Natural gas liquefaction process
US8616021B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 4, 2008 |
| Grant date | Dec 31, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 20, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25J2270/90
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The invention relates to a process for liquefying a gas stream rich in methane, said process comprising: (a) providing said gas stream; (b) withdrawing a portion of said gas stream for use as a refrigerant; (c) compressing said refrigerant; (d) cooling said compressed refrigerant with an ambient temperature cooling fluid; (e) subjecting the cooled, compressed refrigerant to supplemental cooling; (f) expanding the refrigerant of (e) to further cool said refrigerant, thereby producing an expanded, supplementally cooled refrigerant; (g) passing said expanded, supplementally cooled refrigerant to a heat exchange area; and, (h) passing said gas stream of (a) through said heat exchange area to cool at least part of said gas stream by indirect heat exchange with said expanded, supplementally cooled refrigerant, thereby forming a cooled gas stream. In further embodiments for improved efficiencies, additional supplemental cooling may be provided after one or more other compression steps.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.