SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LIQUEFACTION OF NATURAL GAS
First Claim
1. A liquefaction system comprising:
- a first heat exchanger configured to receive a natural gas stream from a natural gas source and cool at least a first portion of the natural gas stream to liquefied natural gas;
a first compression assembly fluidly coupled to the first heat exchanger and configured to circulate a first refrigerant through the first heat exchanger to cool the first portion of the natural gas stream to the liquefied natural gas, the first compression assembly comprisinga plurality of first refrigerant compressors configured to compress the first refrigerant; and
a plurality of turbines configured to drive the plurality of first refrigerant compressors;
a precooler assembly fluidly coupled to the first compression assembly and the first heat exchanger and configured to cool the natural gas stream and the first refrigerant compressed by the plurality of first refrigerant compressors prior to the natural gas stream entering the first heat exchanger, the precooler assembly comprising a plurality of chillers configured to transfer thermal energy from the first refrigerant and the natural gas stream to a second refrigerant; and
a second compression assembly fluidly coupled to the precooler assembly and comprisinga plurality of second refrigerant compressors configured to compress the second refrigerant and circulate the second refrigerant to the plurality of chillers; and
a plurality of drivers, each driver coupled to at least one of the second refrigerant compressors and configured to drive at least one of the second refrigerant compressors; and
wherein the first refrigerant is a single mixed refrigerant;
the plurality of first refrigerant compressors comprises six first refrigerant compressors;
the plurality of turbines comprises six turbines, each turbine being coupled to a respective first refrigerant compressor; and
at least one turbine is an aeroderivative gas turbine, and at least one other turbine is an industrial gas turbine, wherein the first compression assembly in particular further comprises three intercoolers, each intercooler of the three intercoolers fluidly coupling two first refrigerant compressors of the six refrigerant compressors.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for the production of liquefied natural gas. At least one of the systems may include a plurality of compression assemblies in fluid communication with a precooler assembly. One compression assembly may be a part of a precooling loop and may include at least one compressor driven by a variable or fixed speed motor. Another compression assembly may be part of a liquefaction loop and may include at least one pair of compressors, each compressor driven by a respective turbine. The liquefaction loop may be fluidly coupled to a main heat exchanger utilized to liquefy at least a portion of a feed gas stream containing natural gas flowing through the main heat exchanger, thereby producing liquefied natural gas.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A liquefaction system comprising:
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a first heat exchanger configured to receive a natural gas stream from a natural gas source and cool at least a first portion of the natural gas stream to liquefied natural gas; a first compression assembly fluidly coupled to the first heat exchanger and configured to circulate a first refrigerant through the first heat exchanger to cool the first portion of the natural gas stream to the liquefied natural gas, the first compression assembly comprising a plurality of first refrigerant compressors configured to compress the first refrigerant; and a plurality of turbines configured to drive the plurality of first refrigerant compressors; a precooler assembly fluidly coupled to the first compression assembly and the first heat exchanger and configured to cool the natural gas stream and the first refrigerant compressed by the plurality of first refrigerant compressors prior to the natural gas stream entering the first heat exchanger, the precooler assembly comprising a plurality of chillers configured to transfer thermal energy from the first refrigerant and the natural gas stream to a second refrigerant; and a second compression assembly fluidly coupled to the precooler assembly and comprising a plurality of second refrigerant compressors configured to compress the second refrigerant and circulate the second refrigerant to the plurality of chillers; and a plurality of drivers, each driver coupled to at least one of the second refrigerant compressors and configured to drive at least one of the second refrigerant compressors; and wherein the first refrigerant is a single mixed refrigerant; the plurality of first refrigerant compressors comprises six first refrigerant compressors; the plurality of turbines comprises six turbines, each turbine being coupled to a respective first refrigerant compressor; and at least one turbine is an aeroderivative gas turbine, and at least one other turbine is an industrial gas turbine, wherein the first compression assembly in particular further comprises three intercoolers, each intercooler of the three intercoolers fluidly coupling two first refrigerant compressors of the six refrigerant compressors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for producing liquefied natural gas from a natural gas source, comprising:
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feeding at least an initial portion of a natural gas stream to a plurality of chillers; compressing a second refrigerant in at least one second refrigerant compressor, the at least one second refrigerant compressor driven by a variable speed drive or a fixed speed motor; compressing a single mixed refrigerant in a plurality of first refrigerant compressors, each of the plurality of first refrigerant compressors being driven by a respective turbine, transferring thermal energy from the single mixed refrigerant and the initial portion of the natural gas stream to the second refrigerant in the plurality of chillers; and feeding a first portion of the single mixed refrigerant and a first portion of the initial portion of the natural gas stream to a first heat exchanger to cool at least a fraction of the first portion of the natural gas stream flowing therethrough to thereby produce a first portion of the liquefied natural gas; wherein at least one turbine of the plurality of turbines is an aeroderivative gas turbine, and at least one other turbine of the plurality of turbines is an industrial gas turbine; and an intercooler fluidly couples at least two first refrigerant compressors of the plurality of first refrigerant compressors. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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Specification