L'air Liquide, Soci&#xe9;t&#xe9; Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Proc&#xe9;d&#xe9;s Georges Claude

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Air Liquide Advanced Technologies U.S. LLC

Paul Kong

Alain Guillard

Minh Pham-Huy

Wendy Yip

Bao V Ha

Alexander Roesch

Minh Huy Pham

Gerard Dupuis

Pierre-Philippe Guerif

Vincent Follaca

Aaron Harris

Wendy May Yee Yip

Jorge Lopez

Gilles Flavien

The present invention relates to a method for improving stability of a hydrogen gaseous dispensing system. An example of such system is hydrogen powered vehicle fuel filling station. Vehicle is filled by multiple high pressure gaseous hydrogen tubes, usually one tube at a time. For safety and reliability reasons a control requirement for such system is to be able to deliver the hydrogen at constant rate to the fuel tank so that its rate of pressure increase stays constant during entire filling process. A dual pressure regulator arrangement is proposed to better maintain flow continuity and/or pressure during tube switching.

Pressure or flow regulation method for gaseous hydrogen dispensing system

A method and apparatus for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air with front end purification and air compression can include using an available compressed dry gas such as nitrogen, oxygen, stored purified air, or synthetic air to repressurize the adsorber without diverting any of the purified air just exiting the currently on-line adsorber or changing the flow rate of the main air compressor or air sent to the cold box. This enables the main air compressor (MAC) to operate at a relatively constant flow rate while also sending a relatively constant air flow to the cold box during this repressurization step, thereby reducing the risks of process upsets and minimizing capital expenditures related to the MAC and other warm-end equipments.

Method for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air with improved front end purification and air compression

A method for starting up an air separation plant having a higher-pressure column, a lower-pressure column, and a falling film vaporizer disposed within a lower section of the lower-pressure column is provided. The method can include the steps of: introducing a cooled and compressed air stream into the higher pressure column; withdrawing an oxygen-enriched liquid stream from a bottom section of the higher-pressure column and introducing said oxygen-enriched liquid stream to an upper section of the lower-pressure column; and exchanging heat between nitrogen gas coming from a top section of the higher-pressure column and liquid oxygen from the lower-pressure column within the falling film vaporizer. During a start-up period, flow of liquid oxygen is at least reduced to the closed core. This reduces the available heat exchange area during start up, which increases &#x394;T and &#x394;P in the condenser/reboiler.

Method for improved startup of an air separation unit having a falling film vaporizer

A method for reducing heat bumps following regeneration of adsorbers in an air separation unit is provided. The air separation unit can include a front end purification unit, a main air compressor, a main heat exchanger, a distillation column system, a regeneration gas heater, and a regeneration gas cooler, wherein the front end purification unit comprises a first adsorber and a second adsorber. The method can include the steps of: regenerating the first adsorber while the second adsorber operates in an adsorption cycle, wherein the step of regenerating the first adsorber further includes the steps of heating the first adsorber and then cooling the first adsorber, wherein during the step of cooling the first adsorber, a regeneration gas sourced from the distillation column system and cooled in the main heat exchanger is further cooled in a regeneration gas cooler prior to being used to cool the first adsorber.

Method and apparatus for eliminating heat bumps following regeneration of adsorbers in an air separation unit

A method for reducing process disturbances during pressurization of an adsorber in an air separation unit is provided, in which the air separation unit includes a front end purification unit and an air buffer tank. In one embodiment, the method can include the steps of: pressurizing a first adsorber while a second adsorber operates in an adsorption cycle, wherein the step of pressurizing the first adsorber further includes the steps of withdrawing a pressurized air stream from the air buffer tank and introducing the pressurized air stream to the first adsorber until the first adsorber is at a target pressure, wherein the air buffer tank is in fluid communication with the booster air compressor, wherein the method further includes the step of continually sending a first portion of air flow from the booster air compressor to the air buffer tank and continually sending a second portion of air flow from the booster air compressor to a system of columns within a cold box for rectification therein.

Method and apparatus for reducing process disturbances during pressurization of an adsorber in an air separation unit

A method for improving the capacity of an existing air separation unit employing a lost air turbine is provided in which the capacity is increased by operating the existing air separation unit as previously operated, with the exception of collecting the lost air from the lost air turbine, and instead of venting said lost air to the atmosphere, the lost air is compressed in a supplemental air compressor and returned to the air separation unit at a location downstream a front-end purification unit and upstream a booster. This setup advantageously allows for increased production without having to adjust the sizing of the front-end purification unit or main air compressor.

Method for utilizing waste air to improve the capacity of an existing air separation unit

A method for improving thermal efficiency of steam production in a steam reforming based syngas plant is provided. In one embodiment, the method can include the steps of: preheating a hydrocarbon feed stream in a first heat exchanger from a first temperature to a second temperature; preheating the hydrocarbon feed stream in a second heat exchanger to a third temperature, wherein the third temperature is greater than the second temperature; introducing the hydrocarbon feed stream in the presence of steam to a steam methane reformer under conditions effective for producing a product stream comprising hydrogen, carbon oxides, and water vapor; and exchanging heat between the product stream and a boiler feed water stream in a third heat exchanger, wherein prior to exchanging heat with the product stream, the boiler feed water stream is used to provide the preheating to the hydrocarbon feed stream in the first heat exchanger.

Method for improving thermal efficiency of steam production

An apparatus for improving thermal efficiency of steam production is provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include: a BFW heat exchanger in fluid communication with a hydrocarbon gas source and a boiler feed water source, wherein the BFW heat exchanger is configured to allow for the natural gas stream to exchange heat with the first BFW stream such that the hydrocarbon gas stream is pre-heated within the BFW heat exchanger and the BFW stream is cooled; a syngas production facility in fluid communication with the BFW heat exchanger, wherein the syngas production facility comprises a steam methane reformer (SMR) that is configured to convert natural gas within the hydrocarbon gas stream into a hot product stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, wherein the SMR comprises a plurality of burners; and a third heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and the syngas production facility, wherein the third heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between the hot product stream and the first BFW stream, thereby creating a hot BFW stream and a cooled product stream.

Apparatus for improving thermal efficiency of steam production

A method for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air can include the steps of sending a purified and compressed air stream to a cold box under conditions effective for cryogenically separating the air stream into an oxygen product and nitrogen using a system of columns, wherein the purified and compressed air stream is at a feed pressure when entering the system of columns; withdrawing the oxygen product at a product pressure; delivering the oxygen product at a delivery pressure to an oxygen pipeline, wherein the oxygen pipeline has a pipeline pressure; wherein during the second mode of operation, the method can include monitoring the pipeline pressure; and reducing the difference between the pipeline pressure and the delivery pressure. By operating the method in a dynamic fashion, a power savings can be realized in instances in which the pipeline pressure deviates from its highest value.

Method for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air

An apparatus for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air can include a cold box having a heat exchanger, and a system of columns; a pressure monitoring device; and a controller. The cold box can be configured to receive a purified and compressed air stream under conditions effective for cryogenically separating the air stream to form an air gas product. The apparatus may also include means for transferring the air gas product from the cold box to an air gas pipeline. The pressure monitoring device is configured to monitor the pipeline pressure, and the controller is configured to determine whether to operate in a power savings mode or a variable liquid production mode. By operating the apparatus in a dynamic fashion, a power savings and/or additional high value cryogenic liquids can be realized in instances in which the pipeline pressure deviates from its highest value.

Apparatus for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air with variable liquid production and power usage

A method for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air can include the steps of sending a purified and compressed air stream to a cold box under conditions effective for cryogenically separating the air stream into oxygen and nitrogen using a system of columns, wherein the purified and compressed air stream is at a feed pressure when entering the system of columns; withdrawing the oxygen at a product pressure; delivering the oxygen at a delivery pressure to an oxygen pipeline, wherein the oxygen pipeline has a pipeline pressure; and monitoring the pipeline pressure. The method can also include a controller configured to determine whether to operate in a power savings mode or a variable liquid production mode. By operating the method in a dynamic fashion, a power savings and/or additional high value cryogenic liquids can be realized in instances in which the pipeline pressure deviates from its highest value.

Method for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air with variable liquid production and power usage

An apparatus for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air can include a cold box having a heat exchanger, and a system of columns; a pressure monitoring device; and a controller. The cold box can be configured to receive a purified and compressed air stream under conditions effective for cryogenically separating the air stream to form an air gas product. The apparatus may also include means for transferring the air gas product from the cold box to an air gas pipeline. The pressure monitoring device is configured to monitor the pipeline pressure, and the controller is configured to adjust the product pressure of the air gas product coming out of the cold box based upon the pipeline pressure.

Apparatus for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air

An apparatus for the production of air gases with variable liquid production by the cryogenic separation of air can include a cold box having a heat exchanger, and a system of columns; a pressure monitoring device; and a controller. The cold box can be configured to receive a purified and compressed air stream under conditions effective for cryogenically separating the air stream to form an air gas product. The apparatus may also include means for transferring the air gas product from the cold box to an air gas pipeline. The pressure monitoring device is configured to monitor the pipeline pressure, and the controller is configured to adjust the product pressure of the air gas product coming out of the cold box based upon the pipeline pressure and to further adjust liquid production from the cold box based on the adjusted product pressure.

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Sugar Land, TX, United States of America

Paul Kong