A method of the shape of a gas mixture in a gas-making plant out of this method and device for

摘要

753,980. Cold separation of gas mixtures. NAAMLOOZE VENNOOTSCHAP PHILIPS' GLOEILAMPENFABRIEKEN. Nov. 4, 1954 [Nov. 7, 1953], No. 31930/54. Class 8(2). In a process for separating a gas mixture e.g. air comprising extracting thermal energy from the head of a rectification column 1 operating at substantially atmospheric pressure by means of a medium e.g. nitrogen, compressing said nitrogen in a compressor 3 passing at least part of it through a coil 7 within the boiler 2 thereby supplying energy to the latter and then expanding said nitrogen at a valve 12 prior to feeding it to the column head, thermal energy is extracted from at least part of said nitrogen by a refrigerator 9 of the reversed hot gas engine type such as is described in Specification 695,857 [Group XIII], located between the compressor 3 and the expansion valve 12. As shown the refrigerated and expanded nitrogen is fed directly into the column to serve as reflux and nitrogen from the column head traverses a duct 20 and a heat exchanger 5 which cools incoming air, and part is bled off through a duct 22 whilst the remainder is forced by the compressor 3 back through the exchangers 5, 7 to the refrigerator 9. In a modification a portion of the compressed nitrogen leaving the exchanger 3 by-passes the boiler 2, is liquefied in the refrigerator 9 and the combined streams are then expanded at valve 12 and supplied to the head of the column. In a further modification the energy-extracting nitrogen traverses a closed cycle formed by the provision of a condenser vaporizor 33, Fig. 2 (not shown), in the head of the column ; the refrigerator being located between the compressor and the boiler.