US3719053A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquefaction and purification system
Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
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Filing: 1969-10-23
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Granted: 1973-03-06
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Expires: 1989-10-23
Abstract
Abstract Helium is purified utilizing liquid nitrogen as the refrigerant, the resulting nitrogen vapors being mixed with impure nitrogen, compressed, cooled and purified. In the purification of the nitrogen by fractionation, the liquid bottoms product is cooled and utilized to condense the overhead vapors in the column. The column is of novel design having a system of liquid level controllers and a flow controller to effect the desired nitrogen purification in an efficient manner.
Inventors
- 👤 Marco S De
- 👤 E Harper
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:02
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25J; F25J3/00; F25J3/02; F25J3/0228; F25J3/0257; F25J3/0204; F25J3/0209; F25J3/0233; F25J3/028; F25J3/029; F25J3/08; F25J2205/00; F25J2205/40; F25J2205/60; F25J2210/00; F25J2210/02; F25J2210/42; F25J2215/00; F25J2215/30; F25J2215/42; F25J2260/00; F25J2260/42; F25J2260/44; F25J2270/00; F25J2270/42; F25J2270/90; F25J2270/904
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
The method of purifying a gas feed stream of low boiling point containing a small quantity of impurity which comprises cooling said stream to a temperature low enough to condense said impurity at the prevailing pressure and to separate the feed stream into a liquid bottoms product and a vaporous overhead product of a fractionation zone, flashing the bottoms product to produce a liquid of lower temperature than said bottoms product and a flashed vapor, separating the liquid of lower temperature and flashed vapor, passing the liquid of lower temperature in indirect heat exchange relation with said vaporous overhead product to cool the overhead product and condense a portion thereof, returning the condensed portion to the fractionation zone as reflux, combining said liquid from the indirect heat exchange step with the flashed vapor and passing the combined stream in heat exchange relation with the feed stream, and recovering the remainder of said overhead product as a purified gas stream.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
159 words
The method of purifying a gas feed stream of low boiling point containing a small quantity of impurity which comprises cooling said stream to a temperature low enough to condense said impurity at the prevailing pressure and to separate the feed stream into a liquid bottoms product and a vaporous overhead product of a fractionation zone, flashing the bottoms product to produce a liquid of lower temperature than said bottoms product and a flashed vapor, separating the liquid of lower temperature and flashed vapor, passing the liquid of lower temperature in indirect heat exchange relation with said vaporous overhead product to cool the overhead product and condense a portion thereof, returning the condensed portion to the fractionation zone as reflux, combining said liquid from the indirect heat exchange step with the flashed vapor and passing the combined stream in heat exchange relation with the feed stream, and recovering the remainder of said overhead product as a purified gas stream.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
cooling the feed gas in an indirect heat exchange step to a temperature low enough to condense said impurity at the prevailing pressure,
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
cooling the feed gas in an indirect heat exchange step to a temperature low enough to condense said impurity at the prevailing pressure,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the gas stream is nitrogen containing a small quantity of methane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
9 words
separating a purified gas fraction from the condensed impurity,
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
9 words
separating a purified gas fraction from the condensed impurity,
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
vaporizing a liquid refrigerant stream of said impurity to cool the feed gas in said indirect heat exchange step (1),
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
vaporizing a liquid refrigerant stream of said impurity to cool the feed gas in said indirect heat exchange step (1),
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
In the method of claim 2, cooling the purified gas stream, and recovering the resultant liquid nitrogen.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
4 words
compressing the mixed stream,
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
4 words
compressing the mixed stream,
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
cooling the mixed stream to a temperature low enough to condense the impurity present in the mixed stream at the prevailing pressure,
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
cooling the mixed stream to a temperature low enough to condense the impurity present in the mixed stream at the prevailing pressure,
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
separating in a fractionation zone the cooled mixed stream to provide a liquid bottoms product and a vaporous overhead product,
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
separating in a fractionation zone the cooled mixed stream to provide a liquid bottoms product and a vaporous overhead product,
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
flashing the bottoms product to produce a liquid of lower temperature than said bottoms product and a flashed vapor,
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
flashing the bottoms product to produce a liquid of lower temperature than said bottoms product and a flashed vapor,
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
10 words
separating the liquid of lower temperature and the flashed vapor,
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
10 words
separating the liquid of lower temperature and the flashed vapor,
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
passing the liquid of lower temperature in indirect heat-exchange relation with said vaporous overhead product to cool the overhead product and condense a portion thereof,
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
passing the liquid of lower temperature in indirect heat-exchange relation with said vaporous overhead product to cool the overhead product and condense a portion thereof,
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
10 words
returning the condensed portion to the fractionation zone as reflux,
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
10 words
returning the condensed portion to the fractionation zone as reflux,
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
combining said liquid from the indirect heating step (10) with the flash vapor from step (8) and passing the combined stream in heat exchange relation with mixed stream of step (6), and
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
combining said liquid from the indirect heating step (10) with the flash vapor from step (8) and passing the combined stream in heat exchange relation with mixed stream of step (6), and
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
recovering the remainder of said overhead product as a purified refrigerant for use in step (3).
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
recovering the remainder of said overhead product as a purified refrigerant for use in step (3).
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-03-05 | 1976-09-04 | 1977-03-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-03-05 | 1980-09-04 | 1981-03-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-03-05 | 1984-09-04 | 1985-03-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |