Method for plant and separating air by cryogenic distillation

US6536232B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

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

Inventors

• Benoit Davidian · Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, FR
• Francois De Bussy · Paris, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 19, 2001
• Grant date: Mar 25, 2003
• Expiry date: Sep 19, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F25J2240/10
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

In a plant for separating air which does not comprise an argon column, an intermediate-pressure column (102) has a bottom reboiler (24) which is heated by a gas (233) coming from the low-pressure column (103). The intermediate-pressure column is fed from the high-pressure column (101). This makes it possible to reduce the energy consumption while improving the efficiency of the process.