L'air Liquide,societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude

Wendy Yip

Paul Kong

Claude Granger

Yves Hardy

Minh Pham-Huy

Minh Huy Pham

Gilles Poulin

Yoland Plamondon

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 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.

Apparatus for operating an air separation plant

A method for the production of air gases with variable liquid production 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; reducing the difference between the pipeline pressure and the delivery pressure; and adjusting liquid production from the cold box. By operating the method in a dynamic fashion, additional liquid production can be realized in instances in which the pipeline pressure deviates from its highest value.

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Sugar Land, TX, United States of America

Wendy Yip