Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Douglas L Bennett

Keith Alan Ludwig

Alexander Schwarz

Robert M Thorogood

Rodney John Allam

Donn Michael Herron

Howard C Rowles

Swaminathan Sunder

Alan L Prentice

Robert F Weimer

Mark Robert Pillarella

David W Studer

Bruce Kyle Dawson

Thomas J Edwards

Charles M Woods

John S Zabrenski

Edwin C Rogusky

Andrew J Patrylak

Donald C Amoss

George S Witmer

Brian Roy Dunbobbin

The present invention is a process for the cryogenic separation of air to recover at least one of its constituent components, which is carried out in an air separation unit having at least one distillation column; wherein the distillation column has at least two mass transfer sections, wherein, in each mass transfer section, a flow of vapor and a flow of liquid are counter-currently contacted to accomplish mass transfer and the flow of vapor or liquid or vapor and liquid is different in one section as compared to the other section; wherein contact of the flows of vapor and liquid in each mass transfer section is accomplished using a structured packing; wherein the structured packing comprises elements which are corrugated with substantially parallel corrugations, wherein the parallel corrugations have a longitudinal axis at an angle .beta. relative to horizontal and wherein each corrugation when approximated to be a triangular cross-section has a crimp angle .alpha. defined by the two sides of the corrugation; characterized in that the structured packing used in each mass transfer section have different angles .alpha. and/or .beta. selected such that each mass transfer section is operated in the loading region at which the dimensionless grouping S is in the range between substantially 3.0.times.10.sup.-6 and substantially 8.0.times.10 .sup.-6, where S=T.sub.i m/.sigma., wherein T.sub.i is the shear stress at the liquid-vapor interface (kgm.sup.-1 s.sup.-2), m is the film thickness of liquid flowing over the element (m), and .sigma. is the surface tension of the liquid (kgs.sup.-2).

Use of structured packing in a multi-sectioned air seperation unit

The present invention is a separation process for atmospheric gases. In the process, an atmospheric gas stream, for example air, is compressed and may be partly condensed prior to introduction into a vortex tube air separator. The performance of the tube separation can be upgraded, i.e. by improving the concentration and/or purity of the main oxygen stream, by enhancing the separator efficiency of the vortex tube (VT) apparatus. One approach is by selectively refrigerating the cold end of the tube with partial recycle of nitrogen gas waste stream, effecting a rectification section. Another approach is to increase the heat transfer between the outlet gas stream and the liquid film flowing along the curvilinear periphery of the separator means, by mechanical innovations in its configuration.

Process and apparatus for producing nitrogen and oxygen

The present invention relates to a boiling process in a downflow heat exchanger and the heat exchanger itself with liquid distribution enhancing features which improve performance and allow safe and efficient operation. Performance enhancing features include a partially flooded hardway distribution region with a liquid volume fraction greater than about 0.25 and preferably greater than 0.5, adjusting the heat transfer surface area to maintain a liquid film Reynolds number above 20 and, preferably, above 50 yet less than 1000, preferably less than 300, for at least 75% of the reboiler surface, and, optionally, intermediate feeding of liquid at various intervals along the length of the heat exchanger to obtain more uniform values of liquid film Reynolds numbers and intermediate redistribution.

Boiling process and a heat exchanger for use in the process

A circulating fluidized bed combustion reactor and a process for combusting a solid hydrocarbon fuel in the same wherein fly ash recycling is utilized to regulate heat transfer and to minimize erosion of reactor operating components. The process comprises introducing a solid hydrocarbon fuel and an oxygen-containing gas into a combustion zone which is surrounded by a plurality of adjoining cooling tubes containing a circulating fluid; combusting the fuel in the presence of the oxygen-containing gas within a predetermined temperature range thereby forming hot exhaust gases containing solid particles; discharging the hot exhaust gases containing the solid particles from the combustion zone and cooling the exhaust gases by indirect heat exchange against the cooling tubes; separating the resultant cooled solid particles into at least a first portion which is recycled into the combustion zone and a second portion having an average particle size smaller than the first portion; separating the second portion into a gas stream substantially free of particles and a concentrated stream of particles; recycling the concentrated stream of particles into the combustion zone at a rate sufficient to maintain the predetermined temperature range within the combustion zone and exhausting the gas stream which is substantially free of solid particles.

Circulating fluidized bed combustion reactor with fly ash recycle

The present invention relates to an improvement to a cryogenic air separation process having an argon sidearm column. The improvement to the process for maximizing argon recovery comprises effectuating the intimate contact of the liquid phase stream and the vapor phase stream in the low pressure column and the argon sidearm column of an integrated multi-column, e.g. three column, cryogenic distillation system by utilizing a structured or ordered packing.

Air separation process using packed columns for oxygen and argon recovery

The present invention relates to improvements to a process and apparatus for the cryogenic distillation of mixtures, which comprise oxygen, nitrogen and argon, e.g. air. The improvement comprises effectuating intimate contact of the liquid and vapor phase streams utilizing a structured packing to effectuate the intimate contact in at least those regions of the distillation column system where argon concentration is within the range from about 0.6 to about 75 volume percent, and operating the process such that the densimetric superficial gas velocity in those regions is at least 0.06 feet per second. The present invention also relates to a method for improving a cryogenic distillation apparatus having at least one distillation column for the separation of mixtures containing oxygen and argon, comprising the step of replacing the distillation trays with a structured packing in at least those regions of the distillation column system where the concentration of argon is in the range from about 0.6 to about 75 volume percent.

Separating argon/oxygen mixtures using a structured packing

This invention relates to a process for the cryogenic separation of oxygen-containing mixtures to produce an enriched product whereby oxygen concentrations greater than 21% by volume are achieved in the process via passing streams of liquid and vapor countercurrently through a mass transfer zone which contains packing elements fabricated from a material having a thickness of less than about 1 millimeter, having a copper concentration of at least about 30% by weight and a heat of combustion of less than 1.0 Kcal/g, thereby avoiding the risk of flammability.

Suitable distillation column packing for the cryogenic separation of air

The invention relates to a process and apparatus for boiling flowing liquids such as liquefied gases in a heat exchanger in which a circulating flow is occurring, such as in reboiler-condensers in air separation and similar cryogenic plants or other applications where a high efficiency for boiling heat transfer is beneficial. The important feature of the process and apparatus is the use of two sequential heat transfer zones having different pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics in the same boiling channel, the first zone having an overall high-convective-heat-transfer characteristic and an overall higher pressure drop characteristic and comprising a plurality of sub-zones, each sub-zone sequentially having a lower pressure drop than the previous sub-zone and the second zone having a lower pressure drop and an enhanced nucleate boiling heat transfer characteristic.

Multi-zone boiling process and apparatus

The invention relates to a process and apparatus for boiling flowing liquid such as liquefied gases in a heat exchanger in which a circulating flow is occuring, such as in reboiler-condensers in air separation and similar cryogenic plants or other applications where a high efficiency for boiling heat transfer is beneficial. The important feature of the process and apparatus is the use of two sequential heat transfer zones having different pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics in the same boiling channel, the first zone having a higher pressure drop and high convective heat transfer characteristic and the second zone having a lower pressure drop and an enhanced nucleate boiling heat transfer characteristic.

Dual-zone boiling process

This invention relates to a distillation system for effecting separation of a multicomponent fluid and to an improved bubble-cap design which can accommodate very wide ranges of vapor and liquid loadings. A portion of the tray is provided with bubble caps having first and second slot openings with the second slot opening at an elevation higher than the first opening.

Perforated bubble caps for enhanced vapor/liquid contact on a

An ozone generator is set forth wherein the production of ozone is increased by the more efficient cooling of the generator electrodes and therefore the discharge gap where the ozone forms. The cooling is effected by the use of a boiling coolant fluid which has a high heat transfer capacity. Additionally the electrode structure is made more rigid for increased life in the presence of boiling cooling fluid. A method of ozone preparation is also set forth. Alternately cooling can be enhanced by the introduction of a gas into the coolant to enhance coolant turbulence without boiling the coolant.

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Allentown, PA, United States of America

Douglas L Bennett