Patent ID: 6378333
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: F25J,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for producing xenon concentrate comprising:(A) passing feed air into a cryogenic air separation plant having a higher pressure column and a lower pressure column, and separating the feed air by cryogenic rectification within the cryogenic air separation plant to produce oxygen-rich liquid having a xenon component; (B) passing oxygen-rich liquid from the sump of the lower pressure column into the upper portion of a xenon concentrator column; (C) separating the oxygen-rich liquid within the xenon concentrator column by cryogenic rectification to produce oxygen gas and xenon-richer liquid oxygen; (D) withdrawing oxygen gas from the upper portion of the xenon concentrator column; and (E) recovering xenon-richer liquid oxygen from the lower portion of the xenon concentrator column and wherein some oxygen-rich liquid from the lower pressure column is pressurized and then partially vaporized by indirect heat exchange with a portion of the feed air.