Argon enhancing method and device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air separation plants often vent excess gaseous oxygen into the atmosphere during periods of reduced oxygen demand, resulting in energy loss, as they lack an efficient method to utilize surplus oxygen production.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a mixing column with a concentric open cylindrical shape surrounding a pure nitrogen column, which allows for the use of surplus liquid oxygen to produce additional reflux for the low-pressure column, enabling the production of argon and optimizing the air separation process by utilizing the surplus oxygen in conjunction with waste nitrogen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If surplus gaseous oxygen is vented into the atmosphere in conventional distillation installations, then the system maintains simple operation and design, but energy is lost and oxygen production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the surplus oxygen stream with the waste nitrogen stream from the low-pressure column overhead, merging two previously separate streams into a single feed for the argon extraction column. This integration eliminates the need for separate handling of surplus oxygen while improving energy efficiency by utilizing what would otherwise be wasted materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The argon extraction column serves multiple functions: it extracts argon from the combined oxygen-nitrogen stream, produces additional oxygen product from the surplus, and handles waste nitrogen disposal. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the system capable of handling surplus oxygen productively rather than simply venting it.
2Productivity
If an auxiliary column is added to utilize surplus oxygen as described in patent 2550325, then oxygen production efficiency improves, but device complexity and capital expenditure increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding a separate auxiliary column as in patent 2550325, this invention merges the surplus oxygen stream directly with the waste nitrogen stream and feeds them to the existing argon extraction column. This approach achieves similar productivity improvements without adding the complexity of an additional full distillation column.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing argon extraction column is made multi-functional by having it process both argon extraction and surplus oxygen utilization simultaneously. This eliminates the need for dedicated auxiliary equipment while maintaining improved oxygen production efficiency.
3Ease of manufacture
If a concentric column configuration is used with pure nitrogen column inside mixing column, then capital expenditure is reduced and space is optimized, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a concentric column configuration where the pure nitrogen column is positioned inside the mixing column. This nesting arrangement reduces the overall footprint and capital expenditure by utilizing vertical space more efficiently, while the modular design maintains ease of manufacturing and installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a horizontal arrangement of separate columns to a vertical concentric configuration, utilizing the vertical dimension to reduce space requirements. This dimensional change optimizes plant layout and reduces capital expenditure without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for the efficient utilization of surplus oxygen, reducing energy waste and enhancing argon production by integrating the surplus oxygen with waste nitrogen, thereby optimizing the air separation process and reducing capital expenditure.
Implementation Method 1
a countercurrent mass transfer between a liquid oxygen stream introduced into the mixing column and a nitrogen vapor stream taken from the overhead of the low-pressure column
Implementation Method 2
double column air distillation plants typically include a medium-pressure distillation column operating at about 6 bars, a low-pressure distillation column operating slightly above atmospheric pressure
Data Source
AI summary
An air separation apparatus is provided, including an air separation unit including a low-pressure column, a mixing column, and a pure nitrogen column, wherein the low-pressure column has a first nominal diameter, the pure nitrogen column has a second nominal diameter which is smaller than the first nominal diameter, wherein the mixing column has an open cylindrical shape, with the inner diameter nominally greater than the second nominal diameter, with the pure nitrogen column located within the mixing column interior.