| 摘要 |
An air separation process for the production of purified oxygen 9 from air 1 comprises: using a distillation column 104 to separate an incoming process stream 5; 211, 229 into a nitrogen stream 10 and an oxygen rich stream 6; 406. The distillation column 104 is at low pressure or at substantially ambient pressure. The process uses compression and cooling to provide a cold process stream 22, 23; 22, 23, 30, 31; 207, 208; 22, 23, 722, 723; 22, 23, 30, 31, 630, 631 for generating reflux 26; 35; 216; 26, 726 for the distillation column 104. Only a part of or none of the input process air 1 is compressed before distillation, with the remainder of the input process air 5; 229 being supplied to the distillation column 104 at low pressure or substantially ambient pressure. At least some of a nitrogen stream 10 produced by the distillation column 104 is rejected at substantially ambient pressure and temperature after heat exchange and without significant expansion or compression. During the air separation process a portion of the nitrogen in the incoming process air 1 that is not necessary for the production of oxygen of the desired purity does not undergo any significant compression. |
