Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for carrying out oxygen-enhanced combustion in an industrial process wherein the industrial process, an oxygen supply system or a source of oxygen, a heat recovery network, and an alternative Rankine cycle system based on a working fluid other than steam are integrated to achieve improved throughput and efficiency, and a method for oxygen-enhanced combustion in an industrial process using said system. Examples of industrial processes include cement production, steel reheat applications, glass production, aluminum and copper melting, as well as any industrial process that uses process heater, furnaces where combustion is carried out using an oxidant stream with oxygen content higher’ than that in ambient air and up to 100%.

Abstract: A method of heating process streams fed to a boiler incorporating an oxygen transport membrane device that includes an oxygen-containing stream and a boiler feed water stream. The membrane device separates oxygen to support combustion of a fuel and generate heat to raise the steam. Heat is recovered and process streams are heated by separately heating portions of the oxygen-containing stream and the boiler feed water stream with a retentate stream produced from the oxygen separation and a flue gas stream generated from the combustion. The flow rate of the portion of the oxygen-containing stream heated by the retentate stream is greater than that heated by the flue gas stream to help minimize heat transfer area and thus, fabrication costs. Also, water is condensed from the flue gas stream during the heat exchange involved in the heat recovery to increase thermodynamic efficiency.

Abstract: A cryogenic air separation system wherein nitrogen vapor from a higher pressure column and oxygen liquid from a lower pressure column each pass down through a once-through main condenser in heat exchange relation and some but not all of the oxygen liquid is vaporized such that the oxygen liquid and vapor exit the condenser in a liquid to vapor mass flowrate ratio within the range of from 0.05 to 0.5 whereby the need for a recirculation pump to ensure avoidance of oxygen boiling to dryness is eliminated.

Abstract: A system and method for sterilizing a cryogen is provided. In the disclosed embodiment a liquid cryogen is first vaporized and subsequently compressed prior to undergoing sterilization using biological filters. The compressed, sterilized cryogen vapor is then pre-cooled, preferably with the cryogen being vaporized, to produce a partially condensed, cool, sterile cryogen stream and then further condensed using the liquid cryogen to produce a sterilized liquid cryogen.

Abstract: A method of heating process streams fed to a boiler incorporating an oxygen transport membrane device that includes an oxygen-containing stream and a boiler feed water stream. The membrane device separates oxygen to support combustion of a fuel and generate heat to raise the steam. Heat is recovered and process streams are heated by separately heating portions of the oxygen-containing stream and the boiler feed water stream with a retentate stream produced from the oxygen separation and a flue gas stream generated from the combustion. The flow rate of the portion of the oxygen-containing stream heated by the retentate stream is greater than that heated by the flue gas stream to help minimize heat transfer area and thus, fabrication costs. Also, water is condensed from the flue gas stream during the heat exchange involved in the heat recovery to increase thermodynamic efficiency.

Abstract: A refrigeration system particularly useful with a multicomponent refrigerant fluid wherein the refrigerant fluid is cooled in an upward leg of a first vertically oriented heat exchanger section and further cooled in a downward leg of a second vertically oriented heat exchanger section prior to refrigeration generation and serial recycle flow through the two heat exchanger sections.