Air separation liquefaction process

摘要

This invention relates to a process for at least partially liquefying an air feedstream for subsequent separation into its components. The process comprises compressing an air feedstream, splitting the feedstream into at least a major portion, and a minor portion, partially cooling said major portion for delivery to a distillation or separation column, sufficiently cooling said minor portion for forming a critical fluid, isentropically expanding the thus formed critical fluid in a Pelton Wheel and then combining the minor portion and major portion for forming said air feedstream at a preselected pressure and temperature.