FIELD: chemistry.
SUBSTANCE: method serves for variable production of argon by low-temperature decomposition. Initial air (1, 4, 7) is cooled in main heat exchanger (8) and then introduced into system of distillation columns, which has high-pressure column (10) and column (11) of low pressure. When producing argon with the help of column (81, 82) for crude argon and column (83) for pure argon from stream enriched with argon (80) from column (11) of low pressure liquid flow (72) of pure argon product is created. In the first operating mode, the end product is represented by the first amount of pure argon product, in the second operating mode - reduced amount of pure argon product. In the second operating mode, reverse flow (101, 103) of gaseous argon is distilled from the column for unrefined argon or the column for pure argon and is heated in separate passage (108) of the main heat exchanger (8).
EFFECT: technical result is higher efficiency of oxygen production at fluctuating demand in nitrogen.
6 cl, 1 dwg
