Method and apparatus for gas liquefaction

Patent · Tue Dec 04 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6091184

Gauthier, P

Method and apparatus for liquefying a gas such as natural gas, utilizing at least one cycle fluid comprising a refrigerating mixture, with at least one first principal cycle fluid under a low pressure in countercurrent heat exchange with the gas which is to be liquefied and with at least one second principal cycle fluid under a high pressure. At least one secondary cycle fluid is obtained by withdrawing a portion in liquid phase from the refrigerating mixture at the high pressure and is expanded to the low pressure and is then added to the first principal cycle fluid. The heat exchange takes place in at least one heat exchanger comprising a stack of plates which form uninterrupted longitudinal compartments forming passages for the first principal cycle fluid under a low pressure, these compartments extending from the cold end of the exchanger, and a plurality of longitudinal compartments forming passages for at least one of the second principal cycle fluid and the fluid to be liquefied, these latter compartments extending to the cold end of the exchanger. The addition of the secondary fluid to the first principal fluid takes place in a distributed manner into each low pressure compartment in at least one transverse volume extending along the thickness of the exchanger, this volume being located at heat exchange distance from the inlets and outlets of the compartments forming passages for the first principal fluid under low pressure.

• Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude (France)
• Patent Number(s): US 4486210
• OSTI ID: 6091184
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030300* -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
CHEMICAL REACTORS
COMPRESSIBLE FLOW
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS
LIQUEFACTION
NATURAL GAS
REFRIGERANTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WORKING FLUIDS