms up in the heat exchanger 11 and serves at least partially to the regeneration of the purification unit 9.
• the overhead gas is divided in two, a portion 41 being heated and compressed and the remains 41A being sent to the first heat pump using the magnetocaloric effect 31 where it is at least partially condensed, forming the flow 41 B which is sent at the head of the column.
• the invention is described herein in the air separation application at cryogenic temperature. It is obvious that the invention also applies to other separations at subambient temperatures for example at the separation of a mixture containing carbon monoxide and / or hydrogen and / or nitrogen and / or methane.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=56116152

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications Before (1)

Country Status (3)

Family Cites Families (12)

• 2014
  • 2014-09-10 EP EP14784274.4A patent/EP3044522A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2014-09-10 US US15/021,035 patent/US20160223253A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2014-09-10 CN CN201480061009.1A patent/CN105705884B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2014-09-10 CN CN201480061010.4A patent/CN105705893A/zh active Pending
  • 2014-09-10 EP EP14784278.5A patent/EP3071910A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2014-09-10 US US15/021,031 patent/US20160216013A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (2)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events