Abstract: A heat exchanger can be configured to utilize multiple sections of hardway fins that can be configured so that an upper first section of the fins can build up liquid head and a second lower section of the fins can be configured to distribute liquid in an even, or uniform, manner. The first section of fins can utilize a different type of hole arrangement than the second section of fins. For instance, the diameter or width of the holes in the first section may differ from the diameter or width of the holes of the second section. In addition (or as an alternative), fin frequency and/or spacing between immediately adjacent holes in the first section of fins may be different from the spacing between immediately adjacent holes in the second section of fins.

Abstract: A process for recovering at least one fluid (e.g. xenon gas and/or krypton gas, etc.) from a feed gas can include utilization of a compression system, primary heat exchanger unit, a pre-purification unit (PPU), and other units to separate and recover at least one desired fluid. In some embodiments, fluid flows output from a first heat exchanger or separation system of the plant can be split so that a portion of a stream is output for downstream processing to purify xenon (Xe) and/or krypton (Kr) product flow(s) while another portion of the stream is recycled to a compression system or the PPU to undergo further purification and heat exchange so that the product output for downstream processing has a higher concentration of Xe or Kr. Some embodiments can be configured to provide an improved recovery of Xe and/or Kr as well as an improvement in operational efficiency.

Abstract: A heat exchanger can be configured to utilize multiple sections of hardway fins that can be configured so that an upper first section of the fins can build up liquid head and a second lower section of the fins can be configured to distribute liquid in an even, or uniform, manner. The first section of fins can utilize a different type of hole arrangement than the second section of fins. For instance, the diameter or width of the holes in the first section may differ from the diameter or width of the holes of the second section. In addition (or as an alternative), fin frequency and/or spacing between immediately adjacent holes in the first section of fins may be different from the spacing between immediately adjacent holes in the second section of fins.

Abstract: A storage vessel comprises a condenser for condensing boil-off vapor by direct heat exchange with cryogenic liquid feed to the vessel. The condenser comprises a packed arrangement of vapor-liquid contact packing that comprises a top end portion and a bottom end portion. At least said top end portion is open to the vapor space to allow entry of boil-off vapor into the arrangement. The bottom end portion is in fluid flow communication with the lower portion of the storage vessel. One advantage of the invention is that the condenser is open to the vapor space of the storage vessel thereby allowing boil-off vapor to be drawn into the condenser by the condensation action of the vapor.

Abstract: An adsorber vessel for use in the adsorption of a component from a gas and subsequent regeneration by thermally induced desorption of the component comprises an inlet for regeneration gas having an inlet nozzle containing at least one heater element, and an outlet for regeneration gas, the inlet and outlet for regeneration being separated by a flow path including a flow chamber containing a body of adsorbent, and wherein the body of adsorbent has a first end which is adjacent the inlet for regeneration gas and a second end which is remote from the inlet for regeneration gas, and the or each heater element is located so as not to penetrate through the first end of the body of adsorbent.

Abstract: Krypton and/or xenon is separated crudely from a mixture comprising oxygen and at least one rare gas selected from the group consisting of krypton and xenon in a process comprising feeding said mixture or a mixture derived therefrom to a rare gas recovery system and separating said mixture feed in said rare gas recovery system into rare gas-lean gaseous oxygen (“GOX”) and rare gas-enriched product. The process is characterized in that at least about 50 mol % of said mixture is fed to the rare gas recovery system in the gaseous phase provided that, when said mixture feed is separated by selective adsorption, the concentration of xenon in the mixture feed is no greater than 50 times the concentration of xenon in air. One advantage of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is that it can easily be retrofitted to existing pumped LOX cycle ASUs.

Abstract: Krypton and/or xenon is separated crudely from a mixture comprising oxygen and at least one rare gas selected from the group consisting of krypton and xenon in a process comprising feeding said mixture or a mixture derived therefrom to a rare gas recovery system and separating said mixture feed in said rare gas recovery system into rare gas-lean gaseous oxygen (“GOX”) and rare gas-enriched product. The process is characterized in that at least about 50 mol % of said mixture is fed to the rare gas recovery system in the gaseous phase provided that, when said mixture feed is separated by selective adsorption, the concentration of xenon in the mixture feed is no greater than 50 times the concentration of xenon in air. One advantage of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is that it can easily be retrofitted to existing pumped LOX cycle ASUs.

Abstract: An adsorber vessel for use in the adsorption of a component from a gas and subsequent regeneration by thermally induced desorption of said component comprises an inlet for regeneration gas having an inlet nozzle containing at least one heater element, and an outlet for regeneration gas, said inlet and outlet for regeneration gas being separated by a flow path including a flow chamber containing a body of adsorbent, and wherein said body of adsorbent has a first end which is adjacent said inlet for regeneration gas and a second end which is remote from said inlet for regeneration gas, and the or each heater element is located so as not to penetrate through said first end of the body of adsorbent.

Abstract: Krypton and/or xenon is separated crudely from a mixture comprising oxygen and at least one rare gas selected from the group consisting of krypton and xenon in a process comprising feeding said mixture or a mixture derived therefrom to a rare gas recovery system and separating said mixture feed in said rare gas recovery system into rare gas-lean gaseous oxygen (“GOX”) and rare gas-enriched product. The process is characterized in that at least about 50 mol % of said mixture is fed to the rare gas recovery system in the gaseous phase provided that, when said mixture feed is separated by selective adsorption, the concentration of xenon in the mixture feed is no greater than 50 times the concentration of xenon in air. One advantage of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is that it can easily be retrofitted to existing pumped LOX cycle ASUs.

Abstract: Krypton and/or xenon is separated crudely from a mixture comprising oxygen and at least one rare gas selected from the group consisting of krypton and xenon in a process comprising feeding said mixture or a mixture derived therefrom to a rare gas recovery system and separating said mixture feed in said rare gas recovery system into rare gas-lean gaseous oxygen (“GOX”) and rare gas-enriched product. The process is characterized in that at least about 50 mol % of said mixture is fed to the rare gas recovery system in the gaseous phase provided that, when said mixture feed is separated by selective adsorption, the concentration of xenon in the mixture feed is no greater than 50 times the concentration of xenon in air. One advantage of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is that it can easily be retrofitted to existing pumped LOX cycle ASUs.

Abstract: Krypton and/or xenon is separated crudely from a mixture comprising oxygen and at least one rare gas selected from the group consisting of krypton and xenon in a process comprising feeding said mixture or a mixture derived therefrom to a rare gas recovery system and separating said mixture feed in said rare gas recovery system into rare gas-lean gaseous oxygen (“GOX”) and rare gas-enriched product. The process is characterized in that at least about 50 mol % of said mixture is fed to the rare gas recovery system in the gaseous phase provided that, when said mixture feed is separated by selective adsorption, the concentration of xenon in the mixture feed is no greater than 50 times the concentration of xenon in air. One advantage of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is that it can easily be retrofitted to existing pumped LOX cycle ASUs.

Abstract: Liquid oxygen (“LOX”) product and a krypton- and xenon-enriched liquid product is produced from the cryogenic separation of air using a cryogenic distillation system. The process comprises separating feed air in the main distillation system into nitrogen-rich overhead vapor and said krypton- and xenon-enriched liquid product. At least a portion of said krypton- and xenon-enriched liquid product is removed from the main distillation system for further distillation, to produce at least one krypton- and/or xenon-rich product. Xenon-lean liquid is fed to the first additional distillation column and separated into oxygen-rich overhead vapor and said LOX product having a concentration of xenon less than that in said feed air. The xenon-lean liquid is usually also lean in krypton.

Abstract: A process for producing a nitrogen-enriched vapor product from a supply of a nitrogen-rich liquid uses a purifying device and a distillation column having a distillation zone. The process includes the steps of: feeding at least a portion of the supply of the nitrogen-rich liquid to the distillation zone at a first location; feeding a stream of a gas containing nitrogen and at least one contaminant to the purifying device, wherein the gas is cooled by a cryogenic liquid whereby at least a portion of the at least one contaminant condenses, solidifies, or dissolves; eventually feeding at least a portion of the cool gas from the purifying device to the distillation zone at a second location below the first location; withdrawing a stream of the nitrogen-enriched vapor product from the distillation zone; and withdrawing a stream of an oxygen-enriched liquid from the distillation zone.

Abstract: A process for producing a nitrogen-enriched vapor product from a supply of a nitrogen-rich liquid uses a purifying device and a distillation column having a distillation zone. The process includes the steps of: feeding at least a portion of the supply of the nitrogen-rich liquid to the distillation zone at a first location; feeding a stream of a gas containing nitrogen and at least one contaminant to the purifying device, wherein the gas is cooled by a cryogenic liquid whereby at least a portion of the at least one contaminant condenses, solidifies, or dissolves; eventually feeding at least a portion of the cool gas from the purifying device to the distillation zone at a second location below the first location; withdrawing a stream of the nitrogen-enriched vapor product from the distillation zone; and withdrawing a stream of an oxygen-enriched liquid from the distillation zone.