Natural gas liquefaction process
US7637121B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 4, 2005 |
| Grant date | Dec 29, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 13, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25J2290/12
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Disclosed is a process for liquefying natural gas wherein an available methane-rich feed, i.e., natural gas, at an excess pressure is initially expanded to provide expansion work which may be utilized in a number of novel ways, such as to provide refrigeration in a refrigerant cycle used to cool the feed or in one or more refrigerant cycles used in a liquefaction zone to liquefy the feed, or to generate electrical power for use in the liquefaction process or for export. In one embodiment, the expansion work is obtained by use of an expander/compressor device (turboexpander) which expands the feed to (1) drive the compressor of the device and thereby provide compression for a closed loop propane refrigeration cycle to pre-cool the natural gas stream, and (2) produce an expanded, chilled natural gas feed for a liquefaction process. The production of a chilled natural gas feed to a liquefaction process can either increase the volume of LNG production for a given amount of installed horsepower, or alternatively, can be used to reduce the capital cost and/or operating cost associated with the production of a given amount of LNG.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.