Patent · US Expired

Process and installation for the production of oxygen by distillation of air

US5586451A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
5References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 10, 1995
Grant dateDec 24, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 10, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25J2250/50
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Process and installation for the production of gaseous oxygen under pressure by cryogenic distillation of air in a double column (5) comprising a medium pressure column (6) and a low pressure column (7). Rich liquid from the medium pressure column is divided into first and second liquid fractions which are sent to different levels in the low pressure column (7). These different levels are both below the level of withdrawal of impure nitrogen from the low pressure column (7). A fluid enriched in argon is withdrawn from the low pressure column (7) and distilled in an argon column (16). Liquid enriched in oxygen is withdrawn from a lower portion of the low pressure column (7). The two fractions of rich liquid are cooled to different temperatures before being sent to the low pressure column (7). A portion of the supply air is blown into an intermediate level of the low pressure column (7) and the levels of injection of the rich liquid are not below this intermediate level.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.