Patent ID: 7272955

Claim:
An integrated cooling apparatus comprising: a) a source of compressed gas; b) a cooling unit for cooling the compressed gas to form cooled compressed gas by heat exchange with water having a first purity thereby producing a stream of cooled compressed gas and a stream of warmed water having the first purity; c) a first heat exchanger for warming a stream of water having a second purity, wherein the second purity is lower than the first purity, by indirect heat exchange with a stream of water having the first purity; and d) a conduit for sending cooled water having the first purity to the cooling unit, e) a second heat exchanger which is a direct contact heat exchanger; f) a conduit for sending a stream of water having the second purity to the second heat exchanger; g) a conduit for sending at least part of at least one stream from a cryogenic distillation unit to the second heat exchanger so as to cool the stream of water having the second purity; and h) a conduit for sending the cooled stream of water having the second purity to the first heat exchanger.