Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating air in which an oxygen-rich liquid stream is pumped and then heated within a heat exchanger to produce an oxygen product through indirect heat exchange with first and second boosted pressure air streams. The first boosted pressure air stream is cold compressed at an intermediate temperature of the heat exchanger, reintroduced into the heat exchanger at a warmer temperature and then fully cooled and liquefied. The second boosted pressure air stream, after having been partially cooled, is expanded to produce an exhaust stream that is in turn introduced into a lower pressure column producing the oxygen-rich liquid. The second boosted pressure air stream is partially cooled to a temperature no greater than the intermediate temperature at which the cold compression occurs so that both the first and second boosted pressure air streams are able to take part in the heating of the oxygen-rich stream.

Abstract: A moderate pressure air separation unit and air separation cycle is disclosed that provides for up to about 96% recovery of argon, an overall nitrogen recovery of 98 percent or greater and limited gaseous oxygen production. The air separation is configured to produce a first high purity oxygen enriched stream and a second lower purity oxygen enriched stream from the lower pressure column, one of which is used as the refrigerant to condense the argon in the argon condenser, with the resulting vaporized oxygen stream used to regenerate the temperature swing adsorption pre-purifier unit. All or a portion of the first high purity oxygen enriched stream is vaporized in the main heat exchanger to produce the gaseous oxygen products.

Abstract: A moderate pressure air separation unit and air separation cycle is disclosed that provides for up to about 96% recovery of argon, an overall nitrogen recovery of 98 percent or greater and limited gaseous oxygen production. The air separation is configured to produce a first high purity oxygen enriched stream and a second lower purity oxygen enriched stream from the lower pressure column, one of which is used as the refrigerant to condense the argon in the argon condenser, with the resulting vaporized oxygen stream used to regenerate the temperature swing adsorption pre-purifier unit. All or a portion of the first high purity oxygen enriched stream is vaporized in the main heat exchanger to produce the gaseous oxygen products.

Abstract: A moderate pressure, argon and nitrogen producing cryogenic air separation unit and air separation cycle having a higher pressure column, a lower pressure column and an argon column arrangement is disclosed. The moderate pressure, argon and nitrogen producing cryogenic air separation unit is configured to take a first portion of an oxygen enriched stream from the lower pressure column, which together with an external source of liquid nitrogen is used as the boiling side refrigerant to condense the argon in the argon condenser. Use of the external source of liquid nitrogen in the argon condenser allows a second portion of the oxygen enriched stream from the lower pressure column to be taken as a liquid oxygen product stream.

Abstract: A moderate pressure air separation unit and air separation cycle is disclosed that provides for up to about 96% recovery of argon and an overall nitrogen recovery of 98% or greater. The air separation is configured to produce a high purity oxygen enriched stream which is used as the refrigerant to condense the argon in the argon condenser, with the resulting vaporized oxygen stream used to regenerate the temperature swing adsorption prepurifier unit. Argon recovery is facilitated with the use of an argon superstaged column.

Abstract: A moderate pressure air separation unit and air separation cycle is disclosed that provides for up to about 96% recovery of argon, an overall nitrogen recovery of 98 percent or greater and limited gaseous oxygen production. The air separation is configured to produce a first high purity oxygen enriched stream and a second lower purity oxygen enriched stream from the lower pressure column, one of which is used as the refrigerant to condense the argon in the argon condenser, with the resulting vaporized oxygen stream used to regenerate the temperature swing adsorption pre-purifier unit. All or a portion of the first high purity oxygen enriched stream is vaporized in the main heat exchanger to produce the gaseous oxygen products.

Abstract: A moderate pressure air separation unit and air separation cycle is disclosed that provides for up to about 96% recovery of argon, an overall nitrogen recovery of 98 percent or greater and limited gaseous oxygen production. The air separation is configured to produce a first high purity oxygen enriched stream and a second lower purity oxygen enriched stream from the lower pressure column, one of which is used as the refrigerant to condense the argon in the argon condenser, with the resulting vaporized oxygen stream used to regenerate the temperature swing adsorption pre-purifier unit. All or a portion of the first high purity oxygen enriched stream is vaporized in the main heat exchanger to produce the gaseous oxygen products.

Abstract: A moderate pressure air separation unit and air separation cycle is disclosed that provides for up to about 96% recovery of argon, an overall nitrogen recovery of 98% or greater and limited gaseous oxygen production. The air separation is configured to produce a first high purity oxygen enriched stream and a second lower purity oxygen enriched stream from the lower pressure column, one of which is used as the refrigerant to condense the argon in the argon condenser, with the resulting vaporized oxygen stream used to regenerate the temperature swing adsorption pre-purifier unit. All or a portion of the first high purity oxygen enriched stream is vaporized in the main heat exchanger to produce the gaseous oxygen products.

Abstract: A system and method for flexible production of argon from a cryogenic air separation unit is provided. The cryogenic air separation unit is capable of operating in a ‘no-argon’ or ‘low-argon’ mode when argon demand is low or non-existent and then switching to operating in a ‘high-argon’ mode when argon is needed. The recovery of the argon products from the air separation unit is adjusted by varying the percentages of dirty shelf nitrogen and clean shelf nitrogen in the reflux stream directed to the lower pressure column. The cryogenic air separation unit and associated method also provides an efficient argon production/rejection process that minimizes the power consumption when the cryogenic air separation unit is operating in a ‘no-argon’ or ‘low-argon’ mode yet maintains the capability to produce higher volumes of argon products at full design capacity to meet argon product demands.

Abstract: A system and method for producing argon that uses a higher pressure column, a lower pressure column, and an argon column collectively configured to produce nitrogen, oxygen and argon products through the cryogenic separation of air. The present system and method also employs a once through argon condensing assembly that is disposed entirely within the lower pressure column that is configured to condense an argon rich vapor stream from the argon column against the oxygen-enriched liquid from the higher pressure column to produce an argon liquid or vapor product. The control system is configured for optimizing the production of argon product by ensuring an even flow split of the oxygen-enriched liquid is distributed to the argon condenser cores and by adjusting the flow rate of the argon removed from the argon condensing assembly to maintain the liquid/vapor balance in the argon condensing assembly within appropriate limits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for argon recovery in which an impure argon stream is separated from air within a cryogenic air separation unit having an argon rejection column and a reflux type argon condenser disposed internally within the lower pressure column. An impure argon stream is subsequently recovered from the argon rejection column and purified within an integrated adsorbent based argon refining and purification subsystem to produce product grade argon. The waste stream from the adsorbent based argon refining and purification subsystem is recycled back to the argon rejection column so as to improve the argon recovery.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for argon recovery in which an impure argon stream is separated from air within a cryogenic air separation unit having an argon rejection column and a reflux type argon condenser disposed internally within the lower pressure column. An impure argon stream is subsequently recovered from the argon rejection column and purified within an integrated adsorbent based argon refining and purification subsystem to produce product grade argon. The waste stream from the adsorbent based argon refining and purification subsystem is recycled back to the argon rejection column so as to improve the argon recovery.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for argon rejection and recovery in which argon is separated from air within a cryogenic air separation plant having a divided wall argon rejection column arrangement and condensed using an argon condenser disposed internally within the lower pressure column. The divided wall argon rejection column arrangement may be an annular arrangement or a side-by-side arrangement (i.e. segmented or planar configuration). The resulting argon stream is subsequently rejected or recovered and optionally purified within an integrated adsorbent based argon refining and purification subsystem to produce product grade argon.

Abstract: Closed-loop refrigeration cycles for liquid oxygen densification are disclosed. The disclosed refrigeration cycles may be turbine-based refrigeration cycles or a Joule-Thompson (JT) expansion valve based refrigeration cycles and include a refrigerant or working fluid comprising a mixture of neon or helium together with nitrogen and/or oxygen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for argon recovery in which an impure argon stream is separated from air within a cryogenic air separation unit having an argon rejection column and a reflux type argon condenser disposed internally within the lower pressure column. An impure argon stream is subsequently recovered from the argon rejection column and purified within an integrated adsorbent based argon refining and purification subsystem to produce product grade argon. The waste stream from the adsorbent based argon refining and purification subsystem is recycled back to the argon rejection column so as to improve the argon recovery.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing argon recovery in which an impure argon stream is separated from air within a cryogenic air separation unit and purified within an integrated, multi-stage pressure swing adsorption system to produce product grade argon with high argon recovery levels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for argon recovery in which an impure argon stream is separated from air within a cryogenic air separation unit having a divided wall argon rejection/rectification column. The resulting argon stream is subsequently recovered and purified within an integrated pressure swing adsorption system to produce product grade argon.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for argon recovery in which an impure argon stream is separated from air within a cryogenic air separation unit having a divided wall argon rejection/rectification column. The resulting argon stream is subsequently recovered and purified within an integrated pressure swing adsorption system to produce product grade argon.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating air in which an oxygen-rich liquid stream is pumped and then heated within a heat exchanger to produce an oxygen product through indirect heat exchange with first and second boosted pressure air streams. The first boosted pressure air stream is cold compressed at an intermediate temperature of the heat exchanger, reintroduced into the heat exchanger at a warmer temperature and then fully cooled and liquefied. The second boosted pressure air stream, after having been partially cooled, is expanded to produce an exhaust stream that is in turn introduced into a lower pressure column producing the oxygen-rich liquid. The second boosted pressure air stream is partially cooled to a temperature no greater than the intermediate temperature at which the cold compression occurs so that both the first and second boosted pressure air streams are able to take part in the heating of the oxygen-rich stream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for argon rejection and recovery in which argon is separated from air within a cryogenic air separation plant having a divided wall argon rejection column and condensed using an argon condenser disposed internally within the lower pressure column. The resulting argon stream is subsequently rejected or recovered and optionally purified within an integrated adsorbent based argon refining and purification subsystem to produce product grade argon.