Gas separation liquefaction means and processes

Abstract

Single or double column cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction devices, where refrigeration to the device is supplied by a cryocooler alone or by a combination of a cryocooler and by a Joule-Thompson throttling process, where the gas condensation may occur directly on the cold portion of the cryocooler which may be located inside of the thermally insulated space of the distillation column(s) are disclosed. The system is particularly useful for medical applications, such as providing for safe and economical high-purity oxygen for at-home use. The invention principles include a combined column embodiment for simultaneous production of high-purity liquid or gaseous oxygen and nitrogen. Another double column design offers reduced temperature and pressure separation with easy switching between oxygen and nitrogen extraction or single component extraction. If both gaseous and liquid oxygen are required, oxygen purity of approximately 95% can be produced with good recovery, i.e., with nitrogen purity of approximately 91%.

1 . A high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device for the production of liquid gases, comprising: 
 a) at least one means for supplying a feed gas;    b) at least one counterflow heat exchanger to cool the incoming feed gas against the outgoing waste and/or product gas;    c) at least one cryogenic means having a cold portion means for providing refrigeration for at least a process of condensing;    d) at least one condensation means for condensing at least one enriched component of the feed gas, said condensation means thermally connected to said cold portion means; or directly on the cold portion means.    e) at least one distillation means for providing for distillation of the condensed at least one component of the gas;    f) at least one insulating means for thermally insulating said device, and    g) liquid collecting means to collect and store one or two liquid products, as desired,    wherein the refrigeration to the cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process may be provided by said at least one cryogenic means alone and where gas condensation may occur at least partially directly on the cold portion means of said at least one cryogenic means which may be located inside of the thermally insulated space of the said at least one distillation means.    
   
   
       2 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a) wherein at least one cryogenic means is a cryocooler,    b) wherein at least one condensation means is a condenser, or directly on the cold portion of the cryocooler.    c) wherein at least one distillation means is a distillation column, and    d) wherein at least one insulating means is a thermally insulated container,    wherein the refrigeration to the cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process may be provided by said at least one cryocooler alone and where gas condensation may occur directly on the cold portion of said at least one cryocooler which may be located inside or outside of the thermally insulated space of the said at least one distillation column.    
   
   
       3 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device, as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a) wherein said cryogenic means is a cryocooler,    b) wherein said condensation means is a standard condenser thermally related to the cold portion of a cryocooler, or where the condensing means is a cold finger of the cryocooler.    c) wherein said distillation means is a distillation column, and    d) wherein said insulating means is a Dewar flask,    wherein the refrigeration to the cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process may be provided by said cryocooler alone and where gas condensation may occur directly on the cold portion of said cryocooler which may be located inside or outside of the Dewar flask of said distillation column.    
   
   
       4 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising wherein refrigeration to the cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device may be provided by a combination of said cryogenic means and a Joule-Thompson throttling process.  
   
   
       5 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising wherein said feed gas may comprise ambient air or any other gas mixture of interest.  
   
   
       6 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising wherein water and carbon dioxide are removed from said feed gas.  
   
   
       7 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising wherein said feed gas is driven into said device by a fan or compressor means.  
   
   
       8 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising wherein said feed gas passes through a multi-pass heat exchanger means for cooling.  
   
   
       9 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising wherein said cooled feed gas is introduced to said at least one distillation means at an appropriate composition point.  
   
   
       10 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising wherein an Interior volume of said at least one distillation means is kept at an elevated pressure by a compressor.  
   
   
       11 . A high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process for the production of liquid gases, comprising the steps of: 
 a) supplying a feed gas;    b) at least one counterflow heat exchanger to cool the incoming feed gas against the outgoing waste and/or product gas;    c) providing at least one cryogenic means having a cold portion means for providing refrigeration for at least a process of condensing;    d) condensing at least one enriched component of the feed gas using at least one condensation means thermally connected to said cold portion means or condensing at least one enriched component of the feed gas directly on the cold portion means.    e) distilling said at least one component of the condensed gas using at least one distillation means;    f) insulating said device using at least one thermally insulating means, and    g) collecting liquid in liquid collecting means to collect and store one or two liquid products, as desired,    wherein providing the refrigeration to the cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process may be by said at least one cryogenic means alone and where gas condensation may occur at least partially directly on the cold portion means of said at least one cryogenic means which may be located inside or outside of the thermally insulated space of the said at least one distillation means.    
   
   
       12 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising wherein providing refrigeration to the cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device may be by a combination of said cryogenic means and a Joule-Thompson throttling process.  
   
   
       13 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising wherein said feed gas may comprise ambient air or any other gas mixture of interest.  
   
   
       14 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising removing water and carbon dioxide from said feed gas.  
   
   
       15 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising driving said feed gas into said device by a fan or compressor means.  
   
   
       16 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising passing said feed gas through a multi-pass heat exchanger means for cooling.  
   
   
       17 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising introducing said cooled feed gas to said at least one distillation means at an appropriate composition point.  
   
   
       18 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising wherein an interior volume of said at least one distillation means is kept at an elevated pressure by a compressor.  
   
   
       19 . The high-purity cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising utilizing at least one boiler to produce an enriched vapor to operate said at least one distillation column.  
   
   
       20 . A high-purity double column cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction device for the simultaneous collection of a plurality of high-purity liquid gases, comprising: 
 a) at least one means for supplying a feed gas;    b) at least one counterflow heat exchanger to cool the incoming feed gas against the outgoing waste and/or product gas;    c) a plurality of cryocoolers wherein each cryocooler has a cold portion to provide refrigeration,    d) a plurality of condensers wherein each condenser is thermally related to the cold portion of a cryocooler,    e) a plurality of distillation columns;    f) at least one insulating means for insulating said device, and    g) liquid collecting means to collect and store one or two liquid products, as desired,    wherein refrigeration to the cryogenic gas-separation/liquefaction process may be provided by said cryocoolers alone and where gas condensation may occur at least partially directly on the cold portions of the cryocoolers which may be located inside or outside of the thermally insulated space of the distillation column.