Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Thomas E Cormier

Rakesh Agrawal

Keith B Wilson

Suresh U Patel

A process and apparatus is set forth for the separation of air by cryogenic distillation in a rectification column using two nitrogen recycle streams and a sidestream of the feed air stream to reboil the column. One of the nitrogen recycle streams is expanded to provide refrigeration and to provide power to compress the feed air sidestream.

Process and apparatus for the separation of air

A process is described in which gaseous nitrogen is recovered from air in a cryogenic air separation unit containing a single distillation column wherein the product nitrogen is compressed and a portion of the compressed nitrogen is recycled to the column to provide reboil in the bottom of said column and reflux at the top of said column. A waste crude oxygen stream is expanded to provide refrigeration for the air separation unit.

Growing community of inventors

Schnecksville, PA, United States of America

Thomas E Cormier