U.S. patent application number 16/307655 was filed with the patent office on 2019-10-03 for method for constructing or altering a matter- and/or heat-exchange device.
This patent application is currently assigned to L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude. The applicant listed for this patent is L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude. Invention is credited to Patrice CAVAGNE, Benoit DAVIDIAN, Bernard SAULNIER.
Application Number | 20190301796 16/307655 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59227762 |
Filed Date | 2019-10-03 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190301796 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CAVAGNE; Patrice ; et
al. |
October 3, 2019 |
METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING OR ALTERING A MATTER- AND/OR HEAT-EXCHANGE
DEVICE
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for constructing or altering a
matter- and/or heat-exchange device, said mass- and/or
heat-exchange device comprising an assembly of at least one first
and one second stackable modular elements (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H,
I, J, K, L), in which the first element is secured over the second
element or the second element is secured below the first element in
a sealed manner, such that a fluid can flow from the body of the
first element to the body of the second element and/or from the
body of the second element to the body of the first element.
Inventors: |
CAVAGNE; Patrice; (Le
Perreux, FR) ; DAVIDIAN; Benoit; (Saint Maur des
Fosses, FR) ; SAULNIER; Bernard; (La Garenne
Colombes, FR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des
Procedes Georges Claude |
Paris |
|
FR |
|
|
Assignee: |
L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour
I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Paris
FR
|
Family ID: |
59227762 |
Appl. No.: |
16/307655 |
Filed: |
June 2, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
June 2, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR2017/051386 |
371 Date: |
December 6, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25J 2290/30 20130101;
F25J 2290/42 20130101; F25J 3/04969 20130101; F25J 3/04945
20130101; F25J 3/0489 20130101; F25J 3/0295 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25J 3/04 20060101
F25J003/04; F25J 3/02 20060101 F25J003/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 6, 2016 |
FR |
FR 1655111 |
Jun 6, 2016 |
FR |
FR 1655112 |
Jun 6, 2016 |
FR |
FR 1655113 |
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. A method for construction or modification of a device for
exchange of mass and/or of heat, wherein the device for exchange of
mass and/or heat comprises: an assembly of at least one first
stackable modular element and one second modular stackable element,
wherein each of the first and second modular stackable elements
comprise: a box that is parallelepipedal and has a length, a width
and a height, the box having opposite horizontal upper and lower
faces, two opposite vertical end faces and two opposite vertical
lateral faces, the horizontal upper and lower faces of the box
being defined by the length and the width of the box, the two
vertical end faces of the box by the length and the height of the
box and the two vertical lateral faces of the box by the width and
the height of the box, wherein the box contains at least one layer
of thermal insulation, the layer of thermal insulation covering at
least the lateral faces and the vertical end faces of the box and
surrounding at least one chamber of parallelepipedal volume inside
the box, the at least one chamber having a length, a width and a
height, the chamber having opposite horizontal upper and lower
faces, the upper face and/or the lower face of the chamber being at
least partially open, two opposite vertical end faces and two
opposite vertical lateral faces, the upper and lower faces of the
chamber being defined by the length and the width of the chamber,
the two end faces of the chamber by the length and the height of
the chamber and the two lateral faces of the chamber by the width
and the height of the chamber, the chamber containing at least one
body of material enabling the exchange of mass and/or of heat, the
body being of parallelepipedal shape and filling at least a part of
the chamber, wherein i) the layer of thermal insulation has a
thickness less than one third of the width of the box, and ii) the
first element having the at least one chamber featuring an opening
on the lower face communicating with an opening in the lower face
of the box and the second element having the at least one chamber
featuring an opening on the upper face communicating with an
opening in the upper face of the box to enable the transfer of
fluid from the body of the first element to the body of the second
element and/or from the second element to the body of the first
element and in which the method includes the steps of: a) affixing
the first element on top of the second element or affixing the
second element underneath the first element in a sealed manner, so
that a fluid can pass from the body of the first element to the
body of the second element and/or from the body of the second
element to the first element body, and/or b) unfastening the first
element from the second element, on top of which the first element
is affixed in a sealed manner, or unfastening the second element
from the first element underneath which the second element is
affixed in a sealed manner, so that a fluid can pass from the body
of the first element to the body of the second element and/or from
the second element to the body of the first element.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the body of the
first element and the body of the second element are both i) a body
of adsorbent material, or ii) a stack of vertically oriented metal
plates, the plates being separated by fins, or iii) a stack of
vertically oriented corrugated plates, the corrugations being
oriented at an angle to the horizontal between 10.degree. and
80.degree..
18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the at least one
body fills at least a part of the chamber inside the box of the
first and/or the second element and i) another body enabling the
exchange of mass and/or of heat fills another part, or even the
rest, of the chamber or another chamber, and/or ii) at least one
material transfer conduit passes through the other part, or even
the rest of the chamber or another chamber, to enable the material
to pass through the box, and/or iii) the other part, or even the
rest of the chamber or the other chamber constitutes a means
enabling the transfer of material through the box.
19. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the assembly
constitutes at least a part of an adsorbent bed, a heat exchanger
or a preferably cryogenic distillation device and in that i) the
addition of the second element enables increasing of the capacity
of the assembly and/or increasing the efficiency of the assembly,
or ii) the removal of the second element enables reduction of the
capacity of the assembly and/or reduction of the efficiency of the
assembly and/or reduction of the volume of the assembly.
20. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first and/or
second element constitutes an element of a stack of at least two
elements, each element of the stack comprising a parallelepipedal
box having a length, a width and a height, the box having opposite
horizontal upper and lower faces, two opposite vertical end faces
and two opposite vertical lateral faces, the upper and lower faces
of the box being defined by the length and the width of the box,
the two end faces of the box by the length and the height of the
box and the two lateral faces of the box by the width and the
height of the box, most of the elements, or even each element, of
the stack having the same width and/or the same length and/or the
same height.
21. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the layer of
insulation further covers the upper and lower faces.
22. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first element is
added into the stack of elements above the second element and below
another element.
23. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first element is
removed and the first element is replaced by another element having
the same body type i), ii) or iii) as described in claim 17 as the
first body, but having a greater capacity and/or better efficiency
and/or less defective operation than that of the first element.
24. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first element is
removed and the first element is replaced by an element of
parallelepipedal shape having the same length and the same width as
the first element but not containing a body of same type as the
first body.
25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the element of
parallelepipedal shape or does not contain a body of type i) to
iii) as described in claim 17.
26. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein a first stack is
assembled principally comprising body elements of type i) or of
type ii) or of type iii) as described in claim 2 and a second stack
is assembled principally comprising body elements of type i) or
type ii) or type iii) as described in claim 2 so that a lateral
face of the second stack is substantially in contact with a lateral
face of the first stack.
27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein a third stack is
assembled principally comprising body elements of type i) or of
type ii) or of type iii) as described in claim 2 so that a lateral
face of the second stack is substantially in contact with a lateral
face of the third stack.
28. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the first stack
principally contains body elements of type i) and/or the second
stack principally contains body elements of type ii) and/or the
third stack principally contains body elements of type iii).
29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein an element of the
first stack or the second stack contains an air compressor intended
to feed with air elements of the stack of bodies of type i) or
ii).
30. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein: according to the
variant a) of claim 16, the first and/or second element is taken up
in a manufacturing center or a logistical platform, and/or
according to the variant b) of claim 16, the first and/or second
element is deposited in a/the manufacturing center or a/the
logistical platform, the manufacturing center or the logistical
platform containing a plurality of elements identical to the first
element and/or a plurality of elements identical to the second
element.
31. The method as claimed in Claim Error! Reference source not
found., wherein a first and/or second element is unfastened from a
first device in accordance with the step b) of claim 1, the
unfastened element is deposited in a manufacturing center or a
logistical platform, the unfastened element is possibly
reconditioned there, the unfastened element is taken up in the
center or the platform to transport it to a second device where it
is fixed in accordance with the step a) of claim 1 to another
element to form part of the second device.
32. A device for the exchange of mass and/or of heat constructed or
modified by a method as claimed in claim 16.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a .sctn. 371 of International PCT
Application PCT/FR2017/051386, filed Jun. 2, 2017, which claims the
benefit of FR1655113, filed Jun. 6, 2016, and FR1655111, filed Jun.
6, 2016 and FR1655112, filed Jun. 6, 2016, all of which are herein
incorporated by reference in their entireties.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a method for construction
or modification of a matter-and/or heat-exchange device.
[0003] The invention also relates to a matter- and/or heat-exchange
device constructed or modified by a method of this kind.
[0004] The present invention relates in particular to a method for
construction or modification of a cryogenic distillation device,
such as an air separation device, constituted at least partially by
an assembly of modular elements.
[0005] On the other hand, the invention applies equally to a method
for construction or modification of other mass- and/or
heat-exchange devices, such as a heat exchanger, an adsorption
purification device or a distillation column.
[0006] The construction or modification method according to the
invention enables rapid installation and commissioning of a device.
Once installed, the method enables its capacity and/or its energy
efficiency to be increased or reduced. Its maintenance is less
complicated and if necessary it is easy to relocate it. Moreover,
it is easy to modify the device according to the invention by
modifying its capacity and/or the content of the products that it
has to produce. A product can equally be added or removed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0007] At present an air separation device may be composed of a
plurality of packets, each containing an entire equipment unit of
the device, for example a complete column, a complete heat
exchanger, a complete adsorption type air head purification unit.
The dimensions of each packet are determined by the equipment unit
that it must contain and the packets therefore all have different
dimensions. Most of the packets are placed directly on the
ground.
[0008] It has been proposed to dispose equipment units of the air
separation device in packets, for example containers, each
containing a complete equipment unit.
[0009] The assembly of heterogeneous packets each containing an
equipment unit necessitates a major human effort for assembly
(welding, wiring, etc.), but also for commissioning (verification,
test).
[0010] It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,955 and U.S. Pat. No.
3,281,334 to manufacture a distillation column in a plurality of
parts to be stacked.
[0011] In the case of distillation that is not carried out at
ambient temperature, for example cryogenic distillation, once the
column has been assembled, it is necessary to construct an
enclosure around the column and to fill it with insulating
material.
[0012] It is also known from EP-A-913653 to place a first
distillation column operating at one pressure in the insulating
enclosure and to dispose another distillation column operating at
another pressure in another insulating enclosure above the first
column. This type of construction necessitates the use of a crane
and the assembly of the two enclosures is complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] US2009/211295 describes a method according to the preamble
of claim 1.
[0014] An object of the invention is to facilitate the construction
or modification of a device by adding or by removing stacked
modular elements. The device can therefore be constructed more
rapidly and with relatively unskilled labor.
[0015] According to one object of the invention, there is provided
a method for construction or modification of a device for exchange
of material and/or of heat, the device for exchange of mass and/or
heat comprising an assembly of at least one first stackable modular
element and one second modular stackable element, each of the first
and second elements comprising a parallelepipedal box having a
length, a width and a height, the box having opposite horizontal
upper and lower faces, two opposite vertical end faces and two
opposite vertical lateral faces, the upper and lower faces of the
box being defined by the length and the width of the box, the two
end faces of the box by the length and the height of the box and
the two lateral faces of the box by the width and the height of the
box, the box containing at least one layer of thermal insulation,
the layer of insulation covering at least the lateral and end faces
of the box and possibly the upper and lower faces and surrounding
at least one chamber of parallelepipedal volume inside the box, the
at least one chamber having a length, a width and a height, the
chamber having opposite horizontal upper and lower faces, the upper
face and/or the lower face of the chamber being at least partially
open, two opposite vertical end faces and two opposite vertical
lateral faces, the upper and lower faces of the chamber being
defined by the length and the width of the chamber, the two end
faces of the chamber by the length and the height of the chamber
and the two lateral faces of the chamber by the width and the
height of the chamber, the chamber containing at least one body of
material enabling the exchange of mass and/or of heat, the body
being of parallelepipedal shape and filling at least a part of the
chamber, characterized in that
[0016] i) the layer of thermal insulation has a thickness less than
one third of the width of the box, and
[0017] ii) the first element having the at least one chamber
featuring an opening on the lower face communicating with an
opening in the lower face of the box and the second element having
the at least one chamber featuring an opening on the upper face
communicating with an opening in the upper face of the box to
enable the transfer of fluid from the body of the first element to
the body of the second element and/or from the second element to
the body of the first element and in which method
[0018] a) the first element is fixed on top of the second element
or the second element is fixed underneath the first in a sealed
manner, so that a fluid can pass from the body of the first element
to the body of the second element and/or from the body of the
second element to the first element body, and/or
[0019] b) the first element is unfastened from the second element,
on top of which it is fixed in a sealed manner, or the second
element is unfastened from the first element underneath which it is
fixed in a sealed manner, so that a fluid can pass from the body of
the first element to the body of the second element and/or from the
second element to the body of the first element.
[0020] According to other, optional features:
[0021] the body of the first element and the body of the second
element are both
[0022] i) a body of adsorbent material, or
[0023] ii) a stack of vertically oriented metal plates, the plates
being separated by fins, or
[0024] iii) a stack of vertically oriented corrugated plates, the
corrugations being oriented at an angle to the horizontal between
10.degree. and 80.degree..
[0025] the at least one body fills at least a part of the chamber
inside the box of the first and/or the second element and
[0026] i) another body enabling the exchange of mass and/or heat
fills another part, or even the rest, of the chamber or another
chamber, and/or
[0027] ii) at least one material transfer conduit passes through
the other part, or even the rest of the chamber or another chamber,
to enable the material to pass through the box, and/or
[0028] iii) the other part, or even the rest of the chamber or the
other chamber constitutes a means enabling the transfer of material
through the box.
[0029] The assembly constitutes at least a part of an adsorbent
bed, a heat exchanger or a preferably cryogenic distillation device
and
[0030] i) the addition of the second element enables increasing of
the capacity of the assembly and/or increasing the efficiency of
the assembly, or
[0031] ii) the removal of the second element enables reduction of
the capacity of the assembly and/or reduction of the efficiency of
the assembly and/or reduction of the volume of the assembly or
[0032] the first and/or second element constitutes an element,
possibly a lower or upper element, of a stack of at least two
elements, each element of the stack comprising a parallelepipedal
box having a length, a width and a height, the box having opposite
horizontal upper and lower faces, two opposite vertical end faces
and two opposite vertical lateral faces, the upper and lower faces
of the box being defined by the length and the width of the box,
the two end faces of the box by the length and the height of the
box and the two lateral faces of the box by the width and the
height of the box, most of the elements, or even each element, of
the stack having the same width and possibly the same length and/or
the same height.
[0033] the first element is added into the stack of elements above
the second element and below another element.
[0034] the first element is removed and the first element is
replaced by another element having the same body type, i) ii) or
iii) as described in claim 2 as the first body, but having a
greater capacity and/or better efficiency and/or less defective
operation than that of the first element.
[0035] the first element is removed and it is replaced by an
element of parallelepipedal shape having the same length and the
same width as the first element but not containing a body of same
type as the first body, or even not containing a body of type i) to
iii) described in claim 2.
[0036] a first stack is assembled principally comprising body
elements of type i) or of type ii) or of type iii) as described in
claim 2 and a second stack is assembled principally comprising body
elements of type i) or type ii) or type iii) as described in claim
2 so that a lateral face of the second stack is substantially in
contact with a lateral face of the first stack.
[0037] a third stack is assembled principally comprising body
elements of type i) or of type ii) or of type iii) as described in
claim 1 so that a lateral face of the second stack is substantially
in contact with a lateral face of the third stack.
[0038] in a cryogenic distillation separation device the first
stack principally contains body elements of type i) and/or the
second stack principally contains body elements of type ii) and/or
the third stack principally contains body elements of type
iii).
[0039] an element of the first stack or the second stack contains
an air compressor intended to feed with air elements of the stack
of bodies of type i) or ii).
[0040] i) according to the variant a) of claim 1, the first and/or
second element is taken up in a manufacturing center or a
logistical platform, and/or
[0041] ii) according to the variant b) of claim 1, the first and/or
second element is deposited in a/the manufacturing center or a/the
logistical platform,
[0042] the manufacturing center or the logistical platform
preferably containing a plurality of elements identical to the
first element and/or a plurality of elements identical to the
second element.
[0043] a first and/or second element is unfastened from a first
device in accordance with the step b) of claim 1, the unfastened
element is deposited in a manufacturing center or a logistical
platform, the unfastened element is possibly reconditioned there,
the unfastened element is taken up in the center or the platform to
transport it to a second device where it is fixed in accordance
with the step a) of claim 1 to another element to form part of the
second device.
[0044] According to another object of the invention, there is
provided a stackable modular element for construction of a mass-
and/or heat-exchange device comprising a parallelepipedal box
having a length, a width and a height, the box having opposite
horizontal upper and lower faces, two opposite vertical end faces
and two opposite vertical lateral faces, the upper and lower faces
of the box being defined by the length and the width of the box,
the two end faces of the box by the length and the height of the
box and the two lateral faces of the box by the width and the
height of the box, the box containing at least one layer of thermal
insulation with a thickness less than one third of the width of the
box, the insulating layer covering at least the lateral and end
faces of the box and possibly the upper and lower faces and
surrounding at least one chamber with a parallelepipedal volume
inside the box, the at least one chamber having a length, a width
and a height, the chamber having opposite horizontal upper and
lower faces, the upper face and/or the lower face of the chamber
being at least partially open, two opposite vertical end faces and
two opposite vertical lateral faces, the upper and lower faces of
the chamber being defined by the length and the width of the
chamber, the two end faces of the chamber by the length and the
height of the chamber and the two lateral faces of the chamber by
the width and the height of the chamber, the chamber containing at
least one body of material enabling the exchange of mass and/or of
heat, the body being of parallelepipedal shape and filling at least
a part of the chamber, the chamber having an opening on the upper
face and/or an opening on the lower face communicating with an
opening in the upper face of the box and/or an opening in the lower
face of the box respectively to enable the transfer of fluid to the
body from the outside of the element and/or from the body to the
outside of the element.
[0045] According to other, optional aspects of all the objects of
the invention:
[0046] the at least one body fills at least a part of the chamber
inside the box and
[0047] i) another body enabling the exchange of mass and/or of heat
fills another part, or even the rest, of the chamber or another
chamber and/or
[0048] ii) at least one material transfer conduit passes through
the other part, or even the rest of the chamber or another chamber,
to enable the material to pass through the box or
[0049] iii) the other part, or even the rest of the chamber or the
other chamber constitutes a means enabling the transfer of material
through the box.
According to other, optional aspects:
[0050] the height of the element is less than the length of the
element, or even less than or equal to the width of the
element.
[0051] the height of the body is equal to at least half the height
of the element, if not equal to the height of the element.
[0052] at least one body is a body of adsorbent material.
[0053] at least one body is constituted by a stack of vertically
oriented metal plates, the plates being separated by fins.
[0054] at least one body is constituted by a stack of vertically
oriented corrugated plates, the corrugations being oriented at an
angle between 10.degree. and 80.degree. to the horizontal.
[0055] a range of element sizes having been predefined, the
dimensions of the modular element are chosen to correspond to an
element size that is part of the range.
[0056] the chamber is open on the upper face and the lower face of
the box and the height of the chamber is substantially equal to the
height of the box.
[0057] the chamber is open on the upper face or the lower face of
the box and closed on the opposite face of the latter.
[0058] at least one of the vertical faces of the box takes the form
of a plane surface.
[0059] at least the upper face and/or the lower face of the box
comprises connecting means for making a connection between adjacent
elements.
[0060] the at least one chamber has a horizontal section of
substantially square, rectangular or circular shape.
[0061] the chamber has a uniform horizontal section over all the
height of the chamber.
[0062] the chamber is closer to a lateral wall of the box than the
opposite lateral wall of the box.
[0063] the box is made of metal, preferably of aluminum or of
stainless steel or of carbon steel or of Invar.
[0064] the walls of the at least one chamber are made of metal,
preferably of aluminum or of stainless steel or of Invar.
[0065] the element is self-supporting.
[0066] the element has a length between 3 and 30 meters.
[0067] the element has a height between 1 and 5 meters.
[0068] the element has a width between 1 and 5 meters.
[0069] the thickness of the insulation layer is less than 500 mm,
or less than 300 mm, or less than 150 mm, or even 100 mm.
[0070] the volume of the chamber or of the chambers constitutes at
least 30% of the volume of the element.
[0071] the element comprises four vertical beams connecting the
upper face of the box to the lower face of the box at the corners,
so that mechanical forces are transmitted via the corners of these
faces.
[0072] the box is constituted of a standardized container,
preferably having standardized corners, for example in accordance
with the standard ISO 668.
[0073] an opening in the upper face of the chamber communicates
with an opening in the upper face of the box, the two openings
having substantially the same dimensions.
[0074] an opening in the lower face of the chamber communicates
with an opening in the lower face of the box, the two openings
having substantially the same dimensions.
[0075] the opening in the lower face and/or the upper face of the
box occupies at least 20% of the surface of the respective face of
the box.
[0076] the opening in the lower face and/or the upper face of the
chamber occupies at least 20% of the surface of the respective face
of the chamber, preferably all the surface of the respective face
of the chamber.
[0077] According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided an assembly of at least one first modular element and at
least one second modular element stacked one on the other and in
contact one with the other, the first and second elements being as
described hereinabove, the elements being disposed so that at least
one body of the first element is disposed above at least one body
of the second element, the body of the first element and the body
of the second element above which it is disposed both being
constituted of
[0078] i) adsorbing material or
[0079] ii) a stack of vertically oriented metal plates, the plates
being separated by fins or
[0080] iii) a stack of vertically oriented corrugated plates, the
corrugations being oriented at an angle between 10.degree. and
80.degree. to the horizontal and the modular element of the first
element has the same length and width as that of the second
element.
[0081] The box of the first element preferably has the same length
and width as that of the second element.
[0082] The chamber of the first element preferably has the same
length and width as that of the second element.
[0083] The central points of the chambers of the first element and
the second element are preferably on a common vertical axis.
[0084] The body of the first element preferably has the same length
and width as that of the second element.
[0085] According to other, optional aspects of all the objects of
the invention:
[0086] the at least one material transfer conduit passes through
the other part, or even the rest of the chamber or another chamber,
to enable the material to pass through the box of the first element
and/or
[0087] the other part, or even the rest of the chamber or the other
chamber constitutes a means enabling the transfer of material
through the box of the first element.
[0088] the at least one material transfer conduit passes through
the other part, or even the rest of the chamber or another chamber,
to enable the material to pass through the box of the second
element and/or
[0089] the other part, or even the rest of the chamber or the other
chamber constitutes a means enabling the transfer of material
through the box of the second element.
[0090] the material transfer conduit of the first element is
connected to the material transfer means of the second element,
this means possibly being the material transfer conduit of the
second element, or even a part of the chamber or another chamber of
the second element.
[0091] the other part, or even the rest of the chamber or the other
chamber of the first element is connected to the material transfer
means of the second element, this means possibly being the material
transfer conduit of the second element, or even a part of the
chamber or another chamber of the second element.
[0092] the material transfer conduit of the first element is the
transfer conduit of the second element.
[0093] a material transfer conduit passes through the first and
second elements, or even most of, or even all of the elements of
the assembly.
[0094] the assembly comprises at least one means for causing at
least one fluid or electricity to circulate from one element to
another and passing through at least one conduit, which may be a
cable, or a chamber of each element.
[0095] the elements are fixed one to the other by connecting the
lower edges of the four lateral and end walls of the box of the
first element to the upper edges of the four lateral and end walls
of the box of the second element, by welding and/or adhesion using
a seal and/or an adhesive and/or a mechanical attachment, possibly
with the use of a seal, preferably only at the corners of the
assembly produced in this way possibly providing a seal.
[0096] the assembly comprises a third element in contact with the
first or the second element, the third element being
parallelepipedal and having a length and a width and a height, the
third element having opposite horizontal upper and lower faces, two
opposite vertical end faces and two opposite vertical lateral
faces, the upper and lower faces of the third element being defined
by the length and the width of the modular element, the two end
faces of the modular element by the length and the height of the
third element and the two lateral faces of the modular element by
the width and the height of the third element, the third element
not containing any element enabling the exchange of material as
described in claim 3 but containing at least one cable and/or at
least one conduit for transferring electricity or a fluid from the
first or from the second element.
[0097] According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a gas treatment device, for example an air separation
device employing cryogenic distillation in which:
[0098] i) a unit for purification of the gas, for example air, is
at least partially constituted by an assembly of at least two
elements as described hereinabove, the adsorbent is capable of
adsorbing water and/or carbon dioxide and/or some of the secondary
impurities in the air, the assembly comprising means for sending
gas thereto, for example air, to be purified of water and/or carbon
dioxide connected to an element of the assembly and means for
taking up purified gas from another element of the assembly
and/or
[0099] ii) a heat exchanger is at least partially constituted by an
assembly of at least two elements as described above, the assembly
comprising means for sending a gas, for example air or an
atmosphere gas, to an element of the assembly and means for taking
up the gas at a higher or lower temperature from another element of
the assembly and/or
[0100] iii) a distillation column is at least partially constituted
by an assembly of at least two elements as described hereinabove,
the assembly comprising means for sending to it a gas, for example
air or an atmosphere gas, connected to an element of the assembly
and means for taking up a gas that has been purified or enriched as
a component of the gas from another element of the assembly.
[0101] According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method of exchange of mass and/or of heat in an assembly
or a device as described hereinabove in which at least one first
fluid is introduced into the body of an element of an assembly and
a second fluid derived from the first fluid is removed from the
body of another element of the assembly.
[0102] The exchange of mass and/or of heat is preferably carried
out at a pressure of less than 2 bar, preferably at a pressure at
most equal to 400 mbar above atmospheric pressure.
[0103] According to the present invention, at least some functional
parts of the device for treatment of a gas, for example an air
separation device, are constituted at least partially, preferably
entirely, by modular elements.
[0104] The entire device may be composed of modular elements.
[0105] According to another object of the invention, there is
provided an assembly of at least one first, one second and one
third stackable modular elements for construction of a mass- and/or
heat-exchange device, each of the first and second elements
comprising a parallelepipedal box having a length, a width and a
height, the box having opposite horizontal upper and lower faces,
two opposite vertical end faces and two opposite vertical lateral
faces, the upper and lower faces of the box being defined by the
length and the width of the box, the two end faces of the box by
the length and the height of the box and the two lateral faces of
the box by the width and the height of the box, the box containing
at least one layer of thermal insulation having a thickness less
than one third of the width of the box, the layer of insulation
covering at least one of the lateral and end faces of the box and
the upper and lower faces possibly surrounding at least one chamber
having a parallelepipedal volume inside the box, the at least one
chamber having a length, a width and a height, the chamber having
opposite horizontal upper and lower faces, the upper face and/or
the lower face of the chamber being at least partially open, two
opposite vertical end faces and two opposite vertical lateral
faces, the upper and lower faces of the chamber being defined by
the length and the width of the chamber, the two end faces of the
chamber by the length and the height of the chamber and the two
lateral faces of the chamber by the width and the height of the
chamber, the chamber containing at least one body of material
enabling the exchange of mass and/or of heat, the body being of
parallelepipedal shape and filling at least a part of the chamber,
the first and second elements each having the chamber featuring an
opening on the upper face communicating with an opening in the
upper face of the box and an opening on the lower face
communicating with an opening in the lower face of the box
respectively to enable the transfer of fluid to the body from the
exterior of the element and/or from the body to the exterior of the
element and the third element comprising a parallelepipedal box
having a length, a width and a height, the box having opposite
horizontal upper and lower faces, two opposite vertical end faces
and two opposite vertical lateral faces, the upper and lower faces
of the box being defined by the length and the width of the box,
the two end faces of the box by the length and the height of the
box and the two lateral faces of the box by the width and the
height of the box, the first and second elements are disposed above
the third element or below the third element, in contact therewith,
the third element comprising at least one first opening to enable
the transfer of fluid from/to the chamber of at least one first
element and at least one second opening to enable the transfer of
fluid to/from the chamber of at least one second element,
[0106] i) at least one (the) first and at least one (the) second
opening being found in the upper face or at least one (the) first
and at least one (the) second opening being found in the lower face
of the third element, or
[0107] ii) at least one (the) first opening being found in the
upper face and at least one (the) second opening being found in the
lower face of third element.
According to other, optional aspects of all the objects of the
invention:
[0108] the at least one body fills at least a part of the chamber
inside the box of the first and/or second element and
[0109] i) another body enabling the exchange of mass and/or of heat
fills another part, or even the rest, of the chamber or another
chamber, and/or
[0110] ii) at least one material transfer conduit passes through
the other part, or even the rest of the chamber or another chamber,
to enable the material to pass through the box, or
[0111] iii) the other part, or even the rest of the chamber or the
other chamber constitute a means enabling the transfer of material
through the box.
[0112] where applicable
[0113] i) at least one body is a body of adsorbent material,
and/or
[0114] ii) at least one body is constituted by a stack of
vertically oriented metal plates, the plates being separated by
fins, and/or
[0115] iii) at least one body is constituted by a stack of
vertically oriented corrugated plates, the corrugations being
oriented at an angle between 10.degree. and 80.degree. to the
horizontal.
[0116] the first element contains a body as described in the
variant i) or ii) or iii) of claim 2 and the second element
contains a body as described in the variant i) or ii) or iii) of
claim 2.
[0117] the third element does not contain any body as described in
variant i), ii) or iii) of claim 2.
[0118] the first element has the same length and/or width and/or
height as the second element.
[0119] the first, second and third elements are disposed with their
lengths disposed in the same direction.
[0120] the sum of the lengths of the first and second elements is
less than, equal to or greater than the length of the third
element.
[0121] the first and second elements are disposed with their
lengths disposed in the same direction and the third element is
disposed with its length perpendicular to the lengths of the first
and second elements.
[0122] the sum of the widths of the first and second elements is
substantially equal to the length of the third element.
[0123] n third elements are disposed below or above the first and
second elements, each third element being in contact with the first
and second elements and each of the first and second elements
comprising n openings to enable the transfer of fluid from/to each
of the third elements.
[0124] the length of the first and/or the second element is
substantially equal to the sum of the widths of the three elements,
each third element preferably having the same width, and the length
of the first and/or the second element being substantially equal to
n times the width of a third element.
[0125] the third element has a height greater than or less than the
height of the first and/or second element.
[0126] the third element is below the first and second
elements.
[0127] the third element is fixed to the ground.
[0128] the box of the third element contains at least one layer of
thermal insulation with a thickness less than one third of the
width of the box, the insulating layer covering at least the
lateral and end faces of the box and possibly the upper and lower
faces surrounding at least one chamber having a parallelepipedal
volume inside the box,
[0129] the third element contains at least one chamber having a
length, a width and a height, the chamber having opposite
horizontal upper and lower faces, the upper face and/or the lower
face of the chamber being at least partially open, two opposite
vertical end faces and two opposite vertical lateral faces, the
upper and lower faces of the chamber being defined by the length
and the width of the chamber, the two end faces of the chamber by
the length and the height of the chamber and the two lateral faces
of the chamber by the width and the height of the chamber,
[0130] a chamber of the third element contains at least one body of
material enabling the exchange of mass and/or of heat, the body
being of parallelepipedal shape and filling at least a part of the
chamber, the first and second elements each having the chamber
featuring an opening on the upper face communicating with an
opening in the upper face of the box and an opening on the lower
face communicating with an opening in the lower face of the box
respectively to enable the transfer of fluid to the body from the
exterior of the element and/or from the body to the exterior of the
element.
[0131] the third element contains means for transferring at least
one fluid from the first element to the second element and/or from
the second element to the first element.
[0132] the third element contains at least one conduit and/or at
least one duct, one end of which is connected to at least one body
and/or at least one transfer conduit of the first element and the
other end is connected to the at least one body and/or at least one
transfer conduit of the second element.
[0133] the at least one conduit and/or the at least one duct is
covered with insulation.
[0134] the at least one conduit and/or the at least one duct is
covered with insulation and disposed in the insulation that fills
the space inside the third element.
[0135] at least the end and lateral faces of the third element are
covered with a layer of insulation.
[0136] the third element contains command and/or control and/or
analysis and/or instrumentation and/or utility supply means.
[0137] the box of the third element contains on at least one face
at least one layer of thermal insulation having a thickness
possibly at least less than a third of the width of the box.
[0138] the first and/or second element constitutes the lower or
upper element of a stack of elements, each element of the stack
comprising a parallelepipedal box having a length, a width and a
height, the box having opposite horizontal upper and lower faces,
two opposite vertical end faces and two opposite vertical lateral
faces, the upper and lower faces of the box being defined by the
length and the width of the box, the two end faces of the box by
the length and the height of the box and the two lateral faces of
the box by the width and the height of the box.
[0139] at least one element of the stack is a support element not
comprising openings to enable the entry or the exit of a fluid.
[0140] for at least one element of the stack, the box contains at
least one layer of thermal insulation having a thickness less than
one third of the width of the box, the layer of insulation covering
at least the lateral and end faces of the box and possibly the
upper and lower faces and surrounding at least one chamber having a
parallelepipedal volume inside the box, the at least one chamber
having a length, a width and a height, the chamber having opposite
horizontal upper and lower faces, the upper face and/or the lower
face of the chamber being at least partially open, two opposite
vertical end faces and two opposite vertical lateral faces, the
upper and lower faces of the chamber being defined by the length
and the width of the chamber, the two end faces of the chamber by
the length and the height of the chamber and the two lateral faces
of the chamber by the width and the height of the chamber, the
chamber containing at least one body of material enabling the
exchange of mass and/or of heat, the body being of parallelepipedal
shape and filling at least a part of the chamber.
[0141] each element of the stack or most elements of the stack
contain(s) a body composed of only one of the variants i) to iii)
of claim 3, the elements being disposed so that at least one fluid
can circulate in the stack of elements via the body.
[0142] the third element comprises openings in only one face that
is the upper face or the lower face.
[0143] the third element comprises at least two openings in one of
the faces that is the upper face or the lower face and at least one
opening in the opposite face.
[0144] the first and/or second element constitutes the lower or
upper element of a stack of elements, connected by the first and/or
second element to a first third element and also connected to a
second third element disposed at an intermediate point of the stack
or at the other end of the stack.
[0145] According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a plurality of juxtaposed assemblies, each assembly being
according to any one of the preceding claims in which the third
element of one of the assemblies is connected to the third element
of another assembly through a fourth element comprising a
parallelepipedal box, placed in contact with the third elements in
order to enable the transfer of fluid from one assembly to the
other through the fourth element and the third element.
[0146] According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a device for treatment of a gas, for example a device for
separation of air by cryogenic distillation, in which:
[0147] i) a unit for purification of the gas, for example air, is
at least partially constituted by an assembly according to claim 2
variant i), the adsorbent is capable of adsorbing water and/or
carbon dioxide and/or some of the secondary impurities in the air,
the assembly comprising means for sending to it gas, for example
air, to be purified of water and/or carbon dioxide connected to an
element of the assembly and means for taking up the purified gas
from another element of the assembly, and/or
[0148] ii) a heat exchanger is at least partially constituted by an
assembly according to claim 2 variant ii), the assembly comprising
means for sending a gas, for example air or an atmosphere gas, to
an element of the assembly and means for taking up gas at a higher
or lower temperature from another element of the assembly,
and/or
[0149] iii) a distillation column is at least partially constituted
by an assembly according to claim 2, variant iii), the assembly
comprising means for sending to it a gas, for example air or an
atmosphere gas, connected to an element of the assembly and means
for taking up a gas purified of or enriched with a component of the
gas from another element of the assembly.
[0150] According to another object of the invention, there is
provided a method for exchange of mass and/or heat in an assembly
or a device as described hereinabove in which at least one first
fluid is introduced into the body of an element of an assembly and
a second fluid derived from the first fluid is removed from the
body of another element of the assembly.
[0151] the exchange of mass and/or of heat is carried out at a
pressure of less than 2 bar, preferably at a pressure at most equal
to 400 mbar above atmospheric pressure.
[0152] According to other aspects of all the aspects of the
invention, there are provided:
[0153] at least one element of the stack may be longer than other
elements of the stack, preferably longer than most of, or even all
of the elements of the stack.
[0154] the first stack principally contains body elements of type
i) and/or the second stack principally contains body elements of
type ii) and/or the third stack principally contains body elements
of type iii).
[0155] The invention proposes to use modular elements that make it
possible to assemble and to start up a device for treatment of a
gas, for example an air separation device, rapidly, the modular
elements being manufactured in the factory and being of easily
transportable size, typically the size of a standardized maritime
container.
[0156] The modular elements are easily fastened together to
facilitate the construction of a device and are also easily
unfastened, to facilitate modification or relocation of the
elements.
[0157] Fluid or electrical or instrumentation type connections
between adjacent modular elements, but also the seal between
adjacent modular elements, will be effected at the level of the
interfaces between two adjacent elements, by one modular element
being back-to-back with another, requiring little or not human
intervention.
[0158] It can obviously be envisaged that fluid or electrical or
instrumentation connections can be effected by means disposed on
exterior walls of adjacent or non-adjacent modular elements.
[0159] The operation of the modular elements will have been
completely validated ahead of the transportation of the element
(verification, quality control, etc.).
[0160] Moreover, the modular aspect enables increasing or reducing
the size of the device for processing a gas, for example an air
separation device, and also easy dismantling for installation on
another site, adding or removing modular elements from the modular
elements in the same device. The modular aspect also enables easy
multiplication of the number of devices in parallel ("multi-train"
concept).
[0161] For maintenance, service exchange with another modular
element could be envisaged.
[0162] Some modular elements could possibly be changed during the
life of the device, for example for a modular element offering
better energy performance (although undoubtedly more costly) if the
cost of energy increases. This configuration method can also be
applied to adjustment of production of liquid, gas under pressure,
etc.
[0163] The use of gas fluid connectors in particular will be
facilitated by the use of the concept of a device operating at
atmospheric pressure or a pressure slightly above atmospheric
pressure, for which a certain leakage rate might possibly be
tolerated.
[0164] According to the invention, a single modular element size
may be chosen having given dimensions for installing therein a part
of the equipment of the device, using a plurality of modular
elements of the same size. Otherwise, two modular element sizes may
be chosen, the modular elements of the two sizes each having the
same height and the same width but the length of one modular
element being twice that of the other modular element. In this case
a number of modular elements of a first size and a number of
modular elements of a second size will be used.
[0165] The dimensions are chosen so that at least one equipment
unit of the device is not only transported to site in the modular
element but also installed in situ to form part of the device that
functions inside the same modular element as that used for its
transportation.
[0166] In some cases, an entire equipment unit of a device, or even
a plurality of entire equipment units, may fit in a modular
element; for example the equipment unit may be a boiler or a
condenser, a heat exchanger, for example a smaller heat exchanger,
such as a subcooler, a pump, a compressor, a turbine, an expansion
valve or a control, instrumentation or electrical plant room.
[0167] In other cases, in particular when the equipment unit when
ready to use is of great height, it is necessary to design the
equipment unit as a series of parts, each of which is disposed in
an individual modular element. The modular elements are then
stacked and the parts connected in series inside the modular
elements to enable operation of the parts in series, with at least
one fluid from one modular element passing into the other modular
element. Thus the stacked parts constitute the entire equipment
unit, such as a column enabling exchange of heat and/or of
material, for example a distillation column or a scrubber column or
a heat exchanger or an adsorption or absorption tower.
[0168] The height of the part is chosen so that the part can fit
into the modular element. To improve its stability, the modular
element is disposed with its length parallel to the ground, its
width also parallel to the ground and its height being
perpendicular thereto.
[0169] In the situation where only one modular element size is
used, the length of the modular element is preferably at least 1.5
times the height of the modular element, or even at least twice the
height of the modular element, or even at least four times the
height of the modular element.
[0170] In the situation where only one modular element size is
used, the length of the modular element is preferably at least 1.5
times the width of the modular element, or even at least twice the
width of the modular element, or even at least four times the width
of the modular element.
[0171] In the situation in which only one modular element size is
used, the width of the modular element may be greater than or less
than or equal to the height of the modular element.
[0172] In the situation where only one modular element size is
used, the length of the modular element is obviously greater than
the height of the modular element and greater than its width.
[0173] In the situation where two modular element sizes are used,
the length of the shorter modular element is preferably at least
1.25 times the height of the shorter modular element, or even at
least 1.5 times the height of the shorter modular element, or even
at least twice the height of the shorter modular element. The
length of the longer modular element is preferably at least 2.5
times the height of the longer modular element, or even at least 3
times the height of the longer modular element, or even at least 4
times the height of the longer modular element.
[0174] In the situation where two modular element sizes are used,
the length of the shorter modular element is preferably at least
1.25 times the width of the shorter modular element, or even at
least 1.5 times the width of the shorter modular element, or even
at least twice the width of the shorter modular element. The length
of the longer modular element is preferably at least 2.5 times the
width of the longer modular element, or even at least 3 times the
width of the longer modular element, or even at least 4 times the
width of the longer modular element.
[0175] In the situation where two modular element sizes are used,
the shorter modular element and the longer modular element have the
same height and the same width.
[0176] In the situation where two modular element sizes are used,
the height of the longer modular element is half of the height of
the shorter modular element and/or the length of the longer modular
element is substantially twice the length of the shorter modular
element.
[0177] The modular elements may have various configurations.
[0178] The modular elements can each contain a part of an equipment
unit having only one principal function.
[0179] For example, an equipment unit, such as a heat exchanger,
can be constituted in part or entirely of stacked modular
elements.
[0180] An adsorption purification device can be constituted in part
or entirely of stacked modular elements.
[0181] A distillation or scrubber column can be constituted in part
or entirely of stacked modular elements.
[0182] A modular element need not contain instrumentation or an
electrical power supply and in this case does not necessarily
require validation/testing in the factory, other than quality
control.
[0183] To the contrary, a modular element can contain objects
having a multitude of functions (rotating machines, such as a
compressor, a turbine or a pump, electrical, instrumentation,
process components, fluid distribution devices (pipes, valves,
etc.), thus becoming a complex module that necessitates complete
validation/testing/inspection in the factory.
[0184] The modular element can contain equipments having an
"ancillary" function such as support, control room, electrical
plant room, instrumentation/analysis room, stores/spare parts,
etc.
[0185] The modular elements can be arranged so that their length is
disposed vertically and/or horizontally relative to the ground,
once installed to constitute the device. The position with the
length disposed horizontally relative to the ground when the
element is installed at its final position is preferred for reasons
of stability and ease of assembling the elements. Moreover, as
these elements are generally transported with their length in the
horizontal direction, for example by truck or boat, the element
remains in the same position for transportation and final
installation. It is therefore not necessary to provide support
inside the element to prevent its contents from moving when the
element is in a vertical position, since the element is always in
the horizontal position, whether this be for transportation,
installation on site or final disposition on site.
[0186] The structure of at least the modular elements in contact
with sections of the device operating at a below ambient
temperature, or even cryogenic temperature, will be made of a
material that is mechanically resistant to low temperatures or of a
more conventional material protected by adequate thermal
insulation.
[0187] The walls of the modular element will be plane, or "domed"
outward or inward if it is wished to contain the pressure more
easily. The inward "bombed" solution facilitates transport (the
wall does not project beyond the "supporting" structure).
[0188] The insulation could be integrated into the walls and into
the structures exposed to the ambient medium, for example with the
aid of vacuum panels. The use of more conventional insulation
(particulate, for example perlite, rock or glass wool packing)
could also be provided as a function of the accessibility required
for maintenance of the equipment units concerned.
[0189] The wall of the internal zone with its insulation if any
delimits a chamber and can directly "contain" the body having a
process function (for example, exchange waves for heat exchange,
structured packing for distillation, adsorbent for adsorption,
compression, expansion). The connectors enabling transfer of at
least one fluid between the modular elements may be brazed or
preferably a mechanical system with possibly a seal compatible with
the cryogenic temperatures and with the nature of the product to
facilitate evolution and easy dismantling, as much at the level of
fluid distribution ("pipes") as at the level of a connection
between two parts of the same process function. The mechanical
strength of the assembly of modular elements can, for example, be
provided by a twist-lock type system preferably housed in the
standardized corners of the modular element), independently of the
"fluid" connections, the "fluid" connections, merely providing a
seal, possibly being imperfect.
[0190] The other connectors (electricity, instrumentation) are of
more conventional "plug and play" type.
[0191] There may also be pipes external to the modular elements to
connect two parts of the device, notably in the case of fluids
pressurized above a given threshold.
[0192] The modular elements have guides and quick locking systems
at the corners, enabling accurate "plug and play" connections.
[0193] The civil engineering can remain simple, using a single flat
slab or only piles situated under the structure, possibly only
under the corners, of each modular element resting on the ground.
The modular element resting on the ground may possibly be
reinforced, for example by adding contact points in contact with
the ground.
[0194] The modular elements preferably have a structure such that
mechanical forces between elements or the ground are absorbed in
the corners.
[0195] The insulation of a modular element is integrated into the
walls of the element and possibly the structure of the element.
This avoids the formation of thermal bridges.
[0196] A modular element has at least one, or even two or three,
greater dimensions and at least one, or even two or three, smaller
dimensions and/or at least one dimension, or even two or three,
equal to those of a standardized maritime container. The modular
element typically has at least one dimension corresponding to the
size of a standardized 20 feet or 40 feet maritime transport
container, i.e. approximately 2.5.times.2.5.times.6 m or
2.5.times.2.5.times.12 m.
[0197] An element can have at its eight corners a standardized
maritime container corner, for example one in accordance with the
standard ISO 668.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0198] The present invention will be clearly understood and its
advantages will arise from the description which follows, given
merely as a non-limitative example, and with reference to the
attached drawings in which
[0199] FIG. 1 provides a representation of modular elements
according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0200] FIG. 2 provides a representation of two modular elements
stacked to form an assembly according to an embodiment of the
present invention,
[0201] FIG. 3 provides a representation of modular elements
according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0202] FIG. 4. provides a representation of modular elements
according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0203] FIG. 5 provides a representation of an assembly of modular
elements according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0204] FIG. 6 provides a representation of an assembly of modular
elements according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0205] FIG. 7 provides a representation of an assembly of modular
elements according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0206] FIG. 8 provides a representation of an assembly of modular
elements according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0207] FIG. 9 provides a representation of a section of assembled
modular elements according to an embodiment of the present
invention,
[0208] FIG. 10 provides a representation of a section of modular
elements according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0209] FIG. 11 provides a representation of an assembly of modular
elements according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0210] FIG. 12 provides a representation of an assembly of modular
elements according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0211] FIG. 13 provides a representation of an assembly of modular
elements according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0212] FIG. 14 provides a representation of a life cycle of an
assembly of modular elements according to an embodiment of the
present invention,
[0213] FIG. 15 provides a representation of a life cycle of an
assembly of modular elements according to an embodiment of the
present invention,
[0214] FIG. 16 provides a representation of a life cycle of an
assembly of modular elements according to an embodiment of the
present invention,
[0215] FIG. 17 provides a representation of a life cycle of an
assembly of modular elements according to an embodiment of the
present invention,
[0216] FIG. 18 provides a representation of a life cycle of an
assembly of modular elements according to an embodiment of the
present invention, and
[0217] FIG. 19 provides a representation of a life cycle of an
assembly of modular elements according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0218] The invention will be described in more detail with
reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 that represent modular elements
according to the invention, and FIG. 2 that represents two modular
elements stacked to form an assembly according to the invention,
FIGS. 5 to 8, that represent assemblies of modular elements
according to the invention, FIG. 9, that represents a section of
assembled modular elements according to the invention, FIG. 10,
that represents a section of modular elements in accordance with
the invention, FIGS. 11 to 13, that represent assemblies of modular
elements according to the invention, and FIGS. 14 to 19 that
represent a life cycle of an assembly of modular elements according
to the invention.
[0219] FIG. 1a is a view from above of a modular element. A view
from below would be substantially identical.
[0220] The modular element 10 is an element enabling an exchange of
material and/or of heat. It is composed of a box 2 of
parallelepipedal shape, formed for example of metal beams. The
element includes eight "container" type ISO 101 corners fixed to
the box 2 and has a width oriented horizontally relative to the
ground, a length oriented horizontally relative to the ground and a
height oriented vertically relative to the ground, when it is
installed to form part of a device.
[0221] ISO containers are subject to specific construction
standards and performance tests. The same applies to ISO
corners.
[0222] ISO corners are certified by an internationally recognized
organization to enable their "multimodal" use in maritime, road,
rail or even air transport.
[0223] Steel, aluminum or stainless steel ISO corners are
commercially available according to their specified use.
[0224] The element comprises a box having opposite horizontal upper
and lower faces, two opposite vertical end faces and two opposite
vertical lateral faces, the upper and lower faces of the box being
defined by the length and the width of the box, the two end faces
of the box by the length and the height of the modular element and
the two lateral faces of the box by the width and the height of the
box. The lateral and end walls are for example made of sheet metal.
The faces formed by the width and the length of the element are
open to enable the passage of fluids. Alternatively, the opening
may be smaller than the surface of the lower and/or upper face,
covering at least part of the insulation 3 and possibly a part of
the zone 4.
[0225] It is obvious that the height and the width of the element
are not necessarily identical, and so the lateral walls may all be
rectangular without being square. The walls may also be smaller
than the box of the element. The walls are preferably fixed to the
inside of the box 2, but may be fixed to its outside. Insulation 3
lines the inside of the box 2, at least on the vertical sides of
the parallelepiped. The upper and/or lower surface may also
comprise a wall and be insulated. The insulation 3 can be pressed
onto a plate which bears on the box 2 to make a "fluid" seal
between the interior and the surroundings. The insulation 3 can
also provide this sealing function directly, together with the
structural wall function. By default, a fluid-tight wall, for
example a metal plate, may be applied on the interior side to the
insulation 3. The box 2 and the insulation 3 delimit an internal
zone. The box 2, the wall and/or the insulation 3 can be sized to
contain any overpressure inside the internal zone.
[0226] The internal zone surrounds a zone 4. This zone 4 contains a
body that enables transfer of mass and/or heat, for example a
structured packing for distillation, an exchanger matrix with
plates and fins for exchange of heat, adsorbent in ball or
structured form for adsorption. This zone can also contain a
support zone, for example in the lower part, fluid distribution
zones, for example in the lower and/or upper part. It can also be
divided into a plurality of parts, for example vertically, with
walls that may be fluid-tight and/or structural walls (for example
to resist a pressure difference) and/or thermally insulative walls.
The body preferably fills all the section of the zone 4.
[0227] At least one fluid circulates up or down through the zone 4.
In some cases, for example that of distillation, a fluid, for
example a gas, circulates upward and another, for example a liquid,
downward through the zone 4.
[0228] The internal zone may consist entirely of the zone 4.
However, as shown, it can equally well contain at least one other
zone, for example here a fluid circulation zone 5, delimited by a
fluid-tight and possibly insulating wall 6, in some kind of duct.
The part in contact with the insulation 3 can be delimited by a
fluid-tight, for example metal, wall, if the insulation does not
provide this function. In the situation in the figure, two fluid
circulation zones 5 are delimited by a vertical fluid tight wall 6.
This enables replacement of gas or liquid conduits of a
conventional device by causing circulation of at least one fluid
that has to be sent to a higher or lower modular element and not
treated by exchange of mass and/or of heat in the element through
which it or they circulate(s).
[0229] It is equally feasible for the internal zone to comprise a
plurality of zones 4. For example, there could be a first zone 4
and a second zone separated from one another, each containing
structured packing for out distillation or an exchanger matrix with
plates and fins for exchange of heat or adsorbent in ball or
structured form for adsorption.
[0230] Similarly, the at least two zones could each have a
different function or different dimensions, one containing
structured packing and the other an exchanger matrix with plates
and fins.
[0231] The fluid directed to the zone 5 can be directly in contact
with the walls of the zone, which separate the zone from the
insulation. Otherwise the fluid can be contained in a conduit that
passes through the zone.
[0232] FIG. 1b represents a section taken along the line X-X in
FIG. 1a. There are seen there the four beams of the box 2 and two
of the lateral walls attached to the interior of the beams and
covered with insulation 3. A mass and/or heat-exchange body of the
first zone 4 is held in place by the insulation 3 and is supported
by a distributor 4' intended to distribute a gas passing from the
exterior of the element to the body or from the body to the
exterior of the element. This distributor can also serve to hold
the body in place. This distributor can be reduced to a set of
support beams. The body can be a body for exchange of mass only, a
body for exchange of heat only (for example a heat exchanger with
plates and fins) or a body for exchange of mass and heat.
[0233] FIG. 1c shows a variant of the element in section taken
along the line Y-Y in FIG. 1a. There is seen there the four box
beams 2 and two of the lateral walls attached to the interior of
the beams and covered with insulation 3.
[0234] A barrier 6 divides the chamber 5 in two to form two gas
paths, one of the two paths being again divided in two by the
barrier 6', the barriers 6, 6' forming a T. The gas arriving from
outside the element rises or descends in the path.
[0235] FIG. 1d shows a variant of the element from FIG. 1c in
section taken along the line Z-Z in FIG. 1a. Here instead of
occupying all the height of the element as in the most frequent
case of FIGS. 1a, 1b, 1c, the body is divided into two parts 3, 4,
each having a distributor and/or a set of support beams, toward the
bottom, the two parts being separated vertically from one another
by a space. The gas rising in the path 5 beside the body 4 enters
into the body 3 on passing through the distributor 3'.
[0236] FIG. 2 represents a side view of an assembly of two modular
elements according to FIG. 1a. For each modular element there are
seen there the four beams of the box and one of the lateral walls
covered with insulation.
[0237] The stack of two modular elements 10 and 20 of
parallelepipedal shape forms an assembly of two modular elements
interconnected by mechanical connecting parts 141 at the level of
the ISO corners 101. The opening between the two modular elements
of parallelepipedal shape, generated by the connecting part 141
and/or by the separation of the beams between the frameworks of the
two modular elements, is filled in by an element 131 that provides
both the seal with respect to the exterior and the continuity of
the insulation between the two modular elements 10 and 20 of
parallelepipedal shape. The element 131 can consist of a plurality
of sub-elements, for example one providing the insulation function
and another the sealing function. The connecting part 141 can be
made so that the upper and lower ISO corners are in contact, for
example, via a mechanical connection inside the ISO corners or
outside it and using the lateral holes of the ISO corners. The
opening between the two modular elements of parallelepipedal shape
is then reduced to its minimum, of approximately 2 cm,
corresponding to the positioning separation of the horizontal metal
beams and the ISO corner 101, generally around 1 cm.
[0238] Other ways of assembling the modular elements and/or of
providing the seal between the modular elements may be envisaged,
for example welding and/or a seal, for example made of PTFE or its
derivatives and/or adhesive bonding as well as or instead of a
mechanical connection. The beams can be interconnected via a
mechanical system, typically using nuts and bolts, like a pipe
flange, to reinforce the seal if necessary.
[0239] Obviously more than two elements can be assembled in this
manner.
[0240] As the two elements have the same length and the same width,
it suffices to fix one element to the other by the contiguous
corners 101 in order to attach the elements together. The space
between the elements is filled at least with the seal 131 so that
the fluids in the zones 4 cannot escape from the assembly of
elements but pass entirely from one element to the other.
[0241] FIG. 3 represents a top view of a modular element according
to FIG. 1a carrying the sealing element 131.
[0242] This figure shows the location of the sealing element, for
example a seal 131, at the interface between two modular elements
10, 20 of parallelepipedal shape. The element 131 bears on the
insulation, and preferably also on the box 2, except for the ISO
corners 101. Other elements 132, 133 and 134, possibly of the same
kind as the element 131, are going to provide fluid continuity
between the two modular elements 10, 20 of parallelepipedal shape,
in terms of sealing and possibly insulation: the element 132 when
the zone 4 has been divided into a plurality of parts, for example
vertically, with walls that can be fluid-tight, the element 133
when it is wished to channel a fluid leaving the zone 4, typically
following heat transfer, the element 134 for the fluid circulation
zones 5.
[0243] These elements 131, 132, 133 and 134 can be installed when
assembling the two modular elements 10, 20 of parallelepipedal
shape. These elements 131, 132, 133 and 134 can possibly constitute
one and the same piece.
[0244] FIG. 4 is a top view of a variant of FIG. 1a in which the
zone 4 does not contain a body which is only a part of a mass/heat
transfer element but contains a complete equipment unit 7, for
example a heat transfer unit, which includes for example an inlet 8
and an outlet 9, which pass through the insulation 3, the possibly
structural and/or sealing wall, and possibly the structure 2.
[0245] In this case, an element of a separation device is
sufficiently small or too complex to be divided into a plurality of
sections, each of which would be found in a respective modular
element. This is typically the case of heat exchangers used as
boilers or as condensers.
[0246] At least one fluid circulates up or down through the
interface between two modular elements of parallelepipedal shape,
at the level of the zone 4, the two modular elements of
parallelepipedal shape being of the FIG. 4 type, or of the FIG. 1a
type and of the FIG. 4 type.
[0247] In FIG. 5, a device 1 for separation of gas, for example
air, is at least in part constituted of various modular elements
11, 12, 21, 22, 23, 24, 31, 32, 33, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and
48 as described for at least one of the preceding figures. They are
of parallelepipedal shape and comprise at least eight corners 101
for example of ISO container type, fixed onto a structure,
assembled for example as described hereinabove.
[0248] For example, the modular elements 11 and 12 may have the
dimensions of a standardized container 40 feet long and the other
modular elements 21, 22, 23, 24, 31, 32, 33, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45,
46, 47 and 48 the dimensions of a standardized container 20 feet
long.
[0249] The circulation of the fluids respectively in a first stack
composed of the modular elements 21, 22, 23 and 24, a second stack
composed of the modular elements 31, 32 and 33, a third stack
composed of the modular elements 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48
is effected essentially vertically in each modular element and each
stack, and essentially vertically at the interface 11, 12 between
two modular elements of the stack. Each stack is disposed so that
the longest edge of the modular elements is parallel to the
ground.
[0250] In the case of separation of air, the first stack 21, 22, 23
and 24 can essentially provide the pre-cooling and head
purification function, the second stack 31, 32 and 33 the heat
exchange function and the third stack 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47
and 48 the cryogenic distillation function between nitrogen and
oxygen.
[0251] The third stack could constitute a single column operating
at low pressure or a plurality of columns at different pressures,
each constituted by a few elements from the stack.
[0252] The modular elements 11 and 12 notably enable the fluids to
be caused to circulate horizontally through rectangular ducts
and/or round pipes so as to transfer the fluids respectively
between the first stack 21, 22, 23 and 24 and the second stack 31,
32 and 33, the second stack 31, 32 and 33 and the third stack 41,
42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48. The modular elements 11 and 12 can
also provide process and/or control and/or utilities functions. For
example they can contain command and/or control and/or analysis
and/or instrumentation and/or utility, such as electricity or
instrument air supply means.
[0253] The modular element 11 straddles the modular elements 24 and
33, above the first and second stacks, and the modular element 12
straddling the modular elements 31 and 41 under the second and
third stack. The modular elements 11 and 12 preferably include
intermediate ISO corners 102 to facilitate assembly respectively
with the modular elements 24 and 33, with the modular elements 31
and 41.
[0254] The modular element 11, 12 can be insulated in various ways.
It can be insulated by depositing insulation on the outside of the
box. It can be insulated by covering the inside of the end and
lateral faces with insulation and likewise the upper or lower face
if the latter is exposed. Another possibility is to insulate the at
least one conduit or the at least one duct inside the element 11,
12.
[0255] As the elements 11, 12 comprise only two openings, these
openings being found in the lower face and the upper face
respectively, the elements 11, 12 essentially serve to transfer a
fluid from one stack to the adjacent stack, and possibly to change
the direction of flow of the fluids passing through the stacks.
Thus a fluid passing upwards through the first stack can pass
downwards through the second stack. Nevertheless it should be noted
that a fluid can pass through both stacks in the same direction.
For example, a gas passes through the first stack and is directed
to the second stack by passing through the element 11. It then
descends to the element 31 via the zone 5 of the elements 33, 32,
31 before being directed to the chamber of the element 31.
[0256] This would make it possible, for example, to constitute a
distillation column, using two stacks of elements, for example the
two first stacks from FIG. 5. The gas rising in the distillation
body of the elements 21 to 24 would be directed via the zones 5 of
the elements 33 to 31 to the distillation body of the elements 31
to 33 that it will pass through from the bottom.
[0257] The column constituted in this way would have a particularly
low height.
[0258] FIG. 6 differs from FIG. 5 by the addition of a
supplementary fourth stack composed of the modular elements 51, 52,
53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62, which in the case of air
separation can essentially fulfil the function of cryogenic
distillation between argon and oxygen.
[0259] The modular element 43 from FIG. 5 has been replaced by the
modular element 13 that notably enables the fluids to be caused to
circulate horizontally through rectangular ducts and/or round pipes
so as to transfer the fluids respectively between the third stack
41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 and the supplementary fourth stack
51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62.
[0260] The modular element 13 is placed inside the third stack
(between the modular elements 42 and 44) and inside the
supplementary fourth stack (between the modular elements 53 and
54). If necessary the modular element 13 enables fluids to be
caused to circulate vertically between the lower part of the third
stack 41 and 42 and the higher part of the third stack 44, 45, 46,
47 and 48. In this case the modular element 13 enables division of
the gases coming from only one stack between two stacks. Here for
example a gas from an intermediate point of the third stack,
constituting a simple low-pressure distillation column, is enriched
with argon. This gas continues its path in part toward the top of
the single column, that is to say the elements 45 to 48, but is
also directed toward the top of the supplementary fourth stack 54,
55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62.
[0261] On the other hand, no fluid passes from the element 53 to
the element 54 through the element 13. In other configurations, at
least one fluid can pass from the element 53 to the element 54
through the element 13 and vice versa.
[0262] The elements 51 to 53 can have a number of variants. They
can be simple supports in which case they do not even contain
insulation, being simple empty boxes. They can contain other
elements useful for the process, for example pumps. The elements 51
to 53 can be modular elements according to the invention as shown
in FIGS. 1 to 4 with a chamber containing a distillation packing
body. They can for example constitute a denitrogenation column,
with the conduits containing argon produced by the element 62
directed through the zones 5 of the elements 62 to 54, the element
13 and the zones 5 of the elements 51 to be sent to the element 51
to be distilled therein and to provide a product rich in argon
coming from the element 53.
[0263] FIG. 7a is a front view and FIG. 7b is a rear view of the
same assembly.
[0264] In contrast to FIG. 5, the stacks of the modular elements of
parallelepipedal shape that include at least eight container type
ISO 101 corners fixed onto a structure are back-to-back in the
direction of the length of the modular elements, instead of the
width.
[0265] To fix ideas, the modular elements 21, 22, 23, 24, 31, 32,
33, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 have the dimensions of a
20-foot container. If the invention as described in FIG. 5 (that is
to say with a container that "straddles" two containers of two
adjacent stacks directly), the connecting modular elements 11 and
12 from that figure would have a width that is twice a container
format, which does not allow its transportation and handling by
conventional means.
[0266] In FIGS. 7a and 7b, the horizontal connection between the
first stack and the second stack, respectively the second stack and
the third stack, is effected with the aid of two modular elements
11a and 11b, respectively 12a and 12b, the width and the height
being those of a standard ISO container, and the length adjusted to
two standard ISO container widths so as to be correctly associated
with the two stacks. This configuration allows its transportation
and handling by conventional means.
[0267] The connection between the first stack and the second stack
could be produced thanks to a single modular element 11a, and that
between the second stack and the third stack by a single modular
element 12a, the modular element 12b then being reducible to its
structural function alone.
[0268] In contrast to FIGS. 7a and 7b, in FIG. 8, the width of the
modular elements 11a, 11b and 11c, respectively 12a, 12b and 12c
has been reduced so as to place three modular elements between the
two stacks, without creating any "void" between the modular
elements, whilst maintaining a format enabling its transportation
and its handling by conventional ISO container means.
[0269] FIG. 9 shows the connection between the two stacks, for
example the assembly 12 from FIG. 5. It is a side view. The modular
elements 31 and 41 are disposed on the connecting modular element
12, which is disposed on a support that is not shown. At the level
of each ISO corner there is disposed a mechanical connecting part
and the element 82 provides both the seal with the outside and the
continuity of insulation between the modular element 12 and the
modular element 31, respectively 41, as described above. The
element 71 symbolically represents a fluid duct (or pipe) that
enables passage from/to the modular element 31 to/from the modular
element 41 passing substantially horizontally through the modular
element 12, with a vertical transfer from/to the modular element
31, respectively the modular element 41 to/from the connecting
modular element 12, the junction plane then being horizontal.
[0270] The modular element 12 preferably includes intermediate ISO
corners 102 to facilitate assembly with the modular elements 31 and
41.
[0271] FIG. 10 shows (seen from above) an alternative to FIG. 9 for
a connecting modular element 12. The element 71 is a fluid duct
enabling passage from one stack to the other. The element 72 is a
fluid pipe enabling passage from one stack to the other. The spaces
73 and 74 delimited by internal walls and the wall of the
insulation 83 enable fluids to be caused to pass between the two
stacks. The connecting modular element 12 can also contain process
equipment units: for example, a process equipment unit 91, such as
a matter- and/or heat-exchange body, can be delimited by the
insulation 83 and an internal wall, or another process equipment
piece 92 with its own container, for example a distillation column.
The connecting modular element 12 can again also contain control,
instrumentation and/or utilities functions.
[0272] The modular element 12 preferably includes ISO intermediate
corners 102.
[0273] FIG. 11 differs from FIG. 5 by the duplication of the second
stack in the form of two parallel sub-stacks 31a and 32a,
respectively 31b and 32b. The modular elements 12b and 11c enable
transfer of the fluids to/from the two sub-stacks, from the modular
elements 12a and 11b. The modular element 12c can be reduced to its
structural function alone. The modular element 11a enables transfer
of the fluids to/from the first stack 21, 22 and 23.
[0274] The modular elements 11a, 11b, 11c, 12a, 12b and 12c can
have the same height as the other modular elements, or preferably a
reduced height, for example half the height, as shown in FIG.
11.
[0275] FIG. 12 differs from FIG. 11 by the duplication of the first
stack to form two parallel sub-stacks 22a and 23a, respectively 22b
and 23b. The modular elements 11a and 21 enable transfer of the
fluids to/from the two sub-stacks.
[0276] FIG. 13 differs from FIG. 5 in that the elements 21, 22, 23
and 24 are larger than the modular elements 31-33 and 41-48, for
example 40' containers, and the connecting element 11 has an
intermediate size between 20' and 40' so as to straddle the two
stacks 21-24 and 31-33. The stack 21-24 has a different, preferably
perpendicular orientation to the other stacks, notably the adjacent
stack 31-33.
[0277] FIGS. 14 to 22 describe a life cycle example of a gas, for
example air, separation and/or liquefaction device. The device is
constituted at least in part of different modular elements of
parallelepipedal shape according to one of FIGS. 1 to 4 that
include at least eight ISO 101 type container corners fixed to a
structure, assembled for example as described above.
[0278] FIG. 14 shows the construction of the device in its initial
configuration. The various modular elements A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H,
I, J, K and L are of two different sizes. The modular elements all
have the same height and the same width. On the other hand, the
modular elements C and E are substantially twice as long as the
others. A, L and K may optionally also be substantially twice as
long as the others.
[0279] The modular elements are stacked in three vertical stacks.
Each stack is composed only of elements of one of the two sizes.
The modular elements arrive from a manufacturing center CF and/or a
logistical platform PL where a plurality of elements of each of the
two sizes are stored. A plurality of examples of each element and
each body type are stocked, in order to be able to replace any
defective element. Thus a single manufacturing center and/or
logistical platform is able to serve a plurality of devices in
locations that are very far apart, stocking replacement elements. A
quality control process makes it possible to ensure that each
modular element is functional.
[0280] The various modular elements are assembled on site by
stacking them to constitute at least one part of the device.
[0281] The first stack comprises an element A, surmounted by three
elements B and part of the element C.
[0282] In the case of a cryogenic atmosphere gas separation device,
the modular element A can contain an air blower and a pre-cooling
unit, the modular elements B adsorbent to purify the air coming
from the blower in A and the modular element C ducts for transfer
of fluid from the first stack to the second stack and/or from the
second stack to the first stack.
[0283] The modular elements are designed so that the air rises from
the lowest modular element B, to the middle modular element B and
then to the top modular element B, becoming purified of water and
carbon dioxide and some of the secondary air impurities. The
purified air is then transferred from the top modular element B to
the ducts of the modular element C to pass into the second stack.
The regeneration nitrogen is transferred by the modular element C
of the second stack to the modular elements B.
[0284] The second stack is placed beside the first stack so that
the side walls of the modular elements of the two stacks touch,
possibly with a small clearance between the two.
[0285] The second stack comprises part of the modular element C
containing the ducts described above, the three modular elements D
each containing a heat exchange section, and part of the modular
element E containing ducts for transferring at least one fluid from
the second stack to the third stack and/or at least one fluid from
the third stack to the second stack.
[0286] The purified air passes into the modular elements D to be
cooled to a cryogenic temperature and fluids resulting from the
distillation pass from the modular element E to the modular
elements D to be heated.
[0287] The third stack is placed beside the second stack so that
the side walls of the modular elements of the two stacks touch,
possibly with a small clearance between the two.
[0288] The third stack, higher than the other two, comprises at the
bottom a part of the modular element E with its fluid transfer
ducts. On top of E is the modular element F, which is an
evaporator. On top of F are found the stacked three modular
elements G each containing a distillation section. The modular
element H contains a condenser and possibly a distillation section
and is found on top of the lowest of the modular elements G. Then
there come the three modular elements I each containing a
distillation section. On top of the higher section of the modular
element I is a condenser J. Disposed beside the other sections are
the modular element K that contains a heat pump for distillation
and the modular element L that contains a heat pump for the
refrigerating balance of the device.
[0289] It is obvious that the diagram could be simplified by
eliminating the modular elements L, K and/or the condenser J. The
number of modular elements B, D, G and I can be modified to produce
required products or to modify the heights of the modular
elements.
[0290] The installation of the device is limited to disposing the
modular elements on top of one another and ensuring that they are
securely attached and sealed from one another and that the stack is
correctly fixed to the ground. This can be carried out by
relatively unskilled labor.
[0291] FIG. 15 shows a first evolution of the device from FIG. 14
during its life cycle. A new modular element I containing a
distillation column section comes from a manufacturing center CF
and/or a logistical platform PL. It is inserted between the top
modular element I and the modular element J, for example to
increase the purity of a product. For this it suffices to remove
the condenser J, to dispose the new modular element I in place of
the condenser and to place the condenser J on top of the new
modular element I. In this way, four modular elements I are stacked
instead of three.
[0292] In the case of a cryogenic atmospheric gas separation
device, the modular element I can contain a distillation section
("minaret") with the aim of producing pure nitrogen.
[0293] To reduce the energy consumption of a device there may be
added:
[0294] An evaporator/condenser modular element at the head of the
column and/or in the tank of the column or at an intermediate level
of the column to reduce the pinch effect on the evaporator and/or
condenser or to add a supplementary intermediate evaporator or
condenser function.
[0295] A modular element containing one or more distillation
sections.
[0296] An exchange line modular element to the heat exchanger
elements to reduce its pinch effect and therefore to reduce the
consumption of the heat balance pump.
[0297] A modular element containing a "low-energy" heat pump or a
modular element containing a heat pump connected in parallel with
an existing heat pump or connected in part to a supplementary
evaporator or condenser.
[0298] To reduce the energy consumption of a device modular
elements can be replaced by modular elements of higher
performance.
[0299] To modify the device to produce impure oxygen, a
distillation modular element can be removed.
[0300] The modular element added or removed can also contain a
liquid product pump, a liquefaction unit or a product
compressor.
[0301] FIG. 16 shows maintenance of the device from FIG. 15 during
its life cycle. A functional modular element L arrives from a
manufacturing center CF and/or a logistical platform PL and
replaces the defective modular element L. The defective modular
element L is sent back to the manufacturing center CF and/or to a
logistical platform PL where it can be either repaired and made
available again or dismantled, possibly with some of its components
being recycled.
[0302] It can also be decided to replace the modular element L that
is still functional with a new modular element L of better energy
performance for example, or better performance in terms of capacity
(debottlenecking).
[0303] This maintenance operation can obviously be effected for any
element A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J or K of the device.
[0304] FIG. 17 shows a second evolution of the device from FIG. 15
during its life cycle. New modular elements J, F and K arrive from
a manufacturing center CF and/or from a logistical platform PL and
are inserted at various locations of the device, for example to
increase the energy efficiency of the device.
[0305] In the case of a cryogenic atmosphere gas separation device,
energy consumption can for example be reduced on the one hand by
duplicating the evaporator by adding a modular element F and/or by
duplicating the condenser by adding a modular element J, enabling
the thermal pinch effect on these exchangers to be reduced, on the
other hand, by duplicating the heat pump for distillation by adding
a modular element K, enabling the heat pump to function with
greater efficiency.
[0306] Here again the installation of the new elements is easy and
it suffices to remove the other elements to dispose the new element
just above or just below another modular element having the same
function (and therefore identified by the same letter) or not
having the same function.
[0307] FIG. 18 shows a third evolution of the device from FIG. 17
during its life cycle. New modular elements M, N, O and P arrive
from a manufacturing center CF and/or from a logistical platform PL
and are inserted at various locations of the device, for example to
produce another product. Here the new modular elements are disposed
to form a fourth stack.
[0308] In the case of a cryogenic atmosphere gas separation device,
argon may be produced for example: the modular element M can
contain transfer ducts and is of the larger size. The fourth stack
comprises at the bottom the modular element P that contains a
liquid lifter pump, then the three stacked modular elements O each
containing a distillation section. Part of the modular element M,
which is inserted into the third stack, is found on top of the top
modular element O. There are then found on top of the part of the
modular element M in the fourth stack eight stacked modular
elements N each containing a distillation section. The head of the
fourth stack is surmounted by a condenser H, relocated from the
existing third stack in FIG. 17.
[0309] FIG. 19 shows the end of the life cycle of the device. It
can be either relocated to another place, or purely and simply
dismantled: in the latter case at least one of the modular elements
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P is sent back to the
manufacturing center CF and/or to a logistical platform PL where
they can be made available again, modernized or dismantled, some of
their components possibly being recycled. In particular, an element
that is no longer required on a first device can be sent back to
the manufacturing center or to the logistical platform, possibly
stored there and sent to a second device when an element
requirement manifests itself. This mode of operation has advantages
of rapid intervention, economy of scale and ecological
management.
[0310] While the invention has been described in conjunction with
specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives,
modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is
intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and
variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the
appended claims. The present invention may suitably comprise,
consist or consist essentially of the elements disclosed and may be
practiced in the absence of an element not disclosed. Furthermore,
if there is language referring to order, such as first and second,
it should be understood in an exemplary sense and not in a limiting
sense. For example, it can be recognized by those skilled in the
art that certain steps can be combined into a single step.
[0311] The singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural
referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0312] "Comprising" in a claim is an open transitional term which
means the subsequently identified claim elements are a nonexclusive
listing (i.e., anything else may be additionally included and
remain within the scope of "comprising"). "Comprising" as used
herein may be replaced by the more limited transitional terms
"consisting essentially of" and "consisting of" unless otherwise
indicated herein.
[0313] "Providing" in a claim is defined to mean furnishing,
supplying, making available, or preparing something. The step may
be performed by any actor in the absence of express language in the
claim to the contrary.
[0314] Optional or optionally means that the subsequently described
event or circumstances may or may not occur. The description
includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs and
instances where it does not occur.
[0315] Ranges may be expressed herein as from about one particular
value, and/or to about another particular value. When such a range
is expressed, it is to be understood that another embodiment is
from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value,
along with all combinations within said range.
[0316] All references identified herein are each hereby
incorporated by reference into this application in their
entireties, as well as for the specific information for which each
is cited.
* * * * *