The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 16, 1997
Filed:
Nov. 16, 1995
Applicant:
Inventors:
Stephen Roger Clare, Bognor Regis, GB;
Robert Hartley, Fleet, GB;
Assignee:
The BOC Group plc, Windlesham, GB;
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
F25J / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
62646 ; 62924 ;
Abstract
Air is raised in pressure by a compressor and pre-purified by removal of impurities, particularly H.sub.2 O vapor and CO.sub.2, in an adsorption unit. The resulting air is cooled in a heat exchanger, and is subjected to a first rectification in a rectification column in which the air is separated into a nitrogen-rich fraction and an oxygen-rich fraction. A further oxygen fraction enriched in argon is subjected to a second rectification in which argon is separated from oxygen in a second rectification column. First and second argon products of different purity are withdrawn from the second rectification column through outlets thereof.