PURPOSE: To eliminate a loss of argon by a method wherein argon substituent gas after completion of regeneration and pre-cooling in an argon dehumidifying tower is fed into a suction side of an argon compressor and then argon gas for substituent is recovered.
CONSTITUTION: A conventional system having a high purity nitrogen not including any oxygen is applied up to a regeneration and pre-cooling step in dehumidifying towers 16a and 16b. In case of substituent of argon after completion of regeneration and pre-cooling, argon purge gas containing remaining oxygen within the dehumidifying towers 16a and 16b passes through a three-way changing-over valves 23 at outlets of the dehumidifying towers 16a and 16b and is guided to a suction side of an argon circulation compressor 2. The compressed argon purge gas is reacted with catalyst while hydrogen required for a catalyst reaction within a catalyst tank 4, oxygen component within a raw argon is removed and argon within the purge gas is recovered.
TASAKA YASUO
TSUSHIMA HIROSHI
HITACHI TECHNO ENG
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