초록

Adsorbers are loaded with impurities removed from a compressed gas stream and are regenerated by a gas heated by the heat of compression of the gas stream. A heat reservoir or accumulator is employed instead of a conventional shell and tube type heat exchanger.

대표청구항 ▼

In a process for the regeneration of an adsorber loaded with impurities removed from air by passing a stream of hot low-pressure regeneration gas through the adsorber, the improvement being wherein one- or multi-step compression of the air is effected such that the temperature of the air after each

In a process for the regeneration of an adsorber loaded with impurities removed from air by passing a stream of hot low-pressure regeneration gas through the adsorber, the improvement being wherein one- or multi-step compression of the air is effected such that the temperature of the air after each compression step is in the range of 80°to 130°C.; wherein a minor portion of compressed air is conducted through a heat reservoir for a period of time at least sufficient to raise the temperature of the heat reservoir air outlet end to substantially the temperature of the compressed air and then terminating the flow of compressed air through the heat reservoir; and wherein the low-pressure regeneration gas, during a hot gas regeneration phase of the adsorber, is conducted through the heat reservoir and thereby heated to a temperature not more than 4°C. below the temperature of the compressed air, and thereafter passed through the adsorber. In a process for the separation of air by low-temperature fractionation with a purification of air by adsorption in at least two cyclically switchable adsorbers and a two-stage low-temperature air fractionation including a high-pressure rectification column and a low-pressure rectification column; with a recovery of a nitrogen fraction from the top of the low-pressure rectification column and using part of said low-pressure nitrogen fraction for the regeneration of an adsorber loaded with impurities previously removed from air by conducting hot nitrogen through the adsorber, the improvement being wherein one or multi-step compression of the air is effected such that the temperature of the air after each compression step is in the range of 80°to 130°C.; wherein a minor portion of compressed air is conducted through a heat reservoir for a period of time at least sufficient to raise the temperature of the heat reservoir air outlet end to substantially the temperature of the compressed air and then terminating the flow of compressed air through the heat reservoir; and wherein the low-pressure nitrogen is heated, by passage through the heat reservoir, to a temperature not more than 4° C. below the temperature of the compressed air, and thereafter is passed through the adsorber.