Apparatus for the liquefaction of natural gas and methods relating to same
Abstract
An apparatus and method for producing liquefied natural gas. A liquefaction plant may be coupled to a source of unpurified natural gas, such as a natural gas pipeline at a pressure letdown station. A portion of the gas is drawn off and split into a process stream and a cooling stream. The cooling stream passes through an expander creating work output. A compressor may be driven by the work output and compresses the process stream. The compressed process stream is cooled, such as by the expanded cooling stream. The cooled, compressed process stream is divided into first and second portions with the first portion being expanded to liquefy the natural gas. A gas-liquid separator separates the vapor from the liquid natural gas. The second portion of the cooled, compressed process stream is also expanded and used to cool the compressed process stream.
- Inventors:
-
- Idaho Falls, ID
- Ammon, ID
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 988685
- Patent Number(s):
- 7594414
- Application Number:
- 11/381,904
- Assignee:
- Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (Idaho Falls, ID)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F25 - REFRIGERATION OR COOLING F25J - LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS {OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS} MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT {OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F28 - HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL F28D - HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 03 NATURAL GAS
Citation Formats
Wilding, Bruce M, McKellar, Michael G, Turner, Terry D, and Carney, Francis H. Apparatus for the liquefaction of natural gas and methods relating to same. United States: N. p., 2009.
Web.
Wilding, Bruce M, McKellar, Michael G, Turner, Terry D, & Carney, Francis H. Apparatus for the liquefaction of natural gas and methods relating to same. United States.
Wilding, Bruce M, McKellar, Michael G, Turner, Terry D, and Carney, Francis H. Tue .
"Apparatus for the liquefaction of natural gas and methods relating to same". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/988685.
@article{osti_988685,
title = {Apparatus for the liquefaction of natural gas and methods relating to same},
author = {Wilding, Bruce M and McKellar, Michael G and Turner, Terry D and Carney, Francis H},
abstractNote = {An apparatus and method for producing liquefied natural gas. A liquefaction plant may be coupled to a source of unpurified natural gas, such as a natural gas pipeline at a pressure letdown station. A portion of the gas is drawn off and split into a process stream and a cooling stream. The cooling stream passes through an expander creating work output. A compressor may be driven by the work output and compresses the process stream. The compressed process stream is cooled, such as by the expanded cooling stream. The cooled, compressed process stream is divided into first and second portions with the first portion being expanded to liquefy the natural gas. A gas-liquid separator separates the vapor from the liquid natural gas. The second portion of the cooled, compressed process stream is also expanded and used to cool the compressed process stream.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2009},
month = {9}
}