Argon Purification via Rectification and Catalytic Pre-treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for recycling and purifying argon in industrial processes are inefficient, leading to contamination and wastage, especially during argon shortage situations, and require high energy consumption and complex steps.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a rectification process with a single rectification column, compression, heat exchange, and condensation, where impure argon is processed to produce pure argon by separating volatile components, and using a circulation stream to reduce residual carbon monoxide content, potentially including catalytic conversion of oxygen with hydrogen and adsorptive cleaning to remove unwanted components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If cryogenic separation is used to purify argon, then argon purity is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing catalytic oxidation to convert oxygen-containing impurities into water and carbon dioxide before the cryogenic separation step. This pre-treatment reduces the burden on the rectification column, allowing it to focus on separating the converted impurities along with nitrogen and other gases, thereby achieving high purity argon while reducing the energy consumption of the cryogenic process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts harmful oxygen-containing impurities into beneficial forms through catalytic oxidation. By converting oxygen into water and carbon dioxide, these impurities become easier to remove in subsequent steps, as they condense at higher temperatures and can be separated more efficiently in the rectification column, turning a problematic impurity into an advantage.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple purification steps are used to remove impurities, then argon purity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple purification functions into a single integrated rectification column. The column is designed to simultaneously separate nitrogen, water, carbon dioxide, and other impurities that were converted during the catalytic oxidation step. This consolidation reduces the number of separate purification units needed while maintaining high argon purity, thereby simplifying the overall device complexity.
3Loss of substance
If argon is recycled from industrial processes, then argon wastage is reduced, but contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing catalytic oxidation as a pre-treatment step for recycled argon. This converts oxygen-containing impurities in the recycled gas into water and carbon dioxide before the gas enters the rectification column, making the subsequent separation process more effective and enabling high-purity argon recovery from contaminated sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of oxygen-containing impurities in recycled argon into a benefit. By catalytically oxidizing these impurities, the process transforms them into condensable substances (water and carbon dioxide) that can be efficiently removed in the rectification column, thereby enabling effective purification of recycled argon and reducing wastage.
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 method effectively recycles and purifies argon, reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs, while maintaining high argon purity and minimizing residual impurities, thus addressing the inefficiencies of existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
processing comprises compression, heat exchange and rectification in a rectification column having a bottom evaporator and a top condenser
Implementation Method 2
The impure argon or a portion thereof is subjected to compression, cooling, heat exchange with other material streams and at least partial condensation in the bottom evaporator
Implementation Method 3
A second portion of the impure argon condensate is subjected to evaporation in the top condenser
Implementation Method 4
The circulation stream is subjected to at least a portion of compression together with the impure argon discharged from the process step or the portion thereof subjected to compression
Implementation Method 5
potentially including catalytic conversion of oxygen with hydrogen and adsorptive cleaning to remove unwanted components
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for conducting an industrial process (100), in which impure argon is discharged from a process step (10), in which the impure argon or part thereof is processed (20) so as to result in pure argon, and in which the pure argon or part thereof is fed back to the process step (10), wherein the processing (20) comprises a compression (21), a heat exchange (22) and a rectification (23) in a rectification column (24) column having a reboiler (25) and a tops condenser (26), the impure argon discharged from process step (10), or part thereof, is subjected to the compression (21), to the heat exchange (22) with cooling, and to at least partial condensation in the reboiler (25) to obtain an impure argon condensate, a first part of the impure argon condensate being fed into the rectification column (24) in condensed form, and a second part of the impure argon condensate being subjected to evaporation in the tops condenser (26), and the evaporated second portion of the impure argon condensate, or part thereof, being fed back to the rectification (23) as circulation stream. What is envisaged within the scope of the invention is that the circulation stream at least in part is subjected to the compression (21) together with the impure argon discharged from process step (10) or together with the part thereof that has been subjected to the compression (21). The pure argon is provided using a bottom product that is formed in the rectification (23), wherein, after removal and prior to heating, the bottom product that is formed in the rectification (23) or part thereof is subjected to heating in the heat exchange (22), and the bottom product formed in the rectification (23) or part thereof which has been subjected to heating in the heat exchange (22) is subjected to evaporation in the tops condenser (26). The present invention also relates to a corresponding plant.