Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6564581?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-04-16 06:16:08
Document Index: 376968835

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 10113791', 'art 7', 'art 9', 'art 17', 'art 18', 'art 39', 'art 40', 'art 50', 'art 62', 'art 62', 'art 65', 'art 62', 'art 67', 'art 9', 'art 72', 'art 786']

Patent US6564581 - Three-column system for the low-temperature fractionation of air - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsThe process and the apparatus are used to obtain argon using a three-column system for the fractionation of air, which has a high-pressure column (11), a low-pressure column (13) and a medium-pressure column (12). A first charge air stream (10, 64) is introduced into the high-pressure column (11), where...http://www.google.com/patents/US6564581?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6564581 - Three-column system for the low-temperature fractionation of airAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6564581 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/102,010Publication dateMay 20, 2003Filing dateMar 21, 2002Priority dateMar 21, 2001Fee statusLapsedAlso published asCA2378009A1, CA2378017A1, CN1239876C, CN1239877C, CN1375675A, CN1375676A, DE10113790A1, DE10113791A1, DE50107826D1, DE50200585D1, EP1243881A1, EP1243881B1, EP1243882A1, EP1243882B1, US6530242, US20020178747, US20020189281Publication number10102010, 102010, US 6564581 B2, US 6564581B2, US-B2-6564581, US6564581 B2, US6564581B2InventorsGerhard PomplOriginal AssigneeLinde AktiengesellschaftExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (9), Referenced by (3), Classifications (33), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetThree-column system for the low-temperature fractionation of airUS 6564581 B2Abstract The process and the apparatus are used to obtain argon using a three-column system for the fractionation of air, which has a high-pressure column (11), a low-pressure column (13) and a medium-pressure column (12). A first charge air stream (10, 64) is introduced into the high-pressure column (11), where it is separated into a first oxygen-enriched liquid and a first nitrogen top gas. A first oxygen-enriched fraction (23, 24, 26) from the high-pressure column (11) is introduced into the medium-pressure column (12), where it is separated into a second oxygen-enriched liquid and a second nitrogen top gas. A second oxygen-enriched fraction (33, 35), from the high-pressure column and/or from the medium-pressure column (12), is introduced into the low-pressure column (13), where it is separated into a third oxygen-enriched liquid and a third nitrogen top gas. An argon-containing fraction (68) from the low-pressure column (13) is introduced into a crude argon column (70), where it is separated into a crude argon top fraction and an oxygen-rich liquid. At least a part (73) of the crude argon top fraction (71) is passed into a crude argon condenser (29), where it is at least partially condensed by indirect heat exchange with at least a part (27) of the second oxygen-enriched liquid from the medium-pressure column (12). Oxygen-enriched vapour (32) which is formed in the process is returned to the medium-pressure column (12). A fraction (72) from the upper region of the crude argon column (70) and/or a part of the crude argon top fraction downstream of the crude argon condenser is obtained as crude argon product.
What is claimed is: 1. Process for the low-temperature fractionation of air using a three-column system, which has a high-pressure column (11), a low-pressure column (13) and a medium-pressure column (12), in which process
(a) a first charge air stream (10, 64, 564) is introduced into the high-pressure column (11), where it is separated into a first oxygen-enriched liquid and a first nitrogen top gas, (b) a first oxygen-enriched fraction (23, 24, 26) from the high-pressure column (11) is introduced into the medium-pressure column (12) where it is separated into a second oxygen-enriched liquid and a second nitrogen top gas, (c) a second oxygen-enriched fraction (33, 35) from the high-pressure column and/or from the medium-pressure column (12) is introduced into the low-pressure column (13), where it is separated into a third oxygen-enriched liquid and a third nitrogen top gas, (d) a nitrogen product stream and/or an oxygen product stream is removed from the low-pressure column (13), (e) at least a portion (36) of the second nitrogen top gas from the medium-pressure column (12) is at least partially condensed by indirect heat exchange (37) with a cooling fluid (78, 578, 678, 778), characterized in that
(f1) a second charge air stream (62, 75, 76, 676) is liquefied and is then used as cooling fluid (78) for the condensation of the second nitrogen top gas (36) from the medium-pressure column (12), and/or (f2) a liquid (575, 576, 775, 776) from an intermediate point of the high-pressure column (11) is used as cooling fluid (578, 778) for the condensation of the second nitrogen top gas (36) from the medium-pressure column (12). 2. Process according to claim 1, in which the cooling fluid (78, 578, 678, 778) is only partially evaporated during the indirect heat exchange (37), and the resulting two-phase mixture (79, 579) is introduced into a phase-separation device (80, 580) in which a fraction (81, 581) which is in vapour form and a proportion (82, 582) which has remained in liquid form are separated from one another.
3. A process according to claim 1, further comprising subjecting the cooling fluid (678) to work-performing expansion (677) upstream of the indirect heat exchange (37).
4. A process according to claim 1, further comprising extracting from the high-pressure column (12), an additional fraction (786, 788), which has a different composition from the first oxygen-enriched fraction (26), (775, 776) and feeding said additional fraction to the medium-pressure column (12).
5. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the additional fraction (786, 788) and the cooling fluid (778) are extracted (775, 776) from the same intermediate point of the high-pressure column (11).
6. A process according to claim 1, further comprising withdrawing argon-containing fraction (68) from the three-column system and introducing said argon-containing fraction into a crude argon column (70), where it is separated into a crude argon top fraction and an oxygen-rich liquid, and obtaining as crude argon product a fraction (72) from the upper region of the crude argon column (70) and/or a part of the crude argon top fraction downstream of the crude argon condenser.
7. Process according to claim 6, characterized in that at least a part (73) of the crude argon top fraction (71) is passed into a crude argon condenser (29), where it is at least partially condensed by indirect heat exchange with at least a part (27) of the second oxygen-enriched liquid from the medium-pressure column (12), oxygen-enriched vapour (32) which is formed in particular in the crude argon condenser (29) being returned to the medium-pressure column (12).
8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid (78, 578, 678, 778) is at least partially evaporated into a vapor fraction during the indirect heat exchange (37) with the second nitrogen top gas (36) from the medium-pressure column (12), and introducing the vapor fraction into the low-pressure column (13).
9. Apparatus for the low-temperature fractionation of air, having a three-column system which has a high-pressure column (11), a low-pressure column (13) and a medium-pressure column (12), having
(a) a first charge air line (10, 64, 564) for introducing a first charge air stream into the high-pressure column (11), (b) a first crude oxygen line (23, 24, 26) for introducing a first oxygen-enriched fraction from the high-pressure column (11) into the medium-pressure column (12), (c) a second crude oxygen line (33, 35) for introducing a second oxygen-enriched fraction from the high-pressure column and/or from the medium-pressure column (12) into the low-pressure column (13), (d) at least one product line for a nitrogen product stream and/or an oxygen product stream, and having (e) medium-pressure column condenser (37), the liquid fraction space of which is connected (36) to the upper region of the medium-pressure column (12), characterized in that the medium-pressure column condenser (37) has an evaporation space, which is connected to a feedline (78, 578, 678, 778) for a cooling fluid, the feedline being connected (76, 676, 575, 576, 775, 776)
(f1) to a second charge air line (62, 75) for liquefied charge air, and/or (f2) to an intermediate point of the high-pressure column (11). 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized by a liquid turbine (677) which is arranged in the feedline (676, 678).
11. Apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an additional charge line (775, 776, 786, 788) for introducing an additional fraction having a different composition from the first oxygen-enriched fraction (26), from the high-pressure column (12) into the medium-pressure column (12).
12. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the feedline (775, 776, 778) for the medium-pressure column top condenser (37) and the additional charge line (775, 776, 786, 788) are at least partially formed by a common line (775, 776).
13. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the medium-pressure column condenser is a falling-film evaporator.
14. Apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a phase separator (80, 580), having a vapor space, said vapor space being connected (81, 581) to the low-pressure column (13) and in communication with the evaporation space of the medium-pressure column condenser (37).
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is related to Applicants' concurrently filed application Ser. No. 10/102,013 entitled, �Obtaining Argon Using A Three-Column System For The Fractionation Of Air And A Crude Argon Column� based on German Application No. 10113791.5, filed Mar. 21, 2001.
The invention relates to a process for the low-temperature fractionation of air using a three-column system. The three-column system has a high-pressure column, a low-pressure column and a medium-pressure column. The medium-pressure column is used to separate a first oxygen-enriched fraction from the high-pressure column, in particular in order to produce nitrogen, which in liquefied form is used a reflux in the low-pressure column or is extracted as product.
The fundamentals of the low-temperature fractionation of air in general are described by the monograph �Tieftemperaturtechnik� [cryogenics] by Hausen/Linde (2nd edition, 1985) and in an article by Latimer in Chemical Engineering Progress (Vol. 63, No. 2, 1967, page 35). In the three-column system, the high-pressure column and low pressure column preferably form a Linde double column, i.e. these two columns are connected so as to exchange heat via a main condenser. (However, in principle the invention can also be applied to other arrangements of high-pressure column and low-pressure column and/or other condenser configurations.) Unlike the conventional Linde two-column process, in the three-column process not all the oxygen-enriched liquid which is formed in the high-pressure column is introduced directly into the low-pressure column, but rather a first oxygen-enriched fraction from the high-pressure column flows into the medium-pressure column, where it is broken down further, specifically under a pressure which is between the operating pressures of high-pressure column and low-pressure column. Top vapour from the medium-pressure column is brought into indirect heat exchange with a cooling fluid and, in the process, is at least partially condensed. Liquid nitrogen which is produced in the process is used as additional reflux in the three-column system and/or obtained as liquid product. For example, it is known to use bottom liquid from the high-pressure column, bottom liquid from the medium-pressure column, an intermediate liquid from the medium-pressure column, bottom liquid from the low-pressure column or an intermediate liquid from the low-pressure column as cooling fluid for condensing top gas in the medium-pressure column. Three-column processes of this type are described, for example, in DE 1065867 B, DE 2903089 A, U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,395 or EP 1043556 A.
In addition to the three abovementioned columns for nitrogen/oxygen separation, further separating devices may also be provided, for example a crude argon column for oxygen/argon separation, a pure argon column for argon/nitrogen separation and/or one or more columns for obtaining krypton and/or xenon, or also non-distillative separating or further cleaning devices. Three-column systems with an additional crude argon column are known, for example, from the abovementioned article by Latimer, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,989, EP 147460 A, EP 828123 A or EP 831284 A.
The invention is based on the object of providing a process and an apparatus for the low-temperature fractionation of air using the three-column system which is particularly economically favourable.
This object is achieved by the fact that at least one of the following two process streams is used as cooling fluid of the condensation of the second nitrogen top gas from the medium-pressure column:
a second, liquefied charge air stream, and/or
a liquid from an intermediate point of the high-pressure column.
In this way, the indirect heat exchange in the medium-pressure column condenser can be carried out particularly efficiently.
The first variant of the process according to the invention can be employed in particular for installations with considerable pre-liquefaction of air, i.e. with a high production of liquid and/or a high degree of internal compression. In the case of an internal compression process, at least one of the products (for example nitrogen from the high-pressure column and/or medium-pressure column, oxygen from the medium-pressure column and/or low-pressure column) is removed in liquid form from one of the columns of the three-column system or from a condenser which is connected to one of these columns, is brought to an elevated pressure in the liquid state, is evaporated or (in the case of supercritical pressure) pseudo-evaporated in indirect heat exchange with the second charge air stream and is ultimately obtained as gaseous pressurized product. The air which is liquefied in the process or during a subsequent expansion step is then used as cooling fluid. The evaporated second charge air stream is preferably introduced into the low-pressure column. The liquefied air required (the second charge air stream) may also be produced in liquid installations without internal compression, in an air cycle.
In this context, the terms �liquefied charge air� is understood as meaning a stream which has been formed directly by liquefaction of a part stream of the charge air and has not then been subjected to any concentration-changing measure. In particular, no phase separation is performed between liquefaction and introduction into the evaporation space of the medium-pressure column condenser.
The top condenser of the medium-pressure column is preferably designed as a falling-film evaporator. In the process, the cooling fluid is only partially evaporated. The resulting two-phase mixture is introduced into a phase-separation device, in which a fraction which is in vapour form and a proportion which has remained in liquid form are separated from one another. The use of a falling-film evaporator results in a particularly low temperature difference between the liquefaction space and the evaporation space. This property contributes to optimizing the pressure at which the medium-pressure column is operated.
The cooling fluid generally has to be expanded upstream of the indirect heat exchange. Within the context of the invention, this expansion step may be carried out so as to perform work. For this purpose, by way of example, the second charge air stream is introduced, in the liquid or supercritical state, into a liquid turbine, from which it emerges again in completely liquid or substantially completely liquid form.
In many cases, it is expedient to feed a second charge fraction to the medium-pressure column in addition to the first oxygen-enriched fraction which is formed, for example, by bottom liquid from the high-pressure column. For this purpose, an additional fraction, which has a different composition from the first oxygen-enriched fraction, is extracted from the high-pressure column and fed to the medium-pressure column. If an intermediate liquid from the high-pressure column is used as cooling fluid, a part can be branched off and fed to the medium-pressure column of a further charge fraction; the additional fraction and the cooling fluid are in this case extracted from the same intermediate point of the high-pressure column.
The process according to the invention can be carried out without argon being obtained. In the latter case, the medium-pressure column can be heated using any known method, for example by means of condensation of a gaseous nitrogen stream from the high-pressure column, of an intermediate fraction from the high-pressure column or a part stream of the charge air, or else by transferring sensible heat from an oxygen-enriched liquid of the high-pressure column. As an alternative, the bottom heating of the medium-pressure column can be operated with recompressed nitrogen, as explained in detail in an application (German Patent Application (10103957.3 and corresponding applications) which is not a prior publication.
However, the three-column system of the invention can be connected particularly effectively to an argon recovery as a result of a crude argon column, the top vapour from which is condensed in a crude argon condenser, being connected downstream of the three-column system. The crude argon condenser preferably serves at the same time as bottom heating of the medium-pressure column as a result of bottom liquid from the medium-pressure column being at least partially evaporated at that location and oxygen-enriched vapour which is formed in the process being returned to the medium-pressure column. The generation of liquid reflux for the crude argon column and the generation of rising vapour for the medium-pressure column is therefore carried out in a single heat-exchange operation. Therefore, a single condenser/evaporator is sufficient for both functions. This on the one hand leads to a relatively low outlay on equipment, and on the other hand means that the process is particularly favourable in terms of energy on account of the reduction in the exchange losses.
Preferably, the cooling fluid is at least partially evaporated in indirect heat exchange with the second nitrogen top gas from the medium-pressure column, and the fraction in vapour form which is formed in the process is introduced into the low-pressure column, in particular with the aid of a cold fan.
Above the feed for the first oxygen-enriched fraction, the medium-pressure column preferably has mass transfer elements covering at least seven theoretical plates. By way of example, the number of theoretical plates above the feed point is 7 to 50, preferably 16 to 22 theoretical plates. Beneath the feed for the first oxygen-enriched fraction, the medium-pressure column does not have any mass transfer elements, or has mass transfer elements amounting to 1 to 5 theoretical plates.
The invention also relates to an apparatus for obtaining argon.
The invention and further details of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1-7 are schematic flowsheets of embodiments of the invention.
In the system illustrated in FIG. 1, atmospheric air 1 is compressed in an air compressor 2 with recooling 3. The compressed charge air 4 is fed to a cleaning device 5 which is formed, for example, by a pair of molecular sieve adsorbers. A first part 7 of the cleaned air 6 is cooled to approximately its dew point in a main heat exchanger 8. The cooled first part 9 of the air is mixed with another gaseous air stream 67. In the exemplary embodiment, the mixture forms the �first charge air stream�, which is fed via line 10, without restriction, to the high-pressure column 11 of a three-column system. The three-column system also has a medium-pressure column 12 and a low-pressure column 13.
In the example, the entire top product of the high-pressure column 11 (�first nitrogen top gas�) is passed via line 14 into a main condenser 15, where is completely or substantially completely condensed. A first part 17 of liquid nitrogen 16 which is formed in the process is passed to the high-pressure column 11 as reflux. A second part 18 is cooled in a supercooling countercurrent heat exchanger 19 and is passed via line 20, restrictor valve 21 and line 22 to the top of the low-pressure column 13.
A first oxygen-enriched liquid, which is fed as �first oxygen-enriched fraction� into the medium-pressure column 12 via line 23, supercooling countercurrent heat exchanger 19, line 24, restrictor valve 25 and line 26, is produced in the bottom of the high-pressure column 11. In the example, the medium-pressure column 12 does not have any mass transfer elements below the feed for the first oxygen-enriched fraction 26; the mass transfer elements above the feed are formed by ordered packing which corresponds to a total of 22 theoretical plates.
The bottom product of the medium-pressure column (�second oxygen-enriched liquid�) is passed via line 27 and control valve 28 into the evaporation space of a crude argon condenser 29, where it is partially evaporated. The two-phase mixture 30 formed in the process is introduced into a separator (phase separator) 31. The proportion 32 which is in vapour form flows back as �oxygen-enriched vapour� into the medium-pressure column 12, where it is used as rising vapour. The remaining liquid 33 is throttled (34) and fed to the low-pressure column 13 as oxygen-enriched charge 35.
The second nitrogen top gas, which forms at the top of the medium-pressure column 12, is in this example completely removed via line 36 and completely condensed in the liquefaction space of a medium-pressure column top condenser 37. A first part 39 of liquid nitrogen 38 which is formed in the process is added to the medium-pressure column 12 as reflux. A second part 40 is passed via restrictor valve 41 and lines 42-22 to the top of the low-pressure column 13 and/or is obtained directly as liquid product (not shown).
Gaseous nitrogen 43-44-45 and impure nitrogen 46-47-48 are removed from the upper region of the low-pressure column 13, heated in the supercooling countercurrent heat exchanger 19 and in the main heat exchanger 18 and extracted as product (GAN) or remainder gas (UN2).
A first part 50-52 of liquid nitrogen 49 from the bottom of the low-pressure column 13 is conveyed by means of a pump 51 into the evaporation space of the main condenser 15, where it is partially evaporated. The two-phase mixture formed in the process is returned to the bottom of the low-pressure column 13. The remainder 54 of the low-pressure column bottom liquid 49 is brought to the desired product pressure in an internal compression pump 55, is fed to the main heat exchanger 8 via line 56, is evaporated or pseudo-evaporated and heated in the main heat exchanger 8 and is finally removed via line 57 as gaseous pressurized product (GOX-IC). Any desired product pressure can be achieved by means of the internal compression. This pressure, may, for example, be between 3 and 120 bar.
The heat which is required for the (pseudo) evaporation of the internally compressed oxygen 56 is provided by a second part 62 of the charge air, which is branched off from the purified charge air 6 via line 58, is brought to the high pressure required for this purpose in a recompressor 59 with recooler 60, and is fed via line 61 to the main heat exchanger 8. The second part 62 of the charge air is introduced at least in part as �second charge air stream�, via line 75, supercooling countercurrent heat exchanger 19, line 76, restrictor valve 77 and line 78, into the evaporation space of the top condenser 37 of the medium-pressure column, without previously having been subjected to phase separation or any other concentration-changing measure. It is partially evaporated in the medium-pressure column condenser 37. The two-phase mixture 79 which is formed in the process is introduced into a separator (phase separator) 80. The proportion 81 which is in vapour form flows into the low-pressure column 13. The remaining liquid 82 is likewise fed (84), via a valve 83, to the low-pressure column 13. The feed point lies below the impure nitrogen tap 46 and above the feed 35 for the medium-pressure column bottom liquid.
The remainder of the cryogenic high-pressure air 62 is throttled (63) to high-pressure column pressure and is introduced into the high-pressure column 11 via line 64. The feed point preferably lies a few theoretical plates above the bottom, at which the gaseous air 10 is introduced.
A part 65 of the purified charge air 6 is recompressed together with the second part 62 and is introduced (58-59-60-61) into the main heat exchanger 8, but is then removed again at an intermediate temperature and fed to an expansion machine 66, which in this example is in the form of a generator turbine. The third part 67 of the charge air, which has undergone work-performing expansion, is passed to the high-pressure column 11 together with the first part 9 as �first charge air stream� 10.
The low-pressure column 13 is in communication with a crude argon column 70 via a gas line 68 and a liquid line 69. An argon-containing fraction in gas form is introduced into the crude argon column via 68, where it is separated into a crude argon top fraction and an oxygen-rich liquid in the bottom. In the present example, a first part 72 of the gaseous crude argon top fraction 71 is obtained as crude argon product (GAR). If appropriate, it can be purified further, for example in a pure argon column (not shown). The remainder 73 is completely or substantially completely liquefied in the crude argon condenser 29 and is added to the top of the crude argon column 70 as reflux via line 74.
In the present example, all three condenser/evaporators 15, 29, 37 are designed as falling-film evaporators. However, within the context of the invention each may also be produced by a different type of evaporator, for example a forced circulation evaporator (thermosiphon evaporator). If, for example, the crude argon condenser is designed as a forced circulation evaporator, it may be arranged directly in the bottom of the medium-pressure column 12. Therefore, in terms of apparatus, the crude argon column 70 and medium-pressure column 12 could also be arranged in the form of a double column and accommodated, for example, in a common vessel.
However, within the context of the invention it is generally more advantageous for a falling-film evaporator to be used at this very point and for its low temperature difference to be utilized in order to optimize the column pressures. If low-pressure column 13, medium-pressure column 12, crude argon condenser 29 and crude argon column 70 are arranged above one another, as illustrated in the drawing, it is even possible to dispense with the circulation pump (cf. pump 51 for the main condenser 15) which is otherwise required for falling-film evaporators. Purely on account of the static pressure, the liquid flows via the lines 27, 30, 33, 35 out of the medium-pressure column 12, via crude argon condenser 29, into the low-pressure column 13. There is also no need for a pump on the liquefaction side.
The operating pressures of the columns (in each case at the top) are:
for example 4 to 12 bar,
preferably approximately 6
for example 1.2 to 2 bar,
preferably approximately
Low-pressure column
In the process shown in FIG. 2, the medium-pressure column 12 has fewer theoretical plates, for example 12. The top product 37 and the liquid 38, 39, 40 formed in the top condenser 37 of the medium-pressure column therefore have a lower purity than the nitrogen from the high-pressure column or the main condenser, which is added at the top of the low-pressure column via line 222. The liquid medium-pressure column nitrogen 242, which has been restricted at 41, is therefore introduced into the low-pressure column at in intermediate point, in the example illustrated approximately at the level at which the impure nitrogen is removed.
In FIG. 3, all the medium-pressure column nitrogen 40 which is not used as reflux 39 in the medium-pressure column 12 is extracted as liquid product (LIN) via line 342. The number of plates in the medium-pressure column 12 can therefore be adapted to product requirements. Since there is no medium-pressure column nitrogen introduced into the low-pressure column, the product purity in the medium-pressure column can be set independently of the concentrations of the top fractions in high-pressure column 11 and low-pressure column 13. Conversely, the products of the low-pressure column are not affected by any fluctuations in operation of the medium-pressure column.
On account of the temperature and pressure differences and the concentrations, the pressure on the evaporation side of the top condenser 37 of the medium-pressure column 12 may be lower than the operating pressure of the low-pressure column 13. In this case, the condenser configuration shown in FIG. 2 can nevertheless be used if the vapour 81 from the separator 80 is forced into the low-pressure column by means of a cold fan 485, as illustrated in FIG. 4.
The exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 represents another modification to the process shown in FIG. 1. In this case, all the cryogenic high-pressure air is introduced into the high-pressure column via line 564. The cooling fluid for the top condenser 37 of the medium-pressure column is formed by an intermediate liquid 575 of the high-pressure column, which is supplied via the supercooling countercurrent heat exchanger 19, line 576, restrictor valve 577 and line 578. The guidance of the flow downstream of the evaporator space of the top condenser 37 (579 to 584) is the same as that shown in FIG. 1. In the example, the intermediate liquid 575 is taken off slightly above the feed for the liquefied air 564. There are preferably approximately 2 to 10 theoretical plates between the two tapping points. Alternatively, it may also be removed at the level of the liquefied-air feed or slightly below it.
In FIG. 6, the second charge air stream 676, before being introduced 678 into the evaporation space of the top condenser 37 of the medium-pressure column, is expanded not via a restrictor valve (77 in FIG. 1), but rather in a liquid turbine 677. The work performed in the process is converted into electrical energy, in the example illustrated by means of a generator. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 6, all the cryogenic high-pressure air 62 is passed into the liquid turbine 677 and on to the top condenser 37. No liquefied air flows into the high-pressure column 11.
Unlike in FIG. 5, in the process illustrated in FIG. 7, not all of the intermediate liquid 775, 776 from the high-pressure column is passed via 777-778 into the evaporation space of the top condenser 37 of the medium-pressure column. Rather, a part 786-787-788 flows as �additional fraction� into the interior of the medium-pressure column 12. The feed point for the further charge fraction 788 lies above the feed 26 for the high-pressure column bottom liquid. Alternatively, it is possible for all the intermediate liquid 775, 776 to be introduced (788) into the medium-pressure column 12. The cooling fluid for the medium-pressure column top condenser 37 is then formed by a different fluid, for example by liquefied charge air (cf. for example FIG. 1), by high-pressure column bottom liquid, by liquid from a different intermediate point of the high-pressure column or by an oxygen-enriched liquid from medium-pressure column or low-pressure column.
As will be immediately apparent to the person skilled in the art, further combinations of the individual features outlined in the exemplary embodiments are possible within the context of the invention.
The exemplary embodiments may also be implemented without argon being obtained, by dispensing with the lines 68 and 69 and the crude argon column 70. The condenser/evaporator 29, which is used as bottom evaporator for the medium-pressure column 12, is then heated using a different medium, for example using gaseous nitrogen from the high-pressure column 11, which is branched off from line 14, using a gaseous intermediate fraction from the high-pressure column 11 or using a part of the gaseous charge air in line 10.
The entire disclosure of all applications, patents and publications, cited above and below, and of corresponding German application 10113790.7, are hereby incorporated by reference.
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