Method and apparatus for improving start-up for an air separation apparatus

Pending Publication Date: 2022-06-23
LAIR LIQUIDE SA POUR LETUDE & LEXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE
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  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

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Benefits of technology

[0006]The present invention is directed to a device and a method that satisfies at least one of these needs. An objective of the curr

Problems solved by technology

However, use of liquid nitrogen, which is at very low temperatures can cause

Method used

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  • Method and apparatus for improving start-up for an air separation apparatus
  • Method and apparatus for improving start-up for an air separation apparatus

Examples

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Example

[0020]FIG. 1 provides a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention outlining how an ASU can operate in both its steady state operational mode, as well as its cooling down (start-up) mode.

[0021]An air stream 2 is first compressed in a main air compressor 10 and purified of carbon dioxide and water in a front-end purification unit 30. The purified and compressed air 32 is then split into two streams, with one stream 36 being further compressed in a second air compressor 60, while the second stream 34, which is at 6 bara in this example, is sent to the cold box and cooled in a heat exchanger 40, before being sent to the system of distillation columns 50 as stream 42.

[0022]The further compressed air stream 36 can then be further split into a first fraction 62 and a second fraction 64. The first fraction 62, which is at 45 bara in this example, is sent to the cold box and partially cooled in a higher pressure heat exchanger, before being expanded in a turbine 80 a...

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PUM

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Abstract

A method for operating an air separation unit having both a startup phase and a steady-state operating phase is provided. The method can include the steps of: introducing a plurality of air streams into a cold box, wherein each stream is cooled in a heat exchanger and then sent to a system of distillation columns for separation therein by cryogenic distillation; producing a plurality of air gas streams from the system of distillation columns and warming said plurality of air gas streams in the heat exchanger; determining whether each stream of the plurality of air streams is a net cold producing stream or net cold consuming streams; and adjusting a flow rate of each stream of the plurality of air streams during the startup phase such that each stream that is a net cold producing stream has a higher flow rate during the startup phase as compared to the steady-state operating phase, and wherein each stream that is a net cold consuming stream has a lower flow rate during the startup phase as compared to the steady-state operating phase.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention generally relates to a method for shortening the cool down process for an air separation unit (ASU).BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]A typical ASU may include use of 1) Main Air Compression (MAC) to medium pressure ˜6 bar, 2) purification unit, 3) Booster Air Compression (BAC) to high pressure ˜50-60 bar, 4) main heat exchanger, and 5) medium pressure, low pressure and argon distillation columns for the production of oxygen, nitrogen, and argon.[0003]During normal operation of the ASU, it is common to feed the cold box multiple air streams at various flow rates, pressures and temperatures. These process conditions are optimized based on the overall design and in an effort to produce particular product fluid mixes at specific pressures, temperatures, and concentrations.[0004]Prior to running at normal operation, the ASU must first undergo a startup operation in which the equipment within the cold box is cooled down to process temperatures th...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): F25J3/04
CPCF25J3/04078F25J3/04412F25J3/04818F25J3/04393F25J3/0409
Inventor KONG, PAULYIP, MAY YEE WENDY
Owner LAIR LIQUIDE SA POUR LETUDE & LEXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE
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