Air separation apparatus and an integrated gasification combined cycle apparatus incorporating the air separation apparatus

Abstract

An air separation unit produces and supplies nitrogen gas used in gasification furnace facility and/or gas purification facility from material air and supplies oxygen-rich waste gas to air compressor installed in gasification furnace facility, and introduces it as part of the gasification agent in gasification furnace after being pressurized together with air in air compressor.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An air separation apparatus forming part of an integrated gasification combined cycle system comprising a gasification furnace facility, a gas purification facility and a combined cycle facility, and wherein the air separation apparatus comprises means for producing nitrogen gas that is supplied and used in said gasification furnace facility and/or gas purification facility and in that it comprises means for producing an oxygen enriched gas which is mixed with air and sent to a compressor to form a gasification stream feeding the gasification furnace. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the purity and flow rate of the oxygen enriched gas are chosen such that the gasification stream introduced to the aforementioned gasification furnace contains between 22% and 35% mol. Oxygen. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising a purification tower that purifies the air and separates nitrogen with the cryogenic distillation method, a top condenser and a heat exchanger that cools the air down to near its liquefaction temperature, and means for introducing vaporized gas from the top condenser to the aforementioned heat exchanger to use it as oxygen enriched gas. 
     
     
         19 . An integrated gasification combined cycle apparatus comprising a gasification furnace facility, gas purification facility, combined cycle facility, the air separation apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , means for sending nitrogen gas from the air separation apparatus to the gasification furnace facility and/or gas purification facility; means for sending oxygen enriched gas resulting from the air separation apparatus to a compressor, forming part of the gasification furnace facility; means for sending air to the compressor; and means for sending a gasification agent from the compressor to the gasification furnace. 
     
     
         20 . The integrated gasification combined cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , further comprising a mixer or ejector that uses air as the suction fluid configured to mix oxygen enriched gas with air. 
     
     
         21 . The integrated gasification combined cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising means for sending gas, supplied from the aforementioned gasification furnace, as combustion gas to a gas combustion device in the combined cycle facility, means for dividing the compressed gas pressurized by the compressor in two, means for introducing a first part is introduced to the gas combustion device and a second part as the gasification agent into the gasification furnace. 
     
     
         22 . The integrated gasification combined cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the compressor is coupled to a turbine of the gas combustion facility. 
     
     
         23 . An air separation process taking place within of an integrated gasification combined cycle system comprising a gasification furnace facility, a gas purification facility and a combined cycle facility, the process comprising the steps of producing nitrogen gas that is supplied and used in said gasification furnace facility and/or gas purification facility; and producing an oxygen enriched gas which is mixed with air and sent to a compressor to form a gasification stream feeding the gasification furnace. 
     
     
         24 . A process as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising the step of choosing the purity and flow rate of the oxygen enriched gas such that the gasification stream introduced to the aforementioned gasification furnace contains between 22% and 35% mol. oxygen. 
     
     
         25 . Process as claimed in  claim 23  wherein the compressor is driven using a turbine of the gas combustion facility. 
     
     
         26 . The process as claimed in  claim 23  wherein air is separated in a cryogenic purification tower by distillation to produce nitrogen and wherein oxygen enriched gas is removed from a top condenser of the tower and warmed in a heat exchanger, that cools the air down to near its liquefaction temperature, to form oxygen enriched gas. 
     
     
         27 . Process as claimed in  claim 26  wherein all the gas compressed in the compressor is sent to the gasification furnace. 
     
     
         28 . Process as claimed in  claim 26  wherein the oxygen enriched gas contains more than 35% mol. oxygen. 
     
     
         29 . An integrated gasification combined cycle process comprising a gasification furnace facility, gas purification facility, and combined cycle facility, the air separation apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , the process comprising the steps of sending nitrogen gas from the air separation apparatus to the gasification furnace facility and/or gas purification facility; and sending oxygen enriched gas resulting from the air separation apparatus to a compressor, forming part of the gasification furnace facility to be compressed with air, the compressed mixture being sent as a gasification agent to the gasification furnace. 
     
     
         30 . An integrated gasification combined cycle process in accordance with  claim 29 , wherein a gas supplied from the aforementioned gasification furnace is introduced as combustion gas to a gas combustion device in the combined cycle facility, the compressed gas pressurized by the compressor is divided in two and a first part is introduced to the gas combustion device and a second part is used as the gasification agent in gasification furnace.