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INDUSTRIAL GASES: O2 AND N2

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Gas Wt% in air
Nitrogen (N2) 78.01
Oxygen (O2) 20.99
Carbon dioxide (CO2) 0.03 – 0.07
Argon (Ar) 0.94
Hydrogen (H2) 0.01
Neon (Ne) 0.0015
Helium and Krypton (He and Kr) 0.01 – 0.02

• Except CO2 the concentration of all the gases listed above are
present in air are constant.
• Also, water vapours and traces of ozone and iodine are present in
air in variable amounts.
• The composition of air also depends on altitude and distance to sea,
in neighbourhood of industry, built up urban areas, nearby volcanic 2

phenomena.
• Other gases such as CO, H2S and NO2 are also present in air.
OXYGEN (O2) AND NITROGEN (N2)

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 Some important facts about gases:
 According to kinetic theory a gas consists of swiftly
moving molecules moving in random manner.
 During the movement some molecules collide with one
another, and some repel others, these phenomena
leaving an average distance between the molecules.
 At lower pressure the average distance is large, and at
high pressure the molecules are brought near to one
another.
 If the temperature increases the repulsion between the
molecules increases, i.e. the volume increases.
 If temperature decreases the attraction between the
molecules increases. 3
CRITICAL TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE

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 Critical temperature
 When the distance between the molecules decreases and
molecules come close to each other, the gas assumes the
liquid form provided the repulsive tendency has been
diminished beyond a certain point known as critical
temperature, which is different for different gases.
 The temperature below which any gas can be liquefied by
increasing the pressure.
 Above the critical temperature any gas cannot be liquefied by
compression.
 Critical pressure
 The minimum pressure under which gas liquefies at the
critical temperature is called as critical pressure.
 Therefore, for cooling purpose, the air should be cooled at
very high pressure and low temperature.
 The liquid form is obtained when the kinetic energy and the
potential energy of the substance is approximately equal. 4
AIR: CRITICAL PROPERTIES OF GASES

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Sr. Gases Critical Temperature Critical Pressure
No. (0C) (atm)
1. Ethylene +9.5 50.65
2. Methane 82.85 45.6
3. Nitrogen 147.13 33.49
4. Hydrogen 239.9 12.8
5. Oxygen 118.75 49.7
6. Acetylene +35.5 61.55
7. Ammonia +132.5 112.3
8. Carbon monoxide 138.7 34.6
9. Carbon dioxide +31.3 72.9

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AIR
LIQUEFICATION OF AIR BY JOULE – THOMPSON EFFECT

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 The change in temperature of a gas or liquid when it is forced through a
valve or porous plug while kept insulated so that no heat is exchanged
with the environment.
 At room temperature, all gases except hydrogen, helium and neon cool
upon expansion by the Joule–Thomson process.

Outer coil

Inner coil

6
AIR
LIQUEFICATION OF AIR BY JOULE – THOMPSON EFFECT

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 CO2 free air is compressed to 200 atm and is cooled by
water.
 The condensed water is removed by passing through
activated alumina.
 The compressed air is passed through inner coil of heat
exchangers.
 The valve with nozzle is provided at the end of the inner
coil.
 The gas is allowed to suddenly expand by opening the
valve, which result in decrease of temperature of air.
 After expanding the cold air goes out through the outer
coil, is then recompressed to 200 atm pressure, cooled
by water and then again allowed to transverse the inner
coil.
 The temperature of the incoming air further falls due to 7
the presence of cold air in the outer coil.
AIR
LIQUEFICATION OF AIR BY JOULE – THOMPSON EFFECT

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 Now as the cooled air suddenly expands through the nozzle, the
air suffers cooling, the temperature becomes lower than in the first
operation.
 The colder air now passes through the outer coil producing an
atmosphere of lower temperature.
 Hence when the cooled compressed air passes repeatedly through
the inner coil and subsequently undergoes Joule-Thomson effect,
the temperature of the air further drops.
 In this way progressive cooling takes place until the temperature of
air falls below the critical temperature of oxygen and nitrogen.
 During this process, the air undergoes liquefaction in the inner coil,
so on opening the valve liquid air falls in the container.
 A part of liquid air evaporates, through the outer coil, maintaining
the low temperature below the critical temperature.
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LINDE’S PROCESS (O2 AND N2) (1906)

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Block diagram for Linde’s process

Process diagram for Linde’s process

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 The distillation tower is specially
designed bubble cap tray double
columns arranged one above
another.
 The two distillation columns are
having intermediate distillation
dome for effective separation of
liquid enriched with O2.
 The column feed is liquefied air at
200 atm pressure introduced at
the bottom of the column.
 Since the boiling point of O2
(183OC) and N2 (195OC) are
very low, column does not require
any external heating.
 Distillation take place only due to
release of vacuum. 10
 LINDE’S PROCESS
 Thus a number of recycling from lower

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column to upper column and lower column
to dome is required.
 The construction of dome includes
number of internal pipes so that distillate
of the lower column collides to the roof
and is returned back to the column as
reflux.
 The compressed air, which arrives from
the first section of the plant, acts as the
heating fluid in the heater at the base of
the enrichment column.
 The same air, always contained within a
tube, passes out from the lower column of
the tower only to re-enter it higher up after
the pressure to which it is subjected is 11
reduced by means of a valve, resulting in
the lowering of its temperature.
LINDE’S PROCESS

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 Nitrogen with a small oxygen
impurity collects at the top of
the enrichment column.
 After expansion to atmospheric
pressure; this nitrogen is sent
to back as the reflux in the
rectification column situated
above.
 The liquid which collects in the
heater at the base of the
enrichment column is fed, after
expansion to atmospheric
pressure onto a suitable plate
of the rectification column. 12
LINDE’S PROCESS

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 Only after number of recycling,
liquid with 82% concentration of
O2 is taken in outer part of
dome.
 This liquid goes to further
rectification in upper column
where it is refluxed with N2 rich
liquid coming from lower
column.
 The final separation in the upper
column takes place which has
less number of trays.
 Gaseous N2 is the top product
of the column and the bottom
product is liquid O2.
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CLAUDE PROCESS

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 In 1912, Claude rectified Linde’s process by combined
effect of internal and external work in cooling the air to
liquefaction point.
 The progressive cooling of compressed air is done by
external work and Joule–Thomson effect, i.e.
 70% of air is cooled by external work, and
 30% by Joule–Thomson effect
 A fraction of gases is expanded in a high speed
expander.
 If appreciable amount of liquid are allowed to form in the
expander, the efficiency of the expansion process
decreases due to irreversibilities.
 Therefore final liquefaction is done by a Joule –
Thomson effect. 14
RAW MATERIALS AND PROCESSES
(O2 AND N2)

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 Raw Materials:
 Basis 1 ton of 95% oxygen in 300 tons/day plant
 Air 3600 Nm3
 Steam 1.75 tons
 Cooling water 5 tons
 Electricity 450 – 480 KWH
 Plant capacity 50 – 500 tons/day

 Processes
 Linde – refrigeration by Joule–Thomson effect
 Claude – refrigeration by adiabatic expansion of
compressed air in a turbo-reciprocating or rotating
expansion machine 15
LINDE – FRANKL CYCLE (N2 AS A PRODUCT)

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HIGH PURITY OXYGEN (KELLOG LOW PROCESS CYCLE)

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 PROPERTIES OF O2 AND N2

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Oxygen Nitrogen
 Molecular formula : O2  Molecular formula : N2
 Molecular weight : 32gm/mole  Molecular weight : 28gm/mole
 Appearance : Colourless gas  Appearance : Colourless gas
 Odour : Odourless  Odour : Odourless gas
 Boiling point : 182.950C  Boiling point : 195.790C
 Melting point : 218.790C  Melting point : 2100C
 Density : 1.429 gm/L  Density : 1.251gm/L
(00C,101.325kPa) (00C,101.325kPa)
 Solubility : Sparingly soluble in water  Solubility : Slightly soluble in water

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O2 AND N2 APPLICATIONS

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Oxygen Nitrogen
 It is used to produce  In manufacture of
oxyacetylene flame to synthetic ammonia, nitric
cutting and welding the acid
metals  In manufacture organic
 In L.D. process for steel nitrates like propellants
production and explosives,
 For artificial respiration in  Synthetically produced
case of patients nitrates are key
 For mountain climbers ingredients of industrial
and high attitude aero fertilizers
planes flights  In producing nitrogen
oxide.
 Applied to create inert
atmosphere. 19
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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 Slides are developed from the following references:
 Austin G. T., "Shreve’s Chemical Process Industries", Fifth
edition, Tata McGraw Hill, NY.
 Kent J.A., "Riegel's Handbook of Industrial Chemistry,”
CBS Publishers.
 Gopala Rao M. & Marshall Sittig, "Dryden’s Outlines of
Chemical Technology for the 21st Century", Affiliated East –
West Press, New Delhi.
 Mall I. D., "Petrochemical Process Technology", Macmillan
India Ltd., New Delhi.
 http://nptel.ac.in/courses/103106108/Lecture%207.pdf
(Acetylene)
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 http://nptel.ac.in/courses/103106108/24