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Abstract

A cryogenic process for the production of oxygen by cryogenic distillation using an air separation unit comprising a double column, said double column comprising a high pressure column and a low pressure column comprising the steps of: sending compressed, cooled and purified air to the high pressure column in gaseous form, sending oxygen enriched fluid from the bottom of the high pressure column to the low pressure column, removing nitrogen enriched gas from the top of the high pressure column, sending a first portion of nitrogen enriched gas to a lower reboiler in the low pressure column following compression in a cold compressor having a cryogenic inlet temperature, sending a second portion of nitrogen enriched gas to an upper reboiler in the low pressure column, sending nitrogen enriched liquid from at least one of the first and second reboilers to at least one of the high pressure column and the low pressure column, expanding a stream of nitrogen enriched gas from the high pressure column in an expander following a warming step, driving the cold compressor using a motor and producing oxygen rich gas from the low pressure column by at least one of the steps of removing a gaseous stream and by vaporizing a liquid stream.

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First Claim