A system and method for argon production in an air separation plant facility or enclave having multiple cryogenic air separation units is provided. The present system and method include a centralized argon refining system disposed within one of the cryogenic air separation units and which is configured to include an argon superstaged or ultra-superstaged column arrangement having one or more argon columns and an argon condenser. Crude argon streams from one or more of the other cryogenic air separation units are directed to the argon superstaged or ultra-superstaged column arrangement of the centralized argon refining process.

An air separation apparatus is provided, including an air separation unit including a low-pressure column, a mixing column, and a pure nitrogen column, wherein the low-pressure column has a first nominal diameter, the pure nitrogen column has a second nominal diameter which is smaller than the first nominal diameter, wherein the mixing column has an open cylindrical shape, with the inner diameter nominally greater than the second nominal diameter, with the pure nitrogen column located within the mixing column interior.

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and nitrogen and being more rich in argon than the air is sent to a distillation column, and an argon-rich gas flow is withdrawn at the top of the column, a portion of the argon-rich gas flow is mixed with beads to form a gas mixture containing beads, the beads being capable of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flow mixed with the beads is condensed and then sent to the top of the column; and a bottom liquid containing beads is withdrawn from the column and treated to remove the beads, the beads removed being regenerated to remove the adsorbed oxygen and being again mixed with the argon-rich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

A system and method for argon production in an air separation plant facility or enclave having multiple cryogenic air separation units is provided. The present system and method include a centralized argon refining system disposed within one of the cryogenic air separation units and which is configured to include an argon superstaged or ultra-superstaged column arrangement having one or more argon columns and an argon condenser. Crude argon streams from one or more of the other cryogenic air separation units are directed to the argon superstaged or ultra-superstaged column arrangement of the centralized argon refining process.

An apparatus for distillation at cryogenic temperatures can include a cold box module comprising framing and having an upper module section and a lower module section, wherein the upper module comprises a roof; an upper column section disposed within the upper module section; a lower column section disposed within the lower module section; a plurality of support saddles attached to the upper and lower module sections that are configured to provide structural support for the upper and lower column sections when the upper and lower column sections are in a horizontal position during transportation; and means for limiting longitudinal movement of the lower column section when the lower module section is in a horizontal position during transport, wherein the means for limiting longitudinal movement are connected to the lower column section and the lower module section.

The jacking system and method for using it to lower an upper column section without the use of a crane is provided. The jacking system is configured to be disposed on a roof of a cold box module and may include: a structural assembly; and a plurality of suspension rods supported at an upper end by the structural assembly, wherein the plurality of suspension rods is configured to provide support to the upper column section.

A method for constructing a cold box module and resulting apparatus is provided. The method can include providing a cold box module having framing and an upper and lower module sections, introducing an upper column section longitudinally into the upper module section while the upper module section is substantially horizontal; introducing a lower column section longitudinally into the lower module section while the lower module section is substantially horizontal; releasably attaching the lower column section to the lower module section using shipping saddle spacers and support saddles; and attaching a skirt attachment to the lower column section and the lower module section, wherein the skirt attachment is configured to limit longitudinal movement of the lower column section when the lower module section is in a horizontal position during transport. After erecting the cold box module at the installation site, the shipping saddle spacers can be removed and the upper column section is lowered using a jacking system located on the roof of the cold box module.

A method for installation of a cryogenic distillation apparatus is provided. The method can include the steps of: providing an upper module section having an upper column section disposed within and secured to the upper module section, wherein the upper module comprises a roof; providing a lower module section having a lower column section disposed within and secured to the lower module section; erecting the lower module section from a horizontal position to a vertical position at an installation site; lifting the upper module section from a horizontal position and attaching the upper module section, while in a vertical position, to a top portion of the lower module section; lowering the upper column section, independent of the upper module section, toward the lower column section; and welding the upper column section and the lower column section together.

An air separation plant for obtaining product containing argon by low temperature separation of compressed, cooled feed air. The air separation plant comprises a high-pressure column, a multi-part low-pressure column having a base segment and a head segment and a multi-part crude argon column having a base segment and a head segment. An oxygen-enriched flow is obtained from part of the feed air in the high pressure column, an argon-enriched flow is obtained from part of the oxygen-enriched flow in the low-pressure column, and an argon-rich flow is obtained from part of the argon-enriched flow in the crude argon column. Liquid flow is transferred from a lower region of the head segment of the low-pressure column and from a lower region of the base segment of the crude argon column into an upper region of the base segment of the low-pressure column.

One object of the present invention is to provide an air separation method and an air separation apparatus which can collect a larger amount of nitrogen gas, liquefied oxygen, and liquefied nitrogen which have higher pressure than the operating pressure in the low-pressure column while inhibiting a decrease of the argon recovery, and the present invention provides an air separation method comprising a step in which the low-pressure liquefied oxygen at the bottom part of the low-pressure column is reboiled by the argon gas at the top part of the argon column and the middle-pressure nitrogen gas at the top part of the middle-pressure column, and a step in which the middle-pressure liquefied oxygen at the bottom part of the argon column is reboiled by the high-pressure nitrogen gas at the top part of the high-pressure column.