The working principle and process of the purification system of the air separation equipment are mainly centered around the molecular sieve adsorber, whose goal is to remove water, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons and other impurities in the air, in order to ensure the safe operation of the air separation plant. The working process of the purification system usually includes two stages of adsorption and regeneration, which are carried out alternately to realize the purpose of continuous purification of air.
1, adsorption stage: moisture-containing saturated air flowing from the bottom up through the molecular sieve adsorber, under pressure conditions, the air moisture, carbon dioxide and acetylene and other impurities are adsorbed by the molecular sieve. With the prolongation of adsorption time, the adsorption capacity of the molecular sieve gradually reaches saturation, at this time the need for switching operations, so that the air into another adsorber to continue adsorption.
2, regeneration stage: adsorption of saturated molecular sieve adsorber first to the atmosphere pressure relief to atmospheric pressure, and then the introduction of heated dirty nitrogen for heating regeneration. Heating process, the original adsorbed water, carbon dioxide and acetylene and other impurities in the hot gas flow to promote the desorption out, and through the gas-liquid separator separation and discharge. After the heating is completed, unheated air or dirty nitrogen gas is introduced to blow the adsorption bed to reduce its temperature to a temperature close to that of the adsorption, ready for the next adsorption.