Patent ID: 8713964

Claim:
A method for the cryogenic distillation of a gas mixture in a device comprising a purification unit configured to purify the gas mixture in a system based on several bottles of adsorbent, wherein the purification unit operates according to a cycle comprising a pressurization phase system of columns, said system of columns comprising an MP column, a LP column, and an AR column, a tank configured to hold a cryogenic liquid, means for sending the cryogenic liquid to the tank solely outside of the pressurization phase, means for sending vaporized liquid from the tank to the MP column of the system solely during at least one part of a period in which one of the bottles is in the pressurization phase, a reboiler disposed in the tank, the reboiler configured to vaporize the cryogenic liquid contained within the tank, means for sending a warming gas to the reboiler, and means for withdrawing liquid from the tank, the method comprising the steps of: introducing the gas mixture from the tank to the MP column solely during at least one part of the period in which one of the bottles of the purification unit is in the pressurization phase; and filling the tank with the cryogenic liquid solely outside of the pressurization phase, wherein the gas mixture is air.