Process and plant with oxygen-enriched air feed for a non-ferrous metal production unit

US6576040B2 · 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

• Didier Magnet · Saint-Mandé, FR
• Norbert Rieth · Paris, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 18, 2001
• Grant date: Jun 10, 2003
• Expiry date: Sep 18, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F25J2250/50
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

All of the air is compressed in a single compressor, which feeds a smelter for smelting ore, a converter for converting matte coming from the smelter and an air separation unit which delivers two oxygen streams for enriching the air. A buffer tank is used to deliver a variable flow of enriched air to the converter.