System to cold compress an air stream using natural gas refrigeration

• Main Authors: CHOE JUNG SOO, HERRON DONN MICHAEL, DEE DOUGLAS PAUL
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 19.06.2013
• Subjects: BLASTING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; HEATING; LIGHTING; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES; LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT; REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; WEAPONS

An air stream (100) is compressed in multiple stages (3a, 3b, 3c) using refrigeration derived from a refrigerant (166, 168) comprising natural gas for inter-stage cooling (4b, 4c). The possibility of natural gas leaking into the air stream is reduced by use of an intermediate cooling medium ("ICM") to transfer (4) the refrigeration from the refrigerant to the inter-stage air stream (102, 104). The compressed air stream can be fed to a cryogenic air separation unit (1) that includes an LNG-based liquefier unit (2) from which a cold natural gas stream is withdrawn for use as said refrigerant.