Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure are directed to methods and apparatuses used for extracting heavy rare gas. An example method includes passing inlet air through an airflow path of an apparatus, removing carbon dioxide and gaseous water from the inlet air, and cooling the inlet air to a threshold temperature while passing along the airflow path. The method further includes passing the cooled inlet air through an adsorption chamber of the apparatus to adsorb heavy rare gas from the cooled inlet air while the cooled inlet air is in a gaseous state, and extracting the heavy rare gas from the adsorption chamber.

Abstract: An air separation unit using cryogenic distillation comprises a first column, a second column thermally linked to the first column, a first argon column, a second argon column, means for sending cooled, compressed and purified air to at least the first column, means for sending at least one fluid enriched in nitrogen from the first column to the second column and at least one fluid enriched in oxygen from the first column to the second column, means for sending a gas enriched in argon from the second column to a first end of the first argon column, means for sending gas from a second end of the first argon column to a first end of the second argon column, means for removing argon rich fluid from a second end of the second argon column, a pump, means for removing argon enriched liquid from the first end of the second argon column and sending it to the second end of the first argon column via the pump, the first end of the first argon column being raised above the ground by a first supporting structure, the pum

Abstract: Xenon and/or krypton is separated from a liquid oxygen stream comprising oxygen and xenon and/or krypton in a process comprising providing at least a portion of the liquid oxygen stream as a reflux liquid to the top of a rare gas recovery column operated at a pressure of between 5 to 25 bara, vaporizing a reboiler liquid in the reboiling zone in the bottom of the rare gas recovery column to produce a mixture of a rising vapor and a xenon and/or krypton-enriched liquid stream; and contacting the rising vapor with the reflux liquid in at least one distillation zone of the column to effect stripping xenon and/or krypton from the rising vapor to the reflux liquid. The process provides a recovery of xenon of greater than 90% and a krypton recovery of 15% to 90%.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a krypton-xenon-rich stream in which a pipeline oxygen stream is removed from an oxygen pipeline at ambient temperature and then distilled in a cryogenic rectification plant to produce the krypton-xenon-rich stream from a column bottoms of a distillation column. The plant can generate its own refrigeration by way of a heat pump loop incorporating an expander or, alternatively, refrigeration can be added by means of a liquid oxygen reflux stream introduced into the top of such distillation column.

Abstract: A method of separating air in which a superheated air stream is introduced into a mass transfer contacting zone associated with a higher pressure column of an air separation unit. Krypton and xenon is washed from a superheated air stream introduced into the mass transfer contacting zone, thereby to form a krypton and xenon-rich liquid. The krypton and xenon-rich liquid is stripped within a stripping column to produce a krypton-xenon-rich bottoms liquid. A krypton-xenon-rich stream composed of the krypton-xenon-rich bottoms liquid from the stripping column is produced for purposes of further refinement.

Abstract: The invention relates to cryogenic engineering, in particular to purifying krypton-xenon mixture and is usable in the chemical and oil-and-gas industries. The inventive method comprises purifying and separating the mixture in rectification columns, wherein coolant is removed and returned to a cooling cycle, additionally removing radionuclides from krypton and xenon fractions and from krypton and xenon production flows by means of filtration and/or adsorption and/or rectification and/or absorption and/or chemical and/or physicochemical methods in apparatuses for additional removing radionuclides. Balloons for reception of the separated products are certified with respect to radionuclides content and/or activity prior to and after the filling thereof.

Abstract: The claimed method and apparatus relate to cryogenic technology, particularly to purifying and separating by distillation a target heavy component concentrate thereby obtaining target components, e.g., krypton and xenon, and isotopes of light gases such as deuterium, tritium, helium-3. The method includes temperature-stabilizing a target heavy component concentrate flow, a low-boiling target component fraction flow, and a high-boiling target component fraction flow, irradiating the flows with ionizing radiation thereby obtaining light gas isotopes, purifying the flows, concentrating the light gas isotopes in the flows with subsequently extracting thereof, purifying the production flows from nuclides, using xenon as the high-boiling target component of the concentrate and using krypton as the low-boiling target component of the concentrate. The claimed apparatus can be used for implementing the method.

Abstract: A polarizing apparatus has a thermally conductive partitioning system in a polarizing cell. In the polarizing region, this thermally conductive partitioning system serves to prevent the elevation of the temperature of the polarizing cell where laser light is maximally absorbed to perform the polarizing process. By employing this partitioning system, increases in laser power of factors of ten or more can be beneficially utilized to polarize xenon. Accordingly, the polarizing apparatus and the method of polarizing 129Xe achieves higher rates of production.

Abstract: A krypton-xenon concentrate is first divided into krypton and xenon fractions in a preliminary rectifying column. Semi-volatile impurities are removed from each fraction, and production krypton and xenon are obtained from the refined fractions in krypton and xenon production columns. A recovered krypton flow is produced in a krypton recovery rectifying column. Reflux is formed in condensers-evaporators of rectification columns of the device in such a way that the formation of a solid phase is excluded. The operation of the rectification columns is initiated by supplying krypton to a contacting space.

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: 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: A method for recovering krypton and xenon from air comprises (a) separating an air feed stream into oxygen-enriched and nitrogen-enriched product streams; (b) reacting the oxygen-rich product stream with a hydrocarbon feed in a synthesis gas generation process to yield a synthesis gas stream comprising hydrogen, carbon oxides, krypton, and xenon, which synthesis gas stream contains essentially no oxygen; (c) introducing the synthesis gas stream into a synthesis gas conversion process and converting the synthesis gas stream into a liquid synthesis product stream and an unreacted synthesis gas stream; (d) recycling at least a portion of the unreacted synthesis gas stream to the synthesis gas generation process; (e) reducing the pressure of the liquid synthesis product stream to yield a two-phase reduced-pressure product stream, and separating the two-phase reduced-pressure product stream into a final liquid synthesis product stream and a gas stream enriched in krypton and xenon; and (f) separating the gas strea

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: A process and apparatus for low-temperature fractionation of air in a distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation (5, 6) introduces into first feed air stream (4) into a distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation. An oxygen-rich fraction (22) from the distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation is pressurized (23) in liquid form and is added (25) to a mixing column (26). A heat transfer medium stream is introduced into the lower region of the mixing column (26) and is brought into countercurrent contact with the oxygen-rich fraction (22, 25). Gaseous top product (260) from the upper region of the mixing column (26) is introduced into an additional column (27). A liquid (38, 39, 40, 41) from the lower or middle region of the mixing column is introduced into the distillation column system.

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: In a process and apparatus used to produce krypton and/or xenon by low-temperature fractionation of air, compresses and clean charge air (1) is introduced into a rectification system for nitrogen-oxygen separation. The rectification system includes at least a high-pressure column (2) and a low-pressure column (3). A krypton- and xenon-containing fraction (13, 14, 15, 16) is removed from the high-pressure column (2) and introduced into the evaporation space of a condenser-evaporator (17), where it is partially evaporated. A purge liquid (26) is extracted from the evaporation space of the condenser-evaporator (17) and fed to a krypton-xenon enrichment column (24). A krypton-xenon concentrate (30) is removed from the krypton-xenon enrichment column (24). A liquid from the lower region of the krypton-xenon enrichment column (24) is introduced into a second condenser-evaporator (27), which is separate from the first condenser-evaporator (17).

Abstract: In a process and apparatus used to produce krypton and/or xenon by low-temperature fractionation of air, compressed and clean charge air (1) is introduced into a rectification system for nitrogen-oxygen separation. The rectification system includes at least a high-pressure column (2) and a low-pressure column (3). A krypton- and xenon-containing fraction (13, 14, 15, 16) is removed from the high-pressure column (2) and introduced into the evaporation space of a condenser-evaporator (17), where it is partially evaporated. A purge liquid (26) is extracted from the evaporation space of the condenser-evaporator (17) and fed to a krypton-xenon enrichment column (24). A krypton-xenon concentrate (30) is removed from the krypton-xenon enrichment column (24). A liquid from the lower region of the krypton-xenon enrichment column (24) is introduced into a second condenser-evaporator (27), which is separate from the first condenser-evaporator (17).

Abstract: Xenon and/or krypton are recovered from oxygen containing gas, typically derived from liquid oxygen bottoms in a cryogenic air separation plant, by selective adsorption on a Li and Ag exchange zeolite containing 5 to 40% Ag exchange capacity on an equivalents basis, with periodic thermal regeneration of the adsorbent.

Abstract: The process and the apparatus serve for the low-temperature fractionation of air. Compressed and prepurified feed air (3, 5) is introduced into a rectification system for nitrogen-oxygen separation which has a pressure column (6). At least a part of the compressed and prepurified feed air is fed (5) to the pressure column (6). An oxygen-enriched fraction (13) is taken off from the pressure column (6) and passed (14) to a further working step (7) within the rectification system. The oxygen-enriched fraction (13) is taken off at least one theoretical or actual plate (15) above the point at which the compressed and prepurified feed air (5) is fed to the pressure column. From the bottom of the pressure column (6) a purge fraction (16) is removed in the. liquid state, fed in the liquid state to a purification stage (17), in which N2O is removed, and is taken off from the purification stage (17) as purified purge fraction (18).

Abstract: A system for producing xenon concentrate suitable for further refining wherein a xenon concentrator column processes liquid from the sump of a lower pressure column and additionally produces oxygen gas for recovery or recycle to the lower pressure column.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for extracting xenon and eventually also krypton from a liquid oxygen (LOX) charge, as it accrues in a cryogenic air separation system (LZA) during a rectification of the air, mostly as a bottom product of a low-pressure, column, namely with xenon (Xe), krypton (Kr) and hydrocarbons (CxHy) in a small concentration and approximately 99 mol % oxygen (O2). According to the inventive method, the LOX charge is fed to a first column, the oxygen of the LOX charge is extensively removed by stripping with an inert gas, and is extracted in the top gas, whereas the inert gas is withdrawn in the form of a liquid from the bottom of the first column with little O2 and nearly the total mass of CxHy, Kr, Xe. According to the invention, the liquid discharge is fed to a second column without prior catalytic and/or adsorptive removal of CxHy. A Kr fraction is extracted as top gas of the second column, and an Xe fraction is withdrawn from the bottom of the second column.

Abstract: A cryogenic rectification system comprising an upstream krypton/xenon knockout column and a downstream oxygen upgrader column wherein the knockout column processes a crude feed for removal of heavy components including hydrocarbons and the upgrader column produces ultra high purity oxygen.

Abstract: A cryogenic rectification system comprising a rare gas concentrator column for producing a liquid having an enhanced concentration of krypton and xenon, and which processes atmospheric fluids and also produces gaseous oxygen and liquid nitrogen.

Abstract: Air is separated in a main rectification column comprising a higher pressure column, a lower pressure column and a condenser-reboiler replacing the higher pressure column in heat exchange relationship with the lower pressure column. A first liquid oxygen fraction concentrated in krypton and xenon is formed at the bottom of the lower pressure column and is withdrawn through outlet. Argon-oxygen separation takes place in the column and a vaporous argon-oxygen stream depleted of krypton and xenon is taken from the outlet as it is subjected to further rectification in a column, a second liquid oxygen fraction containing argon impurity being obtained. A stream of the second liquid oxygen fraction is withdrawn from the column through the outlet and is purified in the column so as to obtain a purified oxygen product.

Abstract: This invention comprises a method of producing ethylene rich product streams from a pressurized charge gas mixture of olefins and other components received from olefin generation/preparation processes. The method of this invention may eliminate the need for cryogenic fractional distillation and other special separation equipment operating at temperatures below −55° F., and thus also potentially eliminate the refrigeration and heat exchange equipment needed to achieve those low temperatures. Alternatively, the method of this invention may eliminate the need for a circulating lean oil absorbant material, and thus also potentially eliminate the heat exchange equipment and reduces the refrigeration and fractional distillation load required to manage that material.

Abstract: Methods of collecting, thawing, and extending the useful polarized life of frozen polarized gases include heating a portion of the flow path and/or directly liquefying the frozen gas during thawing. A polarized noble gas product with an extended polarized life product is also included. Associated apparatus such as an accumulator and heating jacket for collecting, storing, and transporting polarized noble gases include a secondary flow channel which provides heat to a portion of the collection path during accumulation and during thawing.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for recovering xenon or a mixture of xenon and krypton from air processed in a cryogenic air separation plant. An oxygen rich stream containing xenon and or krypton and xenon together with other trace impurities is subjected to a carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide removal step followed by concentration of xenon and or a mixture of krypton and xenon in a liquid fraction separated from an oxygen enriched vapor and vaporizing and recovering a xenon and or krypton and xenon mixture enriched vapor.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for separating a component from a gaseous mixture, in particular for separating xenon from the breathing gas exhaled by an anaesthetized patient. The disclosed process has the following steps: the gaseous mixture is brought into contact with a cooling surface at a temperature below the melting point of the components to be separated, the proportion of the gaseous mixture which is not condensed on the cooling surface in a solid state is carried away, and the component condensed on the cooling surface is heated above the melting point of the component to be separated. Also disclosed are a device for carrying out this process, a corresponding process for recovering anaesthetic gas and an associated anaesthetic equipment.

Abstract: A reservoir is filled under pressure with a gas, by introducing a quantity of a gas into an intermediate receptacle (3), liquefying this quantity of gas, upon its introduction into the intermediate receptacle, by heat exchange with a refrigerant fluid, reheating and vaporizing this quantity of gas in the intermediate receptacle by thermal contact with a heat source (15), and placing in fluid communication the intermediate receptacle and the reservoir (2) when the pressure in the intermediate receptacle becomes greater than the pressure in the reservoir.

Abstract: Spin-polarized xenon gas is provided in medical-grade purity for use as a contrast medium in MRI studies by use of collision-induced transfer of spin energy to the xenon gas from laser-pumped spin-polarized Rb gas. The Rb gas is provided by thermally vaporizing solid Rb at low pressure in a container having an inside surface coated with a siliconizing agent and exposed to the Rb gas. The combined xenon and Rb gases are separated after transfer of the spin energy in order to provide a sufficient purity of the xenon gas by use of a cryogenic separation process. The Rb gas is removed from the xenon gas and is returned cryogenically to a solid stated to an acceptable level of purity for the xenon gas. The gas may be analyzed optically to measure the remaining Rb concentration.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe is disclosed. The method and apparatus of the invention enable the continuous or episodic accumulation of flowing hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe in frozen form. The method also permits the accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe to the substantial exclusion of other gases, thereby enabling the purification of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe. The invention further includes .sup.129 Xe accumulation means which is integrated with .sup.129 Xe hyperpolarization means in a continuous or pulsed flow arrangement. The method and apparatus enable large scale production, storage, and usage of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe for numerous purposes, including imaging of human and animal subjects through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe is disclosed. The method and apparatus of the invention enable the continuous or episodic accumulation of flowing hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe in frozen form. The method also permits the accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe to the substantial exclusion of other gases, thereby enabling the purification of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe. The invention further includes .sup.129 Xe accumulation means which is integrated with .sup.129 Xe hyper polarization means in a continuous or pulsed flow arrangement. The method and apparatus enable large scale production, storage, and usage of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe for numerous purposes, including imaging of human and animal subjects through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for hyperpolarization of flowing noble gases is disclosed, including means for hyperpolarization of noble gases in a continuous flow arrangement. Noble gases such as xenon-129 and helium-3 can be hyperpolarized using the disclosed method and apparatus. Preferably, the noble gas is hyperpolarized via spin exchange between atoms of the noble gas and an alkali metal such as rubidium. Also, a method and apparatus for accumulation and/or storage of hyperpolarized noble gases in a continuous flow arrangement is provided. The method and apparatus enable large scale production, storage, and usage of hyperpolarized noble gases for numerous purposes, including imaging of human and animal subjects through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.