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EP3614083A1 - Installation de séparation d'aire, procédé de séparation d'air à basse température au moyen de l'installation de séparation d'aire et procédé de fabrication d'une installation de séparation d'aire - Google Patents

Installation de séparation d'aire, procédé de séparation d'air à basse température au moyen de l'installation de séparation d'aire et procédé de fabrication d'une installation de séparation d'aire Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3614083A1
EP3614083A1 EP18020399.4A EP18020399A EP3614083A1 EP 3614083 A1 EP3614083 A1 EP 3614083A1 EP 18020399 A EP18020399 A EP 18020399A EP 3614083 A1 EP3614083 A1 EP 3614083A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
compartment
quadrants
pressure column
units
column
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP18020399.4A
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German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Stefan Lochner
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Linde GmbH
Original Assignee
Linde GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Linde GmbH filed Critical Linde GmbH
Priority to EP18020399.4A priority Critical patent/EP3614083A1/fr
Priority to PCT/EP2019/025275 priority patent/WO2020038606A1/fr
Priority to CN201980048340.2A priority patent/CN112469952B/zh
Priority to EP19766170.5A priority patent/EP3841345A1/fr
Publication of EP3614083A1 publication Critical patent/EP3614083A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04406—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air using a dual pressure main column system
    • F25J3/04412—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air using a dual pressure main column system in a classical double column flowsheet, i.e. with thermal coupling by a main reboiler-condenser in the bottom of low pressure respectively top of high pressure column
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
    • F25J3/04078—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit providing pressurized products by liquid compression and vaporisation with cold recovery, i.e. so-called internal compression
    • F25J3/0409—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit providing pressurized products by liquid compression and vaporisation with cold recovery, i.e. so-called internal compression of oxygen
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04642—Recovering noble gases from air
    • F25J3/04648—Recovering noble gases from air argon
    • F25J3/04654—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column
    • F25J3/04666—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system
    • F25J3/04672—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system having a top condenser
    • F25J3/04678—Producing crude argon in a crude argon column as a parallel working rectification column of the low pressure column in a dual pressure main column system having a top condenser cooled by oxygen enriched liquid from high pressure column bottoms
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04642—Recovering noble gases from air
    • F25J3/04648—Recovering noble gases from air argon
    • F25J3/04721—Producing pure argon, e.g. recovered from a crude argon column
    • F25J3/04727—Producing pure argon, e.g. recovered from a crude argon column using an auxiliary pure argon column for nitrogen rejection
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04763—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used
    • F25J3/04866—Construction and layout of air fractionation equipments, e.g. valves, machines
    • F25J3/04872—Vertical layout of cold equipments within in the cold box, e.g. columns, heat exchangers etc.
    • F25J3/04878—Side by side arrangement of multiple vessels in a main column system, wherein the vessels are normally mounted one upon the other or forming different sections of the same column
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04763—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used
    • F25J3/04866—Construction and layout of air fractionation equipments, e.g. valves, machines
    • F25J3/0489—Modularity and arrangement of parts of the air fractionation unit, in particular of the cold box, e.g. pre-fabrication, assembling and erection, dimensions, horizontal layout "plot"
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2235/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams
    • F25J2235/02—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams using a pump in general or hydrostatic pressure increase

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an air separation plant, a method for the low-temperature separation of air by means of a corresponding air separation plant and a method for the construction of a corresponding air separation plant.
  • Air separation plants have rectification column systems which can be designed as two-column systems, in particular as classic Linde double-column systems, but also as three- or multi-column systems.
  • rectification columns for the production of nitrogen and / or oxygen in the liquid and / or gaseous state that is to say the rectification columns for the nitrogen-oxygen separation
  • rectification columns for the production of further air components, in particular argon can be provided.
  • the rectification columns of the rectification column systems mentioned are operated at different pressure levels.
  • Known double column systems have a so-called high pressure column (also referred to as a pressure column, medium pressure column or lower column) and a so-called low pressure column (also referred to as an upper column).
  • the high-pressure column is typically operated at a pressure level of 4 to 7 bar, in particular approximately 5.3 bar.
  • the low pressure column is operated at a pressure level of typically 1 to 2 bar, in particular approximately 1.4 bar. In certain cases, higher pressure levels can also be used in the low pressure column.
  • the pressures specified here and below are absolute pressures at the top of the columns specified.
  • an oxygen-enriched and nitrogen-depleted liquid is formed in a lower region of the high-pressure column and drawn off from the high-pressure column.
  • This liquid which in particular also contains argon, is at least partly fed into the low-pressure column and further separated there. It can be at least partially evaporated before it is fed into the low-pressure column, where it is possible for evaporated and unevaporated portions to be fed into the low-pressure column at different positions.
  • the present invention is based on a method or a corresponding system in which a high and a low pressure column is used.
  • the low-pressure column is not formed in one piece, but is divided into a first section and a second section, the first and the second section being arranged at different positions of the air separation plant and at different heights, and in particular not in a plan view of a longitudinal column axis project onto each other.
  • the first and the second section of the low pressure column are operated at a common pressure level within the scope of the present invention.
  • the low-pressure column used in the context of the present invention differs from also known arrangements, in which, in addition to the high-pressure and low-pressure column, a further column for separating nitrogen and oxygen is provided, which, however, is operated at a pressure level, that lies between the pressure levels at which the high pressure column and the low pressure column are operated.
  • Air separation plants with raw and pure argon columns can be used to obtain argon.
  • One example is in Häring (see above) in Figure 2 .3A illustrates and described from page 26 in the section "Rectification in the Low-pressure, Crude and Pure Argon Column” and from page 29 in the section "Cryogenic Production of Pure Argon".
  • argon accumulates at a certain height in the low-pressure column in corresponding plants.
  • argon-enriched gas with an argon concentration of typically 5 to 15 mole percent can be withdrawn from the low-pressure column and transferred to the crude argon column.
  • a corresponding gas typically contains about 0.05 to 100 ppm nitrogen and otherwise essentially oxygen. It should be expressly emphasized that the values given for the gas drawn off from the low pressure column are only typical example values.
  • the crude argon column essentially serves to separate the oxygen from the gas drawn off from the low-pressure column.
  • the separated oxygen in the crude argon column or a corresponding oxygen-rich fluid can be returned to the low-pressure column in liquid form.
  • the oxygen or the oxygen-rich fluid is typically fed into the low-pressure column a number of theoretical or practical trays below the feed point for the liquid which has been drawn off from the high-pressure column, enriched with oxygen and depleted with nitrogen and possibly at least partially evaporated.
  • a gaseous fraction which remains in the crude argon column and essentially contains argon and nitrogen is separated further in the pure argon column to obtain pure argon.
  • the crude and pure argon columns have top condensers, which can be cooled in particular with part of the liquid which has been drawn off from the high-pressure column and enriched with oxygen and nitrogen and which partially evaporates during this cooling.
  • Other fluids can also be used for cooling.
  • a pure argon column can also be dispensed with in corresponding systems, it being typically ensured here that the nitrogen content at the argon transition is below 1 ppm.
  • this is not a mandatory requirement.
  • argon of the same quality as from a conventional pure argon column is typically withdrawn from the raw argon column or a comparable column somewhat further below the fluid conventionally transferred into the pure argon column, the bottoms in the section between the raw argon condenser, i.e. the top condenser of the raw argon column, and a corresponding deduction serve in particular as barrier bottoms for nitrogen.
  • the present invention can be used with such an arrangement without a pure argon column.
  • An argon recovery column can be a conventional one Raw argon column (which is used with or without pure argon column) or a corresponding raw argon column modified for obtaining pure argon.
  • the present invention proposes an air separation plant, a method for the low-temperature separation of air by means of a corresponding air separation plant and a method for building a corresponding air separation plant with the features of the independent claims.
  • Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims and the following description.
  • Liquids and gases can, in the language used here, be rich or poor in one or more components, “rich” for a content of at least 50%, 75%, 90%, 95%, 99%, 99.5%, 99, 9% or 99.99% and “poor” for a maximum of 50%, 25%, 10%, 5%, 1%, 0.1% or 0.01% on a mole, weight or volume basis ,
  • the term “predominantly” can correspond to the definition of "rich”.
  • Liquids and gases can also be enriched or depleted in one or more components, these terms refer to a content in a starting liquid or gas from which the liquid or gas was obtained.
  • the liquid or gas is "enriched” if it contains at least 1.1 times, 1.5 times, 2 times, 5 times, 10 times 100 times or 1,000 times the content, and " depleted "if this or this contains at most 0.9 times, 0.5 times, 0.1 times, 0.01 times or 0.001 times the content of a corresponding component, based on the starting liquid or the starting gas. If, for example, “oxygen”, “nitrogen” or “argon” is mentioned here, this should also be understood to mean a liquid or a gas which is rich in oxygen or nitrogen, but does not necessarily have to consist exclusively of it.
  • pressure level and “temperature level” to characterize pressures and temperatures, which is intended to express that corresponding pressures and temperatures in a corresponding system do not have to be used in the form of exact pressure or temperature values to realize the inventive concept.
  • pressures and temperatures are typically in certain ranges, for example ⁇ 1%, 5%, 10%, 20% or even 50% around an average.
  • Corresponding pressure levels and temperature levels can lie in disjoint areas or in areas that overlap one another.
  • pressure levels include, for example, unavoidable or expected pressure drops.
  • the pressure levels given here in bar are absolute pressures.
  • the high-pressure column and the low-pressure column (or, in the context of the present invention, its first section) of an air separation plant are in heat-exchanging connection via a so-called “main condenser”.
  • the main condenser can in particular be arranged in a lower (sump) area of the low-pressure column (or its first section thereof). In this case, it is a so-called internal main condenser and the evaporation space of the main condenser is also the interior of the low-pressure column (or of its first section).
  • the main condenser can basically be arranged outside the interior of the high-pressure column, that is to say a so-called external main condenser.
  • a rectification column system of an air separation plant is arranged in one or more cold boxes.
  • a “cold box” is understood here to mean an insulating covering which completely encompasses a heat-insulated interior space with outer walls, except for bushings for lines and the like. Plant parts to be insulated are arranged in the interior, for example one or more rectification columns and / or heat exchangers.
  • the insulating effect can be brought about by appropriate design of the outer walls and / or by filling the space between the system parts and outer walls with an insulating material. In the latter variant, a powdery material such as pearlite is preferably used.
  • the rectification column system of a plant for the low-temperature separation of air as well as the main heat exchanger and other cold plant parts such as pipes, valves and instrumentation are typically enclosed by one or more cold boxes.
  • the external dimensions of the cold box usually determine the transport dimensions.
  • a "main heat exchanger" of an air separation plant is used to cool the feed air in indirect heat exchange with return flows from the rectification column system. It can be formed from a single or a plurality of heat exchanger sections connected in parallel and / or in series, for example from one or more plate heat exchanger blocks. Separate heat exchangers, which are used specifically for the evaporation or pseudo-evaporation of a single liquid or supercritical fluid, without heating and / or evaporation of another fluid, are not part of the main heat exchanger.
  • a “subcooler” or “subcooling counterflow” in the parlance used here is a heat exchanger through which gaseous and liquid material flows are subjected to heat exchange in an air separation plant, which are removed from the rectification column system and at least partially returned to the rectification column system after the heat exchange ,
  • the relative spatial terms “above”, “below”, “above”, “below”, “above”, “below”, “beside”, “side by side”, “vertically”, “horizontally” etc. refer here to the spatial orientation of the rectification columns of an air separation plant in normal operation.
  • An arrangement of two rectification columns or other components “one above the other” is understood here to mean that the upper end of the lower of the two parts of the apparatus is at a lower or the same geodetic height as the lower end of the upper of the two parts of the apparatus and the projections of the two parts of the apparatus are in one intersect horizontal plane.
  • the two parts of the apparatus are arranged exactly one above the other, that is to say the axes of the two parts of the apparatus run on the same vertical straight line.
  • the axes of the two parts of the device do not have to lie exactly vertically one above the other, but can also be offset from one another, especially if one of the two parts of the device, for example a rectification column or a column part with a smaller diameter, is to have the same distance from the sheet metal jacket of a cold box as another with a larger one Diameter.
  • the present invention is based on the knowledge that an arrangement of a distillation column system with a high-pressure column, a foot section of a low-pressure column, a head section of the low-pressure column and an argon recovery column in the specific manner explained below is particularly advantageous, the invention in particular comprising that axially parallel sections of Lines that connect the separation units mentioned and other apparatuses are at least predominantly housed in a separate, prefabricated compartment.
  • the particular advantage of the present invention is, in particular, the reduction of the steel construction effort due to the optimized surface of a common outer shell of all components.
  • the compartment that receives the lines or the explained sections of these lines can be prefabricated and, for example, can only be provided with transport covers on the respective connection sides. Because of the comparatively small transport dimensions, road transport in particular is possible. On the sides that are not used to connect other components, this compartment can already be closed with a sheet metal jacket and, if necessary, cold-insulated.
  • An air separation plant can be created by first setting up the separate compartment at the place of manufacture of the air separation plant and then connecting the other components to the compartment after removing the transport covers.
  • the compartment can already be fully equipped in the factory with the respective lines or the mentioned line sections, of which only connection pieces are led out of the compartment.
  • the piping required on site can be avoided with the appropriate welding work, which may not be unproblematic in the field.
  • the present invention allows any prefabrication of the compartment and further units of a corresponding air separation plant and, if appropriate, the arrangement in cold boxes or the connection to further structural units, the degree of prefabrication depending in particular on the transportability of the components produced in this way.
  • the separate compartment that receives the lines or the mentioned line sections is prefabricated.
  • a “compartment” denotes a separately transportable structural unit, in which at least lines or line sections and possibly further components are fixed in place.
  • a compartment can be closed on the outside with metal sheets or can be provided with appropriate transport covers only for transport purposes.
  • the compartment in addition to the lines and line sections as well as the following in Further components explained in detail may also be provided, for example, further instrumentation, in particular temperature, pressure and quantity measuring devices. Analysis and sampling points can also be moved to a corresponding compartment.
  • the present invention proposes an air separation plant with four separation units in the form of a high-pressure column, a foot section of a two-part low-pressure column, a head section of the two-part low-pressure column and a one-part argon recovery column which has a top condenser.
  • separation units mentioned reference is expressly made to the above explanations.
  • the argon recovery column can in particular be a crude argon column or a correspondingly modified crude argon column with pure argon recovery, in the latter case in particular the two-part low-pressure column or its head section being adapted accordingly so that a fluid can be made available by means of the latter that has a sufficiently low nitrogen content has, so that a pure argon column can be dispensed with.
  • the separation units are connected to one another and / or to one or more further apparatuses, which are explained below using examples, at least in part by means of lines.
  • the separation units each have longitudinal axes which run in the direction of a maximum extension of the separation units.
  • the longitudinal axes can coincide with the central axes of the separation units; corresponding separation units can, however, also be constructed asymmetrically.
  • the separating units are arranged in the context of the present invention in such a way that, as is customary in the art, the longitudinal axes are parallel to one another. However, the separation units can be arranged at different heights in the sense of the above explanations.
  • the high-pressure column and the foot section of the two-part low-pressure column are permanently connected to one another, in particular their column sleeves being welded to one another. Since the high pressure column typically has a smaller diameter than the low pressure column, there is typically no housing in a common column jacket intended; the column jacket of the high-pressure column is attached to the lower side of the column jacket of the foot section of the low-pressure column.
  • the longitudinal axes of the separation units are arranged in four quadrants in such a way that in a first of the quadrants at least the major part of the high-pressure column and the foot section of the two-part low-pressure column are one above the other, in a second of the quadrants at least the major part of the head section of the low-pressure column, in a third the quadrant, at least the majority of the argon recovery column and the fourth are arranged in a fourth of the four quadrants.
  • a floor plan level this means a level on which the elements mentioned can be projected. Not all components have to be cut or present in all planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the separating units; this is not the case in particular if different separating units have different heights and therefore do not extend over the entire height, or, as in the case of the high-pressure column and the foot section of the low-pressure column, these elements are arranged one above the other. In the projection onto the floor plan level, however, there are all elements, including one above the other.
  • a "projection onto the floor plan level" corresponds to a plan view along the longitudinal axes mentioned.
  • quadrants in a corresponding plane are regions separated from one another by imaginary lines intersecting perpendicularly in the plane. These do not have to be in the form of separate departments.
  • the respective separation units can also protrude from their assigned quadrant or occupy only part of a corresponding quadrant. This is expressed in the context of this description by the fact that "at least the major part" of the respectively specified elements is arranged in a corresponding quadrant. This at least predominant part comprises in particular more than 75%, 80% or 90% of the respective base area.
  • the first to fourth quadrants can be arranged in the plan view, in particular clockwise around a center point.
  • the quadrants in which the separation units are arranged can lie in three adjacent quarters of the floor plan level and the compartment can be arranged in the remaining quarter.
  • the compartment and the separating units can be arranged in the projection onto the plan level within a rectangle with four side lines, which includes a partial area of each of the quadrants, the partial area of the first and second quadrants being connected to a first, the partial area of the second and third quadrants a second, the partial area of the third and fourth quadrant abut a third and the partial area of the fourth and first quadrant on a fourth of the side lines.
  • the dividing line which is perpendicular to the first dividing line and on the left side of which is the second and third quadrant and on the right side of which are the fourth and first quadrant, lies between and parallel to the second and fourth side line.
  • the rectangle can in particular also be square.
  • the separating units are arranged in their respective quadrants in an L-shape, the compartments being arranged in an inner angle of the L.
  • the compartment and the separating units can be surrounded with a common outer shell, the projection of which on the floor plan level is limited at least in one section by the rectangle with the four side lines.
  • the separation units can be arranged together in a cold box without the compartment, which has a recess in the fourth quadrant in the projection onto the plan level, in which the compartment is arranged in the projection onto the plan level.
  • the compartment is designed in one or as a separate cold box.
  • the separation units with the compartment can also be arranged together in a cold box, which has a rectangular cross-section when projected onto the floor plan, the compartment being arranged in a corner of the cold box when projected onto the floor plan.
  • the compartment can also have a rectangular cross section when projected onto the plan level and can rest on the third and fourth side lines. Depending on the connection requirements, the corresponding side surfaces can be opened or closed.
  • a main heat exchanger can be provided as the one or one of the further apparatuses, which is connected to the separation units by means of the lines mentioned.
  • the main heat exchanger can in particular be arranged on a separate cold box, which is arranged in the cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the separation units on the fourth outer line mentioned several times.
  • a subcooling counterflow can also be provided as the one or the further apparatuses, the subcooling counterflow being arranged inside or outside the compartment in the fourth quadrant.
  • a further (fifth) separation unit If a separate pure argon column is provided, this is a fifth separation unit. This is used when the crude argon column cannot provide a sufficient pure argon product or when the gas mixture in the head section of the low pressure column cannot be extracted sufficiently.
  • a separation unit set up to enrich or obtain a krypton / xenon or helium / neon mixture can also be provided as the fifth separation unit. In all cases, the fifth separation unit can be arranged inside or outside the compartment in the fourth quadrant.
  • the present invention also extends to an air separation plant in which the compartment has a size of less than six meters, in particular in a first direction of extension, and an extension of at least a factor of 5 in a second direction perpendicular to it.
  • the second direction of extension is in particular parallel to the line sections which run parallel to the axes of the separation units.
  • the maximum size can in particular also be less than 4.8 meters or less than 4.2 meters, so that normal transport dimensions for road transport are observed.
  • the head section of the low pressure column has in particular a smaller cross section than the foot section of the low pressure column.
  • a transfer pump or a plurality of arranged and / or redundantly provided transfer pumps can be provided.
  • a first packing area with a first packing density can be formed in a lower region of the foot section of the low-pressure column and a second packing area can be formed in the argon recovery column, the first packing density being less than 1,000 square meters per cubic meter and the second packing density is more than 750 square meters per cubic meter and the second packing density is more than 250 square meters per cubic meter greater than the first packing density.
  • the transport dimensions can be maintained or corresponding separation units can be accommodated in a common cold box.
  • the present invention also extends to a method for the low-temperature separation of air, which is characterized in that an air separation plant is used, as explained in detail above. Regarding features and advantages of a corresponding method, reference is expressly made to the above explanations.
  • the same also applies to a method for creating an air separation plant, as proposed according to the invention.
  • This comprises providing four separation units in the form of a high-pressure column, a foot section, a two-part low-pressure column, a head section of the two-part low-pressure column and a one-part argon recovery column, the separating units being connected to one another and / or to one or more apparatuses at least in part by means of lines become.
  • the separating units each have longitudinal axes which run in the direction of a maximum extent of the separating units, the separating units being arranged in such a way that their longitudinal axes are parallel to one another.
  • the lines at least partially have line sections which run parallel to the longitudinal axes of the separation units.
  • a corresponding method for creating an air separation plant comprises that at least the majority of the line sections of the lines running parallel to the longitudinal axes of the separation units, in particular in advance, are arranged in a compartment, and that the compartment and the separation units are projected onto a floor plan level perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the separating units, are arranged in four quadrants such that in a first of the quadrants at least the major part of the high-pressure column and the foot section of the two-part low-pressure column are one above the other, in a second of the quadrants at least the major part of the head section of the low-pressure column, in a third of the quadrants at least the major part of the argon recovery column and in a fourth of the four quadrants the compartment.
  • the separate compartment with the at least predominant part of the line sections of the lines running parallel to the longitudinal axes of the separation units can first be provided in a prefabricated form and then the separation units can be provided.
  • the compartment can be converted with a cold box after it has been made available or can be connected to such a cold box.
  • Figure 1 is an air separation plant according to an embodiment of the present invention illustrated in a schematic representation.
  • the air separation plant is designated 100 in total.
  • the spatial arrangement of the in Figure 1 illustrated components, which are shown here side by side, does not correspond to the invention.
  • the air separation plant 100 has four separation units in the form of a high-pressure column 1, a foot section 2 of a two-part low-pressure column, a head section 3 of the two-part low-pressure column, and a one-part argon extraction column 4.
  • the high-pressure column 1 and the foot section 2 of the two-part low-pressure column are connected to one another on the jacket side.
  • the high-pressure column 1, the foot section 2 of the two-part low-pressure column, the head section 3 of the two-part low-pressure column and the one-piece argon recovery column each have longitudinal axes A, as illustrated here only using the example of the high-pressure column 1 and the foot section 2 of the two-part low-pressure column.
  • Air separation plant shown does not fundamentally differ from the operation of an air separation plant as is known from the prior art and for example in Figure 2 .3A at Häring (see above).
  • feed air in the form of a feed air stream EL is fed in, which was compressed in a warm part of the air separation plant 100 (not shown) and cooled in a main heat exchanger.
  • liquid air LA can also be fed into the high pressure column 1.
  • the high-pressure column and the foot section of the low-pressure column 2 are connected to one another in a heat-exchanging manner via a main condenser, which is not specifically designated.
  • the foot section 2 of the low-pressure column and the head section 3 of the low-pressure column are fluidly coupled to one another, in particular sump liquid from the head section 3 of the low-pressure column being able to be returned in an upper region of the foot section 2 of the low-pressure column by means of a pump (not specifically designated).
  • Bottom liquid can be withdrawn from the sump of the high-pressure column 1, passed through a subcooling counterflow 7 and then fed into an evaporation chamber of a top condenser 41 of an argon recovery column 4.
  • Evaporated and non-evaporated portions of the corresponding oxygen-enriched fluid can be fed into the top section 3 of the low-pressure column in the form of appropriate material flows.
  • a stream of material can be drawn off from an upper region of the foot section 2 of the low-pressure column and fed into the argon extraction column 4.
  • argon-enriched and preferably largely nitrogen-depleted fluid can be fed into the argon recovery column 4.
  • a pure argon column can therefore be dispensed with. In this way, liquid argon can be drawn off in sufficient purity in an upper region of the argon recovery column 4. Fluid is released into the atmosphere from the top of the pure argon column.
  • the present invention is also suitable for other system configurations, in particular those with classic raw and pure argon columns.
  • Air separation plant 100 can be used to provide pressurized nitrogen (PGAN), internally compressed gaseous pressurized oxygen (GOXIC), impure nitrogen (UN2), low-pressure nitrogen (LPGAN), liquid nitrogen (LIN), liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid argon (LAR).
  • GNN pressurized nitrogen
  • GOXIC internally compressed gaseous pressurized oxygen
  • UN2 impure nitrogen
  • LPGAN low-pressure nitrogen
  • LIN liquid nitrogen
  • LOX liquid oxygen
  • LAR liquid argon
  • Air separation plant 100 illustrated different components can be provided in different structural units.
  • the separating units 1 to 4 can be connected to one another and to further apparatuses such as the supercooling counterflow 7 and a main heat exchanger (not shown) by means of lines, which are summarized here by way of example at two points. These lines have vertical, that is to say parallel to respective longitudinal axes A of the separation units, line sections of considerable length.
  • these can and are provided in a compartment C illustrated here by dashed lines.
  • Corresponding cables can be prefabricated in the separate compartment C and transported in this way to the construction site. In this way, as explained several times, subsequent welding work can largely be dispensed with.
  • a plane in the paper plane is subdivided into a first quadrant Q1, a second quadrant Q2, a third quadrant Q3 and a fourth quadrant Q4 by means of a dash-dotted first dividing line T1 and a dash-dotted second dividing line T2.
  • a dotted rectangle 10 with a first side line L1, a second side line L2, a third side line L3 and a fourth side line L4 is also illustrated here.
  • Rectangle 10 encloses a partial area of each of the quadrants Q1 to Q4, the partial area of the first and second quadrants Q1, Q2 on the first L1, the partial area of the second and third quadrants Q2, Q3 on the second L2, the partial area of the third and fourth quadrant Q3, Q4 on the third L3 and the portion of the fourth and first quadrant Q3, Q1 on the fourth L4 of the side lines L1 to L4.
  • the dividing line T1 on the left side of which the first and second quadrant Q1, Q2 and on the right side of the third and fourth quadrant Q3, Q4 are arranged, lies between and parallel to the first and third side lines L1, L3 and the dividing line T2, which is perpendicular to the first dividing line T1 and on the left side of the second and third quadrant Q2, Q3 and on the right side of the fourth and first quadrant Q4, Q1 lie between and parallel to the second and fourth side lines L2, L4.
  • the first to fourth quadrants Q1-Q4 are arranged clockwise around a center point Z in the plan view.
  • Figure 3 is an air separation plant according to an embodiment of the invention in a schematic plan view or in a projection on a floor plan level, which corresponds to the paper plane, illustrated.
  • the separation units 1 to 4 with their longitudinal axes A not shown separately here, are perpendicular to the plane of the paper.
  • the major part of the line sections of the lines 5 running parallel to the longitudinal axes A of the separation units 1 to 4 is arranged in a compartment C, and the compartment C and the separation units 1 to 4 are in projection on the plan plane, which is perpendicular to the Longitudinal axes A of the separation units 1 to 4 are arranged in the four quadrants Q1-Q4 in such a way that in the first quadrant Q1 at least the predominant part of the high-pressure column 1 and the foot section 2 of the two-part low-pressure column one above the other, in the second quadrant Q2 at least the predominant one Part of the head section 3 of the low-pressure column, in which third quadrant Q3 at least the majority of the argon recovery column 4 and in the fourth quadrant Q4 compartment C are arranged.
  • the separation units 1 to 4 without the compartment C are arranged together in a cold box 20, which has a recess in the fourth quadrant Q4 when projected onto the floor plan, and a recess in which when projected onto the floor plan compartment C is arranged.
  • Compartment C is rectangular when projected onto the floor plan and lies on the third and fourth side lines L3, L4. It is housed in another cold box, not specifically identified.
  • a main heat exchanger 6 is arranged in a separate cold box, which is arranged in the projection onto the plan level on the fourth outer line L4.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Emergency Medicine (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
EP18020399.4A 2018-08-22 2018-08-22 Installation de séparation d'aire, procédé de séparation d'air à basse température au moyen de l'installation de séparation d'aire et procédé de fabrication d'une installation de séparation d'aire Withdrawn EP3614083A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP18020399.4A EP3614083A1 (fr) 2018-08-22 2018-08-22 Installation de séparation d'aire, procédé de séparation d'air à basse température au moyen de l'installation de séparation d'aire et procédé de fabrication d'une installation de séparation d'aire
PCT/EP2019/025275 WO2020038606A1 (fr) 2018-08-22 2019-08-20 Installation de séparation d'air, procédé pour séparer l'air à basse température au moyen de l'installation de séparation d'air et procédé pour réaliser une installation de séparation d'air
CN201980048340.2A CN112469952B (zh) 2018-08-22 2019-08-20 空气分离设备、用于借助于空气分离设备低温分离空气的方法和用于创建空气分离设备的方法
EP19766170.5A EP3841345A1 (fr) 2018-08-22 2019-08-20 Installation de séparation d'air, procédé pour séparer l'air à basse température au moyen de l'installation de séparation d'air et procédé pour réaliser une installation de séparation d'air

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP18020399.4A EP3614083A1 (fr) 2018-08-22 2018-08-22 Installation de séparation d'aire, procédé de séparation d'air à basse température au moyen de l'installation de séparation d'aire et procédé de fabrication d'une installation de séparation d'aire

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EP3614083A1 true EP3614083A1 (fr) 2020-02-26

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EP19766170.5A Withdrawn EP3841345A1 (fr) 2018-08-22 2019-08-20 Installation de séparation d'air, procédé pour séparer l'air à basse température au moyen de l'installation de séparation d'air et procédé pour réaliser une installation de séparation d'air

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EP (2) EP3614083A1 (fr)
CN (1) CN112469952B (fr)
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DE10342788A1 (de) * 2003-09-15 2005-04-07 Linde Ag Coldbox
US20150096327A1 (en) * 2012-04-27 2015-04-09 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Transportable package having a cold box, low-temperature air separation plant and method for producing a low-temperature air separation plant
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WO2020038606A1 (fr) 2020-02-27
EP3841345A1 (fr) 2021-06-30
CN112469952A (zh) 2021-03-09
CN112469952B (zh) 2022-06-14

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