US1781693A - Process for liquefying and separating gas mixtures - Google Patents

Process for liquefying and separating gas mixtures Download PDF

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Publication number
US1781693A
US1781693A US69653A US6965325A US1781693A US 1781693 A US1781693 A US 1781693A US 69653 A US69653 A US 69653A US 6965325 A US6965325 A US 6965325A US 1781693 A US1781693 A US 1781693A
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pressure
air
liquid
column
nitrogen
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Mewes Karl Eduard Rudolf
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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

Definitions

  • My invention relates to an improvement in the processes for liquefying and separating gas mixtures, more particularly of air.
  • the proceeding is generally such that the air to be ecomposed is first entirely or partly liquefied at a pressure of 2000-3000 lbs. per sq. in. and only then the separation into its ingredients is efiected.
  • the whole of the air to be separated is introduced into the separating column at a pressure of 3-7 lbs. per sq. in. or at a pressure of 55-110 lbs. per sq. in, or with a vacuum, while for compensating or making up the; loss of cold, a separate high pressure circuit is used.
  • N1- 30 trogen is preferably used as the medium for the high pressure circuit; however, in certain cases it appears better to use highly com-' pressed air for the purpose. h
  • the washing rated liquid, 32 lbs. of liquefied vapor are liquid is obtained from a circuit of the low boiling constituent.
  • the compensation of cold or the compensation of liquid is obtained by first allowing the air to expand in a separate liquefying device to a still fairly high pressure, for instance to 350-700 lbs. per sq. in.
  • the liquid thus obtained expanded to the pressure existing in the separating device is introduced into the column at the desired point.
  • the gaseous part of I the air is then-brought in a suitable manner to the original pressure and then allowed to expand to a pressure of 350-700 lbs. per sq. in., so that this portion of the air also passes in the course of the process to the desired point, for the purpose of being liquefied and introduced into the separating column.
  • the whole ofthe air to be separated I is, as already indicated, introduced into the separating apparatus in the gaseous state but instead of submitting it to a rectification, it-is submitted to a partial condensation in a liquid. return circuit. If the separation process is carried out in one column, nitrogen of 98% purity is obtained, which has a pressure of the blown in air, as well as oxygen. of 45-50% purity, which has atmospheric pressure. If the gas mixture is submitted to a partial condensation in two separation columns, the pressure in the first condensation apparatus must be higher than in the second; for instance, the first column could be worked with a pressure of 110 lbs. per
  • This gas mixture is decomposed in the second column into the technically pure single components.
  • the oxygen obtained escapes 50m the column with a purity of 90-95% an is under atmospheric pressure. If oxygen of a higher degree of purity is to be obtained, this can be done by improving the conditions for the partial condensation, that is to say by maintaining the pressure of the second column as low as possible. This can be easily done by keeping the evaporating chamber of the second column under a vacuum. The energy due to the pressure of the nitrogen obtained, can again be utilized for performing work.
  • FIGS 1 to 4 show diagrammatically, by way of example, constructions of devices by means of which the described method.can
  • the liquid rich in oxygen which collects at the bottom of the evaporator 8, passes through the pipe 9 provided with ,the expansion valve 10, into the evaporating chamber 11.
  • the oxygen obtained is drawn off at 12.
  • the high pressure nitrogen obtained is drawn ofi. by means of the pipe 13.
  • the cold compensation or the liquid to be replaced is obtained according to the invention by first allowing the highly compressed gasto expand fromthe pressure of about 3000 lbs. per sq.in. to a still fairly high pressure, say of 350-700 lbs. per sq. in. in the separate liquefying device 4 and by introducing the liquid portion through the By means of the expansion valve 7 provided in the pipe 6, the liquid at a pressure of 350-700 lbs. per sq. in. is allowed to expand to the pressure existing in the column at the point of the introduction.
  • the portion of the air which remains in gaseous state in the liquefying device 4, is conveyed b means of the pipe 14, to a heat exchanger not shown), and thence to a compressor 15 (indicated in dotted lines) and is again raised to a high pressure by the said compressor. From the compressor 15 the highly compressed gaseous air passes into the pipe 16 in which, by means of the expansion valve 17 provided in the said pipe 16, the gaseous air is allowed to expand to the still high pressure andigthe resulting liquid isadmitted into the liquefying device 4.
  • the process is carried out in two stages.
  • the process takes place in principle in the same manner.
  • the compressed air blown in at 2 passes through the nest of tubes 3.
  • the cold (liquid) compensation takes place in the vessel 4 in the high pressure air or nitrogen circuit.
  • the liouid obtained is poured through pipe 6 provided with the exthe bifurcated pansion valves 7', into the condenser heads 5 and 5' provided at the top of thecolumns 1 and 1'.
  • the liquid rich in oxygen, obtained in the evaporator 8 of the column 1 is expanded in the pipe 9 by means of the expansion valve 10 provided in the same to the pressure existing in the second column 1 and introduced into the, evaporator chamber 11.
  • the oxygenliquid obtained in the evaporator 8 is expanded in the pipe 9 by means of the expansion valve 10 provided in the latter, to the pressure existing in the evaporator chamber 5, and can be withdrawn in gaseous state at 19.
  • the nitrogen obtained at 13 has a purity of 98%, while the nitrogen obtained at 13' has a purity of 98% and the pressure existing in the condenser chamber 5.
  • the chamber 11 must be maintained under a sub-atmospheric pressure or-vacuum. It is then possible to keep the pressures in the condenser chambers 11 and 11 at a correspondingly lower value, which results in a greater enrichment of the liquid with oxygen.
  • the condenser is worked by a circuit of the mixture of the component of'high boiling point, which circuit is under a higher pressure than the separating pressure in the separator device.
  • the expanded liquid of the component with the high boiling point works a second condenser, while the cold- (liquid) compensation is effected by means of a separate liquefying device, the counter current of which can be arranged in the counter current of the separating device.
  • the air to be separated is forced into the separating device 20 at 2 with such a pressure as that existing in or produced by the blowers of a blast furnace installation.
  • the condenser 21 the air is submitted to a partial condensation.
  • the descending liquid rich in oxygen is freed from the remaining nitrogen in the rectifying column 22 by the oxygen vapours rising from the evaporator 23, and escapes from the separating device at 24 as pure oxygen.
  • Low pressure air or nitrogen is supplied through the pipe coil 26 through the evaporator 23, in which coil the low pressure air or the nitrogen is liquefied.
  • the coil 26 is connected the ipe 27 provided with an expansion valve 28, so that the liquefied low pressure air or the nitrogen can be expanded into the condenser 21, owing to which the condenser is worked.
  • the cold (liquid) compensation is effected by means of air liquefied in the vessel 4, which is expanded into the condenser 21 through the pipe 6 provided with the expansion valve 7.
  • Liquefied nitrogen could also be used in place of liquefied air.
  • the nitrogen obtained is drawn oifat 29. At 30 the evaporated nitrogen leaves the circuit or cycle of the condenser.
  • the separation process is carried out under place in the same way shown in Figure 3, only the air to be separated is admitted at 31at low pressure. pressed nitrogen obtained at 29 is utilized for performing work.
  • the condenser in this apparatus is made in two parts.
  • the con-' denser 32 is worked by expanding the low pressure air or the nitrogen supplied through the pipe 34 and liquefied in the coil 35, through the pipe 36, connected to the coil 35 and provided with the expansion valve 37, into the condenser 32.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
US69653A 1924-11-18 1925-11-17 Process for liquefying and separating gas mixtures Expired - Lifetime US1781693A (en)

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DE1781693X 1924-11-18

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FR (1) FR610024A (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2423273A (en) * 1943-12-02 1947-07-01 Air Reduction Separation of the constituents of air
US2482303A (en) * 1944-01-08 1949-09-20 Air Reduction Separation of the constituents of air

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE521770A (fr) * 1952-07-28
CN113874669A (zh) * 2019-06-04 2021-12-31 林德有限责任公司 用于低温分离空气的方法和设备

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2423273A (en) * 1943-12-02 1947-07-01 Air Reduction Separation of the constituents of air
US2482303A (en) * 1944-01-08 1949-09-20 Air Reduction Separation of the constituents of air

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR610024A (fr) 1926-08-28

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