A system and method for producing argon that uses a higher pressure column, a lower pressure column, and an argon column collectively configured to produce nitrogen, oxygen and argon products through the cryogenic separation of air. The present system and method also employs a once through argon condensing assembly that is disposed entirely within the lower pressure column that is configured to condense an argon rich vapor stream from the argon column against the oxygen-enriched liquid from the higher pressure column to produce an argon liquid product. The control system is configured for optimizing the production of argon product by ensuring an even flow split of the oxygen-enriched liquid is distributed to the argon condenser cores and by adjusting the flow rate of the argon removed from the argon condensing assembly to maintain the liquid/vapor balance in the argon condensing assembly within appropriate limits.

A distillation column system and a plant are for production of oxygen by cryogenic fractionation of air. The distillation column system has a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column, a main condenser, and an argon column with an argon column top condenser. The low-pressure column comprises an upper mass transfer region, a lower mass transfer region and a middle mass transfer region. The argon column top condenser is arranged within the low-pressure column between the upper and middle mass transfer regions and is configured as a forced-flow evaporator.

Disclosed are a method, a device, and a storage medium for measuring the nitrogen content. The method includes determining related variables associated with the nitrogen content; establishing an initial model, wherein the initial model takes the related variables as independent variables and the nitrogen content as dependent variables according to a historical operation data, and calculating parameters in the initial model; according to parameters in the initial model, obtaining parameters in a soft-sensing model by fitting; according to detected values of the related variables and the soft-sensing model, predicting the nitrogen content in real-time; and according to the predicted nitrogen content and an actual nitrogen content obtained by periodic sampling, obtaining a fusion detection result.

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.

A system and method of optimizing the production of argon in a cryogenic air separation unit using a temperature profile of a distillation column or distillation column section obtained via fiber optic temperature measurements on the exterior surface of the distillation column or the distillation column section is provided. The temperature profiles are used to determine the vertical location and/or spatial movement of the maximum argon concentration in the distillation column or the distillation column section. Distillation column operation is then adjusted such that the vertical location or spatial movement of the maximum argon concentration is aligned proximate with the location of an argon-rich draw from the distillation column.