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Mixed refrigerant distributed chilling scheme

  • US 10,443,927 B2
  • Filed: 09/02/2016
  • Issued: 10/15/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A process for producing liquid natural gas (LNG) from a natural gas stream in an LNG liquefaction plant, the process comprising:

  • (a) compressing a mixed refrigerant in a refrigerant compressor using a combustion gas turbine having an inlet air stream as the compressor driver, thereby forming a compressed mixed refrigerant stream;

    (b) cooling and at least partially condensing the compressed mixed refrigerant stream, thereby forming a first two-phase mixed refrigerant stream;

    (c) separating the first two-phase mixed refrigerant stream, thereby forming a vapor mixed refrigerant stream and a liquid mixed refrigerant stream;

    (d) combining the vapor mixed refrigerant stream and a first portion of the liquid mixed refrigerant stream, thereby forming a second two-phase mixed refrigerant stream;

    (e) condensing the two-phase mixed refrigerant stream via indirect heat exchange with an expanded mixed refrigerant stream, thereby forming a condensed mixed refrigerant stream;

    (f) expanding the condensed mixed refrigerant stream, thereby forming the expanded mixed refrigerant stream in step (e);

    (g) liquefying the natural gas stream via indirect heat exchange with the expanded mixed refrigerant stream, thereby forming the liquid natural gas and a first warmed mixed refrigerant stream;

    (h) expanding a second portion of the liquid mixed refrigerant stream, thereby forming a third two-phase mixed refrigerant stream;

    (i) cooling a heat transfer fluid via indirect heat exchange with the third two-phase mixed refrigerant stream, thereby forming a cooled heat transfer fluid and a second warmed mixed refrigerant stream; and

    (j) cooling the combustion gas turbine inlet air stream in step (a) via indirect heat exchange with the cooled heat transfer fluid,wherein the first warmed mixed refrigerant stream and the second warmed mixed refrigerant stream are returned to the compressor in step (a).

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