PRODUCTION OF ULTRA-HIGH PURITY OXYGEN FROM CRYOGENIC AIR SEPARATION PLANTS

摘要

The present invention relates to an improvement for the production of ultra-high purity oxygen from cryogenic air separation processes which produce nitrogen and/or commmerical purity oxygen products. In particular, the improvement comprises removing or producing an oxygen-containing but heavy comtaminants-lean (free) stream from one of the distillation columns of a single or multiple column cryogenic air separation facility and further stripping the removed or produced oxygen-containing stream in a fractionator to produce ultra-high purity oxygen (i.e. contaiminants concentration <10 vppm).