A system and method for the concurrent condensation of a nitrogen-rich vapor and vaporization of an oxygen-rich liquid in a distillation column based air separation unit is provided. The disclosed system includes a condenser-reboiler heat exchanger located between a lower pressure column and a higher pressure column and configured to condense a nitrogen-rich vapor from the higher pressure column and partially vaporize an oxygen-rich liquid from the lower pressure column. Within the condenser-reboiler heat exchanger, the nitrogen-rich vapor flows in an upward direction such that any non-condensables present in the nitrogen-rich vapor will accumulate proximate the upper portion or top of the condenser-reboiler modules where they can be easily removed through venting.

A CO.sub.2 energy storage system includes a storage tank that stores a CO.sub.2 slurry, including dry ice and liquid CO.sub.2, at CO.sub.2 triple point temperature and pressure conditions. The storage system also includes a first pump coupled in flow communication with the storage tank. The first pump is configured to receive the CO.sub.2 slurry from the storage tank and to increase a pressure of the CO.sub.2 slurry to a pressure above the CO.sub.2 triple point pressure. The energy storage system further includes a contactor coupled in flow communication with the first pump. The contactor is configured to receive the high pressure CO.sub.2 slurry from the pump and to receive a first flow of gaseous CO.sub.2 at a pressure above the CO.sub.2 triple point pressure. The gaseous CO.sub.2 is contacted and then condensed by the melting dry ice in the slurry to generate liquid CO.sub.2

A process for cooling a tube side stream in a main heat exchanger is described. The process comprises: a) supplying a first mass flow of a tube side stream to a first zone of individual tubes in the tube bundle; b) supplying a second mass flow of the tube side stream to a second zone of individual tubes in the tube bundle, the second zone being offset from the first zone; c) supplying a refrigerant stream on the shell side for cooling the first and second mass flows; d) removing the evaporated refrigerant stream from the warm end of the main heat exchanger; and, e) adjusting the first mass flow of the tube side stream relative to the second mass flow of the tube side stream to maximise the temperature of the removed evaporated refrigerant stream.

In a method for cooling a flow containing at least 35% carbon dioxide and at least 0.2 ?g/Nm.sup.3 of mercury, the mercury being in liquid and/or gas form, the flow is cooled in a first brazed aluminum plate-fin heat exchanger from a first temperature to a second temperature higher than ?38.6? C. to form a cold flow at the second temperature, and the flow cooled to the second temperature is cooled in a second heat exchanger, which is a tube and shell heat exchanger, to a third temperature lower than ?38.6? C.

The invention relates to a heat exchanger comprising parallel plates and spacers arranged in parallel and defining i) rough primary channels and ii) secondary channels arranged so as to exchange heat. Said heat exchanger comprises a primary liquid inlet to be fluidically connected to a primary liquid dispenser. Each rough primary channel has the shape of a prism having a polygonal cross-section and consisting of a plurality of essentially flat faces. The primary channels comprise rough primary channels. Each rough primary channel has microstructure elements which are distributed along the entire length of the channel and have dimensions of between 1 m and 300 m.

The invention relates to a heat exchanger comprising parallel plates and spacers arranged in parallel and defining i) rough primary channels and ii) secondary channels arranged so as to exchange heat. Said heat exchanger comprises a primary liquid inlet to be fluidically connected to a primary liquid dispenser. Each rough primary channel has the shape of a prism having a polygonal cross-section and consisting of a plurality of essentially flat faces. The primary channels comprise rough primary channels. Each rough primary channel has microstructure elements which are distributed along the entire length of the channel and have dimensions of between 1 m and 300 m.

A reboiler in fluid communication with a fractionator column in an offshore low temperature process removing carbon dioxide from natural gas has a vessel volume. A carbon steel tubing bundle is disposed within the vessel volume. Each tube in the bundle has an outer surface with a porous granular metal layer deposited thereon. The granular metal layer comprises a pore size distribution which promotes bubble nucleation during vaporization of a nearly pure liquid carbon dioxide stream.

A reboiler in fluid communication with a fractionator column in an offshore low temperature process removing carbon dioxide from natural gas has a vessel volume. A carbon steel tubing bundle is disposed within the vessel volume. Each tube in the bundle has an outer surface with a porous granular metal layer deposited thereon. The granular metal layer comprises a pore size distribution which promotes bubble nucleation during vaporization of a nearly pure liquid carbon dioxide stream.

A system and method for cryogenic purification of a hydrogen, nitrogen, methane and argon containing feed stream to produce a methane free, hydrogen and nitrogen containing synthesis gas and a methane rich fuel gas, as well as to recover an argon product stream, excess hydrogen, and excess nitrogen is provided. The disclosed system and method are particularly useful as an integrated cryogenic purifier in an ammonia synthesis process in an ammonia plant. The excess nitrogen is a nitrogen stream substantially free of methane and hydrogen that can be used in other parts of the plant, recovered as a gaseous nitrogen product and/or liquefied to produce a liquid nitrogen product.

A system and method for cryogenic purification of a hydrogen, nitrogen, methane and argon containing feed stream to produce a methane free, hydrogen and nitrogen containing synthesis gas and a methane rich fuel gas, as well as to recover an argon product stream, excess hydrogen, and excess nitrogen is provided. The disclosed system and method are particularly useful as an integrated cryogenic purifier in an ammonia synthesis process in an ammonia plant. The excess nitrogen is a nitrogen stream substantially free of methane and hydrogen that can be used in other parts of the plant, recovered as a gaseous nitrogen product and/or liquefied to produce a liquid nitrogen product.