FEED COMPRESSION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AIR SEPARATION PROCESS

摘要

A method and apparatus for separating air to produce a gaseous oxygen product in which the air is separated in an air separation plant to conduct a cryogenic rectification process that utilizes higher and lower pressure compressed air streams. The higher and lower pressure compressed air streams are generated in two multistage compressors linked together so that the lower pressure compressed air stream is produced from intermediate stages and the higher pressure compressed air stream is produced from higher pressure compression stages. During turn-down operational conditions, one of the two multistage compressors can be shut down to decrease the flow of air and therefore, the production of the oxygen product.