Linde Aktiengesellschaft

Linde Gmbh

Stefan Lochner

Ralph Spöri

Dimitri Golubev

Tobias Lautenschlager

Lars Kirchner

Pascal Freko

Axel Lehmacher

Horst Corduan

Christian Kunz

Reinhold Hölzl

Thomas Nohlen

Christoph Windmeier

Andreas Obermeier

Alexander Woitalka

Michael Lauter

Ralph Sp&ouml;ri

Ralph Spoeri

Wolfgang Haag

Sven Schauder

Felix Rößler

Christian Zimmermann

Paul Heinz

Kurt Huber

A method for operating an air separation plant having a distillation column system, a heat exchanger, and an adsorber, wherein, in a first time period, a first operating mode is carried out and, in a second time period following the first time period, a second operating mode is carried out. In a third time period between the second time period and the first time period, a third operating mode is carried out, in which third operating mode compressed air is at least partially freed of water and carbon dioxide in the adsorber and at least part of said compressed air is cooled in the heat exchanger, an air product is removed from the distillation column system and at least part of said air product is heated in the heat exchanger.

Method for operating an air separation plant, having a distillation column system, a heat exchanger and an adsorber, and air separation plant

A method for operating a heat exchanger, in which a first operating mode is carried out in first time periods, and a second operating mode is carried out in second time periods that alternate with the first time periods; in the first operating mode a first fluid flow is formed at a first temperature level, is fed into the heat exchanger in a first region at the first temperature level, and is partially or completely cooled in the heat exchanger; in the first operating mode a second fluid flow is formed at a second temperature level, is fed into the heat exchanger in a second region at the second temperature level, and is partially or completely heated in the heat exchanger. A corresponding arrangement and a system with such an arrangement are also covered by the present invention.

Method for operating a heat exchanger, arrangement with a heat exchanger, and system with a corresponding arrangement

A method for operating a heat exchanger, in which a first operating mode is carried out in first time periods, and a second operating mode is carried out in second time periods that alternate with the first time periods; in the first operating mode a first fluid flow is formed at a first temperature, is fed into the heat exchanger in a first region at the first temperature, and is partially or completely cooled in the heat exchanger; in the first operating mode a second fluid flow is formed at a second temperature, is fed into the heat exchanger in a second region at the second temperature, and is partially or completely heated in the heat exchanger; and in the second operating mode the feeding of the first fluid flow and of the second fluid flow into the heat exchanger is partially or completely halted.

A method for low temperature separation of air using an air separating installation having a distillation column system which has a first, a second, a third and a fourth separating unit. Compressed and cooled air is fed into the first separating unit. An oxygen-enriched, nitrogen-depleted, argon-containing first sump liquid and a nitrogen-enriched, oxygen-depleted first head gas are formed by means of the first separating unit. An oxygen-rich second sump liquid and an argon-enriched second head gas are formed by means of the second separating unit. A liquid return to the second separating unit is provided by means of the third separating unit. A fourth sump liquid and a fourth head gas are formed by means of the fourth separating unit, and the fourth sump liquid is at least partially returned to the second separating unit.

Method and installation for low temperature separation of air

The invention relates to a method for a low-temperature air separation in which an air separation unit is used comprising a first rectification column and a second rectification column. The first rectification column is operated at a first pressure level, and the second rectification column is operated at a second pressure level below the first pressure level. Fluid which is oxygen-enriched compared to atmospheric air is drawn from the first rectification column in the form of one or more first material flows. At least one fraction of the fluid which has been drawn from the first rectification column in the form of the one or more first material flows is heated in a heat exchanger; a fraction of the fluid which has been heated in the heat exchanger is compressed using a compressor and is returned to the first rectification column.

Method and unit for low-temperature air separation

A method and device to variably obtain argon by means of low-temperature separation. Feed air is cooled in a main heat exchanger and then conducted into a distillation column system with a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column. Argon is obtained using a crud argon column and a purified argon column. A purified liquid argon product flow is generated from an argon-enriched flow from the low-pressure column. In a first operating mode, a first quantity of purified argon product is discharged, and in a second operating mode, a reduced quantity of purified argon product is discharged. In the second operating mode, a gaseous argon return flow is drawn from the crude argon column or the purified argon column and heated in a separate passage of the main heat exchanger.

Method and device for variably obtaining argon by means of low-temperature separation

An air separation plant for obtaining product containing argon by low temperature separation of compressed, cooled feed air. The air separation plant comprises a high-pressure column, a multi-part low-pressure column having a base segment and a head segment and a multi-part crude argon column having a base segment and a head segment. An oxygen-enriched flow is obtained from part of the feed air in the high pressure column, an argon-enriched flow is obtained from part of the oxygen-enriched flow in the low-pressure column, and an argon-rich flow is obtained from part of the argon-enriched flow in the crude argon column. Liquid flow is transferred from a lower region of the head segment of the low-pressure column and from a lower region of the base segment of the crude argon column into an upper region of the base segment of the low-pressure column.

Air separation plant, method for obtaining a product containing argon, and method for creating an air separation plant

A method for obtaining an air product in an air separating system in which a liquid fraction is obtained from feed air and used to provide the air product and in which the liquid fraction is temporarily stored in a tank arrangement. A tank arrangement with at least two tanks is used, and the liquid fraction is fed to at least one of the tanks and/or is removed from at least one of the tanks in order to provide the air product. In the process, the liquid fraction is not fed to and removed from any one of the tanks at the same time, and the composition of the liquid fraction in a tank is ascertained prior to each removal of the liquid fraction from the tank. An air separating system is also described.

Method for obtaining an air product in an air separating system with temporary storage, and air separating system

The plant is used for producing oxygen by cryogenic air separation. The plant has a high-pressure column, a low-pressure column and a main condenser. An argon-elimination column is in fluid connection with an intermediate point of the low-pressure column and is connected to an argon-elimination column head condenser. An auxiliary column has a sump region, into which gas is introduced from the argon-elimination column head condenser. The head of the auxiliary column is connected to a return flow liquid line, in order to introduce a liquid stream from the high-pressure column or the head condenser. The liquid stream has an oxygen content which is at least equal to that of air. At least one part of the crude liquid oxygen from the sump of the high-pressure column is fed to the auxiliary column at a first intermediate point.

Plant for producing oxygen by cryogenic air separation

A method for obtaining an air product from an air separation plant having a distillation column system and a tank system. The tank system includes a first tank and a second tank. Cryogenic liquid is withdrawn from the distillation column system, stored in the tank system, and used as the air product. The cryogenic liquid is supplied to the first tank and withdrawn from the second tank during a first period, and is supplied to the second tank and withdrawn from the first tank during a second period. The tank system has a third tank to which cryogenic liquid withdrawn from the first tank and the second tank is transferred unheated. The air product is withdrawn from the third tank in liquid state, vaporized and discharged. Alternatively, the cryogenic liquid can be withdrawn from the third tank and stored in the liquid state in a fourth tank.

Method for obtaining an air product in an air separation plant and air separation plant

A system and method serve generate oxygen by low-temperature air separation in a distillation column system having a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column, a main condenser which is constructed as a condenser-evaporator, and an auxiliary column. A gaseous oxygen-containing fraction is introduced into the auxiliary column. A nitrogen-containing liquid stream from the high-pressure column, the main condenser or the low-pressure column is applied as reflux to the top of the auxiliary column. An argon-rich stream from an intermediate site of the low-pressure column is introduced into an argon removal column that has an argon removal column top condenser. The low-pressure column is arranged beside the high-pressure column, the main condenser is arranged over the high-pressure column, the auxiliary column is arranged over the main condenser, the argon removal column is arranged over the auxiliary column and the argon removal column top condenser is arranged over the argon removal column.

System and method for generation of oxygen by low-temperature air separation

The device serves for the cryogenic separation of air. It comprises a main heat exchanger () and a distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation () with a double column (), which contains a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column. The device also includes a mixing column () and means for introducing charge air via the main heat exchanger () into the high-pressure column and into the mixing column. A liquid oxygen line serves for introducing liquid oxygen from the low-pressure column into the upper region of the mixing column (), an oxygen product line serves for extracting oxygen gas from the upper region of the mixing column () through the main heat exchanger (). The mixing column () and the double column () are arranged in a common cold box (). The mixing column () is attached to the double column () by way of connecting elements ().

Device for the cryogenic separation of air

The invention relates to a process and apparatus for producing nitrogen by low-temperature fractionation of air in a rectification system which has a high-pressure column ( ) and a low-pressure column ( ). Feed air ( ) is introduced into the high-pressure column ( ). An oxygen-containing liquid fraction ( ) is removed from the high-pressure column ( ) and fed into the low-pressure column ( ). Gaseous nitrogen ( ) is extracted from the low-pressure column ( ) above a mass transfer section ( ), which has at least one theoretical or practical plate, and is at least partially condensed in a top condenser ( ) by indirect heat exchange with a refrigerant ( ). High-purity nitrogen is removed from the low-pressure column below the mass transfer section ( ), and is obtained as a nitrogen product ( ). The process and apparatus have a refrigeration-supply system, in which a refrigeration fluid ( ) flows. At least part of the refrigeration fluid from the refrigeration-supply system is introduced into the low-pressure column ( ) above the mass transfer section ( ).

Process and apparatus for producing high-purity nitrogen by low-temperature fractionation of air

High-purity nitrogen is generated by low-temperature fractionation of air in a rectification system for nitrogen/oxygen separation having at least a first rectifier column ( ). Cycle nitrogen ( ) in gas form is removed from the upper region of the first rectifier column ( ) and is compressed in a cycle compressor ( ). A first part ( ) of the compressed cycle nitrogen is liquefied. A nitrogen fraction ( ) from the rectification system for nitrogen/oxygen separation is introduced ( ) into a high-purity nitrogen column ( ) having a top condenser ( ). High-purity nitrogen ( ) is removed from the upper region of the high-purity nitrogen column ( ). The refrigeration demand of the top condenser ( ) is at least partially covered by liquefied cycle nitrogen ( ).

Process and apparatus for generating high-purity nitrogen by low-temperature fractionation of air

The process and the apparatus serve for producing pressurized oxygen and krypton/xenon by low-temperature fractionation of air. The rectifying system has a low-pressure column (,) for the nitrogen-oxygen separation and a krypton-xenon enrichment column (,). Compressed and prepurified feed air (,) is introduced into the rectifying system. A first oxygen fraction (,) is taken off from the low-pressure column (,), brought (,) to an elevated pressure in the liquid state, vaporized and removed as gaseous pressurized oxygen product (,). In addition, a second oxygen fraction (,) is taken off from the low-pressure column (,) and passed (,) into the lower or central region of the krypton-xenon enrichment column (,). The first oxygen fraction (,) is taken off at least one actual or theoretical plate above the bottom of the low-pressure column (,) and, after the pressure elevation (,) is introduced (,) in the liquid state into the upper region of the krypton-xenon enrichment column (,). A krypton-enriched and/or xenon-enriched fraction (,) is taken off from the lower region of the krypton-xenon enrichment column (,). The pressurized oxygen product (,) is withdrawn in the gaseous state from the upper region of the krypton-xenon enrichment column (,).

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Grafing, Germany

Stefan Lochner