Abstract: Heat and material exchange device including a stack of fixed ventilators to promote gas mixing, each ventilator being constituted by four deflectors whose mean normals are inclined and generated one after another by rotation about vertical axes, the sum of the four angles of rotation being 360.degree.. The ventilators are stacked in successive horizontal layers amidst which each deflector forms a part of two adjacent ventilators turned in opposite directions and such that there is sufficient space between two adjacent deflectors for the passage of gas. The deflectors are pierced by at least one hole so as to promote passage of the liquid to the underside of the deflectors. At least some of the deflectors are connected to at least one of their neighbors in a same horizontal plane by a common edge segment so as to permit lateral division of the liquid between deflectors.

Abstract: An installation for the treatment of fluid having a receptacle (1) defining a non-vertical portion of a path for fluid through at least two adjacent masses (A; B; C) of particulate materials, typically different from each other, each mass being in direct contact with its neighbor or neighbors, without the interposition of a separating grid. The installation is particularly useful for the separation or drying of air.

Abstract: A thermally insulated adsorber (1) intended for treating a gas by passing the gas through a bed (15) of an active material, of the type including a cylindrical shell (5) provided with thermal insulation (21) including a wall (25), which is, in particular, parallel to the shell (5) and which, together with the shell, defines a gas-filled cavity (27), the wall (25) and consequently the gas-filled cavity (27) being placed inside the shell (5), between the latter and a bed (15) of an active material arranged inside the shell (5). The gas-filled cavity (27) communicates with a part of the adsorber (1) which includes the gas that is to be treated and/or with a part of the adsorber which includes the gas that has been treated. The adsorber furthermore includes elements (43) for blocking any gas flow through the gas-filled cavity in order to separate the gas that is to be treated from the gas that has been treated. The adsorber may be used to purify the air sent to air distillation plants.

Abstract: A process and installation for the separation of air in a cryogenic distillation apparatus (24) comprising a distillation column (30, 42) and in which the supplied air is separated to produce a fraction rich in oxygen and a fraction rich in nitrogen as products. The purities of these products are maintained substantially constant during variations of demand of either product or of the flow rate or of the pressure of the supplied air by introducing an excess of liquid rich in nitrogen into the distillation apparatus when the demand for the product or the flow rate of the supplied air increases, and by withdrawing an excess of liquid rich in nitrogen from the distillation apparatus, and storing this liquid, when the demand for the product or the flow rate of the supplied air decreases.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving the flow of fluid to be treated in boundary regions of a mass (2) of particulate material. The apparatus has at least one deflecting surface (4), making an angle with the main direction of the flow of fluid passing through the mass, in the boundary region in order to divert the flow of the fluid locally. The apparatus may be used in plants for purifying or separating gas mixtures.

Abstract: The distributor (2) includes a pattern of irrigation points with advantageously substantially constant surface pitch (6, 6') over most of the irrigation area, the pattern being, typically, regular in a main region of the distributor and irregular, with associated surface regions which are also irregular (6', 6") in a junction region, the irrigation points delivering predetermined flow rates defined by calibrated orifices (4, 4', 4") which have cross-sections chosen from a predetermined group of n cross-sections, n not being greater than four and advantageously not greater than two.

Abstract: An installation for the treatment of fluid having a receptacle (1) defining a non-vertical portion of a path for fluid through at least two adjacent masses (A; B; C) of particulate materials, typically different from each other, each mass being in direct contact with its neighbor or neighbors, without the interposition of a separating grid. The installation is particularly useful for the separation or drying of air.

Abstract: An installation for the treatment of fluid having a receptacle (1) defining a non-vertical portion of a path for fluid through at least two adjacent masses (A; B; C) of particulate materials, typically different from each other, each mass being in direct contact with its neighbor or neighbors, without the interposition of a separating grid. The installation is particularly useful for the separation or drying of air.

Abstract: The heat exchanger is of the type comprising a series of first passages (4) in which a diphase fluid circulates, each of the passages being adjacent to at least one second passage (5) for the circulation of another fluid which is a heating or refrigerating fluid. At least one of the first passages (4) comprises, in at least one region of the length thereof, an increase in the cross section of the passage and means (9, 11) for receiving and discharging one of the two phases of the diphase fluid.

Abstract: A process and installation for the separation of air in a cryogenic distillation apparatus (24) comprising a distillation column (30, 42) and in which the supplied air is separated to produce a fraction rich in oxygen and a fraction rich in nitrogen as products. The purities of these products are maintained substantially constant during variations of demand of either product or of the flow rate or of the pressure of the supplied air by introducing an excess of liquid rich in nitrogen into the distillation apparatus when the demand for the product or the flow rate of the supplied air increases, and by withdrawing an excess of liquid rich in nitrogen from the distillation apparatus, and storing this liquid, when the demand for the product or the flow rate of the supplied air decreases.

Abstract: A process and installation for the separation of air in a cryogenic distillation apparatus (24) comprising a distillation column (30, 42) and in which the supplied air is separated to produce a fraction rich in oxygen and a fraction rich in nitrogen as products. The purities of these products are maintained substantially constant during variations of demand of either product or of the flow rate or of the pressure of the supplied air by introducing an excess of liquid rich in nitrogen into the distillation apparatus when the demand for the product or the flow rate of the supplied air increases, and by withdrawing an excess of liquid rich in nitrogen from the distillation apparatus, and storing this liquid, when the demand for the product or the flow rate of the supplied air decreases.

Abstract: Process and installation for the production of variable flow rates of at least one pure component by fractionation of a mixture in a distillation apparatus (15), containing structured packing (17) and dimensioned to handle a nominal flow rate of the mixture at nominal pressure. To obtain higher production than the nominal production, there is increased proportionately to the ratio of the productions, the flow rate of the mixture distilled in the apparatus (15). Also increased is the operating pressure of the apparatus so as to increase the flooding limit of the apparatus under similar proportions. Preferably, the mixture is air. There is a compressor (3) for the mixture to be fractionated designed for nominal capacity and, upstream of the latter, a blower (1). Alternatively, there can be a compressor (3) for the mixture to be fractionated designed for maximum capacity.

Abstract: The distributor includes a pattern of irrigation points with advantageously substantially constant surface pitch over most of the irrigation area, the pattern being, typically, regular in a main region of the distributor and irregular, with associated surface regions which are also irregular in a junction region, the irrigation points delivering predetermined flow rates defined by calibrated orifices which have cross-sections chosen from a predetermined group of n cross-sections, n not being greater than four and advantageously not greater than two. This distributor is particularly applicable to packed air distillation columns.

Abstract: To regenerate the adsorbent which serves to purify compressed air from water and carbon dioxide, there is used residual gas from an air distillation apparatus (10), heated to a substantially constant moderate regeneration temperature between the temperature of the air entering the mass of adsorbent and a temperature which is at most about 50.degree. C. higher, preferably about 10.degree. to 20.degree. C. higher, than this entering air temperature. This gas is then sent to a water refrigeration tower (16) for cooling the compressed air.

Abstract: A reservoir for the storage of gas under high pressure comprises an enclosure portion (2) which is uninsulated and an enclosure portion (2A) which is insulated. The two portions (2A, 2B) are connected by an insulated passage (18) insulated from the enclosure portions. The uninsulated portion (2B) defines a gaseous sky limiting the instantaneous pressure drops during withdrawal of liquid from the insulated portion (2A) to decrease the response time of the heating of an external circuit to maintain pressure. Used particularly in safety installations of a principal source for the production of gas under high pressure.

Abstract: The installation comprises an insulated storage tank (1) containing the gas in at least partially liquid form at a high pressure, a line (2) comprising a vaporizer (3) for supplying gas to a user station (A), a first cold-holding circuit (4), comprising a valve (5) and a first exchanger (6) in heat-exchange contact with the fluid in the first tank (1), and a pressure-holding line (8) comprising a second exchanger (9) and a valve (10). The system is particularly useful as a backup installation for a main gas-production source (30).

Abstract: A process and installation for the separation of air in a cryogenic distillation apparatus (24) comprising a distillation column (30, 42) and in which the supplied air is separated to produce a fraction rich in oxygen and a fraction rich in nitrogen as products. The purities of these products are maintained substantially constant during variations of demand of either product or of the flow rate or of the pressure of the supplied air by introducing an excess of liquid rich in nitrogen into the distillation apparatus when the demand for the product or the flow rate of the supplied air increases, and by withdrawing an excess of liquid rich in nitrogen from the distillation apparatus, and storing this liquid, when the demand for the product or the flow rate of the supplied air decreases.

Abstract: Process and installation for the production of gaseous oxygen and/or gaseous nitrogen under pressure, of the type in which air is distilled in a double distillation column (11) comprising a low pressure column (13) operating under a so-called low pressure, and a medium pressure column (12) operating under a so-called medium pressure. All the air to be distilled is compressed (in 1, 3, 7)to at least one high air pressure substantially greater than the medium pressure, and the compressed air is cooled to an intermediate temperature, and a portion of it is expanded in a turbine (8) to the medium pressure, before introducing it into the medium pressure column (12). The air which has not been expanded is liquefied, then introduced after expansion (in 20, 21), into the double column. At least one liquid product withdrawn from the double column is brought to the production pressure, and this liquid product is vaporized by heat exchange with at least one portion of the air to be distilled in the course of cooling.

Abstract: Heat exchanger with streaming liquid to vaporize a liquid by heat exchange with a second fluid, of the type comprising a parallelepipedal body formed form an assembly of parallel vertical plates (4) defining between them a multitude of flat passages (18, 19) distributed in an assembly of vaporization passages (18), and in an assembly of heating passages (19). Each passage contains an undulant-spacer (20) with vertical generatrices. Structure for distribution of the liquid is provided at the upper end of the exchanger (2) to distribute the liquid over all the length of the vaporization passages (18). Structure (9) is provided to direct the second fluid into the heating passages (19). The distribution structure is disposed in compartments (23) closed at their upper end and situated each above a heating passage (19), from which the compartment is separated by a horizontal strip (22).

Abstract: A process for the cryogenic separation of mixtures containing oxygen to obtain a produce having a high concentration of oxygen. In this process, a heat and material exchange occurs in counter-current between a descending liquid and a rising gas in at least one transfer zone including a bundle of organized linings consisting of cross-undulated metallic layers. In at least one transfer zone where the concentration of oxygen is higher than 98%, the layers are made of a sheet of aluminum having a thickness between 0.3 and 1 mm. Additionally, the bundles of layers have a specific surface lower than 400 m.sup.2 /m.sup.3.