A method for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air can include the steps of sending a purified and compressed air stream to a cold box under conditions effective for cryogenically separating the air stream into oxygen and nitrogen using a system of columns, wherein the purified and compressed air stream is at a feed pressure when entering the system of columns; withdrawing the oxygen at a product pressure; delivering the oxygen at a delivery pressure to an oxygen pipeline, wherein the oxygen pipeline has a pipeline pressure; and monitoring the pipeline pressure. The method can also include a controller configured to determine whether to operate in a power savings mode or a variable liquid production mode. By operating the method in a dynamic fashion, a power savings and/or additional high value cryogenic liquids can be realized in instances in which the pipeline pressure deviates from its highest value.

A method for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air can include the steps of sending a purified and compressed air stream to a cold box under conditions effective for cryogenically separating the air stream into oxygen and nitrogen using a system of columns, wherein the purified and compressed air stream is at a feed pressure when entering the system of columns; withdrawing the oxygen at a product pressure; delivering the oxygen at a delivery pressure to an oxygen pipeline, wherein the oxygen pipeline has a pipeline pressure; and monitoring the pipeline pressure. The method can also include a controller configured to determine whether to operate in a power savings mode or a variable liquid production mode. By operating the method in a dynamic fashion, a power savings and/or additional high value cryogenic liquids can be realized in instances in which the pipeline pressure deviates from its highest value.

A system and method for the production and supply of a densified, liquid oxidant to a space vehicle launch facility with one or more launch platforms is provided. A low pressure gaseous oxygen stream is piped from a nearby air separation unit and is then liquefied and densified in a two-stage, integrated liquefaction/densification system. The first refrigeration stage is a nitrogen based reverse Brayton cycle refrigeration cycle, that liquefies the gaseous oxygen and subcools the resulting liquid oxygen to a temperature of about 81 Kelvin. The second refrigeration stage is a mixed refrigerant loop containing some combination of helium and/or neon refrigerants that densifies the liquid oxygen to a temperature of about 57 Kelvin. The integrated liquefaction and densification system may also be configured to densify liquid methane or other propellants used in space vehicle launches.

A system and method for the co-production of a densified, liquid oxidant and a densified liquid methane fuel to a space vehicle launch facility is provided. In one embodiment, a low pressure gaseous oxygen stream is piped from a nearby air separation unit to the space vehicle launch facility where it is then liquefied and densified in a two-stage, integrated liquefaction/densification system that also densifies a source of liquid methane. In an alternate embodiment, a liquid oxygen stream produced at an air separation unit is densified in a two-stage, integrated densification system configured to densify both the liquid oxygen as well a source of liquid methane at or near the air separation unit with the resulting densified liquid products transported via truck/trailer to a nearby space vehicle launch facility.

A system and method for the production and supply of a densified, liquid oxidant to a space vehicle launch facility with one or more launch platforms is provided. In one embodiment, a low pressure gaseous oxygen stream is piped from a nearby air separation unit to the space vehicle launch facility where it is then liquefied and densified in a two-stage, integrated liquefaction/densification system. In an alternate embodiment, a liquid oxygen stream produced at an air separation unit is densified in a two-stage, integrated densification system at or near the air separation unit with the resulting densified liquid oxygen product transported via truck/trailer to a nearby space vehicle launch facility.

A system and method for the liquefaction and densification of oxygen for use in space vehicle applications is provided that uses high pressure air or synthetic air as the refrigerant source. The disclosed system and method employs a heat exchanger arrangement comprising a first heat exchange device configured to liquefy the high pressure gaseous oxygen stream and at least a portion of the high pressure gaseous air stream via indirect heat exchange with a refrigerant stream to yield a liquid oxygen stream and a liquid air stream. The heat exchanger arrangement also includes a second heat exchange device configured to densify the liquified oxygen stream via indirect heat exchange with the liquid air stream which yields the densified liquid oxygen and a cold vaporized air stream. The refrigerant stream comprises a mixture of the exhaust streams from one or more turbines with the cold vaporized air stream.