ADSORBENT REGENERATION METHOD

In a cyclic adsorptive gas purification process, an impurity laden adsorbent is regenerated by exposing it first to an unheated gas for a pre-determined time period to desorb at least some of the impurity, followed by heating the adsorbent using a flowing stream of a heated gas to desorb the remaining impurities over another pre-determined time period, further followed by cooling of the adsorbent using a flowing stream of gas for yet another pre-determined time period to make it ready for repeating the adsorptive cycle. Introducing an unheated purge stream reduces the energy requirements for the regeneration step compared to a traditional TSA process. 1. An energy efficient adsorbent regeneration process comprising:feeding pressurized air for a first pre-determined time period to an adsorber operating at a first pressure to adsorb impurities in feed air onto one or more adsorbents within the adsorber;stopping pressurized air flow to the adsorber and depressurizing the adsorber to a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure;regenerating one or more adsorbents in a first regeneration step by flowing unheated regeneration gas through the adsorber operating at the second pressure for a second pre-determined time period;further regenerating one or more adsorbents in a second regeneration step by flowing heated regeneration gas through the adsorber operating at the second pressure for a third pre-determined time period;cooling the one or more adsorbents by flowing adsorbent cooling gas through the adsorber at the second pressure for a fourth pre-determined time period;stopping the flow of adsorbent cooling gas and repressurizing the adsorber to the first pressure to begin feeding pressurized air.2. The process of wherein the adsorption pressure is from about 30 to about 600 psia.3. The process of wherein the temperature of the unheated regeneration gas of said first regeneration step is within about 20° F. of ambient temperature.41. The process of wherein the ...

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECOVERY OF NEON AND HELIUM FROM AN AIR SEPARATION UNIT

A system and method for neon recovery in a double column or triple column air separation unit is provided. The neon recovery system comprises a non-condensable stripping column configured to produce a liquid nitrogen-rich liquid column bottoms and a non-condensable gas containing overhead and one or more condensing units arranged to produce a crude neon vapor stream that contains greater than about 50% mole fraction of neon with the overall neon recovery exceeding 95%. In addition, there is minimal liquid nitrogen consumption and since much of the liquid nitrogen is recycled back to the lower pressure column of the air separation unit, there is minimal impact on the recovery of other products from the air separation unit. 1. A neon recovery system for an air separation unit , the air separation unit comprising a main air compression system , a pre-purification system , a heat exchanger system , and a rectification column system having a higher pressure column and a lower pressure column linked in a heat transfer relationship via a main condenser-reboiler , the neon recovery system comprising:a non-condensable stripping column configured to receive a portion of a liquid nitrogen condensate stream from the main condenser-reboiler and a stream of nitrogen rich shelf vapor from the higher pressure column, the non-condensable stripping column configured to produce a liquid nitrogen column bottoms and a non-condensable gas containing overhead; anda two-stage reflux condenser-kettle boiler configured to receive the non-condensable gas containing overhead from the non-condensable stripping column, a first condensing medium, and a second condensing medium and configured to produce a condensate that is released into or directed to the non-condensable stripping column, a first stream formed from the partial vaporization of the first condensing medium, a second stream formed from the vaporization or partial vaporization of the second condensing medium, and a neon containing ...

System and method for recovery of non-condensable gases such as neon, helium, xenon, and krypton from an air separation unit

A system and method for recovery of rare gases such as neon, helium, xenon, and krypton in an air separation unit is provided. The rare gas recovery system comprises a non-condensable stripping column linked in a heat transfer relationship with a xenon-krypton column via an auxiliary condenser-reboiler. The non-condensable stripping column produces a rare gas containing overhead that is directed to the auxiliary condenser-reboiler where most of the neon is captured in a non-condensable vent stream that is further processed to produce a crude neon vapor stream that contains greater than about 50% mole fraction of neon with the overall neon recovery exceeding 95%. The xenon-krypton column further receives two streams of liquid oxygen from the lower pressure column and the rare gas containing overhead from the non-condensable stripping column and produces a crude xenon and krypton liquid stream and an oxygen-rich overhead.

REFRIGERATION CYCLE FOR LIQUID OXYGEN DENSIFICATION

Closed-loop refrigeration cycles for liquid oxygen densification are disclosed. The disclosed refrigeration cycles may be turbine-based refrigeration cycles or a Joule-Thompson (JT) expansion valve based refrigeration cycles and include a refrigerant or working fluid comprising a mixture of neon or helium together with nitrogen and/or oxygen. 1. A closed-loop refrigeration system for liquid oxygen densification comprising:a compressor having an inlet and an outlet and configured to receive a working fluid at the inlet and compress the working fluid at a pressure ratio between the inlet and outlet of between about 10 and 25;a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the outlet of the compressor configured to receive the compressed working fluid and cool the compressed working fluid via indirect heat exchange with a gaseous nitrogen stream or a liquid nitrogen stream or both to produce a cold, compressed working fluid;a Joule-Thompson expansion valve in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and configured to expand the cold, compressed working fluid and produce a refrigeration stream of expanded working fluid;an oxygen chiller in fluid communication with the Joule-Thompson expansion valve, the oxygen chiller configured to receive a stream of liquid oxygen and the refrigeration stream from the Joule-Thompson expansion valve, and subcool the stream of liquid oxygen to a temperature less than 66.5 K via indirect heat exchange with the refrigeration stream of expanded working fluid to produce a densified liquid oxygen stream; anda recirculating conduit connecting the oxygen chiller with the heat exchanger and the inlet of the compressor, the recirculating conduit configured to recirculate the warmed refrigeration stream first to the heat exchanger where it further cools the compressed working fluid and then to the inlet of the compressor where the warmed refrigeration stream is compressed as the working fluid.2. The closed-loop refrigeration system of claim 1 , ...

Refrigeration cycle for liquid oxygen densification

Closed-loop refrigeration cycles for liquid oxygen densification are disclosed. The disclosed refrigeration cycles may be turbine-based refrigeration cycles or a Joule-Thompson (JT) expansion valve based refrigeration cycles and include a refrigerant or working fluid comprising a mixture of neon or helium together with nitrogen and/or oxygen.

Cryogenic rectification system for producing dual purity oxygen

A cryogenic rectification system employing a double column and two auxiliary reboilers associated with one or two auxiliary columns wherein both lower purity oxygen and higher purity oxygen is produced.

Adsorbent regeneration method in a combined pressure and temperature swing adsorption process

In a cyclic adsorptive gas purification process, an impurity laden adsorbent is regenerated by exposing it first to an unheated gas for a predetermined time period to desorb at least some of the impurity, followed by heating the adsorbent using a flowing stream of a heated gas to desorb the remaining impurities over another predetermined time period, further followed by cooling of the adsorbent using a flowing stream of gas for yet another predetermined time period to make it ready for repeating the adsorptive cycle. Introducing an unheated purge stream reduces the energy requirements for the regeneration step compared to a traditional TSA process.

System and method for recovery of non-condensable gases such as neon, helium, xenon, and krypton from an air separation unit

A system and method for recovery of rare gases such as neon, helium, xenon, and krypton in an air separation unit is provided. The rare gas recovery system comprises a non-condensable stripping column linked in a heat transfer relationship with a xenon-krypton column via an auxiliary condenser-reboiler. The non-condensable stripping column produces a rare gas containing overhead that is directed to the auxiliary condenser-reboiler where most of the neon is captured in a non-condensable vent stream that is further processed to produce a crude neon vapor stream that contains greater than about 50% mole fraction of neon with the overall neon recovery exceeding 95%. The xenon-krypton column further receives two streams of liquid oxygen from the lower pressure column and the rare gas containing overhead from the non-condensable stripping column and produces a crude xenon and krypton liquid stream and an oxygen-rich overhead.

System and method for recovery of non-condensable gases such as neon, helium, xenon, and krypton from an air separation unit

A system and method for recovery of rare gases such as neon, helium, xenon, and krypton in an air separation unit is provided. The rare gas recovery system comprises a non-condensable stripping column linked in a heat transfer relationship with a xenon-krypton column via an auxiliary condenser-reboiler. The non-condensable stripping column produces a rare gas containing overhead that is directed to the auxiliary condenser-reboiler where most of the neon is captured in a non-condensable vent stream that is further processed to produce a crude neon vapor stream that contains greater than about 50% mole fraction of neon with the overall neon recovery exceeding 95%. The xenon-krypton column further receives two streams of liquid oxygen from the lower pressure column and the rare gas containing overhead from the non-condensable stripping column and produces a crude xenon and krypton liquid stream and an oxygen-rich overhead.

Adsorbent regeneration method

In a cyclic adsorptive gas purification process, an impurity laden adsorbent is regenerated by exposing it first to an unheated gas for a pre-determined time period to desorb at least some of the impurity, followed by heating the adsorbent using a flowing stream of a heated gas to desorb the remaining impurities over another pre-determined time period, further followed by cooling of the adsorbent using a flowing stream of gas for yet another pre-determined time period to make it ready for repeating the adsorptive cycle. Introducing an unheated purge stream reduces the energy requirements for the regeneration step compared to a traditional TSA process.

Refrigeration cycle for liquid oxygen densification

Closed-loop refrigeration cycles for liquid oxygen densification are disclosed. The disclosed refrigeration cycles may be turbine-based refrigeration cycles or a Joule-Thompson (JT) expansion valve based refrigeration cycles and include a refrigerant or working fluid comprising a mixture of neon or helium together with nitrogen and/or oxygen.

Sistema e método para recuperação de gás nobre

são fornecidos um sistema e um método para recuperação de gases não condensáveis como neônio, hélio, xenônio e criptônio a partir de uma unidade de separação de ar. o sistema de recuperação de gases nobres compreende uma coluna de esgotamento de não condensáveis ligada em uma relação de transferência de calor com uma coluna de xenônio-criptônio por meio de um refervedor condensador auxiliar. a coluna de esgotamento de não condensáveis produz um topo de coluna contendo gás nobre que é direcionado ao refervedor condensador auxiliar, onde a maior parte do neônio é capturada em uma corrente de exaustão de não condensáveis que é adicionalmente processada para produzir uma corrente de vapor de neônio bruto que contém mais que cerca de 50% de fração molar de neônio, com o total de recuperação de neônio excedendo 95%. a coluna de xenônio-criptônio recebe adicionalmente duas correntes de oxigênio líquido da coluna de pressão mais baixa e do topo de coluna contendo gás nobre proveniente da coluna de esgotamento de não condensáveis, e produz uma corrente líquida de xenônio e criptônio brutos e um topo de coluna rico em oxigênio.

Sistema e método de recuperação de neônio

É fornecido um sistema e um método para recuperação de neônio em uma unidade de separação de ar de coluna dupla ou de coluna tripla. O sistema de recuperação de neônio compreende uma coluna de esgotamento de não condensáveis configurada para produzir um fundo de coluna líquido rico em nitrogênio líquido e um topo de coluna contendo gás não condensável e uma ou mais unidades de condensação dispostas de modo a produzir uma corrente de vapor de neônio bruto que contém mais que cerca de 50% de fração molar de neônio, com o total de recuperação de neônio excedendo 95%. Além disso, há um mínimo consumo de nitrogênio líquido e, como a maior parte do nitrogênio líquido é reciclada de volta para a coluna de pressão mais baixa da unidade de separação de ar, há um mínimo impacto na recuperação de outros produtos a partir da unidade de separação de ar.

System and method for recovery of neon and other non-condensable gases and of xenon and krypton from an air separation unit

System and method for recovery of neon and helium from an air separation unit

A system and method for neon recovery in a double column or triple column air separation unit is provided. The neon recovery system comprises a non-condensable stripping column configured to produce a liquid nitrogen-rich liquid column bottoms and a non-condensable gas containing overhead and one or more condensing units arranged to produce a crude neon vapor stream that contains greater than about 50% mole fraction of neon with the overall neon recovery exceeding 95%. In addition, there is minimal liquid nitrogen consumption and since much of the liquid nitrogen is recycled back to the lower pressure column of the air separation unit, there is minimal impact on the recovery of other products from the air separation unit.