2 Expansion Machines
Frank G. Kerry · 2007
Georges Claude successfully employed an expansion machine in air separation for the first time in 19021. The principle employed was well known at the time and was based on performing work during the expansion of a gas. With the extraction of energy from the gas, there is a drop in enthalpy of the expanded gas with little or no increase in entropy. Refer to Figure 2.6. The actual drop in temperature of the gas is a function of the gas component or mixture being expanded, the pressure ratio of expansion, the temperature and pressure at the inlet of the expander, and the mechanical efficiency of the expansion of the system.