초록 ▼

On-site membrane systems are used for air separation to produce a low purity nitrogen stream and for purifying impure hydrogen, the nitrogen and hydrogen being passed to a catalytic combustion system in which the oxygen content of the nitrogen stream is reacted with said hydrogen to reduce the resid

On-site membrane systems are used for air separation to produce a low purity nitrogen stream and for purifying impure hydrogen, the nitrogen and hydrogen being passed to a catalytic combustion system in which the oxygen content of the nitrogen stream is reacted with said hydrogen to reduce the residual oxygen content of the nitrogen in a final purification operation to produce high purity nitrogen. Pressure swing adsorption systems can be employed in place of the membrane systems for particular applications, and a cryogenic system can be employed for said hydrogen purification.

대표청구항 ▼

An on-site system for the production of high purity nitrogen gas from air comprising: (a) a first membrane or pressure swing adsorption separation system capable of separating air into a partially purified nitrogen stream containing residual oxygen and an oxygen rich discharge stream; (b) means for

An on-site system for the production of high purity nitrogen gas from air comprising: (a) a first membrane or pressure swing adsorption separation system capable of separating air into a partially purified nitrogen stream containing residual oxygen and an oxygen rich discharge stream; (b) means for supplying feed air to said first membrane or pressure swing adsorption separation system for separation therein; (c) a second membrane, pressure swing adsorption or cryogenic separation system capable of separating relatively pure hydrogen from an impure hydrogen stream containing a relatively high level of impurities, so as to produce a purified hydrogen stream having a desirably low level of said impurities; (d) means for supplying impure hydrogen feed gas available on-site to said second membrane, pressure swing adsorption or cryogenic separation system for purification therein; (e) a catalytic combustion system adapted for the reaction of said purified hydrogen stream with residual oxygen present in the partially purified nitrogen stream; (f) means for passing the partially purified nitrogen and purified hydrogen from said first and second separation systems to said catalytic combustion system; and (g) means for recovering a high purity nitrogen gas stream from said catalytic combustion system, said high purity nitrogen having a desirably low residual oxygen content, whereby high purity nitrogen can advantageously be produced on-site by the convenient purification of low cost, impure hydrogen available on-site and the economical use thereof in the final purification of the partially purified nitrogen stream. A process for the on site production of high purity nitrogen gas from air comprising: (a) passing feed air to a first membrane or pressure swing adsorption separation system for separation therein; (b) withdrawing a partially purified nitrogen stream containing residual oxygen and an oxygen rich discharge stream from said first separation system; (c) passing impure hydrogen available on-site to a second membrane, pressure swing adsorption or cryogenic separation system for purification therein; (d) reacting said purified hydrogen with residual oxygen present in said partially purified nitrogen stream in a catalytic combustion system; (e) recovering a high purity nitrogen gas stream from said catalytic combustion system, said high purity nitrogen having a desirably low residual oxygen content, whereby high purity nitrogen can advantageously be produced on-site by the convenient purification of low cost, impure hydrogen available on-site and the economical use thereof in the final purification of the partially purified nitrogen.