Praxair Technology, Inc.

Robert A Beddome

Dante Patrick Bonaquist

Michael James Lockett

Mark J Roberts

Neil Mark Prosser

John Fredric Billingham

Joseph Alfred Weber

James R Dray

Richard A Victor

John H Ziemer

James B Wulf

Michael Yijian Jin

Cheryl Ann Engels

A system for re-starting an air separation plant after an interruption in operation wherein descending liquid is collected in a non-operating distillation column and passed back to the separation section of that column before or upon re-start. The invention may employ a collection device situated in the column above the sump. Upon interruption in operation, the collection device accumulates descending liquid. From the collection device, liquid may be passed outside of the column and transferred to a holding vessel to re-inventory internal material of the column upon resumption in operation.

Rapid restart system for cryogenic air separation plant

A cryogenic rectification system wherein liquid oxygen from a cryogenic air separation plant is pressurized and then vaporized in a high pressure liquefier producing product high pressure oxygen gas and generating liquid nitrogen for enhanced liquid product production.

Cryogenic rectification system for producing high pressure gaseous

A cryogenic rectification system for producing elevated pressure gaseous oxygen wherein pressurized liquid oxygen is vaporized against pressurized working fluid which is then turboexpanded to form a dual phase stream having both vapor and liquid fractions.

Cryogenic rectification system with dual phase turboexpansion

A cryogenic rectification system wherein feed partially traverses the primary heat exchanger, thereafter is turboexpanded, and then traverses another portion of the primary heat exchanger reducing the temperature differences between approaching streams within the primary heat exchanger and thus the cycle irreversibilities resulting in lower power requirements.

Cryogenic rectification system with intermediate temperature

A cryogenic air separation system wherein a portion of the feed air is condensed against vaporizing product from the air separation plant and at least some of the vaporized bottom liquid from the higher pressure column is withdrawn from the system, bypassing the lower pressure column thereby increasing the L/V ratio in the upper portion of the lower pressure column to compensate for reduced liquid in that column caused by the feed air liquefaction.

Cryogenic air separation system with kettle vapor bypass

A cryogenic rectification system wherein compressed feed is further compressed in a compressor coupled to a turboexpander and turboexpanded through the turboexpander to drive the compressor, and a portion of the feed which does not undergo turboexpansion is condensed against liquid oxygen in a product boiler.

Cryogenic rectification system with liquid oxygen boiler

An improved packed column distillation system, which may be particularly advantageous for use with cryogenic distillation such as the cryogenic distillation of air, wherein external heat is provided at the column wall, especially at a stripping section of the column, to vaporize liquid formed on the inner surface of the column wall resulting in improved separation efficiency with lower packed bed height.

Packed column distillation system

Dual turbine-booster compressor units are arranged for advantageous liquefaction operations using high pressure heat exchangers.

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Tonawanda, NY, United States of America

Robert A Beddome