Patent ID: 8769985

Claim:
An apparatus which may be used for producing pressurized gaseous product comprising: a heat exchanger configured to cool a compressed air stream thereby producing a cooled compressed air stream, the heat exchanger having a warm side, a cool side, a first intermediate point, and a second intermediate point; a first compressor in fluid communication with the heat exchanger, the first compressor configured to receive a fluid from the first intermediate point of the heat exchanger, compress the fluid, and then introduce the compressed fluid to the warm side of the heat exchanger; a second compressor in fluid communication with the heat exchanger, the second compressor configured to receive a second fluid from the second intermediate point of the heat exchanger, compress the second fluid thereby producing a compressed second fluid, and then introduce the compressed second fluid back to the heat exchanger; a first column in fluid communication with the cool side of the heat exchanger, the first column configured to receive the cooled compressed air stream and the compressed second fluid; a second column in fluid communication with the first column, the second column comprising a liquid oxygen extraction port, the liquid oxygen extraction port disposed proximate a bottom portion of the second column, wherein the liquid oxygen extraction port is in fluid communication with the cool side of the heat exchanger; and a liquid storage tank in fluid communication with a liquid outlet of the first column, wherein the liquid storage tank is operable to receive a liquid from the liquid outlet of the first column when electricity costs are below a predetermined level wherein the liquid storage tank is also in fluid communication with a liquid inlet of the second column such that the liquid storage tank is operable to introduce the liquid from the liquid storage tank into the second column when electricity costs are at or above a predetermined level.