METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING GAS AS WELL AS METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING GASEOUS AIR

摘要

Gas is compressed upstream or downstream of a gas separation apparatus using fewer, typically one fewer, compression stages (1,2) than the optimum needed for isothermal compression of the required gas flow to the required pressure. Also claimed are: gas separation apparatus having such a compressor; and corresponding method and apparatus for separation of gases from air, where the waste heat produced in the final compression stage is used to heat another gas stream which regenerates a preliminary purification stage.