CNG DELIVERY SYSTEM WITH CRYOCOOLER AND METHOD OF SUPPLYING PURIFIED CNG
First Claim
1. A fuel gas delivery system is disclosed comprising:
- a feed line configured to provide a natural gas stream;
a cryocooler fluidly coupled to said feed line, said cryocooler configured to condense the natural gas to provide a liquefied natural gas (LNG) stream and to freeze impurities contained in the natural gas stream, wherein the frozen impurities are separated from the LNG stream;
a first heat exchanger fluidly coupled to said cryocooler, said first heat exchanger configured to vaporize at least a portion of the LNG stream to provide compressed natural gas;
a delivery line configured to supply the compressed natural gas to an end user;
and a removal line configured to remove the frozen impurities from said fuel gas delivery system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel gas delivery system is provided. The fuel gas delivery system includes a feed line configured to provide a natural gas stream and a cryocooler fluidly coupled to the feed line. The cryocooler is configured to condense the natural gas to provide a liquefied natural gas (LNG) stream and to freeze impurities contained in the natural gas stream. The frozen impurities are separated from said LNG stream. A first heat exchanger is fluidly coupled to the cryocooler and the first heat exchanger is configured to vaporize at least a portion of the LNG stream to provide compressed natural gas. A delivery line is configured to supply the compressed natural gas to an end user and a removal line is configured to remove the impurities from the fuel gas delivery system.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A fuel gas delivery system is disclosed comprising:
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a feed line configured to provide a natural gas stream; a cryocooler fluidly coupled to said feed line, said cryocooler configured to condense the natural gas to provide a liquefied natural gas (LNG) stream and to freeze impurities contained in the natural gas stream, wherein the frozen impurities are separated from the LNG stream; a first heat exchanger fluidly coupled to said cryocooler, said first heat exchanger configured to vaporize at least a portion of the LNG stream to provide compressed natural gas; a delivery line configured to supply the compressed natural gas to an end user; and a removal line configured to remove the frozen impurities from said fuel gas delivery system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A fuel gas delivery system comprising:
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a feed line configured to provide a natural gas stream; a cryocooler fluidly coupled to said feed line, said cryocooler configured to cool said natural gas below the freezing point of impurities contained in said natural gas stream to separate the frozen impurities from a cooled and densified natural gas stream; a first heat exchanger fluidly coupled to said cryocooler, said first heat exchanger configured to heat and pressurize at least a portion of the cooled and densified stream to provide compressed natural gas; a delivery line configured to supply the compressed natural gas to an end user; and a removal line configured to remove the frozen impurities from said fuel delivery system. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of supplying purified compressed fuel gas, the method comprising:
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supplying a natural gas stream to a cryocooler of a compressed natural gas delivery system; freezing impurities contained in the natural gas stream; condensing the natural gas to provide a liquefied natural gas (LNG) stream; separating the frozen impurities from the LNG stream; vaporizing the LNG stream to provide a compressed natural gas stream at a predetermined pressure; and supplying the compressed natural gas to a delivery line. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 26)
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25. The method of clam 23, further comprising delivering the LNG to a second storage tank, and precooling the natural gas stream against LNG in one of the first and second storage tanks by selectively supplying the natural gas stream to one of the first and second storage tanks, wherein the LNG is vaporized in one of the first and second storage tanks.
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27. A method of delivering a high purity compressed fuel gas, the method comprising:
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supplying a natural gas stream to a cryocooler of a compressed fuel gas delivery system; cooling the natural gas in the cryocooler to a temperature below the freezing point of impurities contained in the natural gas stream; separating the frozen impurities from the condensed natural gas to provide a cooled and densified natural gas stream; pressurizing the cooled and densified stream to provide a compressed natural gas stream at a predetermined pressure; and delivering the compressed natural gas to a delivery line. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of removing impurities from a fuel gas stream in a fuel gas delivery system, the method comprising:
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supplying a natural gas stream to a cryocooler of the fuel delivery system, the cryocooler configured to condense the natural gas to a liquefied natural gas (LNG) stream and freeze impurities contained in the natural gas; separating the impurities from the LNG stream; selectively supplying the LNG stream to one of a first storage tank and a second storage tank; selectively precooling the natural gas stream against LNG in the first storage tank when the first storage tank is filled with a predetermined amount of LNG, wherein the LNG is vaporized into compressed natural gas; selectively precooling the natural gas stream against the LNG in the second storage tank when the second storage tank is filled with a predetermined amount of LNG, wherein the LNG is vaporized into compressed natural gas; opening a first valve when the compressed natural gas in the first tank is at a predetermined pressure to supply the compressed natural gas to a delivery line, and opening a second valve when the compressed natural gas in the second tank is at the predetermined pressure to supply the compressed natural gas to the delivery line; and wherein LNG is vaporized in the first tank while the second tank is being filled with LNG from the cryocooler and LNG is vaporized in the second tank while the first tank is being filled with LNG from the cryocooler to provide a steady supply of compressed natural gas to the delivery line.
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Specification