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:
Aug. 11, 2015
Filed:
Dec. 17, 2009
Bao Ha, San Ramon, CA (US);
Jean-renaud Brugerolle, Neuchatel, CH;
Bao Ha, San Ramon, CA (US);
Jean-Renaud Brugerolle, Neuchatel, CH;
Abstract
A process for the cryogenic separation of air using a multiple column distillation system comprising at least a higher pressure column ('HP column') and a lower pressure column ('LP column'), comprising: feeding cooled feed air to the high pressure column for separation into high pressure nitrogen-enriched overhead vapor and crude liquid oxygen; feeding at least one low pressure column feed stream comprising nitrogen and oxygen to the low pressure column for separation into nitrogen-rich overhead vapor and liquid oxygen; refluxing the low pressure column with a liquid stream from or derived from the high pressure column; feeding expanded air to an auxiliary separation column for separation into auxiliary column nitrogen-rich overhead vapor and oxygen-rich liquid and removing the nitrogen rich overhead vapor as a product stream; feeding bottom liquid from the auxiliary column to an intermediate location of the low pressure column; and refluxing the auxiliary column with a nitrogen rich liquid stream from or derived from the HP column.