The production of NH.sub.3, Urea, UAN, and DAP, starting from inherently intermittent renewable energy, such as photovoltaic and wind power, is made economical by use of molten salt thermal energy storage (ESS) and water electrolyzer (WE) concentrated oxygen. The process inputs and equipment apply air; hydrogen-containing fuel, such as biomass; WE (concentrated O.sub.2 and H.sub.2 producing); thermal ESS equipped with a turbine and generator to steady the electricity input to the WE; and an ammonia plant. The thermal ESS enables minimally sized process equipment including, the WE, the air separation unit and less hydrogen storage. The concentrated oxygen from the water electrolyzer uniquely enables high-temperature thermal ESS input, water and CO2 collection and other fertilizer products, including Urea, UAN and DAP. DAP production is facilitated by using WE high-purity O.sub.2 oxidation and ammonium nitrate is similarly facilitated by anhydrous NH.sub.3 oxidation.

Device and method for purifying a gas mixture to produce a concentrated gas, notably neon, starting from a mixture comprising neon, said device including, in a cold box housing a cryogenic purification circuit comprising, in series, at least one unit for purifying the mixture by cryogenic adsorption at a temperature between 65K and 100K and notably 65K, then a unit for cooling the mixture to a temperature between 25 and 65 K and then a unit for cryogenic distillation of the mixture to produce the concentrated liquid at the outlet of the cryogenic distillation unit, characterized in that the unit for cooling the mixture to a temperature between 25 and 65 K comprises at least one cryocooler that extracts thermal power from the mixture via a heat exchanger.

A system and method for supplying an energy grid with energy from an intermittent renewable energy source having a production unit for producing Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Oxygen. The production unit is operated by using energy provided by the renewable energy source. An Oxygen storage receives and stores Oxygen produced by the production unit, a mixing unit receives and mixes the Hydrogen and the Nitrogen produced by the production unit to form a Hydrogen-Nitrogen-mixture, an Ammonia source receives and processes the Hydrogen-Nitrogen-mixture for generating a gas mixture containing Ammonia, an Ammonia power generator generates energy for the energy grid. The Ammonia power generator is fluidly connected to the Ammonia storage vessel, is configured to combust the received Ammonia in a combustion chamber to generate the energy, and is fluidly connected to the Oxygen storage to introduce Oxygen into the combustion chamber for combustion of Ammonia.

The production of NH.sub.3, Urea, UAN, and DAP, starting from inherently intermittent renewable energy, such as photovoltaic and wind power, is made economical by use of molten salt thermal energy storage (ESS) and water electrolyzer (WE) concentrated oxygen. The process inputs and equipment apply air; hydrogen-containing fuel, such as biomass; WE (concentrated O.sub.2 and H.sub.2 producing); thermal ESS equipped with a turbine and generator to steady the electricity input to the WE; and an ammonia plant. The thermal ESS enables minimally sized process equipment including, the WE, the air separation unit and less hydrogen storage. The concentrated oxygen from the water electrolyzer uniquely enables high-temperature thermal ESS input, water and CO.sub.2 collection and other fertilizer products, including Urea, UAN and DAP. DAP production is facilitated by using WE high-purity O.sub.2 oxidation and ammonium nitrate is similarly facilitated by anhydrous NH.sub.3 oxidation.

A cryogenic air separation unit that provides flexibility in the production of liquid products is disclosed. The present cryogenic air separation unit and associated operating methods involves the use of a dual nozzle arrangement for the main heat exchanger that allows a turbine air stream draw from the main heat exchanger at different temperatures to provide refrigeration to the cryogenic air separation unit which, in turn, enables different production modes for the various liquid products.

In a method for separating argon by cryogenic distillation, in which a flow containing argon, oxygen and nitrogen and being more rich in argon than the air is sent to a distillation column, and an argon-rich gas flow is withdrawn at the top of the column, a portion of the argon-rich gas flow is mixed with beads to form a gas mixture containing beads, the beads being capable of adsorbing oxygen in the presence of argon at the column operating temperatures; the portion of the argon-rich gas flow mixed with the beads is condensed and then sent to the top of the column; and a bottom liquid containing beads is withdrawn from the column and treated to remove the beads, the beads removed being regenerated to remove the adsorbed oxygen and being again mixed with the argon-rich gas flow.

The method for reducing or removing non-volatile impurities in a high-purity oxygen liquid comprises: an oxygen vaporization step for vaporizing a high-purity oxygen liquid obtained from a high-purity oxygen rectification column in an air separation unit for producing the high-purity oxygen liquid; and an oxygen recondensing step for recondensing oxygen gas vaporized in the oxygen vaporization step. This method may also comprise a high-purity oxygen liquid extraction step for extracting a condensate obtained in the oxygen recondensing step.

A cryogenic cooling system for an aircraft includes a first air cycle machine, a second air cycle machine, and a means for collecting liquid air. The first air cycle machine is operable to output a cooling air stream based on a first air source. The second air cycle machine is operable to output a chilled air stream at a cryogenic temperature based on a second air source cooled by the cooling air stream of the first air cycle machine. An output of the second air cycle machine is provided to the means for collecting liquid air.

A system for an aircraft includes an engine bleed source of a gas turbine engine. The system also includes a means for chilling an engine bleed air flow from the engine bleed source to produce a chilled working fluid. The system further includes a means for providing the chilled working fluid for an aircraft use.

A propulsion system includes an electric fan propulsion motor with a plurality of propulsion motor windings. The propulsion system also includes a means for controlling a flow rate of a working fluid through a cryogenic working fluid flow control assembly to the propulsion motor windings.