| (19) |
 |
|
(11) |
EP 0 845 644 A3 |
| (12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| (88) |
Date of publication A3: |
|
05.08.1998 Bulletin 1998/32 |
| (43) |
Date of publication A2: |
|
03.06.1998 Bulletin 1998/23 |
| (22) |
Date of filing: 26.11.1997 |
|
| (51) |
International Patent Classification (IPC)6: F25J 3/04 |
|
| (84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
|
AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE |
|
Designated Extension States: |
|
AL LT LV MK RO SI |
| (30) |
Priority: |
28.11.1996 GB 9624819
|
| (71) |
Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC. |
|
Allentown, PA 18195-1501 (US) |
|
| (72) |
Inventors: |
|
- Topham, Anthony Knut James
Surrey KT12 2QA (GB)
- Allam, Rodney John
Guildford,
Surrey GU2 5EU (GB)
|
| (74) |
Representative: Smart, Peter John |
|
W.H. BECK, GREENER & CO
7 Stone Buildings
Lincoln's Inn
London WC2A 3SZ
London WC2A 3SZ (GB) |
|
| |
|
| (54) |
Use of elevated pressure nitrogen rich gas streams to perform work |
(57) The nitrogen rich stream produced by a cryogenic air separation unit is heated indirectly
by burning low grade fuel gas in a burner (20) at low pressure and the heated, elevated
pressure nitrogen rich stream produced is expanded in a turbine (24) to obtain useful
work prior to the discharge of the nitrogen rich stream at an outlet (28).