Integrated multicomponent refrigerant and air separation process for producing liquid oxygen

Abstract

A hybrid process of air separation and gas liquefaction, including dividing a compressed multicomponent refrigerant stream into a first portion and a second portion, introducing the first portion into a gas liquefaction system, thereby producing a first multicomponent refrigerant return stream, and introducing the second portion into an air separation system, thereby producing a second multicomponent refrigerant return stream. Wherein the first multicomponent refrigerant return stream and the second multicomponent refrigerant return are recompressed in a common compression system, thereby producing the compressed multicomponent refrigerant stream.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hybrid process of air separation and gas liquefaction, comprising:
 dividing a compressed multicomponent refrigerant stream into a first portion and a second portion,   introducing the first portion into a gas liquefaction system, thereby producing a first multicomponent refrigerant return stream, and   introducing the second portion into an air separation system, thereby producing a second multicomponent refrigerant return stream.   
       wherein the first multicomponent refrigerant return stream and the second multicomponent refrigerant return are recompressed in a common compression system, thereby producing the compressed multicomponent refrigerant stream. 
     
     
         2 . The hybrid process of  claim 1 , wherein the multicomponent refrigerant stream comprises one or more of the following components: nitrogen, argon, methane, ethane ethylene, propane, butane, pentane, and fluorocarbons. 
     
     
         3 . The hybrid process of  claim 1 , wherein a gaseous natural gas stream enters the gas liquefaction system and a liquid natural gas stream exits the gas liquefaction system. 
     
     
         4 . The hybrid process of  claim 1 , wherein the air separation system produces at least one liquid oxygen stream. 
     
     
         5 . The hybrid process of  claim 1 , wherein the compression system is a single compressor. 
     
     
         6 . The hybrid process of  claim 1 , wherein the compression system comprises at least two or more parallel compressors.