Abstract: A method of liquid air energy storage is provided. This method includes liquefying and storing air to form a stored liquid air during a first period of time; during a second period of time, introducing a compressed air stream into a cryogenic system, wherein the cryogenic system comprises at least one cold compressor, and at least one heat exchanger. The method includes producing a first exhaust stream and a second exhaust stream. The method also includes vaporizing at least part of the stored liquid air stream in the heat exchanger, thereby producing a first high pressure compressed air stream, then combining the first high pressure compressed air stream, the first exhaust stream and the second exhaust stream to form a combined exhaust stream, heating the combined exhaust stream, then expanding the heated combined exhaust stream in an expansion turbine to produce power.

Abstract: A compressed air stream is cooled in an exchanger to form a compressed cooled air stream. The stream is then cryogenically compressed in a first compressor to form a first pressurized gas stream. The first pressurized gas stream is further cooled in the exchanger, cryogenically compressed in a second compressor, and then it is cooled and partially liquefied. The cooled and partially liquefied product is then fed to a system of distillation columns. A liquid product is removed from the system of distillation columns. This product is then pressurized, vaporized and warmed in the exchanger to yield pressurized gaseous product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for the separation of air by cryogenic distillation. In particular, it relates to a process for separation of air using three cryogenic distillation columns for the production of gaseous oxygen. Certain embodiments of the invention are particularly efficient for the production of gaseous oxygen at pressures between 30 and 45 bars abs, in which the oxygen is produced by removing liquid oxygen from a distillation column, pressurizing the oxygen and vaporizing the pressurized liquid by heat exchange with air.

Abstract: A process for separating carbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide containing fluid comprises the steps of: compressing the fluid in a compressor to form a compressed fluid, drying at least part of the compressed fluid to form a compressed and dried fluid, cooling at least part of the compressed and dried fluid to form a compressed, dried and cooled fluid, separating the compressed, dried and cooled fluid at a temperature lower than 0° C. into a carbon dioxide rich stream, a carbon dioxide lean stream and at least one intermediate purity liquid stream having a carbon dioxide purity lower than that of the carbon dioxide rich stream and higher than that of the carbon dioxide lean stream, expanding at least one intermediate purity liquid stream to produce at least one expanded stream using at least one expanded stream to cool the compressed and dried fluid and recycling at least part of the expanded stream.

Abstract: A process for the cryogenic separation of air using a multiple column distillation system comprising at least a higher pressure column (“HP column”) and a lower pressure column (“LP column”), comprising: feeding cooled feed air to the high pressure column for separation into high pressure nitrogen-enriched overhead vapor and crude liquid oxygen; feeding at least one low pressure column feed stream comprising nitrogen and oxygen to the low pressure column for separation into nitrogen-rich overhead vapor and liquid oxygen; refluxing the low pressure column with a liquid stream from or derived from the high pressure column; feeding expanded air to an auxiliary separation column for separation into auxiliary column nitrogen-rich overhead vapor and oxygen-rich liquid and removing the nitrogen rich overhead vapor as a product stream; feeding bottom liquid from the auxiliary column to an intermediate location of the low pressure column; and refluxing the auxiliary column with a nitrogen rich liquid stream from or de

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing high pressure nitrogen is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for recovering rare gases from a multiple column oxygen plant, wherein the multiple column oxygen plant comprises a higher pressure column, a lower pressure column, a middle pressure intermediate column, and a low pressure intermediate column, said middle pressure intermediate column comprising a first bottom reboiler and said low pressure intermediate column comprising a second bottom reboiler. The process includes providing a first oxygen rich liquid stream containing rare gases from the higher pressure column, wherein said first oxygen rich liquid stream is introduced to the first bottom reboiler. The process also includes removing a second oxygen rich liquid stream rich in rare gases from the bottom of the middle pressure intermediate column, wherein said second oxygen rich liquid stream is introduced to the low pressure intermediate column.

Abstract: An apparatus for the separation of air by cryogenic distillation comprises a column system including a double column, an intermediate pressure column, and an argon column having a top condenser, a heat exchanger, means for pressurizing and vaporizing oxygen rich liquid and nitrogen rich liquid from the double column, conduits configured to: send argon enriched gas from the low pressure column to the argon column, remove argon rich fluid from the top of the argon column, send a liquid air stream at least in part to a top condenser of the intermediate pressure column where it is partially vaporized to form a vapor and a liquid, send the vapor formed in the top condenser of the intermediate pressure column to the low pressure column, and send the liquid from the top condenser of the intermediate pressure column to the intermediate pressure column to be separated.

Abstract: A compressed air stream is cooled in an exchanger to form a compressed cooled air stream. The stream is then cryogenically compressed in a first compressor to form a first pressurized gas stream. The first pressurized gas stream is further cooled in the exchanger, cryogenically compressed in a second compressor, and then it is cooled and partially liquefied. The cooled and partially liquefied product is then fed to a system of distillation columns. A liquid product is removed from the system of distillation columns. This product is then pressurized, vaporized and warmed in the exchanger to yield pressurized gaseous product.

Abstract: A compressed air stream is cooled in an exchanger to form a compressed cooled air stream. The stream is then cryogenically compressed in a first compressor to form a first pressurized gas stream. The first pressurized gas stream is further cooled in the exchanger, cryogenically compressed in a second compressor, and then it is cooled and partially liquefied. The cooled and partially liquefied product is then fed to a system of distillation columns. A liquid product is removed from the system of distillation columns. This product is then pressurized, vaporized and warmed in the exchanger to yield pressurized gaseous product.

Abstract: A method for purifying an argon stream is provided. The method includes pretreating an argon waste stream to remove impurities to provide a pre-treated argon waste stream having argon, nitrogen, and hydrogen; cooling the argon waste stream to create a cold feed stream; and condensing the cold feed stream to create a liquid feed stream. The liquid feed stream is fed to the cryogenic distillation column to create a bottoms argon product stream and a gas waste stream. The bottoms argon product stream travels to an expansion device to provide a cooled bottoms argon product stream, which can optionally be combined with an argon lift stream downstream of the expansion device. The combined argon lift stream and cooled bottoms argon product stream are fed to the overhead condenser and vaporized to create a purified vapor phase argon stream.

Abstract: An argon purification system is provided which includes a cryogenic heat exchanger, a cryogenic distillation column. The cryogenic heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from a pre-treated argon waste stream to create a cold feed stream. The cryogenic distillation column includes packing, a reboiler, and an overhead condenser, as well as an upper portion and a lower portion and is configured to receive a liquid feed stream and to produce a bottoms argon product stream and a gas waste stream. The reboiler is positioned in the lower portion of the cryogenic distillation column and is configured to condense the cold feed stream to produce the liquid feed stream. The condenser is positioned in the upper portion of the cryogenic distillation column and is configured to heat the bottoms argon product stream such that the bottoms argon product stream evaporates to a purified vapor phase argon stream.

Abstract: A process for separation of air by cryogenic distillation, including cooling a first purified feed air stream in a heat exchanger, thereby producing a cooled first feed stream, removing a first portion from the heat exchanger at a first intermediate temperature, and compressing the cooled first portion in a first booster compressor, cooling the compressed first portion in the heat exchanger, thereby producing a cooled first portion, removing a second portion from the heat exchanger at a second intermediate temperature, and compressing the cooled second portion in a second booster compressor, cooling the compressed second portion in the heat exchanger, thereby producing a cooled second portion, and vaporizing a pressurized liquid stream from the column system in the heat exchanger at a vaporization temperature to form a pressurized gaseous product stream, wherein, both the first discharge temperature and said second discharge temperature are below ?55° C.

Abstract: In a process for the production of nitrogen and of oxygen enriched liquid by separation of air by cryogenic distillation, a first stream of air is sent to an exchanger to form a first cooled air stream, the first cooled air stream is sent to a bottom reboiler of a column, condensed air is sent from the bottom reboiler to a top condenser of the column, vaporized air is sent from the top condenser to a first compressor, air is sent from the first compressor to the column, air is sent to a second compressor and from the second compressor to the exchanger to produce a cooled second air stream, the cooled second air stream is sent to a first turboexpander and from the turbo expander to the column, bottom liquid is removed from the column and gaseous nitrogen is removed from the top of the column.

Abstract: A method for the purification of a feed gas stream containing at least CO2 and at least one impurity with by the incorporation of a purification step, enabling water to be at least partially removed is provided.

Abstract: A method for the purification of a feed gas stream containing CO2 and water and at least one impurity chosen from NOx and SOx, comprising the incorporation of a purification step for the preferential elimination of water is provided.

Abstract: A process for separating carbon dioxide from a fluid containing carbon dioxide, NO2, and at least one of oxygen, argon, and nitrogen comprises the steps of separating at least part of the fluid into a carbon dioxide enriched stream, a carbon dioxide depleted stream comprising CO2 and at least one of oxygen, argon, and nitrogen and a NO2 enriched stream and recycling said NO2 enriched stream upstream of the separation step.

Abstract: An improved process for the separation of carbon dioxide from the flue gas of an oxy-combustion power plant is provided. The flue gas is compressed, cleaned, cooled and dried. This clean, compressed dry flue gas is then further cooled, partially condensed and separated into liquid and vapor streams. The liquid streams, which contain a high concentration of carbon dioxide, are vaporized, compressed and exported to an end user. The vapor streams are heated and expanded, in order to extract useable energy. At least two expanders are used to extract this energy, with an intermediate warming step.

Abstract: A method of liquid air energy storage is provided. This method includes liquefying and storing air to form a stored liquid air during a first period of time; during a second period of time, introducing a compressed air stream into a cryogenic system, wherein the cryogenic system comprises at least one cold compressor, and at least one heat exchanger. The method includes producing a first exhaust stream and a second exhaust stream. The method also includes vaporizing at least part of the stored liquid air stream in the heat exchanger, thereby producing a first high pressure compressed air stream, then combining the first high pressure compressed air stream, the first exhaust stream and the second exhaust stream to form a combined exhaust stream, heating the combined exhaust stream, then expanding the heated combined exhaust stream in an expansion turbine to produce power.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing high pressure nitrogen is provided.