CRYOGENIC AIR SEPARATION PROCESS USING MULTICOMPONENT REFRIGERANT

摘要

PURPOSE: Cryogenic air separation process using multicomponent refrigerant is provided which can manufacture both liquefied nitrogen and nitrogen gas and where the quantity of used energy is less than that in a known method. CONSTITUTION: Feed air(60) is compressed by a passage through compressor 30 to a pressure generally within the range of from 40 to 200 pounds per square inch absolute(psia). Resulting compressed feed air 61 is cooled of the heat of compression in aftercooler(31) and resulting feed air stream(62) is cleaned of high boiling impurities such as water vapor, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons by passage through purifier(32). Purified feed air stream(63) is then cooled by passage through main heat exchanger 1 to produce cooled feed air stream(64).