Process and plant for the cooling of a fluid and in particular the liquefaction of natural gas
US4586942A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 31, 1984 |
| Grant date | May 6, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 31, 2004 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25J2245/02
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
This process is of the type in which there is compressed in at least two stages 2, 6 a mixture of cooling fluids composed of constituents of different volatilities and in which, after the last stage 6 and after at least an intermediate compression stage 2, the mixture is partly condensed, the condensed fractions are expanded and vaporized in heat exchange with the fluid to be cooled before being compressed again. According to the invention, at least one of the condensation stages is carried out by sending to a distillation column 7 the mixture issuing from the corresponding stage of the compressor. This enables the thermodynamic irreversibility to be decreased and consequently permits a reduction of the specific cooling energy.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.