Method and apparatus for separation at subambient temperature

Abstract

A method for separating a gas mixture at subambient temperature, in which a gas mixture is sent to a heat-insulated chamber, cooled and separated in a column, and placed inside the chamber so as to produce at least two fluids, each of which is enriched with a component from the gas mixture. At least one fluid from the method can be heated inside the chamber or vaporized via heat exchange with at least one heating member including at least one element having magnetocaloric properties and built into a circuit configured to conduct a magnetic flux. The element is alternatingly in thermal contact with a cold source, made up of the fluid to be heated, and a hot source, made up of a source hotter than the fluid to be heated, and variation in the magnetic flux via the magnetocaloric effect generates electrical and/or mechanical energy.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A process for separating a gas mixture at subambient temperature, wherein the process comprises the steps of:
 sending a gas mixture to a thermally insulated chamber under conditions effective for cooling and separating the gas mixture within a column that is placed inside the thermally insulated chamber, so as to produce at least two fluids, each of which is enriched with a component of the gas mixture;   heating at least one of the two fluids inside the thermally insulated chamber by heat exchange with at least one heating member, wherein the at least one heating member comprises at least one element having magnetocaloric properties and integrated into a circuit configured to conduct a magnetic flux, said at least one element being alternatingly in thermal contact with a cold source made up of the fluid to be heated and a hot source made up of the surrounding environment or another source that is hotter than the fluid to be heated; and   generating electrical and/or mechanical energy from the variation in the magnetic flux via the magnetocaloric effect,   wherein at least one of the two fluids to be heated being at least one part of the gas mixture.   
     
     
         17 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the main component(s) of the fluid to be heated is a fluid selected from the group consisting of air, nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, methane, helium, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein at least one other fluid to be heated is a fluid inside the column. 
     
     
         19 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein at least one other fluid to be heated is a fluid enriched with a component of the gas mixture originating from the column. 
     
     
         20 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the fluid is a liquid. 
     
     
         21 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the fluid to be heated is brought into direct contact with the element having magnetocaloric properties. 
     
     
         22 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the heat exchange of the heating is carried out through a heat exchanger with a heat-transfer fluid having been in contact with the element having magnetocaloric properties. 
     
     
         23 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the heat exchange is carried out through an intermediate heat-transfer circuit with the heat-transfer fluid having been in contact with the element having magnetocaloric properties. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for separating a gas mixture at subambient temperature, or even cryogenic temperature, comprising a thermally insulated chamber, a heat exchanger and at least one separating column which are placed inside the chamber, a pipe for sending the gas mixture to the heat exchanger for it to cool, a pipe for sending the cooled mixture to the column, means for withdrawing at least two fluids, each of which is enriched with a component of the gas mixture from the column, at least one member for heating at least one fluid from the process, located inside the chamber, wherein the at least one heating member comprises at least one element having magnetocaloric properties and integrated into a circuit capable of conducting a magnetic flux, said at least one element being alternatingly in thermal contact with a cold source made up of the fluid to be heated, or even the liquid to be vaporized, and a hot source made up of the surrounding environment or another source that is hotter than the fluid to be heated and means for generating electrical and/or mechanical energy from the variation in the magnetic flux via the magnetocaloric effect, the fluid to be heated being the gas mixture to be separated. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the heating member and/or a cooling member for cooling a fluid from the process and comprising at least one element having magnetocaloric properties is/are placed inside the thermally insulated chamber. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the column is a phase separator. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the column is an air separation column. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the at least one separating column is a simple column having a top condenser and/or a bottom reboiler. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , comprising a heating member comprising an element having magnetocaloric properties for heating the liquid of a bottom reboiler of the column. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , comprising a cooling member comprising an element having magnetocaloric properties for cooling the top gas of a top condenser of the column.