An air separation unit is a complex system, mainly comprising the following key components:
Compression System: The air separation process begins with air compression. The compression system typically consists of a set of air compressors, whose main function is to compress the intake air, providing sufficient pressure for subsequent air distillation.
Purification System: During air compression, impurities such as dust, moisture, and carbon dioxide are introduced. These impurities need to be removed in subsequent separation processes to ensure the purity of the final product. The purification system primarily removes these impurities using devices such as molecular sieves, preparing the air for the next distillation step.
Heat Exchange System: In the air separation process, the heat exchange system is responsible for recovering the latent heat of condensation of the vapor returning from the top of the distillation column, preheating the forward-flowing air to achieve energy savings. It mainly consists of a main heat exchanger, a subcooler, and a liquefaction unit.
Distillation System: This is the core of the air separation unit, primarily responsible for separating the various components of the compressed and purified air through distillation. This stage typically takes place in a device called a "fractionation tower," which consists of a high-pressure tower and a low-pressure tower. Through efficient heat exchange technology, components such as nitrogen, oxygen, and argon in the air are gradually separated.
Product Delivery System: The gases separated by the distillation system need to be delivered to the user end via a product delivery system. This system includes various product pumps such as liquid oxygen pumps, liquid nitrogen pumps, and liquid argon pumps, as well as equipment such as cryogenic liquid storage tanks and vaporizers, ensuring that the separated gases are safely and efficiently provided to the end user.
