Patent ID: 8528363

Claim:
Apparatus for the production of nitrogen and of oxygen enriched liquid by cryogenic distillation of air comprising a column having a top condenser and a bottom reboiler, a first compressor, a second compressor, a first turboexpander, a heat exchanger, a conduit configured to send a first stream of air to the exchanger to form a first cooled air stream, a conduit configured to send the first cooled air stream to the bottom reboiler, a conduit configured to send condensed air from the bottom reboiler to the top condenser, a conduit configured to send vaporized air from the top condenser to the first compressor, a conduit configured to send air from the first compressor to the column, a conduit configured to send air to a second compressor and from the second compressor to the exchanger to produce a cooled second air stream, a conduit configured to send the cooled second air stream to the first turboexpander and from the turboexpander to the column, a conduit configured to remove bottom liquid from the column and a conduit configured to remove gaseous nitrogen from the top of the column.