GB2328271A - Air Separation - Google Patents
Air Separation Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2328271A GB2328271A GB9816042A GB9816042A GB2328271A GB 2328271 A GB2328271 A GB 2328271A GB 9816042 A GB9816042 A GB 9816042A GB 9816042 A GB9816042 A GB 9816042A GB 2328271 A GB2328271 A GB 2328271A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- air separation
- steam
- compressor
- nitrogen
- separation plant
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 25
- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 60
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 30
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 18
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 9
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 description 9
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 9
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 description 5
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 4
- CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon dioxide Chemical compound O=C=O CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000002737 fuel gas Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 2
- VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane Chemical compound C VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000010992 reflux Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000001179 sorption measurement Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000007858 starting material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910002092 carbon dioxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000001569 carbon dioxide Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000567 combustion gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009833 condensation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005494 condensation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004508 fractional distillation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003345 natural gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010248 power generation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002035 prolonged effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005057 refrigeration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002699 waste material Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04521—Coupling of the air fractionation unit to an air gas-consuming unit, so-called integrated processes
- F25J3/04563—Integration with a nitrogen consuming unit, e.g. for purging, inerting, cooling or heating
- F25J3/04569—Integration with a nitrogen consuming unit, e.g. for purging, inerting, cooling or heating for enhanced or tertiary oil recovery
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
- F25J3/04012—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling
- F25J3/04018—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling of main feed air
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
- F25J3/04012—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling
- F25J3/0403—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of warm gaseous streams; details of intake or interstage cooling of nitrogen
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
- F25J3/04109—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers
- F25J3/04115—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers characterised by the type of prime driver, e.g. hot gas expander
- F25J3/04121—Steam turbine as the prime mechanical driver
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
- F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
- F25J3/04109—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers
- F25J3/04115—Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers characterised by the type of prime driver, e.g. hot gas expander
- F25J3/04133—Electrical motor as the prime mechanical driver
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2240/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for expanding of process streams
- F25J2240/80—Hot exhaust gas turbine combustion engine
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
Abstract
An air separation plant 2 has a product nitrogen compressor 6 arranged to be driven by a steam turbine 10 adapted to be operated in a cycle in which steam is able to be raised in a steam generator 18 by heat exchange of water with hot gaseous exhaust from a gas turbine 20.
Description
AIR SEPARATION
This invention relates to an air separation plant.
Air separations plant in which the air is separated by rectification (i.e. fractional distillation) at cryogenic temperatures or by pressure swing adsorption are well known. A product of air separation, for example, oxygen or nitrogen, is often required at elevated pressure. On some occasions, the elevated pressure is greater than that at which the separation is performed. Typically, therefore, the air separation plant may include a product compressor.
US-A-4 382 366 relates to an oxygen generator in which an oxygen product compressor is directly driven by a steam turbine. A waste nitrogen stream containing sufficient oxygen to support combustion is taken from the rectification column in which the oxygen product is separated and is without further compression introduced into a chamber in which combustion of a fuel gas takes place. The resultant combustion products are expanded in a turboexpander. The stream supplied to the steam turbine is raised by heat exchange with the combustion gases exhausted from the turbo-expander. The oxygen product compressor, the air compressor of the oxygen generator, the steam turbine and the turbo-compressor are all coupled together. Such a plant cannot produce a nitrogen product in large quantities.
Air separation plant in which a single nitrogen product is produced at a rate of over 1000 tonnes per day at elevated pressure is well known. A large product nitrogen compressor is therefore required. Such a nitrogen compressor is conventionally driven by an electrical motor.
The need sometimes arises to vary the pressure at which the nitrogen product is produced. An example of such a need is in the nitrogen-enhanced recovery of oil or gas from, respectively, an oil field or a gas field. A large product nitrogen compressor driven by an electrical motor is relatively inflexible and is not readily suited to supplying the product at the different pressures that are typically needed over a prolonged period of time for the recovery of oil or gas.
An aim of the present invention is to provide an air separation plant which has an alternative means of driving a product nitrogen compressor better able to cope with a varying pressure demand.
According to the present invention there is provided an air separation plant including a product nitrogen compressor arranged to be driven by a steam turbine adapted to operate in a cycle in which steam is able to be raised by heat exchange of water with hot gaseous exhaust from a gas turbine.
The air separation plant according to the invention offers a number of advantages. First, a steam turbine may readily be ramped up and down in order to vary the outlet pressure of the product compressor. Secondly, with a steam turbine drive there is no need for an electrical motor to start up the product compressor. Thirdly, by employing exhaust gas from a gas turbine to raise the steam, relatively efficient steam raising is made possible in comparison with the use of a boiler which is directly heated by burning a fuel.
The gas turbine is preferably adapted to drive an electrical generator arranged to supply electric power to a motor operatively associated with an air compressor forming part of the air separation plant.
The air separation plant typically additionally includes adsorption apparatus for removing water vapour and carbon dioxide from the air, a heat exchanger for reducing the air to a temperature at which it is able to be separated by rectification, at least one rectification column for separating nitrogen from the air, and at least one turbo-expander for generating refrigeration. Preferably, the rectification column is a double rectification column comprising a higher pressure stage, a lower pressure stage, and a condenser-reboiler thermally linking an upper region of the higher pressure stage to a lower region of the lower pressure stage, the arrangement being such that, in operation, the condenser provides reflux for both stages of the double rectification column. If desired, in order to maximise the average pressure at which nitrogen is taken from the rectification column, a stream of gaseous nitrogen may be taken from both the lower pressure stage and the higher pressure stage. in order to enhance the rate at which reflux is produced, a part of the nitrogen vapour taken from the lower pressure stage may be condensed and fed back to the lower pressure stage.
Necessary cooling for this additional condensation may be provided by taking a stream of oxygen-enriched liquid from the bottom of the lower pressure stage, reducing its pressure and thereby reducing its temperature and heat exchanging the reduced pressure stream of oxygen-enriched liquid stream with the nitrogen to be condensed.
An air separation plant according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a schematic flow diagram of an air separation plant and associated power generation plant.
The drawing is not to scale.
Referring to the drawing as shown an air separation plant 2, for the separation of air by rectification. The plant 2 provides a nitrogen product at elevated pressure. It includes a main air compressor 4, typically comprising a plurality of compression stages, and a nitrogen product compressor 6, also typically comprising a plurality of compression stages. For ease of illustration, the remaining parts of the air separation plant are represented in the drawing by a rectangular symbol indicated by the reference numbered 8 and need not be described further herein. They are all well known, and the invention primarily concerns the operation of the compressors 4 and 6.
The nitrogen product compressor 6 is driven by a steam turbine 10 typically through an arrangement of gears 1 2. The inlet and outlet pressures of the steam turbine 10 may be selected in accordance with amount of work of compression that the nitrogen compressor 6 has to perform. Typically the inlet pressure of the steam turbine 10 is in the range of 10 to 60 bar. Steam leaves the turbine 10 typically at a pressure in the range of 1.5 to 10 bar and flows to a condenser 14 in which it is condensed. The resulting condensate passes to a vessel 1 6 from which it is pumped at elevated pressure through a steam generator 1 8 of the heat recovery kind. Through operation of the steam generator 18, superheated steam is supplied to the turbine 10 at a desired pressure.
A gas turbine 20 is operated to drive a generator 22 of electrical power. The arrangement of the gas turbine 20 is conventional. That is to say it comprises an air compressor (not shown), a combustion chamber having an inlet communicating with the air compressor and another inlet communicating with a source of gas (typically natural gas) to be burned, and a turbo-expander (not shown) for expanding the gaseous products of combustion of the fuel gas.
The gas turbine 20 is mechanically independent of the air compressor 4, the nitrogen compressor 6, and the steam turbine 1 0.
The electrical power generated in the generator 22 is conveyed via a suitable electrical system 24 to an electric motor 26 which drives the main air compressor 4 typically via an arrangement of gears 28. Typically, a starter motor (not shown) is provided for the electric motor 26. The electrical system 24 is also arranged to provide electrical power to the starter motor.
The exhaust gases from the gas turbine 20 are heat exchanged in the steam generator 1 8 with the water to be raised to steam, thereby providing the necessary heat for the steam raising. Downstream of steam generator 18, the exhaust gases are vented to the atmosphere via a stack 30.
Various changes and modifications may be made to the plant shown in the drawing. For example, in the enhanced recovery of oil or gas it is typically desired to have a source of nitrogen available at a pressure in excess of 100 bar.
Typically, to provide such a pressure a further plural stage nitrogen compressor (not shown) is used in series with the product compressor 6. The further nitrogen compressor may also be driven by the steam turbine 10 via a separate arrangement of gears (not shown). Alternatively, a further steam turbine (not shown) may be provided for this purpose and may be fed with pressurised super heated steam from the generator 18 and may return steam exhausting therefrom to the water condenser 1 4.
Typically, nitrogen is supplied to the product nitrogen compressor 6 at an elevated pressure in the range of 3 to 6 bar from the air separation plant 2. If desired, a further nitrogen stream may be supplied to an intermediate stage of the nitrogen compressor 6 from the air separation plant 2 at a pressure in excess of 10 bars.
Claims (3)
1. An air separation plant including a product nitrogen compressor arranged
to be driven by a steam turbine adapted to operate in a cycle in which
steam is able to be raised by heat exchange of water with hot gaseous
exhaust from a gas turbine.
2. An air separation plant as claimed in claim 1, in which the gas turbine is
adapted to drive an electrical generator arranged to supply electric power
to a motor operatively associated with an air compressor forming part of
the air separation plant.
3. An air separation plant substantially as herein described with reference to
the accompanying drawing.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9816042A GB2328271B (en) | 1997-08-15 | 1998-07-23 | Air separation |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9717348.8A GB9717348D0 (en) | 1997-08-15 | 1997-08-15 | Air separation |
| GB9816042A GB2328271B (en) | 1997-08-15 | 1998-07-23 | Air separation |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9816042D0 GB9816042D0 (en) | 1998-09-23 |
| GB2328271A true GB2328271A (en) | 1999-02-17 |
| GB2328271B GB2328271B (en) | 2001-08-15 |
Family
ID=26312073
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9816042A Expired - Fee Related GB2328271B (en) | 1997-08-15 | 1998-07-23 | Air separation |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2328271B (en) |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4382366A (en) * | 1981-12-07 | 1983-05-10 | Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. | Air separation process with single distillation column for combined gas turbine system |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3731495A (en) * | 1970-12-28 | 1973-05-08 | Union Carbide Corp | Process of and apparatus for air separation with nitrogen quenched power turbine |
-
1998
- 1998-07-23 GB GB9816042A patent/GB2328271B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4382366A (en) * | 1981-12-07 | 1983-05-10 | Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. | Air separation process with single distillation column for combined gas turbine system |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9816042D0 (en) | 1998-09-23 |
| GB2328271B (en) | 2001-08-15 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20120723 |