The Boc Group, Inc.

Brian Anthony Keenan

Thomas Rathbone

An air separation plant has a product nitrogen compressor arranged to be driven by a steam turbine adapted to be operated in a cycle in which steam is able to be raised in a steam generator by heat exchange of water with hot gaseous exhaust from a gas turbine.

Air separation and combined cycle power plant

An air separation plant includes an air compressor, a gas turbine arranged to drive the air compressor, a product nitrogen compressor, and a steam turbine arranged to drive the product nitrogen compressor. The steam turbine forms part of a circuit including a steam generator in which stream is able to be raised by heat exchange of water with hot gaseous exhaust from the gas turbine or another gas turbine.

Air separation plant

An air separation plant includes a product nitrogen compressor, a gas turbine and a steam turbine. The gas turbine and the steam turbine are operatively associated with the product nitrogen compressor so as to be able to drive the product nitrogen compressor. The steam turbine has an inlet communicating with a steam generator adapted to recover heat from the gas turbine. The air separation plant also includes an air compressor which is typically similarly operatively associated with a gas turbine and a steam turbine. The steam turbine has an inlet communicating with a steam generator adapted to recover heat from the gas turbine.

Apparatus and method for compressing a nitrogen product

A first, solid, carbon-containing fuel is gasified and iron is melted in a gasifier-melter. A first flow of resulting fuel gas is employed to form the iron in a vertical shaft furnace by direct reduction of iron ore. A second flow of resulting fuel gas is mixed with fuel gas produced by separately gasifying a second carbon-containing fuel in a second gasifier, in which no iron is melted and which supplies essentially no carbonaceous solid fuel to the first gasification stage. This mixing helps to dampen fluctuations in the flow rate of the second flow of the resulting fuel gas.

Production of fuel gas

A first flow of air is compressed in a first air compressor associated with a gas turbine and is purified in an adsorptive purification unit which separates water vapour and carbon dioxide from the air. The purified first flow of air is further compressed to a pressure at least 5 bar higher than that at which it is purified in a second air compressor whose outlet pressure is independent of fluctuations in the power output of the gas turbine, is cooled in a main heat exchanger, is passed through an expansion valve, and is introduced into a higher pressure rectification column. A second flow of air is compressed in a third air compressor which is independent of the gas turbine. The compressed second flow of air is purified in an adsorptive purification unit by the separation of water vapour and carbon dioxide therefrom. The purified second flow of air is cooled in the main heat exchanger and is introduced into the higher pressure rectification column. The air flows are rectified in the higher pressure rectification column and an associated lower pressure rectification column operating at pressures above 2 bar. A nitrogen product is withdrawn from the top of the lower pressure rectification column and a liquid oxygen product from the bottom thereof. The liquid oxygen is revised in pressure to at least 25 bar by a pump and is warmed to ambient temperature in the main heat exchanger.

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Surrey, United Kingdom

Brian Anthony Keenan