Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
062612000 | Multicomponent cascade refrigeration | 38 |
20080202159 | Apparatus and method for optimizing a liquefied natural gas facility - At least one model is associated with one or more manipulated variables and one or more controlled variables, which are associated with a cascade liquefied natural gas facility. Adjustments to the one or more manipulated variables are made using the at least one model to maintain the one or more controlled variables within defined limits. For example, a controlled variable may identify an overall load placed on multiple refrigeration systems in the facility. The one or more manipulated variables may be adjusted to increase the overall load placed on the refrigeration systems. The overall load can be determined by identifying a maximum of: a projected feed gas rate to operate a propane refrigeration system at maximum load, a projected feed gas rate to operate an ethylene or ethane refrigeration system at maximum load, and a projected feed gas rate to operate a methane refrigeration system at maximum load. | 08-28-2008 |
20080256976 | SEMI-CLOSED LOOP LNG PROCESS - A semi-closed loop system for producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) that combines certain advantages of closed-loop systems with certain advantages of open-loop systems to provide a more efficient and effective hybrid system. In the semi-closed loop system, the final methane refrigeration cycle provides significant cooling of the natural gas stream via indirect heat transfer, as opposed to expansion-type cooling. A minor portion of the LNG product from the methane refrigeration cycle is used as make-up refrigerant in the methane refrigeration cycle. A pressurized portion of the refrigerant from the methane refrigeration cycle is employed as fuel gas. Excess refrigerant from the methane refrigeration cycle can be recombined with the processed natural gas stream, rather than flared. | 10-23-2008 |
20090113928 | Method and System for the Small-scale Production of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) from Low-pressure Gas - A method and system for the small-scale production of LNG. The method comprising: configuring a prime mover to be operable communication with a multi-stage compressor; configuring the prime mover to be in fluid communication with an ammonia absorption chiller; configuring the ammonia absorption chiller to be in fluid communication with the multi-stage compressor; operating the ammonia absorption chiller using waste heat from a prime mover; pre-cooling a first stream of natural gas using cooled fluid from the ammonia absorption chiller; cooling a first portion of the first stream of natural gas, using an expansion valve, into a two-phase stream; cooling a second portion of the first stream to liquefied natural gas, using the two-phase stream as a cooling fluid; delivering the second portion of the first stream as LNG to a low-pressure LNG tank; cooling a third portion of the first stream of natural gas in a turbo-expander; separating liquid heavies out of the third portion of the first stream of natural gas; and delivering the liquid heavies to a pressure tank. | 05-07-2009 |
20090113929 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRE-HEATING LNG BOIL-OFF GAS TO AMBIENT TEMPERATURE PRIOR TO COMPRESSION IN A RELIQUEFACTION SYSTEM - A method and apparatus of pre-heating LNG boil-off gas stream flowing from a reservoir in a reliquefaction system, before compression. The method comprises heat exchanging the BOG stream in a first heat exchanger, against a second coolant stream having a higher temperature than the BOG stream, where the second coolant stream is obtained by selectively splitting a first coolant stream into second and third coolant streams, third coolant stream being flowed into a first coolant passage in a reliquefaction system cold box, whereby the BOG has reached near-ambient temperatures prior to compression and the low temperature duty from the BOG is substantially preserved within the reliquefaction system, and thermal stresses in the cold box are reduced. Before the compression step, the BOG is pre-heated to substantially ambient temperatures, by heat exchanging the BOG with said coolant, said coolant prior to the heat exchange having a higher temperature than the BOG. | 05-07-2009 |
20090188277 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A REFRIGERANT COMPRESSOR, AND METHOD FOR COOLING A HYDROCARBON STREAM - A refrigerant stream is passed through at least one heat exchanger to provide a first at least partially evaporated stream and a second at least partially evaporated stream. A first compressor feed stream is provided from the first partially evaporated stream, and a second compressor feed stream is provided from the second partially evaporated stream. The first compressor feed stream is passed through a first refrigerant compressor and the second compressor feed stream through a second compressor, to provide first and second compressed streams, which are combined at a common pressure. The first refrigerant compressor is controlled by heating the second at least partially evaporated stream or the second compressor feed stream, or vice versa. | 07-30-2009 |
20090205366 | METHOD FOR LIQUEFACTION OF A STREAM RICH IN HYDROCARBONS - A method for liquefying a hydrocarbon-rich stream is disclosed. In an embodiment, the hydrocarbon-rich stream is liquefied in a heat exchanger countercurrent to a three component refrigerant mixture. The refrigerant mixture is compressed in a two stage compressor. The refrigerant mixture is separated into a higher boiling fraction and a lower boiling fraction. A fluid fraction is recovered from a partial stream of the lower boiling fraction. The fluid fraction is supercooled and expanded to a pressure of the higher boiling fraction and the fluid fraction is provided to a compressor stage to which the higher boiling fraction is taken. | 08-20-2009 |
20090205367 | Combined synthesis gas separation and LNG production method and system - A method and system for the separation of a synthesis gas and methane mixture which contains carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane with the process producing synthesis gas and liquid natural gas (LNG). | 08-20-2009 |
20090217701 | Natural Gas Liquefaction Process for Ling - Embodiments of this invention relate to a process for liquefaction of natural gas and other methane-rich gas streams, and more particularly to a process for producing liquefied natural gas (LNG). In a first step of the process, a first fraction of the feed gas is withdrawn, compressed to a pressure greater than or equal to 1500 psia, cooled and expanded to a lower pressure to cool the withdrawn first fraction. The remaining fraction of the feed stream is cooled by indirect heat exchange with the expanded first fraction in a first heat exchange process. In a second step a separate stream comprising flash vapor is compressed, cooled and expanded to a lower pressure providing another cold stream. This cold stream is used to cool the remaining feed gas stream in a second indirect heat exchange process. The expanded stream exiting from the second heat exchange process is used for supplemental cooling in the first indirect heat exchange step. The remaining feed gas is subsequently expanded to a lower pressure, thereby partially liquefying this feed gas stream. The liquefied fraction of this stream is withdrawn from the process as LNG having a temperature corresponding to the bubble point pressure. | 09-03-2009 |
20090277217 | ENHANCED NITROGEN REMOVAL IN AN LNG FACILITY - An LNG facility employing an enhanced nitrogen removal system that concentrates the amount of nitrogen in the feed stream to a nitrogen removal unit (NRU) to thereby increase the separation efficiency of the NRU. In one embodiment, the nitrogen removal system comprises a multistage separation vessel operable to separate nitrogen from a cooled natural gas stream. At least a portion of the resulting nitrogen-containing stream exiting the multistage separation vessel can be used as a refrigerant, processed to a nitrogen removal unit, and/or utilized as fuel gas for the LNG facility. | 11-12-2009 |
20090277218 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFYING A NATURAL GAS STREAM - The present invention relates to a method of liquefying a hydrocarbon stream such as a natural gas stream, the method at least comprising the steps of: supplying a partly condensed hydrocarbon feed stream ( | 11-12-2009 |
20090314030 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFYING A HYDROCARBON STREAM - Method of liquefying a hydrocarbon stream such as natural gas from a feed stream ( | 12-24-2009 |
20100024474 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING A HYDROCARBON STREAM - Method of cooling a hydrocarbon stream ( | 02-04-2010 |
20100024475 | Natural Gas Liquefaction System with Turbine Expander and Liquefaction Method Thereof - A natural gas liquefaction system with a turbine expander is provided that can improve the efficiency of the whole refrigeration cycle by using the turbine expander, instead of the throttling process that uses the conventional Joule-Thomson throttling valve that is used as a final throttling means in a conventional natural gas liquefaction system, and a liquefaction method thereof. The natural gas liquefaction cycle provided with the turbine expander of the present invention comprises a compressor | 02-04-2010 |
20100058802 | METHOD FOR LIQUEFACTION OF GAS - The present invention relates to a process plant and method for cooling and optionally liquefaction of a product gas, particularly for liquefaction of natural gas, based on a closed loop of multi-component refrigerant in heat exchange with the gas to be cooled and optionally condensed. The process plant is comprises at least one primary heat exchanger ( | 03-11-2010 |
20100058803 | SYSTEM FOR INCONDENSABLE COMPONENT SEPARATION IN A LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS FACILITY - A liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility that employs a system to remove incondensable material from one or more refrigeration cycles within the facility. One or more embodiments of the present invention can be advantageously employed in an open-loop refrigeration cycle to remove at least a portion of one or more high vapor pressure components that have accumulated in the refrigerant cycle over time. In addition, several embodiments can be advantageously employed to stabilize facility operation in the event of drastic changes to the concentration of the natural gas feed stream introduced into the facility. | 03-11-2010 |
20100071409 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFYING A HYDROCARBON STREAM - A method and apparatus for liquefying a hydrocarbon stream ( | 03-25-2010 |
20100115990 | METHOD FOR LIQUEFYING A HYDROCARBON-RICH FLOW - Disclosed is a method for liquefying a hydrocarbon-rich stream, in particular a natural gas stream, by indirectly exchanging hear with the coolant mixture of a coolant mixture circuit. In said method, the coolant mixture is condensed in two or more stages, is divided into at least one lower-boiling and at least one higher-boiling coolant mixture fraction, and the coolant mixture fractions are evaporated at different temperature levels against the hydrocarbon-rich stream that is to be cooled and liquefied and are then combined before being condensed once again. The coolant mixture fractions are not entirely evaporated during normal operation and are preferably not superheated. Preferably, at least | 05-13-2010 |
20100126214 | PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A SUBCOOLED LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS STREAM FROM A NATURAL GAS FEED STREAM, AND ASSOCIATED INSTALLATION - A process for the production of a subcooled liquefied natural gas stream from a natural gas feed stream. Passing a first natural gas feed stream through a first heat exchanger for precooling by heat exchange with a first stream of gaseous refrigerant produced in a first refrigeration cycle comprising a first dynamic expansion turbine. Passing the precooled feed stream through a second heat exchanger for liquefying by heat exchange with a second stream of gaseous refrigerant produced in a second refrigeration cycle comprising a second dynamic expansion turbine. Passing the liquefied natural gas stream through a third heat exchanger for subcooling the liquefied gas by heat exchange with a third refrigerant stream produced in a third refrigeration cycle comprising a third dynamic expansion turbine separate from the first turbine and the second turbine. An installation includes devices for conveying the natural gas stream, the heat exchangers and the turbines and compression devices cooling the refrigerants for the heat exchangers. | 05-27-2010 |
20100147024 | ALTERNATIVE PRE-COOLING ARRANGEMENT - A natural gas liquefaction system, the system comprising a first precooling refrigeration system that accepts at least a natural gas feed stream, a second precooling refrigeration system that accepts at least a first refrigerant stream; and a cryogenic heat exchanger fluidly connected to the first precooling refrigeration system and the second precooling refrigeration system that accepts the natural gas feed stream from the first precooling refrigeration system and the first refrigerant stream from the second precooling refrigeration system to liquefy the natural gas feed stream, where the second precooling refrigeration system accepts only stream(s) having a composition different from the stream(s) accepted by the first precooling refrigeration system. | 06-17-2010 |
20100154469 | Process and system for liquefaction of hydrocarbon-rich gas stream utilizing three refrigeration cycles - A process is disclosed for liquefying a hydrocarbon-rich gas stream such as natural gas by indirect heat exchange with refrigerants in a cascade of three closed loop refrigeration cycles, namely pre-cooling, liquefaction and subcooling. Each of the closed loop refrigeration cycles utilizes a different refrigerant composition. The pre-cooling cycle utilizes a first mixed refrigerant; the liquefaction cycle utilizes a pure refrigerant; and the subcooling cycle utilizes a second next refrigerant. The refrigerants closely match the enthalpy curve of the hydrocarbon-rich gas, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the liquefaction process. | 06-24-2010 |
20100175423 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFACTION OF NATURAL GAS AND PRODUCTS THEREFROM - A method for cooling natural gas with a refrigerant, one non-limiting embodiment which includes: (A) compressing and cooling the refrigerant to a first pressure to form a compressed refrigerant; (B) splitting the compressed refrigerant into a first stream and a second stream both at the first pressure, wherein the second stream comprises more of the compressed refrigerant than the first stream; (C) cooling the first stream to form a cooled first stream; (D) expanding the cooled first stream to a first expansion pressure to form an expanded first stream; (E) compressing the second stream to a second pressure higher than the first pressure, forming a higher pressure second stream; (F) cooling the higher pressure second stream to form a cooled second stream; (G) expanding the cooled second stream to a second expansion pressure to form an expanded second stream; and, (H) Cooling the natural gas with the expanded first stream and expanded second stream, forming a cooled natural gas stream. | 07-15-2010 |
20100175424 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFACTION OF NATURAL GAS AND PRODUCTS THEREFROM - A method for cooling natural gas with a refrigerant, one non-limiting embodiment which includes: (A) compressing and cooling the refrigerant to a first pressure to form a compressed refrigerant; (B) splitting the compressed refrigerant into a first stream and a second stream both at the first pressure; (C) cooling the first stream to form a cooled first stream; (D) expanding the cooled first stream to a first expansion pressure to form an expanded first stream; (E) compressing the second stream to a second pressure higher than the first pressure, forming a higher pressure second stream; (F) cooling the higher pressure second stream to form a cooled second stream; (G) expanding the cooled second stream to a second expansion pressure to form an expanded second stream; and, (H) Cooling the natural gas with the expanded first stream and expanded second stream, forming a cooled natural gas stream. | 07-15-2010 |
20100218551 | Method for Utilization of Lean Boil-Off Gas Stream as a Refrigerant Source - This invention relates to a system and method for liquefying natural gas. In another aspect, the invention concerns an improved liquefied natural gas facility employing a closed loop methane refrigeration cycle. In another aspect, the invention concerns the utilization of lean boil-off gas. | 09-02-2010 |
20100281915 | Pre-Cooled Liquefaction Process - A system and method for liquefying a natural gas stream, the method including the steps of providing a dehydrated natural gas stream for liquefaction, pre-cooling the dehydrated natural gas stream in a pre-cooling apparatus, where the pre-cooling is performed by using a pre-coolant that consists essentially of a hydroflorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant, further cooling the pre-cooled dehydrated natural gas stream in a main heat exchanger through indirect heat exchange against a vaporized hydrocarbon mixed refrigerant coolant to produce a liquefied natural gas product stream, where the mixed refrigerant coolant comprises ethane, methane, nitrogen, and less than or equal to 3 mol % of propane. | 11-11-2010 |
20100313597 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUCTION OF LIQUID NATURAL GAS - A process and system for liquefying a hydrocarbon gas is provided. The hydrocarbon feed gas is pre-treated to remove sour species and water therefrom. The pre-treated feed gas is then passed to a refrigeration zone where it is cooled and expanded to produce a hydrocarbon liquid. A closed loop single mixed refrigerant provides most of the refrigeration to the refrigeration zone together with an auxiliary refrigeration system. The auxiliary refrigeration system and closed loop single mixed refrigerant are coupled in such a manner that waste heat generated by a gas turbine drive of the compressor in the closed loop single mixed refrigerant drives the auxiliary refrigeration system and the auxiliary refrigeration system cools the inlet air of the gas turbine. In this way, substantial improvements are made in the production capacity of the system. | 12-16-2010 |
20110219819 | PROCESS FOR LIQUEFYING A HYDROCARBON-RICH FRACTION - A process is proposed for liquefying a hydrocarbon-rich fraction (A), especially natural gas, by
| 09-15-2011 |
20140102132 | MODULAR CO2 REFRIGERATION SYSTEM - A cascade CO2 refrigeration system includes a medium temperature loop for circulating a medium refrigerant and a low temperature loop for circulating a CO2 refrigerant. The medium temperature loop includes a heat exchanger having a first side and a second side. The first side evaporates the medium temperature refrigerant. The low temperature loop includes a discharge header for circulating the CO2 refrigerant through the second side of the heat exchanger to condense the CO2 refrigerant, a liquid-vapor separator collects liquid CO2 refrigerant and directs vapor CO2 refrigerant to the second side of the heat exchanger. A liquid CO2 supply header receives liquid CO2 refrigerant from the liquid-vapor separator. Medium temperature loads receive liquid CO2 refrigerant from the liquid supply header for use as a liquid coolant at a medium temperature. An expansion device expands liquid CO2 refrigerant from the liquid supply header into a low temperature liquid-vapor mixture for use by the low temperature loads. | 04-17-2014 |
20140130542 | Method And Apparatus for High Purity Liquefied Natural Gas - A novel method and system for liquefying and distilling natural gas into high purity liquid methane (LNG) and NGL product streams. Heat exchangers and distillation towers are configured to produce high purity liquefied natural gas (LNG) and NGL product streams, while also rejecting excess nitrogen contained in the inlet gas stream, utilizing liquid nitrogen as the process refrigerant. A molecular sieve pretreatment system is configured to utilize the vaporized nitrogen stream for regeneration of the molecular sieve beds which are designed for removing water and carbon dioxide from the inlet gas stream | 05-15-2014 |
20140150492 | USE OF ALTERNATE REFRIGERANTS IN OPTIMIZED CASCADE PROCESS - Methods and systems for liquefying natural gas using nonflammable refrigerants are provided. Methods of liquefaction include cooling a natural gas stream via indirect heat exchange with a first nonflammable refrigerant selected from the group consisting of: difluoromethane, pentafluoromethane, trifluoromethane, hexafluoroethane, tetrafluoroethane, pentafluorethane, trifluoroethane, pentafluoroethane, any derivative thereof, and any combination thereof during a first refrigeration cycle; and cooling the natural gas stream via indirect heat exchange with a second refrigerant during a second refrigeration cycle. | 06-05-2014 |
20150013379 | LNG Formation - Systems and a method for the formation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) are disclosed herein. The system includes a refrigeration system configured to chill a natural gas using a refrigerant mixture including a noble gas. The system also includes an autorefrigeration system configured to use the natural g self-refrigerant to form the LNG from the natural gas. | 01-15-2015 |
20150052938 | COMBINED REMOVAL OF HEAVIES AND LIGHTS FROM NATURAL GAS - A process is described for removing heavies and lights from a hydrocarbon-rich feed fraction. A heavies-rich liquid is rectificatorily removed (1st removal stage) from a partially condensed feed fraction. Heavies-depleted gas is partially condensed and rectificatorily separated into a methane-rich liquid fraction and a lights-rich gas fraction (2nd removal stage). The 1st removal stage is operated at a pressure of at least 25 bar. The heavies-depleted gas fraction does not undergo pressure elevation before being fed into the 2nd removal stage. Reflux for the 2nd removal stage is produced via an open loop refrigeration cycle. Refrigerant circulating in the open loop refrigeration cycle is vaporized to two different temperature levels against the reflux streams in a head condenser and a side condenser of the 2nd removal stage. The pressure of refrigerant vaporized in the side condenser is at least three times the pressure of refrigerant vaporized in the head condenser. | 02-26-2015 |
20150135767 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HYDROCARBON REFRIGERATION WITH A MIXED REFRIGERANT CYCLE - Methods and systems for reducing the pressure of a hydrocarbon-containing stream so as to provide a cooled, reduced-pressure hydrocarbon-containing stream are provided. Facilities as described herein utilize a single closed-loop mixed refrigeration system in order to facilitate transportation, loading, and/or storage of a liquefied hydrocarbon-containing material at or near atmospheric pressure. In some aspects, the facilities can include at least one separation device for removing lighter components from the feed stream, which may separately be recovered as a vapor product for subsequent processing and/or use. | 05-21-2015 |
20150300732 | SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR LIQUEFYING NATURAL GAS - A process of liquefying a natural gas stream in a liquefied natural gas facility is provided. The process includes cooling the natural gas stream in a first refrigeration cycle to produce a cooled natural gas stream. The process also includes cooling the cooled natural gas stream in a first chiller of a second refrigeration cycle, the cooled natural gas stream exiting the first chiller at a first pressure. The process further includes cooling the cooled natural gas stream in a first core of a second chiller of the second refrigeration cycle. The process yet further includes cooling a refrigerant of a refrigerant recycle stream separate from the cooled natural gas stream in a second core of the second chiller of the second refrigeration cycle, wherein the refrigerant recycle stream enters the second chiller at a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure of the cooled natural gas stream. | 10-22-2015 |
20150300733 | Nitrogen Removal with ISO-Pressure Open Refrigeration Natural Gas Liquids Recovery - A process for recovery of natural gas liquids is disclosed, the process including: fractionating a gas stream comprising nitrogen, methane, ethane, and propane and other C | 10-22-2015 |
20160061516 | DUAL MIXED REFRIGERANT SYSTEM - Processes and systems are provided for recovering a liquefied natural gas (LNG) stream from a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas stream using dual closed-loop mixed refrigerant cycles. In particular, the processes and systems described herein can be used to efficiently and effectively liquefy methane from a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas stream with the use of a first refrigeration system and a second refrigeration system utilizing a first mixed refrigerant and a second mixed refrigerant. | 03-03-2016 |
20160061517 | DUAL MIXED REFRIGERANT SYSTEM - Processes and systems are provided for recovering a liquefied natural gas (LNG) stream from a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas stream using dual closed-loop mixed refrigerant cycles. In particular, the processes and systems described herein can be used to efficiently and effectively liquefy methane from a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas stream by utilizing a first refrigeration system and a second refrigeration system in fluid communication with a turboexpander and separator. | 03-03-2016 |
20160061519 | Method to Produce LNG - A method to produce LNG at straddle plants. In contrast to known methods, there is provided a slipstream of a high pressure, pre-treated, pre-cooled natural gas stream to a straddle LNG plant section. The slipstream is further cooled, and processed in a high pressure column to a methane content of 85% or 85 plus by mole. The processed. stream is further treated to remove carbon dioxide. The de-carbonated high pressure stream is further cooled in a heat exchanger by a counter-current vapour fraction of the expanded gas before entering an expander apparatus. The processed, treated and cooled gas is expanded into a separator. The produced LNG fraction is pumped to storage. A portion of the LNG fraction is used as a reflux stream to the high pressure column. The cold vapour fraction from the separator flows through counter-current heat exchangers, giving up its coolth energy before being re-compressed into the high pressure transmission gas pipeline. | 03-03-2016 |
20190145703 | MEHOD FOR GRADUAL SEALING OF A GAS | 05-16-2019 |