US2002940A - Process for the resolution of gas mixtures - Google Patents

Process for the resolution of gas mixtures Download PDF

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Publication number
US2002940A
US2002940A US568714A US56871431A US2002940A US 2002940 A US2002940 A US 2002940A US 568714 A US568714 A US 568714A US 56871431 A US56871431 A US 56871431A US 2002940 A US2002940 A US 2002940A
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Prior art keywords
air
cold
oxygen
resolution
gas mixture
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US568714A
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English (en)
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Frankl Mathias
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AMERICAN OXYTHERMIC Corp
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AMERICAN OXYTHERMIC CORP
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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
    • F25J5/00—Arrangements of cold exchangers or cold accumulators in separation or liquefaction plants
    • 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
    • Y10S62/909—Regeneration

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a process and an apparatus for the resolution of gas mixtures into component parts. It more particularly relates to a process for the separation of air into oxygen and nitrogen and includes correlated improvements and discoveries whereby the separation of oxygen and nitrogen is enhanced.
  • the invention is in certain of its characteristics similar to that described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 437,204, filed March 19, 1930 and which issued as Patent No. 1,970,299, August 14, 1934.
  • this application there is described a process wherein the loss of compression energy which is-entailed in the total compression of the gas mixture necessary for carrying out an emcient sublimation eiect of deposited H2O and CO2 is reduced by not liquefying a certain portion of the'compressed gas mixture, but detensioning it in an expansion engine to atmospheric pressure, while performing work and yielding cold, and preferably after previous preliminary resolution of the gas mixture in a rectier operated at the condensation pressure.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a process with reduced compression losses and which is applicable for the production of oxygen of various degrees of purity, as for example a 42 per cent or a 47 per cent oxygen containing mixture.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a process in which an exchange of cold is effected between the ingoing air and the outgoing separated components by means of regenerators with alternate periodical reversal.
  • the invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and the apparatus embodying features of construction, l0 combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which are adapted to effect such steps, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically an arrangement of apparatus in which the process 'may be practiced with withdrawal of a portion of the compressed air prior to liquefaction
  • Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically an apparatus in 25 which the process may be practiced utilizing a portion of the compressed air after resolution for further cooling and expansion to compensate for compression loss.
  • the compression necessary for the resolution of the air is therefore subdivided in such a manner that the compression is carried out to about one-half before the resolution andthereafter the other half takes place in that the oxygen which is removed from the vaporizer by suction at 0.6 atmosphere absolute is compressed to atmospheric pressure.
  • wash liquid which in this case consists of pure, liquid nitrogen
  • 47 per cent omrgen requires 55 parts of blast air, while for the production of a per cent oxygen mixture only 45 parts of compressed air are required. Accordingly, parts of nitrogen must be led out through that pair of cold storage devices through which only 45 parts of compressed air can alternately be introduced and, on the other hand, 55 parts of blast air are alternately to be led counter-current through another pair of cold storage devices with respect to the 45 parts of oxygen mixture, which, of course, is not balanced with regard to the thermal equilibrium of the cold storage devices.
  • fty-ve'per cent (in round numbers) of the amount of air to be resolved are led through lines I', I" and 2 alternately through cold storage devices A and A", and an equally large amount of separated nitrogen lis led 'out through line 3, 4' and 4" at atmospheric pressure.
  • This mode of operation diers from the form in Fig. 1 only in that air from the bottom of the cold storage devices is not usedL for the operation of the expansion machine andl the exhaust subsequently resolved by blowing into the upper column, but that pressure nitrogen is taken from the pressure column in a gaseous state in order, after warming and greater compression with subsequent forecooling, to be detensloned in the ex pansion engine, and is then led out through the cold storage devices. after having previously been after-cooled by the pressure nitrogen to about 185 C.
  • a certain amount of highly compressed air is led into liquefier f at z, after having previously been forecooled to 45 C. in an ammonia refrigerating machine (not shown) and is liquefied by the portion of compressed air or nitrogen led out, in order to cover the unavoidable losses of cold.
  • the procedure of the present invention is characterized in that vinstead of the gas mixture being totally compressed, only about one-half is compressed, .whereas the other half is blown in.
  • the compressed .portion is compressed to onlyabout one-half the extent required where a straight compression process is utilized.
  • the diflicultly boiling sepailated productV is removed Vunder reduced pressure from the evaporator side of the condenser and that portion of the gas mix'v ture which is simply blown in-uncompressed trav verses that pair of cold storagev devices or regenerators through which the diflicultly boiling separated-product is led out.
  • the'exhaust from the expansion engine is vcooled to a greater-extentby-cold Aexchange with the excess compressed vportion of the gas mixture or with themore easily boiling constituent thereoi' beforeit is conducted'through the regenerators lor led into the upper rectification column.
  • a process for the resolution of gas mixtures which comprises introducing aportion of a gas mixture compressed to a condenserv pressure through aregenerator previously, cooled by means of an easily boiling component of said mixture to a rectifier, introducing another portion of said c gas mixture uncompressed through a vregeneraby heat exchange with an additional quantity Vof A gas mixture which is then introduced into said first rectifier, compressing, cooling, and detensioning to recover cold given up to the additional quantity of gas mixture, and reintroducing into the process whereby cold and compression losses are reduced.
  • a process for the resolution of air into oxy-v gen and nitrogen which comprises compressing a portion of the air to condenser pressure, passing said compressed air through a regenerator which has previously been cooled by outgoing nitrogen, introducing the compressed and cooled air into a rectifier, passing another portion of air uncompressed through a regenerator which has previously been cooled by outgoing oxygen, introducing said cooled air into another rectier, conveying liquid from said first rectier to said second rectiiier, leading oxygen liquid from said second rectifier to the vaporizer side of a condenser in said first rectifier and removing oxygen therefrom under reduced pressure, removing a portion of the compressed and cooled air, warming said removed portion by heat exchange with an added quantity of air which is then introduced into said rst rectifier, compressing, cooling and detensioning to recover cold given up to the additional quantity of air, and reintroducing into the process whereby cold and compression losses are reduced.
  • a process for the resolution of air into oxygen and nitrogen which comprises compressing a portion of air to a pressure of about 2 atmospheres, passing said compressed air through a regenerator previously cooled with nitrogen and introducing said air into a rectifier; passing a portion of uncompressed air through regenerators previously cooled by outgoing oxygen and introducing said uncompressed air into another rectier; conducting liquid formed in the first rectier to the second rectifier, conveying oxygen liquid from the second rectifier to the vaporizer side of a condenser in the iirst rectier, removing oxygen therefrom under a reduced pressure of about 0.6 atmosphere absolute, removing about 10 per cent of the compressed air prior to rectification, passing said air through a plurality of heat exchangers whereby it is warmed including transfer of heat from an additional quantity of air thereto, thus liquefying the air, introducing the thus liqueed air into said first rectifier, compressing to from 10 to 15 atmospheres absolute, cooling to about C., detensioning in an expansion engine to about atmospheric pressure, whereby it
  • a process for the resolution of gas mixtures into components which comprises rectifying a .second rectiiier under substantially atmospheric pressure, withdrawing separated higher boiling component under a reduced pressure, removing a portion of the compressed gas mixture, warming said removed portion by heat exchange with an added quantity of gas mixture which is then introduced into said iirst rectier, compressing, cooling and detensioning to recover cold given up to the additional quantity of gas mixture, and reintroducing into the process whereby cold and compression losses are reduced.
  • the improvement which comprises compressingair to about 2 atmospheres, cooling in a regenerator, withdrawing a portion of the compressed and cooled air prior to resolution in a first rectiiier separating the remaining portion of the cooled air in said first rectiiier wherein liquid enriched in oxygen is obtained and subsequently resolved into nitrogen and oxygen in a second rectier, rewarming said portion by heat exchange with an additional quantity of air which is then introduced into said rst rectier, compressing, cooling and detensioning to about atmospheric pressure to recover cold given up to the additional quantity of air, further cooling, and then introducing into the second rectiiier whereby cold and compression losses are reduced.
  • the .improvement which comprises compressing air to condensation pressure, cooling in a regenerator, removing a portion -of said compressed and cooled air, rewarming said portion including transfer of heat from an additional quantity of air thereto whereby the air is liquefied, introducing the thus liqueed air into the resolution process, compressing the removed and warmed portion, cooling, detensioning to recover cold given up to the additional quantity of air, and then cooling further to-a temperature of about -l90 C., reintroducing into the process and separating into components.
  • An apparatus for resolution of gas mixvtures comprising in combination a plurality of regenerators having regenerativepacking, means for eiiecting separation of the gas mixture into components, conduits for conducting the gas mixture from the regenerators to the separating means and from the separating means to the regenerator's, conduits for charging gas mixture to the regenerators and for discharging separated components therefrom, a conduit connected with said separating means for conveying a portion of the gas mixture to a series of heat interchangers, said conduit connecting with a coil in a rst exchanger, said coil connected with the outer space of a second exchanger ⁇ by means of a conduit, a conduit leading from the outer space of said second exchanger to the outer space of a third exchanger, a coil within said second exchanger through which an additional quantity of gas mixture may be conducted and cooled, a conduit for conducting said added gas mixture to the separatingmeans wherein it is subjected to resolution, a compressor in communication with the outer space of and with a coil in the third exchanger,
  • a cooling and separating system in combination with a conduit for conveying a part of the gas mixture to a series of heat exchangers, said conduit connecting with a coil in a rst exchanger, said coil connected with the outer space of a second exchanger by means of a conduit, a conduit leading from the outer space of said second exchanger to the outer space of a third exchanger, la coil within said second exchanger through which an additional quantity of gas mixture may be conducted and cooled, a conduit for conducting said additional gas mixture to the separating means wherein it is subjected to resolution, a compressor in combination with the outer space of and with a coil in the third exchanger, a conduit leadingfrom the coil in the third exchanger to an expansion engine, a conduit connecting said expansion engine with the outer space of said first exchanger, and a conduit leading from the outerl space of said iirst exchanger for re-introducing said portion of gas into the system wherebyvcold and compression losses are reduced.
  • a process for the resolution of a gas mixture into components which comprises rectifying a gas mixture compressed to condenser pressure and cooled, in a rst rectier, whereby lower boiling component in gaseous form and higher boiling component in liquid form are separated, rectifying the liquid so produced in a second rectier, withdrawing separated higher boiling component, removing a portion of compressed and cooled gas, warming said removed portion including heat exchange with an added quantity of gas mixture which is then introduced into said first rectifier, compressing, cooling and detensioning to recover cold given up to the additional quantity of gas mixture, and reintroducing into the process whereby cold and compression losses are reduced.
  • the improvement which comprises compressing a gas mixture to condenser pressure, cooling by passing through a cold yielding zone, removing a portion of compressed and cooled gas, rewarming said portion including heat exchange with an additional quantity of gas mixture which is subsequently subjected to resolution, compressing, cooling, then detensioning to recover cold given up to the additional quantity of gas mixture, and reintroducing into the process whereby cold and compression losses are reduced.

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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)
US568714A 1931-05-20 1931-10-14 Process for the resolution of gas mixtures Expired - Lifetime US2002940A (en)

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Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2514391A (en) * 1948-01-29 1950-07-11 Koppers Co Inc System for separation of oxygen from air
US2526996A (en) * 1947-02-21 1950-10-24 Elliott Co Method and apparatus for separating mixed gases
US2559132A (en) * 1948-02-12 1951-07-03 British Oxygen Co Ltd Fractional separation of air
US2667043A (en) * 1950-04-22 1954-01-26 Joy Mfg Co Method and apparatus for the separation of gases
US3086371A (en) * 1957-09-12 1963-04-23 Air Prod & Chem Fractionation of gaseous mixtures
US3264831A (en) * 1962-01-12 1966-08-09 Linde Ag Method and apparatus for the separation of gas mixtures
US4006001A (en) * 1974-01-18 1977-02-01 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Production of intermediate purity oxygen by plural distillation
US4091633A (en) * 1975-08-08 1978-05-30 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Process and apparatus for the separation of a low-boiling gaseous mixture
US10456728B2 (en) * 2016-12-13 2019-10-29 Dalian Eurofilm Industrial Ltd. Process for recovering valuables from vent gas in polyolefin production

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2526996A (en) * 1947-02-21 1950-10-24 Elliott Co Method and apparatus for separating mixed gases
US2514391A (en) * 1948-01-29 1950-07-11 Koppers Co Inc System for separation of oxygen from air
US2559132A (en) * 1948-02-12 1951-07-03 British Oxygen Co Ltd Fractional separation of air
US2667043A (en) * 1950-04-22 1954-01-26 Joy Mfg Co Method and apparatus for the separation of gases
US3086371A (en) * 1957-09-12 1963-04-23 Air Prod & Chem Fractionation of gaseous mixtures
US3264831A (en) * 1962-01-12 1966-08-09 Linde Ag Method and apparatus for the separation of gas mixtures
US4006001A (en) * 1974-01-18 1977-02-01 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Production of intermediate purity oxygen by plural distillation
US4091633A (en) * 1975-08-08 1978-05-30 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Process and apparatus for the separation of a low-boiling gaseous mixture
US10456728B2 (en) * 2016-12-13 2019-10-29 Dalian Eurofilm Industrial Ltd. Process for recovering valuables from vent gas in polyolefin production

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Publication number Publication date
FR737295A (fr) 1932-12-09

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