Patent · US Active

Separation method and apparatus

US8020408B2 · kind B2 · utility

20Cited by

11References

6Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Praxair Technology, Inc. · US

Inventors

Henry Edward Howard · Grand Island, US
Richard John Jibb · Amherst, US

Key dates

Filing date	Dec 6, 2006
Grant date	Sep 20, 2011
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jul 20, 2030

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY10S62/903
WIPO fieldChemical engineering
WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Separation method and apparatus for separating a gaseous mixture, for example, air, in a cryogenic rectification plant in which a compressed stream is divided into subsidiary streams that are extracted from a main heat exchanger of the plant at higher and lower temperatures. The two streams are then combined and expanded in a turboexpander to generate refrigeration for the plant. The flow rates of the two streams are adjusted to control inlet temperature of a turboexpander supplying plant refrigeration and to minimize potential deviation of the turboexpander exhaust from a saturated vapor state. Control of the expansion ratio can advantageously be applied to allow variable liquid production from the rectification plant.

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