Process for maximizing the recovery of argon from an air separation system at high argon recovery rates

摘要

The present invention is a process for maximizing the recovery of argon at high argon recovery rates from an air separation system having a high and low pressure distillation column containing multiple distillation stages of rectification and having a sidearm column for argon recovery. A compositional measurement is made of a process variable at one or more preselected stages of rectification which have been identified as exhibiting high sensitivity to plant process variations. The total nitrogen content in a selected area of the argon sidearm column may then be compensated by simulated mathematical correlation from such compositional measurement.