CONTINUOUS PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O2 AND 61% N2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%

Abstract

The object of this patent is aimed at the production of OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O.sub.2 AND 61% N.sub.2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N.sub.2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, whereby the water that will be deaerated is previously aerated at temperatures ranging from ambient down to 0 C., under pressures between 20.6 and 31 atm, only enough to dissolve all the volume of O.sub.2 in the air that is compressed upon it, along with the portion of N.sub.2 of the air, whose capture cannot be dissociated from the process. Afterwards, part of the air is recovered at the top of the deaeration tank, in the form of oxidizing gas, containing 39% O.sub.2 and 61% N.sub.2 by weight, with N.sub.2, which was originally part of the compressed air and was not solubilized in the water, being collected at the top of the aeration or gasification tank showing a purity level between 95% and 98%.

2ndunlike the State of the Art, which mandatorily requires high water temperature, up to its boiling point, the process degasification, object of the present invention, may be conducted by the preferred embodiment of its pieces of equipment simply by reducing degasification pressure in the degasification tank down to a little bit less than the atmospheric pressure to obtain the same oxidizing gas, and, following degasification, the process water keeps about 20 mg of air, per liter of water, dissolved in itself and, therefore, cannot be used as totally deaerated water.

3degasification may also be carried out by equipment as formed in the first construction variant of the object of this patent by reducing pressure and, at the same time, increasing the temperature, or sending it, in both embodiments, to the equipment, pre-existing in certain industries, which is used to fully deaerate water and, in these cases, produce the oxidizing gas and fully deaerated water.

Claims

1. CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O2 AND 61% N2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, carried out by compressing air over water in a three-step sequence that produces an oxidizing gas of 39% O.sub.2 and 61% N.sub.2 by weight in a single process and if the gas thus produced is reprocessed by the same three stages and the same equipment and a reprocessing gas is obtained with an O.sub.2 content of more than 39% by weight and also N.sub.2 with a purity level of 95% to 98%, where, in the case in which all three steps of this process are carried out at room temperature, partially deaerated water is recycled and the only byproducts in the process are oxidizing gas and N.sub.2 and, when the third step of this process is carried out by raising the temperature to 85 C. and, at the same time, lowering the pressure to 0.5 atmospheres, completely deaerated water can be obtained, in which case the completely deaerated water leaves the Process as a byproduct, being replaced by a new volume of Process water, characterized by: 1.sup.st Step. Water gasificationgasify the water by compressing atmospheric air over it at temperatures that may range from slightly above its solidification temperature and possibly lower than its boiling point in variable pressures and just enough to solubilize all the O.sub.2 in the air in Process water at a temperature at which the Process is carried out, between 20.6 (5%) atmospheres at 0 C. and 31 (5%) atmospheres at 25 C., as the proportions of air and water may vary with the mixture of gasified water and the gas being sent at the same gasification temperature and pressure to a gasification tank; 2.sup.nd step. Nitrogen Removalcarry out the continuous removal of unsolubilized N.sub.2 by keeping the processing fluid at the same pressure and the same temperature as those used in the previous process step at the same time it carries out the continuous removal of carbonated water; 3.sup.rd Step. Water degassingsend the carbonated water located at the bottom of the gasification tank, at the Process pressure and temperature, to the degassing tank in which the pressure over it is reduced to atmospheric pressure and the oxidizing gas separates from the water in which it was dissolved under pressure in the previous two Process steps.

2. CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O.sub.2 AND 61% N.sub.2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N.sub.2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, in accordance with claim 1, for the production of fully deaerated water, characterized by the fact that the temperature of the gasified water, which has already been separated from the unsolubilized N.sub.2, is raised to 85 C. and its pressure lowered to 0.5 atmospheres in the degassing tank.

3. CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O.sub.2 AND 61% N.sub.2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N.sub.2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, to recycle the Process water, in accordance with claim 1, characterized by recycling the partially-degassed water, when the third Process step is carried out at room temperature.

4. CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O.sub.2 AND 61% N.sub.2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N.sub.2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, in accordance with claim 1, characterized by reprocessing the oxidizing gas with 39% O.sub.2 and 61% N.sub.2, which is in a suitable gasometer, which is carried out by closing and opening suitable valves to make the processed oxidizing gas return to the Process, with the gas that has been reprocessed being routed to a suitable gasometer.

5. CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O.sub.2 AND 61% N.sub.2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N.sub.2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, for recycling the gas that already has an O.sub.2 content greater than 39% by weight and which is stored in a suitable gasometer, in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the oxidizing gas, which has already been reprocessed, being reprocessed once more by closing and opening the appropriate valves, returning it to the Process and, after being reprocessed, is then stored in the appropriate gasometer.

6. CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O.sub.2 AND 61% N.sub.2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N.sub.2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, with the gasification and N.sub.2 removal steps being carried out at a temperature as close to 0 C. as possible, in accordance with claim 1, characterized by mixing of the air coming from the atmospheric air supply inlet with the supplied water being cooled in a heat exchanger, which has an external cooling source, and at a temperature close to 0 C., and having its pressure raised to 20.5 atmospheres, followed by a nebulizer that injects them into a gasification tank to separate the N.sub.2 from the carbonated water, which is then routed to the base of an isobaric gasometer;

7. CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O.sub.2 AND 61% N.sub.2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N.sub.2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, with the gasification and N.sub.2 removal steps being carried out at the temperature as close to 0 C. as possible, in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the aerated water that has already been separated from the N.sub.2 being heated and routed to the gasification tank;

8. CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O.sub.2 AND 61% N.sub.2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N.sub.2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98% in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the gasified water being heated to 85 C. and injected by a nebulizer into a degassing tank operating at a pressure of 0.5 atmospheres.

9. EQUIPMENT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O2 AND 61% N2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, to operate at room temperature by recycling Process water, characterized by an atmospheric air supply inlet (A), water inlet (F), and Process recycled water inlet (RA), along with a oxidizing gas inlet (RG), with said inlets connected to a mixed air rotary pump inlet (B) with injection into the compressor (2), which is connected to the nebulizer (N1) located at the top of the gasification tank (TG); said gasification tank (TG) further comprising a pressure switch (P) on its top and a control valve (V1) connected to the isobaric gasometer inlet (G2).

10. EQUIPMENT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O2 AND 61% N2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, in accordance with claim 9, characterized by the gasification tank (TG) having a valve at its base (V2) controlled by the pressure switch (P) and valve (VA); said valves (V2) and (VA) being connected to the degassing tank (TD), which comprises a vacuum and compressor turbine (TAC), said turbine (TAC) consisting of valves (V3A), (V3B), and (V3) that are connected to the base of the isobaric gasometer (G1).

Description

[0072] FIG. 1 illustrates and describes the operation of the preferred embodiment of the equipment for the CONTINUOUS PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O.sub.2 AND 61% N.sub.2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N.sub.2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, (1), object of this patent, highlighting (in thicker lines) the circuit and equipment to optionally reprocess oxidizing gases, in which we see the intakes for atmospheric air (A) and oxidizing gases in reprocessing (RG), the water coming from the water recycling, (RA) and new water supplies (F), the rotary pump (B) that mixes, emulsifies, and solubilizes such gases at a pressure of 10 atm and injects into a non-oil-cooled compressor (2); the fluid formed by mixing a still partially aerated water, and air or reprocessing gases (RG) exit the compressor (2) at a pressure of 31 atm and are injected into the gasification tank (TG) through the nebulizer (N1); the water is maintained in the presence of compressed airor gases in reprocessingat the base of the inside of the gasification tank (TG) and always at the level indicated by the dotted line (AB); once the process pressure has reached 31 (5%) atm, the pressured gasified water exits the base of the gasification tank (TG) through the valve (V2) controlled by a pressure switch (P)opening valve (VA) and closing valve (VB)is injected through the nebulizer (N2) into the degasification tank (TD), where only by means of a drop in pressure, gas solubility is unmade; FIG. 1 also shows that the water degasified by the degasification tank (TD), which accumulates at its base, up to the minimum level, as indicated by the dotted line (CD), is suctioned out by the pump (B1) and goes to the process's water recycling (RA); the gas with 39% O.sub.2 by weight, which accumulates at the top of the degasification tank (TD) and is suctioned out by the vacuum and compression turbine (TAC), which maintains the inside of the degasification tank (TD) at a pressure just a bit lower than atmospheric air and is stored in an isobaric gas holder (G1), which is flexible and expandable, and is equipped with a weight (W1) at the top, which maintains a constant pressure for supplying oxidizing gas to the consumer (C1); the N.sub.2 that is not solubilized in the process water will accumulate at the top of the gasification tank (TG) and exits through the valve (V1) operated by the pressure switch (P), which releases the gas out when the pressure reaches 31 atm and is collected in the isobaric gas holder (G2), equipped with a weight (W2) at its top, for supplying the consumer with N.sub.2 under constant pressure (C2); the thick lines show the operation, circuit, and equipment used for the concentration of oxidizing gases obtained during each processing, carried out once or more than once, to increase their O.sub.2 content, which occurs when the isobaric gas holder (G1) is at full capacity; by closing valve (V3A) and opening valves (V3) and (V3B), the oxidizing gas in reprocessing contained in the isobaric gas holder (G1) with a given O.sub.2 content after one processing, returns to the reprocessing gas intake (RG), is reprocessed, and then stored in an isobaric gas holder (G3); using the circuits and combinations of openings and closings of valves (V3), (V3A), (V3B) and (V3C), and, in an alternate manner, the isobaric gas holders (G1) and (G3), the oxidizing gases may be reprocessed by the same equipment and have their O.sub.2 levels increased with each reprocessing, with the deviation to external total water degasification equipment done by closing valves (VA) and (V3A) and opening valves (VB) and (VC) to remove degasification by the equipment from the circuit and place the external water deaerator (EWD) within the circuit, and the oxidizing gas captured at the top of the external water aerator (EWD) is collected by the isobaric gas holder (G1), and the deaerated water (OFW), which was continuously supplied to the water supply intake (F) leaves the equipment as a product; the heat exchanger (HE) attached to the an external cooling source (FEF) may optionally be put into operation to cool the water that goes to the recycling water intake (RA) to increase the amount O.sub.2 captured by the equipment, which is about 9.5% higher when carried out at 0 C. instead of 25 C.

[0073] FIG. 2 depicts the equipment and describes the operation of the first construction variation of the CONTINUOUS PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXIDIZING GAS CONTAINING 39% O.sub.2 AND 61% N.sub.2 BY WEIGHT, WITH N.sub.2 HAVING A PURITY LEVEL BETWEEN 95% AND 98%, (1) with devices intended to increase its efficiency in capturing O.sub.2 from the air relative to the preferred embodiment, by changing the temperature of the processing fluid, and also the ability to produce fully deaerated water; pump (B) receives atmospheric air (A) along with water supplied to the process in a constant supply of new water (F); upon exiting pump (B)valves (VE) and (VF) being opened and valve (VD) being closedthe air and water mixture is cooled to the closest possible temperature to 0 C., first passing through heat exchanger (HE1), where it is cooled by gasified water out from the bottom of the gasification tank (TG) and then passes through heat exchanger (HE2), where it is further cooled by the external cooling source (FEF), and injected into the non-oil lubricated compressor (2), which increases the pressure of the mixture of air and aerated water up to the process pressure, which is 20.6 (5%) atm at a temperature of 0 C.; the water in the process, gasified and in the presence of undissolved N.sub.2 at a pressure of 20.6 (5%) atm and a temperature close to 0 C. exits from the compressor (2) and is injected into the aeration tank (TG) through the nebulizer (N1) where it accumulates up to the level shown by the dotted line (AB) on the base of the gasification tank (TG) until it reaches a pressure of 20.6 atm; upon exiting the base of the gasification tank (TG), it exchanges heat in the heat exchanger (HE1) with water and air entering the process, passes through the heat exchanger (HE3) and is heated by the deaerated water coming from the base of the degasification tank (TD) by suction from pump (B1) and leaves the process as deaerated water (OFW); water entering the process, after passing through the heat exchanger (HE3), is heated further by an external heat source (FEC), through the heat exchanger (HE4), and heated to a temperature equal to or greater than the steam pressure consistent with the low pressure prevailing inside the degasification tank (TD)85 C. at 0.5 atmand is injected through the nebulizer (N2) into the degasification tank (TD), which completely dissolves the solution of air in water and all of the gases dissolved in water is released and accumulates at the top of the degasification tank (TD), from where it is suctioned out by the suction and compression turbine (TAC) and is injected into the flexible gas holder (G1), which has the weight (W1) on its top to keep the constant pressure steady, from which it goes to the consumer (C1), comprising an oxidizing gas with 39% oxygen by weight in the first processing; the gas that accumulates at the top of the compression tank (TG) from which all its oxygen content is removed when it passes from gas to an aqueous solution, made up of Nitrogen with a purity level between 95% and 98% at a pressure of 20.6 atm, as defined to the process, leaves the gasification tank (TG) top in a continuous movement, being controlled by the valve (V1), which in turn is controlled by the pressure switch (P) and goes to the flexible isobaric gas holder (G2), which is at constant pressure because of the weight (W2) on its upper portion; so that the total degasification of water that is carried out by the resources in this first construction variationcorresponding to the third step of this processbe carried out by an external deaerator (EWD) and the deaerated water (OFW) be supplied to the consumer, valve (VH) is closed and valve (VG) is open, and the external aerator (EWD) provides deaerated water (OFW) to the consumer and through valve (VI), the oxidizing gas goes to the isobaric gas holder (G1) and then to the consumer (C1).