Process to obtain liquefied natural gas
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0645162
(2006-12-26)
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등록번호 |
US-8250883
(2012-08-28)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Migliore, Calogero
- Díaz, Silvia Pérez
- Soave, Giorgio
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Gardner Groff Greenwald & Villanueva, PC
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
10 |
초록
A process to obtain liquefied natural gas (LNG) which comprises the use of air as refrigerant in an open or closed cycle. The invention also refers to a system to carry out said process and uses thereof.
대표청구항
▼
1. A system of producing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) comprising: (1) an offshore mobile structure, and(2) a natural gas liquefaction plant installed on the offshore mobile structure comprising a closed air refrigeration cycle comprising a point for periodically taking air from the environment in ord
1. A system of producing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) comprising: (1) an offshore mobile structure, and(2) a natural gas liquefaction plant installed on the offshore mobile structure comprising a closed air refrigeration cycle comprising a point for periodically taking air from the environment in order to compensate for air loss in the refrigeration cycle, wherein the air is treated in order to eliminate water and carbon dioxide from the air prior to entry into at least one air compressor,at least one air compressor where the air from the environment is compressed to obtain compressed air, and wherein the air is re-circulated in the refrigeration cycle,at least one expander where the compressed air is expanded to obtain expanded air,at least one heat exchanger where natural gas is cooled with the expanded air and with an end-flash gas to obtain a cooled natural gas,an expansion device where the cooled natural gas is expanded to obtain an expanded cooled natural gas,an end-flash vessel where the expanded cooled natural gas is separated into liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the end-flash gas. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat exchanger comprises: an inlet for receiving compressed air, an outlet for delivering cooled compressed air, wherein the at least one heat exchanger cools the compressed air; andan outlet for air which is further connected to the at least one compressor in a closed refrigeration cycle. 3. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least two heat exchangers, where a first heat exchanger cools the compressed air with expanded air coming from a second heat exchanger to obtain cooled compressed air. 4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a column for natural gas liquids (NGL) extraction located after the at least one heat exchanger where the cooled natural gas enters, and a natural gas liquids stream and a lean natural gas are extracted. 5. The system according to claim 4, wherein a second heat exchanger is located after the column where the lean natural gas is cooled with the expanded air and the end-flash gas to obtain the cooled natural gas. 6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a pretreatment plant located prior to the at least one heat exchanger where undesired contaminants or impurities present in the natural gas feed are removed. 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile structure is a barge. 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile structure is a ship. 9. A method of production of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) on an offshore mobile structure comprising the steps: a. obtaining environmental air,b. compressing the environmental air to obtain compressed air,c. cooling the compressed air to obtain cooled compressed air,d. expanding the cooled compressed air to obtain expanded air,e. using the expanded air for cooling a natural gas stream to obtain cooled natural gas, andf. expanding the cooled natural gas to obtain expanded natural gas and separating said expanded natural gas into liquid natural gas and an end-flash gas, wherein the end-flash gas is used to cool the natural gas stream,wherein (1) the method is performed in a closed air refrigeration system comprising a point for periodically taking air from the environment in order to compensate for air loss in the refrigeration system; (2) the air is treated in order to eliminate water and carbon dioxide from the air prior to being compressed in step (b); and (3) the environmental air is re-circulated throughout the method. 10. The method according claim 9, wherein step (b.) compressing air is carried out in more than one stage. 11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the expanded air used to cool the natural gas in step (f.) is further compressed. 12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the expanded air used to cool the natural gas in step (f.) is given back to the atmosphere. 13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step: g. separating the natural gas liquids (NGL) before liquefaction. 14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pressure of the natural gas stream is at least 1 bar. 15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the natural gas is cooled to liquefaction in two stages. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the natural gas stream is cooled down in the first stage of cooling to a temperature that allows the extraction natural gas liquids (NGL). 17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the natural gas stream is cooled down, in the second stage of cooling, to a temperature that allows for its liquefaction. 18. The method according to claim 9, wherein the natural gas is pretreated before cooling. 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the pretreatment of natural gas comprises the removal of at least one of CO2, H2S, H2O, and Hg.
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (10)
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Roberts Mark Julian ; Agrawal Rakesh, Dual mixed refrigerant cycle for gas liquefaction.
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Houser Clarence G. ; Lee Rong-Jwyn ; Baudat Ned, Efficiency improvement of open-cycle cascaded refrigeration process for LNG production.
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Viteri Fermin ; Taylor James P. ; Brandt Harry ; Anderson Roger E., Hydrocarbon combustion power generation system with CO2 sequestration.
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Le Bot, Patrick, Integrated air separation process and apparatus.
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Garier Christian (Rueil-Malmaison FRX) Paradowski Henri (Rueil-Malmaison FRX), Method and plant for liquefying a gas with low boiling temperature.
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Kiczek Edward F. (Long Valley NJ) Petrowski Joseph M. (Pottstown PA), Method and system for cryogenic refrigeration using air.
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Howard Lee Jarvis ; Rowles Howard Charles ; Roberts Mark Julian, Nitrogen refrigerated process for the recovery of C2+ Hydrocarbons.
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Cook Philip J. (Schnecksville PA), Reliquefaction of boil-off from liquefied natural gas.
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Kimble, E. Lawrence; Bowen, Ronald R.; Rigby, James R., Reliquefaction of boil-off from liquefied natural gas.
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Roberts, Mark Julian; Harris, Christopher Francis; Ott, Christopher Michael; Rowles, Howard Charles; Longhurst, Daniel Lewis; McNeil, Brian Alfred, Separation of hydrogen-hydrocarbon gas mixtures using closed-loop gas expander refrigeration.
이 특허를 인용한 특허 (5)
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Turner, Terry D.; Wilding, Bruce M., Complete liquefaction methods and apparatus.
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Turner, Terry D.; McKellar, Michael G., Heat exchanger and related methods.
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Turner, Terry D.; Wilding, Bruce M., Methods of conveying fluids and methods of sublimating solid particles.
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Turner, Terry D.; McKellar, Michael G.; Wilding, Bruce M., Sublimation systems and associated methods.
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Turner, Terry D.; Wilding, Bruce M.; McKellar, Michael G.; Shunn, Lee P., Vaporization chambers and associated methods.
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