OPERATION OF TURBO-EXPANDER PLANT Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: pipe-line transport. SUBSTANCE: high-pressure natural gas goes from main pipe-line into turbo-expander and expands there with reduction of temperature. Natural gas leaves turbo-expander and is heated in heat exchanger thanks to action of heated air fed from space behind compressor that is supplied from air compressor with simultaneous cooling of air. Condensed moisture of air is separated in water separator. Compressed and dried air goes into separation unit in which gaseous and liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen and liquid argon are produced. Usage of invention makes it feasible to generate cold in air separation unit by cooling of air with natural gas. EFFECT: generation of cold in air separation unit. 1 dwg