The Boc Group, Inc.

Andrew P Owen

Paul Alfred Sweeney

Colleen Prince

A cryogenic refrigeration method for use in connection with a cryogenic temperature swing adsorption process. The cryogenic temperature swing adsorption process has a discontinuous production cycle during which production of a purified vapor stream ceases or is reduced through use of purified vapor to purge a regenerating adsorption bed. Additionally, the purified vapor stream in part of the production cycle is superheated through use of the purified vapor stream to cool the regenerating adsorption bed. A heat exchange stream is liquefied against the vaporization of at least part of an impure liquid stream to produce an impure vapor stream to be purified by the adsorption process. Process liquid is continually produced from the liquefaction of the process stream. The process liquid is used to in turn liquefy the purified vapor stream at varying flow rates that are sufficient to liquefy the purified vapor stream throughout the production cycle. When production is reduced or ceases, process liquid accumulates fiber later use in liquefying purified vapor. Although process liquid is supplemented, the requirement for the heat exchange stream, for instance nitrogen, is constant. This allows the refrigeration method of the present invention to be integrated with an air separation plant without placing undue cyclic loadings on the air separation unit thereof.

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Guildford, United Kingdom

Andrew P Owen