MIXED REFRIGERANT COOLING PROCESS AND SYSTEM

• Main Authors: ROBERTS MARK J, GOWRI KRISHNAMURTHY, BROSTOW ADAM ADRIAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: 05.04.2018
• 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 MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; WEAPONS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mixed refrigerant cooling process and system that provide a reliable and efficient solution that eliminates two-phase entry in a condenser and at the same time does not increase the capital cost of the facility significantly.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to methods of increasing the operability, capacity, and efficiency of natural gas liquefaction processes, with a focus on mixed refrigerant cycles. The present invention also relates to natural gas liquefaction systems in which the methods can be implemented. More specifically, a refrigerant used in a pre-cooling heat exchanger of a natural gas liquefaction plant is withdrawn from the pre-cooling heat exchanger, and separated into liquid and vapor streams in a liquid-vapor separator after being cooled and compressed. The vapor portion is further compressed, cooled, and fully condensed, then returned to the liquid-vapor separator. Optionally, the fully condensed stream may be circulated through a heat exchanger before being returned to the liquid-vapor separator for the purpose of cooling other streams, including the liquid stream from the liquid-vapor separator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3 【課題】凝縮器における二相エントリを取り除き、同時に設備の資本コストを著しく増大させない、高信頼かつ効率的な解決策を提供する混合冷媒冷却プロセスおよびシステムを提供する。【解決手段】本発明は、混合冷媒サイクルに重点を置いた、天然ガス液化プロセスの運用性、能力、および効率を向上させる方法に関する。本発明はさらに、上述の方法を実行することができる天然ガス液化システムに関する。より具体的には、天然ガス液化プラントの予冷用熱交換器で用いられる冷媒は、予冷用熱交換器から回収され、冷却され圧縮された後、気液分離器で液体流と気体流とに分離される。気体部分は、さらに圧縮され、冷却されて十分に凝縮され、その後、気液分離器に戻される。任意には、十分に凝縮された流れは、気液分離器からの液体流を含む他の流れを冷却することを目的として、気液分離器に戻される前に熱交換器を通して循環させてもよい。【選択図】図３