Abstract: A method for low temperature separation of fluids wherein the separation process is sustained by refrigeration generated by a recirculating multicomponent refrigerant fluid.

Abstract: A system including pretreating feed air for a cryogenic air separation plant wherein feed air is passed through an electric field, oxygen is ionized, and ionized oxygen reacts with hydrocarbons upstream of an adsorption prepurifier, and subsequent separation of the feed air by cryogenic rectification.

Abstract: An annular column, particularly useful for cryogenic rectification, comprising coaxially oriented, radially spaced cylindrical column walls defining a first column region, and a second column region between the walls, wherein different fluid mixtures are rectified in each of the first column and second column regions.

Abstract: A cryogenic air separation system wherein a portion of the feed air is compressed to a very high pressure, bypasses the primary heat exchanger, and is turboexpanded to a low pressure to supply refrigeration in one step from the warm end temperature to the cryogenic temperature of the cryogenic air separation plant.

Abstract: An annular column, particularly useful for cryogenic rectification, comprising coaxially oriented, radially spaced cylindrical column walls defining a first column region, and a second column region between the walls, wherein different fluid mixtures are rectified in each of the first column and second column regions.

Abstract: A dual feed pressure cryogenic air separation system wherein all the feed air is pressurized to an intermediate pressure and cleaned of high boiling impurities at that intermediate pressure, and a portion further compressed to the high pressure and then cooled against another portion so as to prepare that other portion for the turboexpansion to the low pressure, preferably with the turboexpansion driving the further compression.

Abstract: A method for cleaning and recycling protective atmosphere for a float glass facility wherein contaminated protective atmosphere is cooled, preferably while scrubbing out particulates, compressed, and then purified by passage through a bed comprising water selective and hydrogen sulfide selective adsorbents.

Abstract: A method for directly producing lower purity oxygen with high recovery, employing a non-adiabatic distillation device within a distillation column to provide high purity liquid nitrogen reflux to the upper section of the column. This invention provides for a variety of feed air options to the non-adiabatic distillation device and to the distillation column.

Abstract: A cryogenic rectification system for producing argon employing an argon stripping column which receives a feed in its upper portion from an associated cryogenic air separation plant, and which is reboiled by another fluid taken from the cryogenic air separation plant.

Abstract: A serial column system for producing relatively large quantities of both high purity nitrogen gas and high purity nitrogen liquid using a first column producing the high purity gas and a second column producing the high purity liquid, with second column top fluid refluxing the first column.

Abstract: A cryogenic rectification system wherein a product boiler is incorporated into the primary heat exchanger without encountering boiling to dryness problems wherein liquid from the cryogenic rectification plant is processed in a phase separator upstream of the product boiler, and fluid from the product boiler is passed into the phase separator prior to recovery.

Abstract: A cryogenic air separation system wherein base load pressure energy is supplied to the feed air by a base load compressor and custom load pressure energy is supplied to the feed air by a bridge machine having one or more turbine booster compressors and one or more product boiler booster compressors, all of the compressors of the bridge machine driven by power supplied through a single gear case.

Abstract: A cryogenic rectification system for producing oxygen having a feed air preparation system and a plurality of same size cold box modules operating in parallel and in conjunction with the feed air preparation system.

Abstract: A cryogenic air separation plant or a combined pressure swing adsorption plant and membrane separation plant is integrated with a float glass manufacturing system wherein oxygen from the plant is used for oxy-fuel combustion in the melt furnace and nitrogen from the plant is used as a protective atmosphere in the float glass forming chamber.

Abstract: A cryogenic rectification system for the separation of feed air wherein at least some of the feed air is liquefied upstream of the separation columns, all of the liquefied feed air is introduced into a higher pressure column, and then a portion of this liquefied feed air is withdrawn from the higher pressure column and in serial fashion introduced into a lower pressure column.

Abstract: A cryogenic rectification system for producing lower purity oxygen comprising a double column with a third column reboiled by feed air at an intermediate level and, optionally, in a staged manner at the bottom level.

Abstract: A system for achieving a low level of nitrogen in a lower pressure column in the feed to the argon column in a cryogenic air separation system by use of two beds of structured packing of about equal height in the lower pressure column, with mixing and redistribution of liquid between them. The packed beds are located between the feed from the argon column top condenser and the point where the argon column feed is withdrawn.

Abstract: An improved efficiency system for producing low purity oxygen by rectification of air employs a high pressure column and a low pressure column and includes the steps of: turboexpanding a flow of nitrogen-rich gas from the high pressure column to provide a cooled nitrogen-rich gas flow; condensing the cooled nitrogen-rich gas flow to a nitrogen-rich liquid against a flow of a vaporizing oxygen-rich liquid flow taken from the low pressure column; passing the nitrogen-rich liquid as a reflux flow to the low pressure column; returning the vaporizing oxygen liquid to the low pressure column; and employing energy derived from the turboexpanding step to compress feed air.

Abstract: A dual column cryogenic rectification system for producing high purity nitrogen at elevated pressure wherein top vapor from a first column is processed in an intermediate heat exchanger of a second column and oxygen-rich vapor from the second column is turboexpanded to generate refrigeration for the separation.

Abstract: A system for liquefying low boiling point gases wherein a mixture of feed gas and recirculating refrigerant gas is compressed, a first portion turboexpanded, a second portion compressed to a supercritical pressure, and the supercritical fluid cooled against the turboexpanded fluid to produce cryogenic liquid.