Cooling process and installation, in particular for the liquefaction of natural gas
US5943881A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 10, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 31, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 10, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S62/913
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A refrigerating mixture is compressed in the penultimate stage of a plurality of stages of a compression unit. The mixture is partially condensed in order to cool it substantially to ambient temperature; the condensed mixture is separated in order to obtain a vapour fraction and a liquid fraction; the vapour fraction is cooled and partially condensed; the resultant vapour fraction is sent to the final compression stage at least the high pressure vapour fraction and the liquid fraction are cooled, expanded, and circulated in at least first heat exchange means (5) with the fluid to be cooled. Moreover, according to the invention, during condensation of the vapour fraction, the vapour fraction produced by separating the condensed mixture is cooled by circulating it in heat-exchange relationship with a refrigerating fluid, in second heat exchange means.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.