System and method for cryogenic air separation using a booster loaded liquid turbine for expansion of a liquid air stream

Abstract

A system and method for cryogenic air separation arrangement having a booster loaded liquid turbine for expansion of a liquid air stream or other fluid having liquid-like densities is provided. The disclosed booster loaded liquid turbines are relatively small to provide an aerodynamic and speed match between the turbine and the coupled gas compressor. The coupled gas compressor is a supplemental booster compressor and may be a dedicated warm booster compressor or alternatively a cold booster compressor.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 63 / 020,045 filed May 5, 2020 the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to a system and method of cryogenic air separation, and more particularly to cryogenic air separation that employs the use of a booster-loaded liquid turbine for the expansion of a liquid air stream and the associated recovery of work therefrom.BACKGROUND[0003]Liquid turbines or dense phase turbines are currently used in high pressure air separation units to extract work from the liquid air stream or supercritical air stream that has been condensed against boiling product oxygen or against some product nitrogen from the air separation unit. This air stream is typically compressed to elevated pressures in order to effectively boil the product(s) but is subsequently expanded prior to introduction to the distillat...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is an air separation unit and method that produces oxygen enriched and nitrogen enriched streams. The unit includes a main air compression system, pre-purification unit, primary and supplemental booster compressors, and a main heat exchanger. The air separation method involves compressing the incoming air stream, pre-purifying it, further compressing it, cooling it, expanding it, and separating it into oxygen enriched and nitrogen enriched streams in a distillation column system. The technical effects of this invention include high efficiency in air separation and production of high-quality oxygen and nitrogen enriched streams.

Problems solved by technology

When used, such liquid turbines or dense phase turbines generally improve the performance of the air separation unit but involve additional capital costs for the liquid turbine, generator, and associated controls.

This inherent aerodynamic and speed mismatch will tend to result in lower efficiencies, and in some cases perhaps even the inability to design a viable turbine-booster pairing.

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