EP3647701A1 - Installation de production d'argon par séparation d'air à basse température - Google Patents

Installation de production d'argon par séparation d'air à basse température Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3647701A1
EP3647701A1 EP19020090.7A EP19020090A EP3647701A1 EP 3647701 A1 EP3647701 A1 EP 3647701A1 EP 19020090 A EP19020090 A EP 19020090A EP 3647701 A1 EP3647701 A1 EP 3647701A1
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Prior art keywords
argon
column
pressure
air
liquid
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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.)
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EP19020090.7A
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German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Kirchner Lars
Dimitri GOLUBEV
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Linde GmbH
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Linde GmbH
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    • 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
    • F25J3/04048—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of cold gaseous streams, e.g. intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste) streams
    • F25J3/04054—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of cold gaseous streams, e.g. intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste) streams of 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
    • F25J3/04151—Purification and (pre-)cooling of the feed air; recuperative heat-exchange with product streams
    • F25J3/04163—Hot end purification of the feed air
    • F25J3/04169—Hot end purification of the feed air by adsorption of the impurities
    • F25J3/04175—Hot end purification of the feed air by adsorption of the impurities at a pressure of substantially more than the highest 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
    • F25J3/04248—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
    • F25J3/04296—Claude expansion, i.e. expanded into the main or 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
    • F25J3/04248—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion
    • F25J3/04375—Details relating to the work expansion, e.g. process parameter etc.
    • F25J3/04393—Details relating to the work expansion, e.g. process parameter etc. using multiple or multistage gas work expansion
    • 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
    • F25J3/04642—Recovering noble gases from air
    • F25J3/04648—Recovering noble gases from air argon
    • F25J3/04654—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column
    • F25J3/04666—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system
    • F25J3/04672—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system having a top condenser
    • F25J3/04678—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system having a top condenser cooled by oxygen enriched liquid from high pressure column bottoms
    • 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
    • F25J3/04721—Producing pure argon, e.g. recovered from a crude argon column
    • F25J3/04727—Producing pure argon, e.g. recovered from a crude argon column using an auxiliary pure argon column for nitrogen rejection
    • 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
    • F25J2245/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams
    • F25J2245/58—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams the recycled stream being argon or crude argon
    • 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
    • F25J2245/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams
    • F25J2245/90—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams the recycled stream being boil-off gas from storage
    • 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 present invention relates to a plant for the production of argon by low-temperature separation of air according to the preamble of the claim.
  • Air separation plants have rectification column systems which can be designed as two-column systems, in particular as classic Linde double-column systems, but also as three- or multi-column systems.
  • rectification columns for the production of nitrogen and / or oxygen in the liquid and / or gaseous state that is to say the rectification columns for the nitrogen-oxygen separation
  • rectification columns for the production of further air components, in particular argon can be provided.
  • the rectification columns of the rectification column systems mentioned are operated at different pressure levels.
  • Known double column systems have a so-called high pressure column (also referred to as a pressure column, medium pressure column or lower column) and a so-called low pressure column (also referred to as an upper column).
  • the high-pressure column is typically operated at a pressure level of 4 to 7 bar, in particular approximately 5.3 bar.
  • the low pressure column is operated at a pressure level of typically 1 to 2 bar, in particular approximately 1.4 bar. In certain cases, higher pressure levels can also be used in the low pressure column.
  • the pressures specified here and below are absolute pressures at the top of the columns specified.
  • an oxygen-enriched and a nitrogen-enriched portion of the high-pressure column is used depleted liquid is formed and withdrawn from the high pressure column.
  • This liquid which in particular also contains argon, is at least partly fed into the low-pressure column and further separated there. It can be at least partially evaporated before it is fed into the low-pressure column, where it is possible for evaporated and unevaporated portions to be fed into the low-pressure column at different positions.
  • the present invention is based in particular on a system in which a high and a low pressure column are used.
  • the low-pressure column can be formed in one part or in several parts.
  • a first and a second section of the low pressure column can be operated at a common pressure level.
  • a two-part low-pressure column thus differs from also known arrangements in which, in addition to the high and low-pressure columns, a further column for separating nitrogen and oxygen is provided, which, however, is operated at a pressure level which lies between the pressure levels at which the high-pressure column and the low pressure column are operated.
  • Air separation plants with raw and pure argon columns can be used to obtain argon.
  • An example is illustrated by Häring (see above) in Figure 2.3A and described from page 26 in the section "Rectification in the Low-pressure, Crude and Pure Argon Column” and from page 29 in the section "Cryogenic Production of Pure Argon".
  • argon accumulates at a certain height in the low-pressure column in corresponding plants.
  • argon-enriched gas with an argon concentration of typically 5 to 15 mole percent can be withdrawn from the low-pressure column and transferred to the crude argon column.
  • a corresponding gas typically contains approximately 0.05 to approximately 500 ppm nitrogen and otherwise essentially oxygen. It is expressly emphasized that the values given for the gas drawn off from the low pressure column are only typical example values.
  • the crude argon column essentially serves to separate the oxygen from the gas drawn off from the low-pressure column.
  • the separated oxygen in the crude argon column or a corresponding oxygen-rich fluid can be liquid in the low pressure column can be returned.
  • the oxygen or the oxygen-rich fluid is typically fed several theoretical or practical trays below the feed point for the liquid drawn off from the high-pressure column, oxygen-enriched and nitrogen-depleted and possibly at least partially evaporated into the low-pressure column.
  • a gaseous fraction remaining in the crude argon column, which essentially contains argon and nitrogen, is further separated in the pure argon column to obtain pure argon.
  • the crude and the pure argon column have top condensers, which can be cooled in particular with a portion of the liquid which has been drawn off from the high-pressure column and enriched with oxygen and nitrogen and which partially evaporates during this cooling.
  • Other fluids can also be used for cooling.
  • a pure argon column can also be dispensed with in corresponding systems, it being typically ensured here that the nitrogen content at the argon transition is below 1 ppm.
  • this is not a mandatory requirement.
  • argon of the same quality as from a conventional pure argon column is typically withdrawn from the raw argon column or a comparable column somewhat further below the fluid conventionally transferred into the pure argon column, the bottoms in the section between the raw argon condenser, i.e. the top condenser of the raw argon column, and a corresponding deduction serve in particular as barrier bottoms for nitrogen.
  • the present invention can be used with such an arrangement without a pure argon column.
  • An argon recovery column can be a conventional pure argon column or a corresponding raw argon column modified for pure argon recovery.
  • argon the term "argon”, as will also be explained below, is also used for argon-rich fluids and not only for pure argon) takes place in the explained processes in liquid form.
  • Corresponding argon is typically transferred to a storage tank. Despite thermal insulation, a portion of the argon always evaporates and is lost in conventional systems.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide measures which make it possible to reduce corresponding evaporation losses.
  • the present invention proposes a plant for the production of argon by low-temperature separation of air according to the preamble of the claim.
  • Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims and the following description.
  • Liquids and gases can, in the language used here, be rich or poor in one or more components, “rich” for a content of at least 50%, 75%, 90%, 95%, 99%, 99.5%, 99, 9% or 99.99% and “poor” for a maximum of 50%, 25%, 10%, 5%, 1%, 0.1% or 0.01% on a mole, weight or volume basis .
  • the term “predominantly” can correspond to the definition of "rich”.
  • Liquids and gases can also be enriched or depleted in one or more components, these terms refer to a content in a starting liquid or gas from which the liquid or gas was obtained.
  • the liquid or gas is "enriched” if it contains at least 1.1 times, 1.5 times, 2 times, 5 times, 10 times 100 times or 1,000 times the content, and " depleted "if this or this contains at most 0.9 times, 0.5 times, 0.1 times, 0.01 times or 0.001 times the content of a corresponding component, based on the starting liquid or gas. If, for example, we are talking about "oxygen”, “nitrogen” or “argon”, this includes also understood a liquid or a gas that is rich in oxygen or nitrogen, but does not necessarily have to consist exclusively of it.
  • pressure level and "temperature level” to characterize pressures and temperatures, which is intended to express that corresponding pressures and temperatures in a corresponding system do not have to be used in the form of exact pressure or temperature values to realize the inventive concept.
  • pressures and temperatures are typically in certain ranges, for example ⁇ 1%, 5%, 10%, 20% or even 50% around an average.
  • Corresponding pressure levels and temperature levels can lie in disjoint areas or in areas that overlap one another.
  • pressure levels include, for example, unavoidable or expected pressure drops.
  • the pressure levels given here in bar are absolute pressures.
  • the present invention is based on the finding that a return of vaporized argon from a storage container for liquid argon, which is fed from an argon recovery column of an air separation plant, for example a crude argon column or a pure argon column, to the argon recovery column, using cryogenic-rich liquid, is particularly advantageous. to reduce the evaporation losses mentioned at the beginning.
  • a plant for the extraction of argon by low-temperature separation of air the plant having a distillation column system with an argon recovery column from which an argon-rich liquid can be taken off, and the plant having a storage tank, in which the argon-rich liquid that can be removed from the argon recovery column can be transferred. It is provided according to the invention that an argon-rich gas formed by partial evaporation of the argon-rich liquid can be removed from the storage tank and fed back into the argon recovery column. Through the feedback according to the invention with subsequent condensation in the argon recovery column, argon losses can be minimized or completely avoided.
  • the argon recovery column can be a raw or a pure argon column, a raw argon column used together with a pure argon column, or a correspondingly modified raw argon column in a system without a pure argon column.
  • the regeneration typically takes place at the same level at which a fluid transferred from the raw argon column is also fed into the pure argon column.
  • the regeneration can in particular also take place via a feed line for raw argon from the raw argon column, as a result of which a separate feed can be dispensed with.
  • the feedback can also take place at a lower position.
  • the energy recovery can take place, for example, at the head, but also at a lower position.
  • the argon-rich liquid which is a liquid argon product in the plant according to the invention, can in particular be taken from a sump area of a corresponding argon recovery column, in particular a pure argon column, and has corresponding argon contents.
  • the argon-rich gas can be withdrawn and fed back into the argon recovery column, in particular on the basis of a pressure control. In this case, a pressure in the storage tank is recorded in particular.
  • the present invention can be used in air separation plants with so-called internal compression (IV, internal compression, IC), as is explained, for example, by Haring (see above), Section 2.2.5.2, "Internal Compression", but also in any other air separation plants .
  • IV internal compression
  • IC internal compression
  • Haring see above
  • Section 2.2.5.2 "Internal Compression”
  • the invention can also be used in many other processes, for example also in systems with "nitrogen” or "air” circuits for the production of liquid products etc.
  • So-called main compressors / post-compressors (Main Air Compressor / Booster Air Compressor, MAC-BAC) processes or so-called high air pressure (HAP) processes can be used for air separation.
  • the main compressor / post-compressor process is the rather More conventional processes, high air pressure processes have been used more and more recently as alternatives.
  • the main compressor / post-compressor process is characterized in that only a part of the total amount of feed air supplied to the rectification column system is compressed to a pressure level that is significant, i.e. is at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 bar, above the pressure level of the high pressure column. Another part of the quantity of feed air is merely compressed to the pressure level of the high-pressure column or a pressure level that does not differ by more than 1 to 2 bar from the pressure level of the high-pressure column, and is fed into the high-pressure column at this lower pressure level.
  • An example of a main compressor / post-compressor process is shown by Häring (see above) in Figure 2.3A.
  • the total amount of feed air supplied to the rectification column system is compressed to a pressure level which is substantially, ie at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 bar above the pressure level of the high-pressure column.
  • the pressure difference can be up to 14, 16, 18 or 20 bar, for example.
  • High air pressure processes are for example from the EP 2 980 514 A1 and the EP 2 963 367 A1 known.
  • the present invention can be used in all of the previously explained method variants. It is only essential for use in the context of the present invention that an argon recovery column is provided from which an argon-rich liquid can be removed.
  • Figure 1 illustrates an air separation plant according to an embodiment of the present invention in a schematic view.
  • Figure 1 is an air separation plant according to an embodiment of the present invention schematically illustrated and generally designated 100.
  • Air separation plants of the type shown are often described elsewhere, for example in H.-W. Häring (ed.), Industrial Gases Processing, Wiley-VCH, 2006, in particular Section 2.2.5, "Cryogenic Rectification
  • An air separation plant for the use of the present invention can be designed in many different ways.
  • Air separation plant shown as an example can be set up to carry out a high air pressure process.
  • ambient air A can be drawn in by means of a main air compressor 1 via a filter 2 and compressed to a pressure level that is at least 3 bar above a highest pressure level that is used in a distillation column system 10 of the air separation plant 100.
  • the compressed feed air stream a is fed to a pre-cooling device 3 operated, for example, with cooling water.
  • the pre-cooled feed air stream a is then cleaned in a cleaning system 4, which typically comprises a pair of adsorber containers used in alternating operation.
  • the pre-cooled feed air stream a is freed from water and carbon dioxide.
  • the feed air stream a Downstream of the cleaning system 3, the feed air stream a is divided into two sub-streams b and c, which are later divided into two sub-streams d and e or f and g, respectively.
  • the partial stream c is further compressed in a booster 5, which is coupled to an expansion turbine 6 and which is followed by an aftercooler, which is not specifically designated.
  • the partial stream d is passed through a main heat exchanger 7 of the air separation plant 100 without further compression and liquefied in the process.
  • the partial stream e is also passed through the main heat exchanger 7 without further compression, but only up to an intermediate point, and in a expansion turbine 8, which is coupled to a booster 9, expanded and partially liquefied.
  • the partial stream f is partly led in the form of a partial stream h to an intermediate point through the main heat exchanger 7, then further compressed in the booster 9, fed back to the skin heat exchanger 7 at an intermediate point, and until cold End passed through the main heat exchanger 7.
  • the partial stream h is liquefied.
  • Another part of the partial flow f is passed in the form of a partial flow i to the cold end through the main heat exchanger 7 and liquefied in the process.
  • the partial stream g is led to an intermediate point through the main heat exchanger 7, expanded in the expansion turbine 6 and partially liquefied.
  • the liquefied partial streams d, h and i are each expanded via expansion valves, combined, and fed into a high-pressure column 11 of the distillation column system 10.
  • the partially liquefied partial streams e and g are also combined and fed into the high-pressure column 11.
  • an oxygen-enriched liquid bottom fraction and a nitrogen-enriched gaseous top fraction are formed in the high pressure column 11.
  • the oxygen-enriched liquid bottom fraction is drawn off from the high-pressure column 11 in the form of a stream h, passed through a subcooling countercurrent 13, partly used as heating medium in a bottom evaporator 14 of a pure argon column 15, and in each case in defined proportions in a top condenser 16 of the pure argon column 15, a top condenser 17 a crude argon column 18 and a low pressure column 12 of the distillation column system 10 are fed.
  • Fluid evaporating in the evaporation spaces of the top condensers 16, 17 of the crude argon column 15 and the pure argon column 18 is likewise transferred to the low-pressure column 12.
  • the gaseous nitrogen-rich top product in the form of a stream i is withdrawn from the top of the high-pressure column 11. A part of this is heated in the main heat exchanger 7 without liquefaction in the form of a material flow k and, for example, discharged from the air separation plant 100 as sealing gas B for the compressors involved. Another portion is liquefied in the form of a stream I of a main condenser 19, which creates a heat-exchanging connection between the high-pressure column 11 and the low-pressure column 12.
  • the liquefied overhead product of the high-pressure column 11 is fed in portions in the form of a material flow m as a return to the high-pressure column 11, in the form of a material flow n after cooling in the supercooling counterflow 13, expanded into the low-pressure column 12, and in the form of a material flow o subjected to internal compression, in the main heat exchanger 5 heated and provided as an internal compression product C.
  • a stream of matter p of approximately the same composition is taken from the high-pressure column 11 in liquid form, which is expanded into the low-pressure column 12 after cooling in the supercooling counterflow 13.
  • An oxygen-rich liquid bottom fraction and a nitrogen-rich gaseous top fraction are formed in the low-pressure column 12.
  • the former is partially internally compressed in the form of a material flow q, heated in the main heat exchanger 5 and provided as an internal compression product D.
  • Another portion can be partially supercooled in the form of a material flow r and discharged as a liquid product E.
  • a liquid nitrogen-rich stream s can be drawn off from a liquid retention device at the head of the low-pressure column 12 and can be carried out as a liquid nitrogen product F from the air separation plant 100.
  • a gaseous nitrogen-rich stream t drawn off from the top of the low-pressure column 12 is passed through the supercooling counterflow 13 and the main heat exchanger 5 and is provided as nitrogen product G at the pressure of the low-pressure column 12.
  • a current u is also withdrawn from an upper region and, after heating in the supercooling countercurrent 13 and the main heat exchanger 5, is used as regeneration gas in the cleaning device 4 or is discarded to the environment H by blowing off.
  • fluid enriched in argon in the form of a material stream w can be removed from the low-pressure column 12 and fed into the crude argon column 18 near the sump.
  • Bottom liquid from the crude argon column 18 can be returned to the low-pressure column 12 in the form of a material flow x by means of a pump (not specifically designated).
  • Uncondensed overhead gas is transferred from the crude argon column 12 into the pure argon column 15 in the form of a stream y.
  • a liquid return to the pure argon column 15 is formed in the top condenser 16 of the pure argon column 15.
  • a non-liquefied overhead gas can be released to the environment H in the form of a stream z.
  • An argon product or argon-rich liquid is removed from the bottom of the pure argon column 15 in the form of a stream 101 and, controlled by a valve 21, transferred to a storage tank 20.
  • a portion of this evaporated in the storage tank 20 is in the in Figure 1 Illustrated embodiment of the invention in the form of a stream 102 taken pressure-controlled via a valve 22 and returned to the pure argon column 15.
  • a storage tank used in the context of the present invention can in particular be a so-called flat-bottom tank, which can in particular be provided with pearlite insulation.
  • a corresponding storage tank can be operated at an overpressure of approx. 50 to approx. 500 mbar.

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  • 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)
EP19020090.7A 2018-10-31 2019-02-26 Installation de production d'argon par séparation d'air à basse température Withdrawn EP3647701A1 (fr)

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DE202018005045.8U DE202018005045U1 (de) 2018-10-31 2018-10-31 Anlage zur Gewinnung von Argon durch Tieftemperaturzerlegung von Luft

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0722074A2 (fr) * 1995-01-11 1996-07-17 The BOC Group plc Séparation d'air
DE19636306A1 (de) * 1996-09-06 1998-02-05 Linde Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Gewinnung von Argon durch Tieftemperaturzerlegung von Luft
JP3333880B2 (ja) * 1993-03-18 2002-10-15 新日本製鐵株式会社 アルゴンタンクの蒸発ロス回収装置
EP2963367A1 (fr) 2014-07-05 2016-01-06 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Procédé et dispositif cryogéniques de séparation d'air avec consommation d'énergie variable
EP2980514A1 (fr) 2014-07-31 2016-02-03 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Procédé de séparation cryogénique de l'air et installation de séparation d'air

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3333880B2 (ja) * 1993-03-18 2002-10-15 新日本製鐵株式会社 アルゴンタンクの蒸発ロス回収装置
EP0722074A2 (fr) * 1995-01-11 1996-07-17 The BOC Group plc Séparation d'air
DE19636306A1 (de) * 1996-09-06 1998-02-05 Linde Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Gewinnung von Argon durch Tieftemperaturzerlegung von Luft
EP2963367A1 (fr) 2014-07-05 2016-01-06 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Procédé et dispositif cryogéniques de séparation d'air avec consommation d'énergie variable
EP2980514A1 (fr) 2014-07-31 2016-02-03 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Procédé de séparation cryogénique de l'air et installation de séparation d'air

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
"Industrial Gases Processing", 2006, WILEY-VCH, article "C ryogenic Rectification"

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