Apparatus for liquefying a gaseous mixture or for separating a gaseous mixture by cryogenic distillation

Abstract

Title: Apparatus for liquefying a gas mixture or for separating a gas mixture by cryogenic distillation An apparatus for separating a gas mixture by cryogenic distillation comprises equipment having an operating temperature below 0°C for separating the gas mixture, a thermally insulated enclosure (E) containing at least part of the equipment, at least three elongated supports (S), attached to the enclosure, to allow the enclosure to rest on the ground through the at least three supports, and a cabinet (A) containing a programmable controller for regulating the operation of the apparatus embedded in a hollow of at least one of the supports. Abstract figure: FIG.2

Description

Title of the invention: Apparatus for liquefying a gaseous mixture or for separating a gaseous mixture by cryogenic distillation

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for liquefying a gaseous mixture or for separating a gaseous mixture by cryogenic distillation.

[0002] Cryogenic distillation apparatuses generally comprise a thermally insulated enclosure containing at least one distillation column and at least one heat exchanger for separating a gaseous mixture cooled to low temperature. Similarly, liquefaction apparatuses producing at least one cryogenic liquid, by liquefying a gaseous mixture comprise an enclosure of the same type containing at least one heat exchanger and at least one turbine for producing the frigories necessary for liquefaction. It will be understood that the term "gaseous mixture" applies to gases containing a tiny quantity of impurities.

[0003] Modern distillation apparatuses comprise a cabinet containing at least one measuring equipment and / or at least one regulating equipment and / or at least one equipment connected to an electrical cable. The at least one measuring equipment and / or the at least one regulating equipment may be connected to an electrical cable.

[0004] The transmitters of indicative signals, for example pressure or temperature, can be installed directly on the cold box, forming the isolated enclosure, with a cable that goes from the transmitter to the cabinet. The transmitter is instead connected with the industrial process, either outside the cold box (typically an external pipe) or in the cold box (typically an internal pipe).

[0005] It is known from CN213631182U to arrange an electrical cabinet comprising a programmable controller on the wall of the insulated enclosure.

[0006] It is an object of the invention to integrate this cabinet, which preferably contains all the instruments and equipment operating with electricity, into a thermally insulated enclosure of a gas liquefier or a cryogenic separation unit, typically an air separation device, without hindering the accessibility of these instruments or electrical equipment arranged in the lower part of the enclosure or below the enclosure, or even by improving it and without increasing the transport gauge.

[0007] The invention consists of placing the cabinet on one of the supports of the thermally insulated enclosure connecting the enclosure to the ground or to a horizontal flat surface. It is thus possible to electrically connect all the instruments and equipment using electricity to the cabinet in the workshop before transport without hindering accessibility and without increasing the transport gauge.

[0008] According to usual practice, the cabinet is installed during factory installation, at side of the thermally insulated enclosure. All wiring must be carried out on site.

[0009] In a thermally insulated enclosure of a cryogenic separation unit, typically an air separation apparatus or a liquefier and in particular a cylindrical enclosure thermally insulated by means of vacuum perlite, at least one measuring device and / or at least one regulating device and / or at least one equipment requiring an electrical power supply is arranged in a cabinet embedded in a support of the enclosure. The cabinet can contain all the measuring and / or regulating instruments. It can contain, for example, instruments for measuring and / or regulating level, pressure, temperature or pressure difference. It can contain, for example, equipment requiring an electrical power supply, such as electric valves, solenoid valves, pneumatic valves, at least one turbine, at least one pump, a defrost heater.

[0010] The cabinet preferably contains a programmable industrial controller, or APL. A programmable industrial controller is a programmable digital electronic device intended for controlling the liquefaction or separation apparatus by sequential processing. It sends orders to pre-actuators (operating part or PO on the actuator side) from input data (sensors) (control part or PC on the sensor side), instructions and a computer program.

[0011] The automaton can perform a safety function.

[0012] The automaton may comprise a processor and a power supply.

[0013] The automaton may comprise at least one of the following elements: • at least one digital input card to connect at least one sensor and / or at least one button. • at least one digital output card to connect at least one actuator and / or at least one valve and / or at least one indicator light. • at least one human-machine dialogue module, such as a console • at least one communication module to communicate with at least one another automaton.

[0014] The cabinet preferably contains only equipment operating at room temperature, so that it does not need to be thermally insulated.

[0015] The cabinet preferably contains all the measuring and / or regulating instruments of the device.

[0016] The cabinet can sometimes contain all the valves of the device.

[0017] The cabinet is placed in the lower part of the apparatus to allow accessibility from the ground, without the installation of a walkway or ladder. It can be at the same level as the bottom of the enclosure or below the enclosure. Efforts are made to use all the available area to facilitate the maintenance of the instruments and equipment.

[0018] The supports are generally H-shaped irons welded onto the shell of the cold box. The invention consists of choosing the dimensions of the cabinet A so as to reduce its width (and therefore increase its height) in order to be able to embed it in the H-shaped iron, by fixing it onto the core of the H-shaped iron. Placed in this way, it does not hinder accessibility and does not increase (or very little) the transport gauge.

[0019] Cabinet A thus fixed is wired in the workshop before transport to the various instruments and electrical equipment of the cold box.

[0020] According to an object of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for liquefying a gas mixture or for separating a gas mixture by cryogenic distillation comprising equipment having an operating temperature below 0°C for separating and / or liquefying the gas mixture, a thermally insulated enclosure containing at least part of the equipment, at least three elongated supports, attached to the enclosure, to allow the enclosure to rest on the ground or a horizontal flat surface through the at least three supports, and a cabinet containing at least one measuring equipment of the apparatus and / or at least one regulating equipment of the apparatus and / or at least one equipment of the apparatus connected to an electric cable and / or a programmable controller for regulating the operation of the apparatus characterized in that at least one of the supports comprises a hollow in which the cabinet is embedded.

[0021] According to other optional aspects of the invention: • the cabinet is arranged so that it is no more than 2m from the floor or flat surface when the appliance is installed on the floor or horizontal flat surface. • the support has an H, I or U section, the hollow being formed in the section of the support. • the enclosure is cylindrical and thermally insulated using vacuum perlite. • the cabinet contains at least one level measuring instrument and / or at least one pressure measuring instrument and / or at least one temperature measuring instrument and / or at least one pressure difference measuring instrument. • the cabinet contains at least one level control instrument and / or at least one pressure control instrument and / or at least one temperature control instrument and / or at least one pressure difference control instrument. • the cabinet contains at least one piece of equipment which is at least one electric valve and / or at least one solenoid valve and / or at least one pneumatic valve and / or at least one turbine and / or at least one pump and / or minus a defrost heater. • at least one instrument and / or at least one piece of equipment is connected to an electric cable. • the cabinet contains an industrial programmable controller. • the automaton includes a processor to regulate the operation of the device and a power supply. • the automaton includes at least one of the following elements: • at least one digital input card to connect at least one sensor and / or at least one button. • at least one digital output card to connect at least one actuator and / or at least one valve and / or at least one indicator light. • at least one human-machine dialogue module, such as a console • at least one communication module to communicate with at least one another automaton. • the cabinet contains only equipment or instruments designed to operate at room temperature. • the ratio between the width and the length of the cabinet is greater than 2, or even 3, the width being parallel to a core of the support. • the ratio between the depth and the length of the cabinet is greater than 2, or even 3, the depth being perpendicular to a core of the support. • the cabinet is fixed against a core of the support.

[0022] According to another object of the invention, there is provided a method of transporting an enclosure intended to be part of an apparatus as described above in which the cabinet is embedded in the hollow of the support fixed to the enclosure and connected to at least one electrical cable to supply equipment which it contains at a first site and the enclosure is transported from the first site to a second site where the enclosure is to be installed.

[0023] The invention will be described in detail with reference to the figures where:

[0024] [Fig-1] represents an apparatus according to the invention seen from the side,

[0025] [Fig.2] represents an apparatus according to the invention seen from above,

[0026] [Fig.3] represents an apparatus according to the invention seen during transport,

[0027] [Fig.4] represents a support of an apparatus according to the invention, in cross-sectional view.

[0028] [Fig.l] represents an apparatus according to the invention seen from the side. The apparatus may be an apparatus for liquefying a gas mixture, for example nitrogen or an apparatus for separating a gas mixture by cryogenic distillation, for example an air separation apparatus.

[0029] If the device is a liquefier, it includes equipment having a temperature operating temperature below 0°C to separate and / or liquefy the gas mixture, for example a heat exchanger and at least one expansion turbine.

[0030] If the apparatus is a separation apparatus, it comprises equipment having an operating temperature below 0°C for separating the gas mixture, for example at least one heat exchanger, at least one phase separator, at least one distillation column.

[0031] In both cases, the apparatus comprises a thermally insulated enclosure containing at least a portion of the equipment, the enclosure resting on the ground or a flat surface through at least three elongated supports, attached to the enclosure, for example by welding. The supports may be attached to the enclosure by welding or any other suitable means.

[0032] The enclosure may be in the shape of a parallelepiped or a cylinder. It may contain a particulate thermal insulator, for example perlite, which may be drawn under vacuum.

[0033] The apparatus comprises a cabinet containing at least one level measuring instrument and / or at least one pressure measuring instrument and / or at least one temperature measuring instrument and / or at least one pressure difference measuring instrument.

[0034] Additionally or alternatively, the cabinet may contain at least one level control instrument and / or at least one pressure control instrument and / or at least one temperature control instrument and / or at least one pressure difference control instrument.

[0035] Additionally or alternatively, the cabinet may contain a programmable logic controller (PLC). This includes a processor and a power supply.

[0036] The automaton may comprise at least one of the following elements: • at least one digital input card to connect at least one sensor and / or at least one button. • at least one digital output card to connect at least one actuator and / or at least one valve and / or at least one indicator light. • at least one human-machine dialogue module, such as a console. • at least one communication module to communicate with at least one another automaton.

[0037] Additionally or alternatively, the cabinet may contain at least one piece of equipment which is at least one electric valve and / or at least one solenoid valve and / or at least one pneumatic valve and / or at least one turbine and / or at least one pump and / or at least one defrost heater.

[0038] Additionally or alternatively, the cabinet may contain at least one piece of electrical equipment, for example at least one of the following: • at least one transformer, • at least one circuit breaker, • at least one disconnector, • at least one switch, • at least one indicator light, • at least one flashing light, • at least one emergency stop button, • at least one electrical terminal block, • at least one measuring instrument and / or at least one regulating instrument located in the cabinet can be connected to an electric cable.

[0039] The shape of the cabinet is chosen to be sufficiently elongated so that it can fit into a hollow in one of the supports.

[0040] [Fig. 1] shows one of four supports S which has an H, I or U-shaped section. The cabinet A has a height equal to between one-quarter and three-quarters of the length of the elongated support S, which is arranged vertically resting on the ground or a horizontal plane surface, directly or through a sole (for example a horizontal plate) welded to the support S, the sole being in connection with the anchors in the ground or the horizontal plane surface.

[0041] The support S has an H, I or U-shaped section, comprising a central core which is flat and arranged in the vertical direction when the device is installed. The core has two ends, each connected to one of two identical soles.

[0042] Cabinet A is dimensioned to be embedded in the H-shaped section of support S, so that one face of the cabinet, in the shape of a parallelepiped, is placed against the face of the web of support S, the web touching each of the two flanges. In this way, cabinet A is surrounded on three sides by support S. Since the cabinet is deeper in the horizontal direction than half the width of the flanges, the cabinet lies partly outside the hollow formed in support S, as seen in [Fig. 2],

[0043] Preferably the cabinet is fixed against the core and / or at least one of the soles of the support S. The cabinet A may be made of a material which can be compressed or deformed. In this way, the cabinet A is in contact with the core and / or at least one of the soles.

[0044] [Fig.3] shows the apparatus in position to be transported with the enclosure E preferably inside a transport case T, for example a container or a wooden case, for example of the maritime type.

[0045] The enclosure E is already provided with the cabinet A fixed to the support S in the workshop and preferably electrically connected so that the at least one piece of equipment and / or instrument that it contains can be powered by electricity while the enclosure is is still in the workshop and can therefore be tested on site. The transport crate T is arranged so that the cabinet A, protruding beyond the support, is located in a corner of the parallelepiped-shaped crate.

[0046] The enclosure E is therefore transported in the box T from a first location, after installation of the cabinet A, to a second location where the box T is removed and the enclosure E is installed.

[0047] [Fig.4] shows a support S seen in cross section.

[0048] The support is constituted by a metal beam, the one illustrated being of the HEB type commonly used in the field. The beam S comprises a web 6 and two flanges 8, the web 6 being perpendicular to each of the two flanges 8 and the two flanges being parallel to each other.

[0049] The main beams that can be used according to the invention are of the H, I or U-shaped type, for example of the type: HEA, HEB, IPN, IPE, IPN, UAP. The shape of the beam is designated by the first letter of its name: • H: H-shaped beam.

[0050] The HEA sections are approximately inscribed in a rectangle (flange of width substantially greater than the height of the profile). The HEB sections, illustrated in [Fig.4], have a web and a flange of equal dimensions. For these two beams, all the angles are preferably sharp, with the exception of the re-entrant angles. • 1: beam in the shape of 1.

[0051] The beams 1 have a flange width equal to approximately half the height of the profile. The flanges of the IPN profiles are of variable thickness (non-parallel edges), those of the IPE are parallel. This variant of type I beam is illustrated in figures 2 and 3 for the S supports.

[0052] All these beams are designated by their height. For example, an IPN 120 beam has a profile height of 120 mm.

[0053] As illustrated in [Fig.4], the support S has two soles 8, each of width W and thickness tf. The core 6 has a length H and a thickness tw. Thus, by choosing the cabinet A with a width equal to H -2tf, it is possible to embed the cabinet A between the two soles 8, preferably with one face of the cabinet fixed to the core 6 of the support S. Depending on the materials used, it may be possible to choose the width of the cabinet A slightly greater than H -2tf, even if it means deforming it a little by embedding it in the hollow of the support S. Otherwise, the width of the cabinet A may also be less than H -2tf.

[0054] The length of the cabinet is chosen to be shorter than that of the support and large enough to contain all the necessary equipment.

[0055] The depth of cabinet A may be less than or equal to 0.5 times (W-tw) so that cabinet A does not extend beyond the volume of the support. Otherwise cabinet A may be of a depth greater than 0.5 times (W-tw), preferably less than (W-tw), so as not to unnecessarily increase the size of the enclosure, once the cabinet is in place.

[0056] The edges of the cabinet A can be rounded, to facilitate embedding, the connection region between the core and the soles being rounded.

[0057] The dimensions of the supports are standardized, these being given in tables [TAB.l] and [TAB.2].

[0058] [TAB.l] HEB Height H Width W Core thickness tw 100 100 100 6 120 120 120 6.5 140 140 140 7 160 160 160 8 180 180 180 8.5 200 200 200 9 220 220 220 9.5 240 240 240 10 260 260 260 10 280 280 280 10.5 300 300 300 11 320 320 300 11.5 340 340 300 12 360 360 300 12.5 400 400 300 13.5 450 450 300 14 500 500 300 14.5 550 550 300 15 600 600 300 15.5 650 650 300 16 700 700 300 17 800 800 300 17.5 900 900 300 18.5 1000 1000 300 19

[0059] [TAB.2]. HEB Sole thickness tf 100 10 120 11 140 12 160 13 180 14 200 15 220 16 240 17 260 17.5 280 18 300 19 320 20.5 340 21.5 360 22.5 400 24 450 26 500 28 550 29 600 30 650 31 700 32 800 33 900 35 1000 36

[0060] The width of the cabinet is preferably equal to or less than 470mm in order to allow it to be fitted into a HEA500 or HEB500 type support.

Claims

Claims

1. Apparatus for liquefying a gas mixture or for separating a gas mixture by cryogenic distillation comprising equipment having an operating temperature below 0°C for separating and / or liquefying the gas mixture, a thermally insulated enclosure (E) containing at least part of the equipment, at least three elongated supports (S), attached to the enclosure, to allow the enclosure to rest on the ground or a horizontal flat surface through the at least three supports, and a cabinet (A) containing at least one measuring equipment of the apparatus and / or at least one regulating equipment of the apparatus and / or at least one equipment of the apparatus connected to an electric cable and / or a programmable controller for regulating the operation of the apparatus, characterized in that at least one of the supports comprises a hollow in which the cabinet is embedded.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cabinet (A) is arranged so that it is at most 2m from the floor or flat surface when the apparatus is installed on the floor or horizontal flat surface.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the support (S) has an H, I or U section, the hollow being formed in the section of the support.

4. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims in which the enclosure (E) is cylindrical and thermally insulated by means of vacuum perlite.

5. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims wherein the cabinet (A) contains at least one level measuring instrument and / or at least one pressure measuring instrument and / or at least one temperature measuring instrument and / or at least one pressure difference measuring instrument.

6. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims wherein the cabinet (A) contains at least one level regulating instrument and / or at least one pressure regulating instrument and / or at least one temperature regulating instrument and / or at least one pressure difference regulating instrument.

7. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims wherein the cabinet (A) contains at least one equipment which is at least one electric valve and / or at least one solenoid valve and / or at least one pneumatic valve and / or at least one turbine and / or at least one pump and / or at least one defrost heater.

8. Apparatus according to one of claims 5, 6 or 7 in which at least one instrument and / or at least one piece of equipment is connected to an electric cable.

9. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims in which the cabinet (A) contains an industrial programmable controller.

10. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims in which the cabinet (A) contains only equipment or instruments designed to operate at room temperature.

11. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims in which the ratio between the width and the length of the cabinet (A) is greater than 2, or even 3, the width being parallel to a core of the support (S).

12. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims in which the cabinet (A) is fixed against a core of the support (S).

13. Method of transporting an enclosure intended to be part of an apparatus according to one of the preceding claims in which the cabinet (A) is embedded in the hollow of the support (S) fixed to the enclosure (E) and connected to at least one electric cable to power equipment which it contains at a first site and the enclosure is transported from the first site to a second site where the enclosure is to be installed.

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