METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE CRYOGENIC DECOMPOSITION OF AIR

A method and apparatus serve for the cryogenic separation of air in an air separation plant which has a main air compressor, a main heat exchanger and a distillation column system with a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column. All of the feed air is compressed in the main air compressor to a first air pressure which is at least 3 bar higher than the operating pressure of the high-pressure column. A first part of the compressed total air flow, as first air flow at the first air pressure, is cooled and liquefied or pseudo-liquefied in the main heat exchanger, then expanded and introduced into the distillation column system. A second part of the compressed total air flow, as second air flow, is post-compressed in a turbine-driven post-compressor to a second air pressure.