MIXED REFRIGERANT DISTRIBUTED CHILLING SCHEME
First Claim
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1. A process for producing liquid methane gas (LNG) in an LNG liquefaction plant, the process comprising:
- (a) cooling a condensed mixed refrigerant and a heat transfer stream via indirect heat exchange with an expanded mixed refrigerant to thereby form a cooled mixed refrigerant, a cooled heat transfer stream, and a warmed mixed refrigerant; and
(b) performing at least one of the following;
(i) cooling a feed gas with the cooled heat transfer stream prior to introducing the feed gas into a dehydration unit;
(ii) cooling the inlet air stream of a turbine with the cooled heat transfer stream;
or(iii) routing the cooled heat transfer stream to other cooling processes in the LNG liquefaction plant to thereby increase plant efficiency, capacity, or product purity.
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Abstract
Processes and systems are provided for recovering a liquid natural gas (“LNG”) from a hydrocarbon-containing gas. More particularly, the present invention is generally related to processes and systems that optimize the chilling efficiencies of an LNG facility through the utilization of an auxiliary refrigeration cycle. Additionally, the present invention is also generally related to the rerouting of mixed refrigerants in a closed-loop refrigeration cycle in order to optimize the chilling efficiencies of the LNG facility.
3 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A process for producing liquid methane gas (LNG) in an LNG liquefaction plant, the process comprising:
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(a) cooling a condensed mixed refrigerant and a heat transfer stream via indirect heat exchange with an expanded mixed refrigerant to thereby form a cooled mixed refrigerant, a cooled heat transfer stream, and a warmed mixed refrigerant; and (b) performing at least one of the following; (i) cooling a feed gas with the cooled heat transfer stream prior to introducing the feed gas into a dehydration unit; (ii) cooling the inlet air stream of a turbine with the cooled heat transfer stream;
or(iii) routing the cooled heat transfer stream to other cooling processes in the LNG liquefaction plant to thereby increase plant efficiency, capacity, or product purity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A process for producing liquid methane gas (LNG) in an LNG liquefaction plant, the process comprising:
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(a) cooling a hydrocarbon-containing gas with a first closed refrigeration loop comprising a first mixed refrigerant and an optional second closed refrigeration loop comprising a second mixed refrigerant; (b) cooling the first mixed refrigerant and/or a heat transfer fluid with an expanded first mixed refrigerant to thereby form a cooled first mixed refrigerant and/or a cooled heat transfer stream; and (c) cooling the uncompressed inlet air stream of a turbine with the cooled mixed refrigerant and/or the cooled heat transfer stream. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A facility for recovering liquid methane gas (LNG) from a hydrocarbon-containing gas, the facility comprising:
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(i) a primary heat exchanger having a first cooling pass disposed therein, wherein the first cooling pass is configured to cool the hydrocarbon-containing gas into a cooled hydrocarbon-containing gas; (ii) an indirect heat exchanger having a second cooling pass disposed therein, wherein the second cooling pass is configured to cool a heat transfer fluid comprising water, a glycol, or a mixture thereof into a cooled heat transfer fluid; (iii) a single closed-loop mixed refrigeration cycle at least partially disposed within the primary heat exchanger and the indirect heat exchanger, wherein the single closed-loop refrigeration cycle comprises; (a) a refrigerant compressor defining a suction inlet for receiving a mixed refrigerant stream and a discharge outlet for discharging a stream of compressed mixed refrigerant; (b) a first refrigerant cooling pass in fluid communication with the discharge outlet of the refrigerant compressor, wherein the first refrigerant cooling pass is configured to cool the compressed mixed refrigerant stream in the primary heat exchanger; (c) a first refrigerant expansion device in fluid communication with the first refrigerant cooling pass, wherein the first refrigerant expansion device is configured to expand the cooled mixed refrigerant stream and generate refrigeration; (d) a first refrigerant warming pass in fluid communication with the refrigerant expansion device and the suction inlet of the refrigerant compressor, wherein the first refrigerant warming pass is configured to warm the expanded mixed refrigerant stream in the primary heat exchanger via indirect heat exchange; (e) a second refrigerant cooling pass configured to cool at least a portion of the mixed refrigerant stream in the indirect heat exchanger; (f) a second refrigerant expansion device in fluid communication with the second refrigerant cooling pass, wherein the second refrigerant expansion device is configured to expand the mixed refrigerant stream from the second refrigerant cooling pass and generate refrigeration; and (g) a second refrigerant warming pass in fluid communication with the second refrigerant expansion device, wherein the second refrigerant warming pass is configured to warm the mixed refrigerant stream from the second refrigerant expansion device in the indirect heat exchanger via indirect heat exchange; and (iv) a conduit directing the cooled heat transfer fluid from the second cooling pass to at least one of the following; (a) a third heat exchanger having a third cooling pass configured to cool the inlet air stream to a turbine; (b) a fourth heat exchanger having a fourth cooling pass configured to cool the hydrocarbon-containing gas prior to the first cooling pass; (c) a fifth heat exchanger having a fifth cooling pass configured to cool the overhead stream from a distillation column;
or(d) a sixth heat exchanger having a sixth cooling pass configured to cool the condensed stream from a condenser. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification