Separation of the elements of air

Claim 1

IN AN AIR SEPARATION SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR PROPORTIONING ITS PRODUCT OUTPUT AS BETWEEN NITROGEN AND OXYGEN ACCORDING TO VARYING DEMAND FROM TIME TO TIME, IN COMBINATION, A RELATIVELY HIGH PRESSURE NITROGEN COLUMN FOR PRODUCING RELATIVELY HIGH PURITY NITROGEN AND AN OXYGEN RICH LIQUID, A RELATIVELY LOW PRESSURE OXYGEN COLUMN FOR PRODUCING HIGH PURITY OXYGEN FORM SAID OXYGEN-RICH LIQUID; MEANS TO ECONOMICALLY DISPOSED OF EXCESS OXYGEN DURING INTERVALS OF RELATIVELY HIGH DEMAND FOR NITROGEN PRODUCT OUTPUT, SAID MEANS COMPRISING, MEANS TO DIVERT AND EVAPORATE A PART OF THE SAID OXYGEN-RICH LIQUID BY HEAT EXCHANGER WITH A WARMER PROCESS STREAM THAT IS ON ITS WAY FROM SAID HIGH PRESSURE NITROGEN COLUMN TO SERVE AS REFLUX IN SAID NITROGEN COLUMN, THEREBY SALVAGING REFRIGERATION FROM SAID OXYGEN-RICH LIQUID, WORK EXPANSION MEANS FOR SALVAGING PRESSURE ENERGY FROM SAID EVAPORATED PORTUION OF OXYGEN-RICH LIQUID, MEANS TO VENT OT THHE ATMOSPHERE THE WORK-EXPANDED OXYGEN-RICH MATERIAL FROM SAID WORK EXPANSION MEANS, WHEREBY THE VENTING OF PARTIALLY PROCESSED OXYGEN-RICH MATERIAL TO THE ATMOSPHERE IS SUBSTITUTED FOR THE VENTING OF MORE FULLY PROCESSED HIGH PURITY OXYGEN, MEANS TO DERIVE AN ARGON CONCENTRATE FROM SAID OXYGEN COLUMN, NITROGEN CYCLE MEANS FOR REFLUXING SAID OXYGEN COLUMN AND FOR FURNISHING REFRIGERATION FOR BOTH SAID COLUMNS, MEANS DETERMINING A PATH IN SAID CYCLE MEANS WHEREBY THERE IS CONTINUAL RECIRCULATION OF MATERIAL IN SAID PATH, AND MEANS FOR HEAT EXCHANGING THE SAID RECIRCULATING MATERIAL IN SAID PATH WITH INCOMING AIR THAT IS ON ITS WAY TO SAID NITROGEN COLUMN FOR PROCESSING INTO COMPONENT GASES, THEREBY AIDING IN REFRIGERATING SAIID INCOMING AIR, THE SAID RECIRCULATING MATERIAL SERVING TO PROVIDE REFLUX FOR SAID OXYGEN COLUMN IN DESIRE QUANTITY AND QUALITY SUBSTANTIALLY IRRESPCTIVE OF MATERIAL WITHDRAWAL OF NITROGEN PRODUCT FROM THE SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN A DESIRED CONDITION FOR PRODUCING SAID ARGON CONCENTRATE.