HIGH PRESSURE NITROGEN PRODUCTION CRYOGENIC PROCESS

摘要

The present invention is a cryogenic process to produce medium to high pressure gaseous nitrogen without the use of a nitrogen product compressor. The process is an improvement to a conventional nitrogen generator with waste expander. The present invention reboils crude liquid oxygen from the main distillation column in two stages at different pressures and uses a small number of trays above one of the reboilers. The use of the trays above one of the reboilers allows collection of a pressurized stream with a composition similar to air. This pressurized stream is recycled to an intermediate stage of the main air compressor.