The invention relates to a plant for low-temperature air separation, having a rectification column system comprising a high-pressure column, a divided low-pressure column and a divided argon column, and a cold box system comprising a first cold box and a second cold box. The high-pressure column is arranged beneath the lower section of the low-pressure column. The high-pressure column together with the lower section of the low-pressure column is located in the first cold box, and the top section of the low-pressure column in the second cold box. It is proposed to arrange the base section of the argon column in the first cold box and the top section of the argon column in the second cold box, or vice versa. The present invention likewise provides a corresponding method.

The invention relates to a plant for low-temperature fractionation of air, having a rectification column system comprising a high-pressure column, a divided low-pressure column and an argon column, and a coldbox system comprising a first coldbox, a second coldbox and a third coldbox. The high-pressure column is disposed beneath the lower section of the low-pressure column. The high-pressure column together with the lower portion of the low-pressure column is disposed in the first coldbox, and the top portion of the low-pressure column in the second coldbox. It is proposed that the argon column or one or more sections of the argon column be disposed in the third coldbox. The pure oxygen column is disposed in the second coldbox. The present invention likewise provides a corresponding process.

A method for separating air is provided, in which a flow of oxygen-rich liquid is sent to a top of a pure oxygen column, having a pure oxygen reboiler, in which said flow is purified in order to form a vessel liquid containing at least 98 mol % of oxygen and the vessel liquid is drawn off as a product. A supercharged airflow at a second pressure is sent to the pure oxygen reboiler and to a liquid oxygen vaporizer; a nitrogen-rich gas is drawn from the top of the medium-pressure column and sent to an intermediate reboiler of the low-pressure column and the condensed gas is sent to the top of the medium-pressure column; and a nitrogen-rich gas or air is sent to a vessel reboiler of the low-pressure column and the liquid that condenses therein is sent to the medium-pressure column.

A nitrogen liquefier configured to be integrated with an argon and nitrogen producing cryogenic air separation unit and method of nitrogen liquefaction are provided. The integrated nitrogen liquefier and associated methods may be operated in at least three distinct modes including: (i) a nil liquid nitrogen mode; (ii) a low liquid nitrogen mode; and (iii) a high liquid nitrogen mode. The present systems and methods are further characterized in an oxygen enriched stream from the lower pressure column of the air separation unit is an oxygen enriched condensing medium used in the argon condenser.

A cryogenic air rectification system comprising a high pressure column, a low pressure column and an argon removal unit coupled to a condenser evaporator, wherein the system is configured to pass gas from a position above an oxygen section of the low pressure column as an argon removal feed gas to a lower region of the argon removal unit, wherein the system is configured to condense gas from an upper region of the argon removal unit in the condenser evaporator to form a condensate, wherein the system is configured to pass further gas from the top of the upper region of the argon removal unit out of the system, and wherein the system is configured to pass at least a part of the condensate as a reflux to the upper region of the argon removal unit.

A process for recovering at least one fluid (e.g. argon gas and/or nitrogen gas, etc.) from a feed gas (e.g. air) can provide an improved recovery of argon and/or nitrogen as well as an improvement in operational efficiency. Some embodiments can be adapted so that at least a portion of a mixed nitrogen-oxygen fluid is at least partially vaporized and fed to a low pressure column.

A process and an apparatus are disclosed for separation of a hydrocarbon gas stream containing methane and heavier hydrocarbons and significant quantities of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The gas stream is cooled and expanded, then fractionated in a first distillation column into a first overhead vapor and a hydrocarbon liquid stream containing the majority of the carbon dioxide. The hydrocarbon liquid stream is fractionated into a hydrocarbon vapor stream and a less volatile fraction comprised of heavier hydrocarbons. The first overhead vapor is cooled, expanded, and separated into vapor and liquid streams. Both streams are cooled and expanded before feeding a second distillation column that produces a second overhead vapor that is predominantly nitrogen and a bottom liquid that is predominantly methane. The bottom liquid is vaporized and combined with the hydrocarbon vapor stream to form a volatile residue gas fraction containing the majority of the methane.

A process and apparatus for recovering at least argon from a feed gas that can provide an improved recovery of argon as well as an improvement in operational efficiency. Some embodiments can be adapted so that the improved argon recovery can also be obtained with improved condenser operation for an argon column without requiring an increase in power for the recovery of the argon. Some embodiments can utilize a reboiler positioned near or at the bottom of argon recovery column to increase boil-up therein and/or provide added heat duty to drive a condenser of the argon recovery column to provide improved argon recovery.

An air separation unit including: a main heat exchanger, a medium-pressure rectification column, a low-pressure rectification column, a crude argon column, a nitrogen condenser, a crude argon condenser, an oxygen turbine, a nitrogen compressor, and a nitrogen turbine. The nitrogen turbine expands nitrogen gas supplied from the nitrogen compressor. The air separation unit includes an inlet temperature of the oxygen turbine is lower than an inlet temperature of the nitrogen turbine.

A process for cryogenic fractionation of air uses an air fractionation plant (100-400) comprises a rectification column system (10) having a high-pressure column (11) operated at a pressure level of 9 to 14.5 bar, a low-pressure column (12) operated at a pressure level of 2 to 5 bar, and an argon column (13). A recirculating stream is formed using a second top gas or a portion thereof, which is heated, compressed, cooled again, and after partial or complete liquefaction or in the unliquefied state is introduced partially or completely, or in fractions, into the first rectification column (11) and/or into the second rectification column (12).