US2501999A - Apparatus for separating the constituents of atmosphere - Google Patents

Description

Mardi 28 1950 A. J. FAusEK Erm. 2,501,999

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THE CONSTITUENTS 0F ATMOSPHERE s xg n a N Q u) u N i EP3 6 E 7 n N INVENToRs N N N' ARTHUR JFAusEK N f "m" IRWINGFFAUSEK lh' MW ATTORNEY March 28, 1950 A. J. FAusEK Erm.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THE coNsnTuEN'rs oF Amosm-IERE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed sept. 4, 1944 INVENToRs ARTHUR .J1-'Ausw IRwING F FAusEK ATTORNEY Patented Mar. l28, 1950 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THE CON- STITUENTS OF ATMOSPHERE Arthur J. Fausek and Irwing F. Fausek, Clayton, Mo.

Application September 4, 1944, Serial No. 552,598

8 Claims.

This invention relates generally to liquefaction and rectification column assemblies of the type adapted for use in separating the constituents of atmosphere, the predominant object of the invention being to provide a column assembly of the type mentioned which is capable of such complete automatic operation that the need for the manual attention heretofore necessary to the regulation and operation of such column assemblies is eliminated.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical view of the improved column assembly.

l- Fig. 2 is a diagrammatlcal view illustrating lmeans for electrically actuating certain valve fmeans forming part of the improved column assembly.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein are shown for purposes of illustration, merely, two embodiments of the invention, I designates an air compressor, to the air inlet of which a conductor 2 leads and from the outlet side of which a conductor 3 leads to a heat interchanger 4. The air compressor I is provided with a suitable prime mover for operating same, an electrical motor I', for instance, whose operation is controlled, as will be hereinafter explained, by a photo-electric device 5.

Leading from the portion of the heat interchanger 4 into which the conductor 3 leads, isa

conductor 6 which conducts air from said portion of said interchanger to a coil 'l arranged within the boiling pot 8 of a liquefaction and rectication column 9. The column 9 is of conventional design, being provided with the usual trays I0,

and an expansion valve II in its upper portion which is connected tothe boiling pot coil 'I by a conductor I2. The improved system includes a reservoir I3 which is arranged, by a conductor I4, in communication with the boiling pot 8 ofl the column 9, so that liquid oxygen may flow from said boiling pot of the column into said reservoir I3. However such flow of oxygen through the conductor I4 and into the reservoir I3 is controlled by a valve structure I5 which includes clock mechanism for automatically actuating the valve structure at predetermined periods vto open-valve and closed-valve positions, soas to 4control passage 'of oxygen to the reservoir I3 through the conductor I4.

The reservoir I3 is provided with a conductor I5 which leads therefrom to the housing of a suitable pump Il, said pump being operated by a suitable prime mover, an electric motor I8, for

' said portion of the heat interchanger having instance. The outlet of the pump I'I has con- 55 arranged in communication therewith a conductor 20 which leads to a storage tank 2I for gaseous oxygen. The oxygen storage tank 2I is provided, also, with a conductor 22, through which gaseous oxygen may be withdrawn from said storage tank. The oxygen reservoir I3 is provided at its top portion with a bleeder pipe 23 through which may be vented oxygen gas which may be generated within the reservoir and collects in the upper portion thereof. Also, a nitrogen conductor 24 leads from the top of the column 9 to a portion of the heat interchanger 4, said portion of said heat interchanger being provided, additionally, with a conductor 25 through which nitrogen may ow from the interchanger. The nitrogen conductor 24 preferably has interposed therein a safety valve 26.

In order to control passage of oxygen from the coil I of the boiling pot of the column 9 to the expansion valve I I through the conductor I2, a valve structure 21 is interposed in said conductor I2. The valve structure comprises a housing 28 (see Fig. 2) which is provided with a pair of passageways 28a and 28h arranged in lapped relation, with an intermediate wall 28e of the housing interposed between said passageways, and said intermediate wall having a plurality of ports 29 formed therethrough which place the passageways 28a and 28o in communication with each other. Supported by the housing 28 within the passageway 28h thereof is a plurality of valves, there being one valve for each port, and each valve comprising a valve head 30 provided with a stem, and a solenoid 3l. The stems of the valve heads extend into the solenoids and serve as cores, and as a result the valve heads are drawn away from their seats at the ports 29, to open said ports, when the solenoids are energized, the valve heads returning to their seated Positions to close the ports when the solenoids are de-energized,

The means for actuating the valves during operation of the improved system disclosed herein comprises a means 32 which includes a tube 33 that is suitably supported in a vertical position and which is formed of glass, or other suitable material through which light may pass.

Connected into the'lower end of the tube 33 is a conductor 34, said conductor, at its opposite end, being connected into the lower portion of the boiling pot 8 of the column 9. The conductor 34 includes an intermediate portion comprising parallel. upwardly extended conductor portions 34a and 34h which are connected at their upper ends by a curved conductor portion 34c. Connected into the top of the tube 33 is a second conductor 35, the opposite end of s'aid conductor 35 being connected into the column 9 at a point above the boiling pot 8 thereof.

The tube 33 of the valve-actuating means 32 has associated therewith a plurality of photoelectrical devices 36, 31, 38, and 39, the lightsensitive tubes and light-projecting elements of said photo-electrical devices being arranged at opposite sides of the tube 33. The light-sensitive tubes of the photo-electrical devices of the valve-actuating means 32 are connected electrically by wiring, as is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2, to the solenoids 3l which actuate the valve heads 30, said wiring being such that separate electrical circuits are established between the light-sensitive tubes of the various photoelectrical devices and the related solenoids 3|.

The tube 33 of the valve-actuating means 32 contains a body of liquid which is so characterized that the light beams projected by the light beam-projecting elements of the photo-electrical devices toward the light-sensitive tubes thereof, will not pass through said body of liquid. The body of liquid which is contained in the tube 33 extends into the conductor 34, and likewise a portion of the body of oxygen contained in the boiling pot 8 of the column 9 extends into said conductor 34, there being a column of air, or other suitable medium trapped within the conductor 34 between the oxygen of the boiling pot of the column and the liquid of the tube 33 which are extended into said conductor 34.

The arrangement of the valve structure 21 of the present invention, and the means 32 for actuating the valve heads 30 of said valve structure, are disclosed and claimed in an applicationfor United States Letters Patent illed in the names of Arthur J. and Irwing F. Fausek on September 15, 1943, Serial No. 502,448, which is now Patent No. 2,446,535, dated August 10, 1948.

The present invention includes as a part thereof a photo-electrical means 49 for automatically controlling actuation of the motor I8 which operates the pump I1. This means 40 closely resembles the valve actuating means 32 heretofore described herein, in that the means 40 includes a tube 4I which is arranged vertically and has associated therewith a pair of photo- electrical devices 42 and 43, the lightsensitive tubes and light-beam projecting elements of which are located at opposite sides of the tube 4|. A conductor 44 connects into the lower portion of the tube 4I at one of its ends and at the opposite end thereof said conductor is connected into the lower portion of the oxygen reservoir I3. Also, the means 40 includes .a second conductor 45 which connects into the upper end of the tube 4| at one of its ends and into the uppenportion of the oxygen reservoir I3 at its opposite end. Asfin the case of the tube 33 of the valve-actuating means 32, the tube 4| of the controlling means 40 is formed of glass, or other suitable material through vwhich light may pass, and said tube 4| contains a body of liquid which is so characterized that light beams projected by the light-beam projecting elements of the photo- electrical devices 42 and 43 may not pass through said liquid. The liquid which is contained in the tube 4I in the reservoir extends some distance into the opposite end portion o said conductor 44, there being a body of air, or other suitable medium, trapped within the conductor 44 between the bodies of liquid and oxygen extended thereinto. The light-sensitive tubes of the photo- electrical devices 42 and 43 are electrically connected to the motor I8 which operates the pump I1 by wiring as is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1.

The pump-controlling means 40 of the present invention is disclosed and claimed in an application for United States Letters Patent flied in the names of Arthur J. and Irwing F. Fausek on September 15, 1943, Serial No. 502,447, which is now Patent No. 2,446,534, dated August l0,

In lthe operation'oi the improved column assembly disclosed herein, high-pressure air is delivered by the air cqmpressor for passage through the conductor 3 to the heat interchanger 4 and to the coil 1 within the boiling pot 8 of the column 9.' The medium being acted on passes upwardly from the coil 1 through the conductor I2, said medium passing through the ports 29 of the valve structure 21 and being eventually discharged from the expansion valve II for descent through the column in contact with the gases rising through the trays Ill to accomplish the desired rectification of the descending liquid. As a result of the operation of the column 9 a body of substantially pure, liquid oxygen gathers in the boiling pot at the bottom of the column 9, and periodically the time-controlled valve I5 is automatically opened to permit discharge of liquid oxygen from the boiling pot of the column into the oxygen reservoir I3.

Actuation of the valve heads 30 of the valve structure 21 is controlled automatically by the level of the liquid oxygen within the boiling pot 8 of the column 9. This is accomplished by the valve actuating means 32 because of the fact that the level of the portion of the body of liquid oxygen of the boiling pot of the column which is located in the conductor 34, is always the same as the level of the body of liquid oxygen within said boiling pot, and therefore as the level of the body of liquid oxygen within the boiling pot of the column raises or lowers, the level of the portion of said body of liq'uid oxygen in the conductor 34 Awill correspondingly raise or lower. Likewise, raising or lowering of the level of the liquid oxygen in the conductor 34 will result in corresponding raising or lowering of the level of the body of liquid within the tube 33 of the valve actuating means 32, the body of trapped air within the conductor 34 serving to transmit upward movement to the liquid within the tube 33 on raising of the level of the portion of the body of liquid oxygen of the boiling pot of the column which extends into the conductor 34.

Let it be assumed that the body of liquid oxygen within the boiling pot 8 of the column 9 is at its maximum highv level and that during the operation of the column the level of said body of extends some distance into the conductor 44, and l likewise a portion of the oxygen contained withliquid oxygen recedes.

When the level of said body of liquid oxygen within the boiling pot of the column is at its maximum high level, the body of liquid within the tube 33 of the valve-actuating means 32 will likewise be at its highest level, at which time the light beams of all of the photoelectrical devices 36, 31, 38, and 38, will be broken, thereby causing the solenoids 3| of all of the valves to be energized so as to move all of the valve-heads 30 to open positions.

Now, as the level of the body of liquid in the tube 33 of the valve-actuating means 32 lowers in response tovlowering of the level of the body of liquid oxygen in the boiling pot of the column, said body of liquid will be withdrawn from between the light-sensitive tube and the light beamprojecting element of the uppermost photo-electrical device 36, with the result that the light beam will pass through the tube 33 to the lightsensitive tube of said photo-electrical device 36, thereby de-energizing the valve circuit leading from said light-sensitive tube so as to permit the related valve head to move to its closed position. Likewise, if the levels of the body of liquid oxygen in the boiling pot of the column -'and the body of liquid within the tube 33 of the valveactuating means 32 continue to drop, the light beams of the photo-electrical devices 31, 38, and

' 39, will in turn be permitted to pass through the tube 33 to the respective light-sensitive tubes of said photo-electrical devices to successively deenergize the solenoids 3| of the other valve heads so as to cause said valve heads to move to their closed positions. In like manner, when the level of the body of liquid oxygen in the boiling pot of the column raises from a lower to a higher level, the correspondingly rising body of Iliquid within the tube 33 of the valve-actuating means 32 will successively break the beams of light of the respective photo-electrical devices to cause the related valve heads to be moved to their open positions.

It is obvious, therefore, that the valve heads 30 of the valve structure 21 are controlled automatically in response to variance of the level of the body of liquid oxygen in the boiling pot 8 of structure 21, or restrict passage of medium therethrough, for the purpose of increasing the pressure and thereby producing more refrigeration. This in turn allows a greater proportion of the air at the expansion valve II to be liquefied and causes a greater travel of liquid down through the rectier plates and less of it to escape to the waste nitrogen line 24. As a result of the above, the level of the liquid in the boiling pot 8 is caused to rise and bring about the desired condition.

The pump-controlling means automatically controls the operation of the motor I8 which operates the pump I1 in somewhat the same manner that the valve-actuating means 32 controls actuation of the valve heads 30 of the valve structure 21. In other words, the photo- electrical devices 42 and 43 are connected by suitable wiring, as shown in Fig. 1, to the mechanism of an electrical relay 46, and said mechanism of said electrical relay is connected by suitable electrical wiring to the pump-operating motor I8. The electrical wiring in cooperation with the mechanism of the relay 4B provides a separate electrical circuit for the light-sensitive tube of each photo-electrical device which leads to the motor i8 and on energization of such circuits by in. terruption of the light beams of said photo-electrical devices, the pump will be operated at diff ferent speeds and will be stopped entirely.

When, in the operation of the pump-controlling means 40, the liquid oxygen within the oxygen device.

reservoir I3 is at such level that the light beam ot the photo-electrical device 42 is interrupted by the body of liquid within the tube 4|, the circuit from the light-sensitive tube of said photo-electrical device 42 to the motor I8 of the pump I1 is energized, and the pump motor I8 will be operated at high speed. Likewise, when the liquid in the tube 4I of the pump-actuating means moves downwardly in response to lowering of the level of the liquid oxygen within the oxygen reservoir I3, the high speed operation of the pump I1 will be interrupted and the pump will be operated at a lower speed through energization of the circuit leading from the light-sensitive tube of the photo-electrical device 43 to the pump motor I8. Additionally, when the level of the body of liquid oxygen within the oxygen reservoir drops sumciently low to permit the light beam of the photoelectrical device 43 to fall on the light-sensitive tube of said photo-electrical device 43 so as to de-energize the low speed circuit of the pump motor, the electrical relay mechanism will function to stop the pump motor I8 completely. In like manner, raising of the level of the body of liquid oxygen within the oxygen reservoir I3 from a low level to a high level will first cause the pump motor to be operated at low speed and then at high speed, as the level of the liquid oxygen within the oxygen reservoir continues to rise.

It is obvious, therefore, that withdrawal of liquid oxygen from the oxygen reservoir is precisely controlled in a completely automatic manner during operation of the column assembly, in accordance with the volume of liquid oxygen within the oxygen reservoir I3, more or less liquid oxygen being withdrawn from said oxygen reservoir as the volume of liquid oxygen therein increases or decreases.

Liquid oxygen, pumped from the oxygen reservoir I3, passes through the conductor I9 to the heat interchanger 4, and from said heat interchanger gaseous oxygen passes through the conductor 20 to the oxygen storage tank 2I, to be withdrawn therefrom in the form of gaseous oxygen as desired by way of the service outlet 22. Also, gaseous nitrogen passes through the conductor 24 from the top of the column 9 to the heat interchanger 4 and is discharged from said heat interchanger by way of the conductor 25, said cold, gaseous nitrogen serving, during its passage through the heat interchanger, to aid the heat interehanger in the performance of its function.

If, during operation of the improved column assembly, the liquid oxygen within the boiling pot 8 of the column 9 reaches an unusually high level, the liquid within the tube 33 of the means 32 will interrupt the light beam projected by the light projecting element toward the light-sensitive tube of the photo-electric device 5. The light-sensitive tube of the photo-electric device 5 is so wired electrically to the motor I' of the air compressor that current ilows to the motor to operate same when the light beam of said photo-electric device 5 falls on the light-sensitive tube of said photo-electric Therefore, when the level of the liquid oxygen in the reservoir I3 is high enough to interrupt the light beam of the photo-electric device 5, the operation of the motor I will be stopped so as to take the air compressor out of operation until the level of the liquid oxygen in the reservoir I3 drops Suiciently to permit the light beam of the photo-electric device 5 to again "fall on the light-sensitive tube of said photo-electric device whereupon the motori' and the air compressor I will be again set in operation.

Additionally, if desired. the gaseous oxygen tank 2| may have associated therewith a pressure switch 41 which is connected by suitable electrical wiring to the electrical relay 46 ,of the pumpcontrolling means 40. This pressure switch 41 is capable of such operation in cooperation with the electrical relay 46, that when the pressure within the gaseous oxygen tank 2| exceeds a predetermined pressure, the pressure switch will be actuated by said excessive pressure to stop operation of the pump motor i8 regardless of the level of the body of oxygen within the reservoir I3. Also, when the pressure within the gaseous oxygen tank 2| is lowered by withdrawal of gaseous oxygen therefrom, the pressure switch 41 is again operated to provide, through the electrical relay 46, for normal operation of the Amotor pump |8 under the influence of the pump-controlling means 40.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 is arranged generally in accordance with the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, except for the arrangement of the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a, and the manner of transmitting liquid oxygen from the boiling pot 8a of the liquefaction and rectication column 9a to said liquid oxygen reservoir |3a, the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a in Fig. 3 being arranged at one side of the lower portion of the column 9a instead of beneath the column, as in Fig. 1. Arranged within the boiling pot 8a of the column 9a is a vertically disposed pipe 50 which is open at its top and bottom, and connected into the upper portion of the vertical pipe 50 is a horizontal pipe 5|, said horizontal pipe at its opposite end being connected into the upper portion of the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a. Also, the horizontal pipe 5| has connected thereto an angular, branch pipe 52 which places said horizontal pipe in communication with the lower portion of the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a. At its bottom the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a is provided with a conductor 53 which places the interior of the reservoir in communication with the interior of the housing of a suitable pump Ila, and this pump functions to pump liquid oxygen from the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a to the heat exchanger 4a by way of the conductor |9a.

The liquid oxygen reservoir |3a and a portion of the pump |1a are enclosed within a shell 54 whose dimensions are substantially greater than the dimensions of the liquid oxygen reservoir so that :pace 55 is provided around the liquid oxygen reservoir, between the walls thereof and .the Walls of the shell 54. A conductor 56 leads from the upper end of the column 9a to the interior of the shell 54, said conductor having a safety valve 51 interposed thereon and serving to conduct nitrogen from the upper end of the column to the interior of the shell 54. Also,'a'

conductor 58 leads from the lower portion of the shell 54 to the bottom of the heat exchanger l4a and serves to conduct nitrogen from the interior of said shell to said heat exchanger, an exhaust conductor 59 being provided at the top of the heat exchanger for conducting from the heat exchanger the nitrogen delivered thereto by the conductor 58. The form of the invention, shown in Fig. 3, includes, also, a dryer 60 through which air from the compressor la passes on its way to the coil 1a located within'the boiling pot 8a of the column 9a.

In the operation of the column assembly illustrated in Fig. 3, liquid oxygen Within the boiling vertical pipe l0, the liquid oxygen ilowing from the vertical pipe 5|! through the horizontal pipe 5| to the angular, branch pipe 52 and being delivered by said branch pipe to the lower portion o! the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a. The pump-controlling means 40a operates in response to variation o! the level of the body of liquid oxygen within the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a to regulate operation oi the pump |1a, as has been previously explained herein, so as to cause liquid oxygen to be pumped from the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a, through the conductor |9a to and through the -heat exchanger 4a, and to the gaseous oxygen tank 2 |a in the form of gaseous oxygen.

Likewise, very cold, gaseous nitrogen flows from the upper end of the column 9a through the conductor to the interior oi the shell 54, and because this cold nitrogen envelops the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a as it passes through the shell 54 it will tend to maintainA the oxygen within the reservoir I3a in a liquid state, the nitrogen passing from the interior of the shell 54 to the heat exchanger 4a by way of the conductor 58 and being exhausted from the heat exchanger by way of the exhaust conductor 59. Any oxygen vapors which may be produced within the upper portion of the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a may pass through the horizontal pipe 5| and be exhausted into the column 9a through the upper end of the vertical pipe 50, and also, if desired, the upper portion of the liquid oxygen reservoir may be provided with a bleeder pipe 5| which is provided with a relief valve 62, to provide additional means for exhausting oxygen vapors from the upper portion of the liquid oxygen reservoir |3a. The form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 includes a valve-actuating means 32a, which functions as has been previously explained herein, for actuating the valves of. the valve structure 21a in accordance with the level of the body of liquid oxygen within the boiling pot 8a of the column 9a, and thereby regulate passage of medium being acted on to the expansion valve lla.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for separating the constituents of atmosphere comprising a liquefaction and rectification column having a boiling pot wherein liquid oxygen accumulates as a result of operation of the column. a conductor for conducting to the column medium to be acted on thereby, an expansion valve located within said column to which said conductor leads, a liquid oxygen reservoir, conducting means for placing said liquid oxygen reservoir in communication with the boiling pot of said column, a pump for pumping liquid oxygen from said ,liquid oxygen reservoir, a housing arranged in embracing relation with respect to said liquid oxygen reservoir with a space provided between wall portions of said housing and wall portions of said liquid oxygen reservoir, a conductor leading from said column to the interior of said housing through which cold gaseous nitrogen passes, and a conductor leading from the interior of said housing for conducting gaseous nitrogen therefrom.

2. An apparatus for separating the constituents of atmosphere comprising a liquefaction and rectiilcation column having a boiling pot whereinliquid oxygen accumulates as a result of operation of the column, a conductor for conducting to the column medium to be acted on thereby, an expansion valve located within said column to which said conductor leads, a liquid oxygen reservoir, conducting means for placing said pot of the column passes upwardly through the 5 liquid voxygen reservoir` in communication with said housing and wall portions of said liquid oxygen reservoir, a conductor leading from said column to the interior of said housing through which cold gaseous nitrogen passes, a conductor leading from the interior of said housing for conducting gaseous nitrogen therefrom, and means for automatically controlling actuation of said pump in response to variation of the level of the body of liquid oxygen within said liquid oxygen reservoir.

3. An apparatus for separating the constituvoir, and means for automatically controlling actuation of said valve means in response to variation of the level of the body of liquid oxygen within the boiling pot of the column.

5. An apparatus for separating the constituents of atmosphere comprising a liquefaction and rectification column having a boiling pot wherein liquid oxygen accumulates as a result of the ents of atmosphere comprising a liquefaction and rectiiication column having a boiling pot wherein liquid oxygen accumulates as a result of operation of the column, a conductor for conducting to the column medium to be acted on thereby, said conductor having a portion arranged within the boiling pot of the column, an expansion valve located within the column to which said conductor leads, valve means interposed in said conductor for controlling passage of medium therethrough to said expansion valve, a liquid oxygen reservoir, conducting means for placing said liquid oxygen reservoir in communication with the boiling pot of said column, a pump for pumping liquid oxygen from said liquid oxygen reservoir, a housing arranged in embracing relation with respect to said liquid oxygen reservoir with a space provided between wall portions of said housing and wall portions of said liquid oxygen reservoir, a conductor leading from said column to the interior of said housing through which cold gaseous nitrogen passes, a conductor leading from the interior of said housing for conducting gaseous nitrogen therefrom, means for automatically controlling actuation of said pump in response to variation of the level of the body of liquid oxygen within said liquid oxygen reservoir, and means for automatically controlling actuation of said valve means in response to variation of the level of the body o! liquid oxygen within the boiling pot of the column.

4. An apparatus for separating the constituents of atmosphere comprising a liquefaction and rectification column having a boiling pot wherein liquid oxygen accumulates as a result of the operation of the column, a heat exchanger, a conductor for conducting from said heat exchanger to the column medium to be acted on by the column, said conductor having a portion disposed within the boiling pot of the column, an expansion valve in the upper portion of the column to which said conductor leads, valve means interposed in said conductor for controlling passage of medium therethrough to said expansion valve, a liquid oxygen reservoir, conducting means operation of the column, a heat exchanger, a conductor` for conducting from said heat exchanger to the column medium to be acted on by the column, said conductor having a portion disposed within the boiling pot of the column, an expansion valve in the upper portion of the column to which said conductor leads, valve means interposed in said conductor for controlling passage of medium therethrough to said expansion valve, a liquid oxygen reservoir, conducting means for placing said liquid oxygen reservoir in communication with the boiling pot of said column, a pump for pumping liquid oxygen from said liquid oxygen reservoir to said heat exchanger, an atmosphere-delivering device for delivering atmosphere to said heat exchanger, means for automatically controlling operation of said atmosphere-delivering device in response to variation of the level of a body of liquid oxygen within a part of the apparatus, means for automatically controlling actuation of said pump for placing said liquid oxygen reservoir in communication with the boiling pot of said column,

a pump for pumping liquid oxygen from said liquid oxygen within said liquid oxygen reser in response to variation of the level of the body of liquid oxygen within said liquid oxygen reservoir, pressure-responsive means for controlling actuation of said pump, and means for automatically controlling actuation of said valve means in response to variation of the level of the body of liquid oxygen within the boiling pot of the column.

6. An apparatus for separating the constituents of atmosphere comprising a liquefaction and rectification column having a boiling pot wherein liquid oxygen accumulates as a result of the operation of the column, a heat exchanger, a conductor for conducting from said heat exchanger to the column medium to be acted on by the column, said conductor having a portion disposed within the boiling pot of the column,

an expansion valve in the upper portion of the column to which said conductor leads, valve means interposed in said conductor for controlling passage of medium therethrough to said expansion valve, a liquid oxygen reservoir, conducting means for placing said liquid oxygen reservoir in communication with the boiling pot of said column, a pump for pumping liquid oxygen from said liquid oxygen reservoir to said heat exchanger, an atmosphere-delivering device for delivering atmosphere to said heat exchanger,

means for automatically controlling operation of said atmosphere-delivering device in response to variation of the level of a body of liquid oxygen Within a part of the apparatus, means for automatically controlling actuation of said pump in response to variation of the level of the body of liquid oxygen within said liquid oxygen reservoir, means for automatically controlling actuation of said valve means in response to variation of the level of the body of liquid oxygen within the boiling pot of the column, and a receptacle for gaseous oxygen which is arranged in communication with said heat exchanger.

7. An apparatus for separating the constituents of atmosphere comprising a liquefaction and rectification column having a boiling pot wherein liquid oxygen accumulates as a result of the operation of the column, a heat exchanger, a

11 conductor for conducting from f said heat exchanger to the column medium to be acted on by the column, said conductor having a portion disposed within the boiling pot of thel column, an expansion valve in the upper portion of the column to which said conductor leads, valve means interposed in said conductor for controlling passage of medium therethrough to said expansion valve, a liquid oxygen reservoir, conducting means for placing said liquid oxygen reservoir in communication with the-boiling pot of said column, a pump for pumping liquid oxygen from said liquid oxygen reservoir to said heat exchanger, anYatmosphere-delivering device for delivering atmosphere to said heat exchanger, means for automatically controlling operation of said atmosphere-delivering device in response to variation of the level of a body of liquid oxygen within a part of the apparatus, means for automatically controlling actuation of said pump in response to variation of the level of the body of liquid oxygen within said liquid oxygen reservoir, means for automatically controlling actuation of said valve means in response to variation of the level of the body of liquid oxygen within the boiling pot of the column, a receptacle for gaseous oxygen which is arranged in communication with said heat exchanger, and means responsive to pressure within said receptacle for controlling actuation of said pump.

8. An apparatus for separating the constituents of atmosphere yincluding a liquefaction and rectication column, an expansion valve arranged within said column to which is delivered a'medium to be acted on by the column, means actuated in response to variationsI of the level of a body of liquid within a portion of the column for automatically controlling delivery to said expansion valve of medium to be acted on bythe column, a reservoir adapted to receive liquid oxygen from said column, means actuated in response to variations of the level of the body of liquid oxygen within said reservoir for automatically controlling delivery of liquid oxygen from said'reservoir, and pressure-responsive means for controlling delivery of liquid oxygen from said reservoir.

. ARTHUR J. FAUSEK. .IRWING F. FAUSEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tlle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Fausek et al.

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