EP0341854A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Air separation process using packed columns for oxygen and argon recovery
Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Inc
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Filing: 1989-04-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-04-25
Abstract
Abstract Argon recovery in a cryogenic air separation process is improved by using structured packing in at least the low pressure column (36) and an argon sidearm column (72) of an integrated multi-column, e.g. three column, cryogenic distillation system.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert M. Thorogood
- 👤 Douglas L. Bennett
- 👤 Bruce K. Dawson
- 👤 Alan L. Prentice
- 👤 Rodney J. Allam
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:17
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25J; F25J3/00; F25J3/02; F25J3/04; F25J3/04248; F25J3/04284; F25J3/04309; B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; F25J3/04151; F25J3/04187; F25J3/04193; F25J3/04206; F25J3/04406; F25J3/04412; F25J3/04642; F25J3/04648; F25J3/04654; F25J3/04666; F25J3/04672; F25J3/04678; F25J3/04763; F25J3/04866; F25J3/04872; F25J3/04884; F25J3/04896; F25J3/04909; F25J3/04915; B01J; B01J2219/00; B01J2219/32; B01J2219/326; F25J2250/00; F25J2250/30; F25J2250/40; F25J2250/50; F25J2250/58; F25J2290/00; F25J2290/10; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S62/00; Y10S62/902; Y10S62/905; Y10S62/906; Y10S62/923; Y10S62/924
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A process for the separation of a mixture comprising oxygen, nitrogen, and argon, by cryogenic distillation in an integrated multi-column distillation system having a low pressure column and an argon sidearm column wherein the argon sidearm column integrally communicates with the low pressure column, and wherein in each column of the integrated distillation system, a liquid phase stream and a vapor phase stream are intimately contacted thereby allowing mass transfer; characterised in that the intimate contact of the liquid and vapor phase streams in the low pressure column and the argon sidearm column is carried out by utilizing a structured packing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
A process for the separation of a mixture comprising oxygen, nitrogen, and argon, by cryogenic distillation in an integrated multi-column distillation system having a low pressure column and an argon sidearm column wherein the argon sidearm column integrally communicates with the low pressure column, and wherein in each column of the integrated distillation system, a liquid phase stream and a vapor phase stream are intimately contacted thereby allowing mass transfer; characterised in that the intimate contact of the liquid and vapor phase streams in the low pressure column and the argon sidearm column is carried out by utilizing a structured packing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the integrated multi-column distillation system is a three column distillation system comprising a high pressure column in addition to the low pressure column and the argon sidearm column.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the high pressure column is packed with a structured packing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein gaseous oxygen is produced directly from the low pressure column.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein liquid oxygen is produced and removed from the low pressure column and vaporized against a condensing feed air stream.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the said mixture is air.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
An integrated multi-column cryogenic distillation system for the separation of mixtures comprising oxygen, nitrogen and argon and including an argon sidearm column integrally communicating with a low pressure column, characterised in that the low pressure column (36) and the argon sidearm column (72) are packed with structured packing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
An integrated multi-column cryogenic distillation system for the separation of mixtures comprising oxygen, nitrogen and argon and including an argon sidearm column integrally communicating with a low pressure column, characterised in that the low pressure column (36) and the argon sidearm column (72) are packed with structured packing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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