Transportable package with a cold box, and method for producing a low-temperature air separation system

Abstract

The invention relates to a transportable package with a cold box, in the interior of which at least one double column of a low-temperature air separation system is arranged, i.e., a double column having a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column. The high-pressure and low-pressure columns contain mass transferring elements. The mass transferring elements in at least one sub-region of the low-pressure columns are formed by an ordered packing made of folded metal sheets having a thickness of 0.2 mm or less. The ordered packing has a specified surface area of at least 1000 m2/m3. At least in a sub-region of the high-pressure column, the mass transferring elements are formed by rectifying plates arranged one over the other and which have a clearance of less than 195 mm. The invention further relates to a method for producing a low-temperature air separation system using such a transportable package.

1 . A transportable package with a cold box ( 51 ), in the interior of which a double column of a low-temperature air separation system is arranged which has a high-pressure column ( 3 ) and a low-pressure column ( 5 ) which are arranged one above the other, wherein the high-pressure column ( 3 ) and the low-pressure column ( 5 ) contain mass transfer elements, and the mass transfer elements are formed in at least one subregion (A, B, C, D, E) of the low-pressure column ( 5 ) by an ordered packing which is made of folded metal sheets, characterized in that
 the metal sheets have a sheet thickness of 0.2 mm or less, in that   the ordered packing has a specific surface area of at least 1000 m 2 /m 3  and in that   at least in a subregion of the high-pressure column ( 3 ), the mass transfer elements are formed by rectification plates arranged one above the other which have a plate spacing of less than 195 mm, in particular less than 180 mm.   
     
     
         2 . The package as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the plate spacing of the distillation plates in the high-pressure column ( 3 ) is between 80 and 155 mm, in particular between 95 and 130 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The package as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the height of the cold box ( 51 ) is less than 47 meters. 
     
     
         4 . The package as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the minimum diameter of the cross section of the cold box ( 51 ) is no more than 4.25 meters. 
     
     
         5 . The package as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the diameter of the cross section of the cold box ( 51 ) perpendicular to the minimum diameter is less than 4.95 meters. 
     
     
         6 . The package as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that, in addition, a crude argon column ( 15 ) is arranged in the cold box, which crude argon column has a top condenser ( 19 ) which is constructed as condenser-evaporator, wherein the evaporation space of the top condenser ( 19 ) is connected via a two-phase pipe ( 21 ) to the low-pressure column ( 5 ), and the two-phase pipe ( 21 ) is constructed in such a manner that, in operation of the low-temperature air separation system, not only gas but also liquid flow from the evaporation space of the top condenser into the low-pressure column ( 5 ). 
     
     
         7 . The package as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that, at least in a subregion of the low-pressure column in which the metal sheets of the ordered packing which have a sheet thickness of 0.2 mm or less, the metal sheets consist of copper, and in particular have a sheet thickness of 0. 1  mm or less. 
     
     
         8 . The package as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the ordered packing has a specific surface area of greater than 1000 m 2 /m 3 , in particular greater than 1150 m 2 /m 3 . 
     
     
         9 . The package as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the low-temperature air separation system is designed for processing more than 10 000 Nm 3 /h and less than 250 000 Nm 3 /h of feed air in standard operations. 
     
     
         10 . A method for producing a low-temperature air separation system, in which
 a cold box ( 51 ) is transported to the installation site as a transportable package as claimed in  claim 1 ,   the cold box ( 51 ) at the installation site is connected to an air compressor for compressing feed air, to a purification unit for compressed feed air, and to a main heat exchanger ( 2 ) for cooling purified feed air.