US5019144A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cryogenic air separation system with hybrid argon column
Assignee: Praxair Technology Inc
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Filing: 1990-06-19
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Granted: 1991-05-28
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Expires: 2010-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A cryogenic rectification system characterized by a hybrid argon column having trays in the lower portion and packing in the upper portion whereby the argon column is operated at a lower pressure thus enabling improved argon recovery while maintaining the pressure sufficiently high at the lower end of the argon column to enable fluid flow back to the main column system without need for pressurization.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard A. Victor
- 👤 Michael J. Lockett
- 👤 James R. Dray
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 05:04
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25J; F25J3/00; F25J3/02; F25J3/04; F25J3/04763; F25J3/04866; F25J3/04896; F25J3/04915; F25J3/04248; F25J3/04284; F25J3/0429; F25J3/04303; F25J3/04406; F25J3/04412; F25J3/04642; F25J3/04648; F25J3/04654; F25J3/04666; F25J3/04672; F25J3/04678; F25J3/04921; F25J2205/00; F25J2205/02; F25J2290/00; F25J2290/10; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S62/00; Y10S62/902; Y10S62/905; Y10S62/906; Y10S62/923; Y10S62/924; Y10S62/939
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
Method for cryogenic rectification comprising: (A) providing feed comprising oxygen, nitrogen and argon into a main column system comprising at least one rectification column; (B) separating the feed by countercurrent vapor-liquid contact within the main column system into nitrogen-rich and oxygen-rich components; (C) passing fluid comprising argon and oxygen from said main column system into an argon column having an upper portion and a lower portion; (D) separating the fluid by countercurrent vapor-liquid contact within the argon column into argon-enriched and oxygen-enriched components; and (E) carrying out the countercurrent vapor-liquid contact in the argon column on vapor-liquid contacting elements comprising trays in the lower portion of the argon column, and on vapor-liquid contacting elements comprising packing in the upper portion of the argon column.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
Method for cryogenic rectification comprising: (A) providing feed comprising oxygen, nitrogen and argon into a main column system comprising at least one rectification column; (B) separating the feed by countercurrent vapor-liquid contact within the main column system into nitrogen-rich and oxygen-rich components; (C) passing fluid comprising argon and oxygen from said main column system into an argon column having an upper portion and a lower portion; (D) separating the fluid by countercurrent vapor-liquid contact within the argon column into argon-enriched and oxygen-enriched components; and (E) carrying out the countercurrent vapor-liquid contact in the argon column on vapor-liquid contacting elements comprising trays in the lower portion of the argon column, and on vapor-liquid contacting elements comprising packing in the upper portion of the argon column.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the lower portion of the argon column comprises that portion wherein the argon concentration of the contacting vapor and liquid is 75 percent or less.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the lower portion of the argon column comprises that portion wherein the argon concentration of the contacting vapor and liquid is 50 percent or less.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the lower portion of the argon column comprises that portion wherein the argon concentration of the contacting vapor and liquid is 25 percent or less.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the vapor-liquid contacting elements in the lower portion of the argon column are all trays.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the vapor-liquid contacting elements in the upper portion of the argon column are all packing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the packing comprises structured packing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein oxygen-richer component is passed from the argon column to the main column system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein argon-enriched component is recovered having an argon concentration of at least 96 percent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the main column system is a double column having a lower pressure column in heat exchange relation with a higher pressure column.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the lower pressure column has vapor-liquid contacting elements which are all packing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the packing in the lower pressure column comprises structured packing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the higher pressure column has vapor-liquid contacting elements which are all trays.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising recovering nitrogen-rich component as product nitrogen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising recovering oxygen-rich component as product oxygen.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus for cryogenic rectification comprising: (A) a main column system comprising at least one rectification column having vapor-liquid contacting elements; (B) an argon column having an upper and lower portion and having vapor-liquid contacting elements comprising trays in the lower portion of the argon column, and vapor-liquid, contacting elements comprising packing in the upper portion of the argon column; and (C) means to provide fluid from the column system into said lower portion of the argon column.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus for cryogenic rectification comprising: (A) a main column system comprising at least one rectification column having vapor-liquid contacting elements; (B) an argon column having an upper and lower portion and having vapor-liquid contacting elements comprising trays in the lower portion of the argon column, and vapor-liquid, contacting elements comprising packing in the upper portion of the argon column; and (C) means to provide fluid from the column system into said lower portion of the argon column.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the lower portion of the argon column comprises the lower 50 percent of the height of the argon column.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the lower portion of the argon column comprises the lower 25 percent of the height of the argon column.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the lower portion of the argon column comprises the lower 10 percent of the height of the argon column.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the vapor-liquid contacting elements within the lower portion of the argon column are all trays.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the vapor-liquid contacting elements within the upper portion of the argon column are all packing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the packing comprises structured packing.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising means to provide fluid from the argon column to the main column system.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the main column system is a double column having a lower pressure column in heat exchange relation with a higher pressure column.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the lower pressure column has vapor-liquid contacting elements which are all packing.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the packing within the lower pressure column comprises structured packing.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the higher pressure column has vapor-liquid contacting elements which are all trays.
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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) | 1994-05-27 | 1994-11-26 | 1995-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-05-27 | 1998-11-26 | 1999-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-05-27 | 2002-11-26 | 2003-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |