Process and apparatus for separating air by cryogenic distillation

US6463758B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme à Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Étude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude · FR

Inventor

• Patrick Le Bot · Saint-Mandé, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 29, 1999
• Grant date: Oct 15, 2002
• Expiry date: Mar 29, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F25J2290/10
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A first air stream is expanded in a first turbine (D1) before being mixed with a second air stream (104) in order to form a third stream (105). At least part of the third stream is sent to a second turbine (D2) and then to the double column.The stream expanded in the first turbine is smaller than the stream expanded in the second turbine.