초록 ▼

A low energy cost process for the co-production of oxygen and nitrogen employing a fuel tube extending into the first oxygen selective ion transport membrane whereby fuel is introduced adjacent to the closed end and flows cocurrently with oxygen containing gas in the annulus and an oxygen selective

A low energy cost process for the co-production of oxygen and nitrogen employing a fuel tube extending into the first oxygen selective ion transport membrane whereby fuel is introduced adjacent to the closed end and flows cocurrently with oxygen containing gas in the annulus and an oxygen selective ion transport membrane having a separator section and a reactor section. An oxygen-containing feedstock, typically air, is compressed and then contacts the cathode side of the separator section where a portion of the oxygen contained within the feedstock is transported to the anode side of the separator section and recovered as an oxygen product gas. Substantially the remainder of the oxygen contained within the feedstock is transported from the cathode side of the reactor section to the anode side and exothermically reacted with a fuel. Following the exothermic reaction, hot nitrogen rich product gas is expanded in a turbine to generate the power necessary to compress the feedstock. Expanded nitrogen rich product gas may then be recovered from the turbine exhaust.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A low energy cost process for the production of oxygen and nitrogen from a feed gas containing a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen that comprises the steps of:compressing said feed gas in an air compressor to produce a compressed feed gas;contacting said compressed feed gas with a cat

[ We claim:] [1.] A low energy cost process for the production of oxygen and nitrogen from a feed gas containing a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen that comprises the steps of:compressing said feed gas in an air compressor to produce a compressed feed gas;contacting said compressed feed gas with a cathode side of an oxygen selective ion transport membrane, said feed gas being at a first temperature that is effective to promote pressure driven transport of elemental oxygen from said cathode side to an anode side of said oxygen selective ion transport membrane after which a retentate containing nitrogen rich product gas remains on said cathode side;dividing said retentate into a first oxygen depleted portion at a first flow rate and a second oxygen depleted portion at a second flow rate;recovering a high pressure nitrogen rich product gas from said first oxygen depleted portion;expanding said second oxygen depleted portion in a turbine thereby generating a combination of work and a turbine exhaust of a low pressure nitrogen rich product gas whereby, in said dividing step, said first flow rate is selected to enable said turbine to provide sufficient work to drive said compressor; andrecovering oxygen product gas from a permeate on said anode side of said oxygen selective ion transport membrane.