Conceptualization of a dual-mode LOX-LIN plant at BARC Chakravarty Anindya1,2,*, Jadhav Mohananand M.1, Chakravarty Abhilash1, Ansari Naseem A.1, Menon Rajendran S.1, Rane Tejas R.1, Nair Sandeep R.1, Kumar Jitendra1, Kumar Naveen1, Bharti Satish K.1, Jain Ankit1, Sugadan V.1 1Cryo-Technology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai - 85, India 2Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai - 94, India *E-mail ID: anindya@barc.gov.in
Online published on 4 December, 2023. A dual-mode air separation plant, based on a cryogenic process involving a high-speed turboexpander, a pair of multi-stream plate-fin heat exchangers and a common single column rectifier for both the liquid oxygen (LOX) as well as liquid nitrogen (LIN) modes, is conceptualized to be developed by BARC. Apart from either LOX or LIN, provision for obtaining some amount of gaseous oxygen or nitrogen is also there. With the selected process compression capacity and computed distillation column parameters, the product output is expected to be 64.8 l/hr in the LOX mode and 107.1 l/hr in the LIN mode with purity of 96.4 % and 99.5 % by volume respectively. The work described in this article charts out results from the computation for both the modes of operation. From the results generated, heat exchanger terminal temperatures and stream flow rates are computed that serve as inputs for sizing of these devices. Top Keywords Dual-mode air separation plant, High speed turboexpander, Multi-stream plate-fin heat exchangers, Liquid oxygen, Liquid nitrogen. Top |