EP1469265B1 - Process for nitrogen liquefaction by recovering the cold derived from liquid methane gasification - Google Patents

Process for nitrogen liquefaction by recovering the cold derived from liquid methane gasification Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1469265B1
EP1469265B1 EP04007031A EP04007031A EP1469265B1 EP 1469265 B1 EP1469265 B1 EP 1469265B1 EP 04007031 A EP04007031 A EP 04007031A EP 04007031 A EP04007031 A EP 04007031A EP 1469265 B1 EP1469265 B1 EP 1469265B1
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Prior art keywords
cryogenic fluid
nitrogen
coolers
heat exchanger
cooling
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EP04007031A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP1469265A1 (en
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Emanuele Bigi
Alessandro Bigi
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SIAD MACCHINE IMPIANTI SpA
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SIAD MACCHINE IMPIANTI SpA
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0203—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using a single-component refrigerant [SCR] fluid in a closed vapor compression cycle
    • F25J1/0204—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using a single-component refrigerant [SCR] fluid in a closed vapor compression cycle as a single flow SCR cycle
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/0002—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the fluid to be liquefied
    • F25J1/0012—Primary atmospheric gases, e.g. air
    • F25J1/0015—Nitrogen
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/003—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production
    • F25J1/0047—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using an "external" refrigerant stream in a closed vapor compression cycle
    • F25J1/005—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using an "external" refrigerant stream in a closed vapor compression cycle by expansion of a gaseous refrigerant stream with extraction of work
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/006—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the refrigerant fluid used
    • F25J1/007—Primary atmospheric gases, mixtures thereof
    • F25J1/0072—Nitrogen
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0221—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using the cold stored in an external cryogenic component in an open refrigeration loop
    • F25J1/0222—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using the cold stored in an external cryogenic component in an open refrigeration loop in combination with an intermediate heat exchange fluid between the cryogenic component and the fluid to be liquefied
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0228—Coupling of the liquefaction unit to other units or processes, so-called integrated processes
    • F25J1/0234—Integration with a cryogenic air separation unit
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
    • F25J1/0257—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines
    • F25J1/0262—Details of the cold heat exchange system
    • F25J1/0264—Arrangement of heat exchanger cores in parallel with different functions, e.g. different cooling streams
    • F25J1/0265—Arrangement of heat exchanger cores in parallel with different functions, e.g. different cooling streams comprising cores associated exclusively with the cooling of a refrigerant stream, e.g. for auto-refrigeration or economizer
    • F25J1/0268—Arrangement of heat exchanger cores in parallel with different functions, e.g. different cooling streams comprising cores associated exclusively with the cooling of a refrigerant stream, e.g. for auto-refrigeration or economizer using a dedicated refrigeration means
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
    • F25J1/0279—Compression of refrigerant or internal recycle fluid, e.g. kind of compressor, accumulator, suction drum etc.
    • F25J1/0292—Refrigerant compression by cold or cryogenic suction of the refrigerant gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
    • F25J1/0279—Compression of refrigerant or internal recycle fluid, e.g. kind of compressor, accumulator, suction drum etc.
    • F25J1/0296—Removal of the heat of compression, e.g. within an inter- or afterstage-cooler against an ambient heat sink
    • F25J1/0297—Removal of the heat of compression, e.g. within an inter- or afterstage-cooler against an ambient heat sink using an externally chilled fluid, e.g. chilled water
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04006—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit
    • F25J3/04048—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of cold gaseous streams, e.g. intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste) streams
    • F25J3/0406—Providing pressurised feed air or process streams within or from the air fractionation unit by compression of cold gaseous streams, e.g. intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste) streams of nitrogen
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04248—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion
    • F25J3/04254—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using the cold stored in external cryogenic fluids
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04248—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion
    • F25J3/04333—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using quasi-closed loop internal vapor compression refrigeration cycles, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams
    • F25J3/04351—Generation of cold for compensating heat leaks or liquid production, e.g. by Joule-Thompson expansion using quasi-closed loop internal vapor compression refrigeration cycles, e.g. of intermediate or oxygen enriched (waste-)streams of nitrogen
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J2210/00—Processes characterised by the type or other details of the feed stream
    • F25J2210/62—Liquefied natural gas [LNG]; Natural gas liquids [NGL]; Liquefied petroleum gas [LPG]
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J2230/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure of gaseous process streams
    • F25J2230/08—Cold compressor, i.e. suction of the gas at cryogenic temperature and generally without afterstage-cooler
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J2230/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure of gaseous process streams
    • F25J2230/30—Compression of the feed stream
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • 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
    • F25J2230/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure of gaseous process streams
    • F25J2230/42—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure of gaseous process streams the fluid being nitrogen

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a process and apparatus for liquefying a cryogenic fluid comprising the features of the preamble of claims 1 and 4.
  • Such a process, respectively apparatus is known from JP 02 171 580 A and EP 1 055 894 A.
  • methane tankers specialized for this purpose have to be used.
  • these tankers are designed to transport it in liquid form in order to reduce its volume.
  • the methane has to be maintained at cryogenic temperature, the value of which depends on the storage pressure (for example -154°C at 2 bar absolute).
  • methane tankers the methane is contained in suitable tanks under high thermal insulation (using the Dewar flask principle).
  • this methane On reaching land, this methane has to be transported or used in gaseous form, and must therefore be vaporized and heated. To express this concept in other words, it could be said that in order to undergo vaporization and heating, it must transfer its "cold” to another fluid, which hence itself becomes cold during said heat transfer.
  • thermodynamic refrigeration cycles it is known that to cool a gas to a temperature less than the temperature of the environment in which it is present requires considerable energy consumption related to the application of usual thermodynamic refrigeration cycles.
  • this energy consumption is imposed by the need to compress the gas to be liquefied so that it becomes hot, and then to extract from it the heat associated with the temperature increase deriving from this compression more efficiently as it is effected at a higher temperature level.
  • Subsequent expansion of the compressed and cooled gas in a turbine further reduces its temperature to cryogenic values, with resultant liquefaction of the gas.
  • liquid methane transported by methane tankers contains a "negative energy" or cold, which it would be extremely advantageous to recover.
  • one of the usual methods of heating liquid methane is to pass the liquid methane through a heat exchanger through which water circulates in counter-current to heat said methane from a temperature of-150°C to a temperature of +15°C.
  • this gasification method alters the ecosystem as it causes artificial intermittent cooling of the sea.
  • the known art uses the said cold mainly during cooling by suitable heat exchangers.
  • An object of the present invention is to define a process for using the cold deriving from liquid methane gasification which is more advantageous than those currently used. In accordance with the present invention this object is solved by the characterizing features of claims 1 and 4.
  • a liquid methane inlet line 1 leads to a pump 2.
  • the pump 2 (indicatively of centrifugal type) feeds the liquid methane to a heat exchanger 4, which subtracts heat from a line 5 through which nitrogen passes in counter-current.
  • This nitrogen originates from another heat exchanger 6 in which a water line 7 had previously raised its temperature from about -98°C to about -34°C.
  • Said nitrogen is maintained at a relatively high pressure to increase the temperature difference between the methane and nitrogen in order, other conditions being equal, to achieve greater absorption of the cold provided by the liquid methane.
  • the nitrogen cooled in this manner by heat transfer with liquid methane leaves the heat exchanger 4 through a line 8, which branches into two lines 9 and 10 to enable the cold of the nitrogen to be used to cool the nitrogen circulating within specific circuits 18, 20 of the apparatus in which said nitrogen is liquefied.
  • the line 9 conveys the cold withdrawn from the methane to the interstage coolers (heat exchangers) 11, 12, 13 located respectively at the outlet of three stages 16, 15, 14 of a conventional compressor unit for the nitrogen in the circuit 18, which is of closed type.
  • the nitrogen of the closed circuit 18, cooled in this manner has a pressure of about 10 bar and a temperature of about -141°C.
  • the nitrogen cooled in this manner in the closed circuit 18, passes through a heat exchanger 19 to absorb heat from the nitrogen compressed in an open circuit 20.
  • This open circuit 20 comprises an inlet line 21, into which gaseous nitrogen is fed at a pressure of 1.15 bar absolute and a temperature of +15°C.
  • This nitrogen undergoes successive compressions by a compressor unit composed of a first stage 22, a second stage 23, a third stage 24, a fourth stage 25 and a fifth stage 26.
  • the nitrogen of the open circuit 20 undergoes the following cooling sequence: cooling implemented by an intake heat exchanger 27, cooling implemented by a plurality of interstage heat exchangers (28, 29, 30, 31) and further cooling implemented by a final heat exchanger 32 upstream of said heat exchanger 19 located in the final part of said open circuit 20.
  • Said heat exchangers 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 32 subtract heat from the nitrogen of the open circuit 20 by transferring to it the cold present in the nitrogen passing through the line 10, itself cooled by the cold subtracted from the liquid methane in the heat exchanger 4.
  • the nitrogen of the two lines 9 and 10 flows into a common line 33, through which the nitrogen is fed to a compressor 34 which circulates it at a pressure of about 70 bar along the paths already described and in the directions indicated by the arrows.
  • the nitrogen enters the open circuit 20 in the gaseous state through the line 21 and leaves in the liquid state through a line 3, by optimum use of the cold deriving from the vaporization of the liquid methane.
  • liquid nitrogen produced in this manner can itself be used in the usual air fractionation plants to produce liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon, and in addition for all the usual possible uses of liquid nitrogen.
  • the process for recovering cold from liquid methane by liquid nitrogen production cycles in the aforedescribed manner results in substantial energy savings.

Abstract

This process for nitrogen liquefaction by recovering the cold derived from liquid methane gasification has the characteristic of cooling with the liquid methane (1) a cryogenic fluid (5), preferably nitrogen, and then using said cryogenic fluid as coolant fluid (9,10) in two nitrogen compressor units of the nitrogen liquefier, both for the interstage coolers (11,12,13,27,28,29,30,31,32) and for the intake coolers (27) and for the final delivery coolers (19,32) of one of the nitrogen compressor unit. <??>The use of nitrogen cooled by the methane enables liquid nitrogen to be produced (3) in a liquefier consisting of the two said compressor units and a cryogenic turbine (17), with a very low specific energy consumption. <IMAGE>

Description

  • This invention relates to a process and apparatus for liquefying a cryogenic fluid comprising the features of the preamble of claims 1 and 4. Such a process, respectively apparatus, is known from JP 02 171 580 A and EP 1 055 894 A.
  • As methane has to be obtained from many regions of the world, it is not always possible to use usual methane pipelines, and instead methane tankers specialized for this purpose have to be used.
  • To be able to transport the maximum quantity of methane, these tankers are designed to transport it in liquid form in order to reduce its volume. However to remain in the liquid state, the methane has to be maintained at cryogenic temperature, the value of which depends on the storage pressure (for example -154°C at 2 bar absolute).
  • In methane tankers the methane is contained in suitable tanks under high thermal insulation (using the Dewar flask principle).
  • On reaching land, this methane has to be transported or used in gaseous form, and must therefore be vaporized and heated. To express this concept in other words, it could be said that in order to undergo vaporization and heating, it must transfer its "cold" to another fluid, which hence itself becomes cold during said heat transfer.
  • In this respect, it is known that to cool a gas to a temperature less than the temperature of the environment in which it is present requires considerable energy consumption related to the application of usual thermodynamic refrigeration cycles.
  • Substantially, this energy consumption is imposed by the need to compress the gas to be liquefied so that it becomes hot, and then to extract from it the heat associated with the temperature increase deriving from this compression more efficiently as it is effected at a higher temperature level. Subsequent expansion of the compressed and cooled gas in a turbine further reduces its temperature to cryogenic values, with resultant liquefaction of the gas.
  • Hence on this basis, liquid methane transported by methane tankers contains a "negative energy" or cold, which it would be extremely advantageous to recover.
  • In this respect, one of the usual methods of heating liquid methane is to pass the liquid methane through a heat exchanger through which water circulates in counter-current to heat said methane from a temperature of-150°C to a temperature of +15°C.
  • Besides not providing any energy recovery, this gasification method alters the ecosystem as it causes artificial intermittent cooling of the sea.
  • This is because the water used to heat the methane is withdrawn from the sea, cooled and then returned to the sea at a temperature lower than that at which it was withdrawn.
  • Because of the progressive importance assumed by methane traffic, current research is aimed at recovering the cold possessed by liquid methane in liquid air production cycles (Linde machine, Claude machine).
  • These cycles consist of repeated compression, cooling and expansion until the air becomes liquid at a temperature of -195°C.
  • More specifically, the known art uses the said cold mainly during cooling by suitable heat exchangers.
  • However this known art does not provide a technical basis suitable for using the said cold offered by liquid methane in a manner able to reduce the energy consumption relating to the cooling and liquefaction of technical gases normally used in industry (nitrogen, oxygen, argon).
  • To illustrate these concepts with numerical examples, expressive of current industrial reality, 13,000 kWh are required to liquefy 25,000 Normal (atmospheric pressure, 0°C) cubic metres of nitrogen.
  • If the cold yielded by liquid methane during its gasification or expansion to ambient temperature is used with current techniques, this energy consumption is reduced to only 8,400 kWh, hence saving 4,600 kWh.
  • This is evidently a considerable saving, but which could be better utilized if a method could be found for using the said cold to liquefy industrial gases in a more direct manner within the liquefaction process.
  • An object of the present invention is to define a process for using the cold deriving from liquid methane gasification which is more advantageous than those currently used. In accordance with the present invention this object is solved by the characterizing features of claims 1 and 4.
  • This and other objects which will be more apparent hereinafter will be seen to have been attained on reading the ensuing description of one embodiment of the process and apparatus according to the claims.
  • The invention is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawing, which shows a general scheme of a plant for implementing the process.
  • With reference to said drawing, a liquid methane inlet line 1 leads to a pump 2. The pump 2 (indicatively of centrifugal type) feeds the liquid methane to a heat exchanger 4, which subtracts heat from a line 5 through which nitrogen passes in counter-current.
  • This nitrogen originates from another heat exchanger 6 in which a water line 7 had previously raised its temperature from about -98°C to about -34°C.
  • Said nitrogen is maintained at a relatively high pressure to increase the temperature difference between the methane and nitrogen in order, other conditions being equal, to achieve greater absorption of the cold provided by the liquid methane.
  • The nitrogen cooled in this manner by heat transfer with liquid methane leaves the heat exchanger 4 through a line 8, which branches into two lines 9 and 10 to enable the cold of the nitrogen to be used to cool the nitrogen circulating within specific circuits 18, 20 of the apparatus in which said nitrogen is liquefied.
  • More precisely, the line 9 conveys the cold withdrawn from the methane to the interstage coolers (heat exchangers) 11, 12, 13 located respectively at the outlet of three stages 16, 15, 14 of a conventional compressor unit for the nitrogen in the circuit 18, which is of closed type.
  • At the outlet of the interstage cooler 11 the nitrogen of the closed circuit 18, cooled in this manner, has a pressure of about 10 bar and a temperature of about -141°C.
  • In this state it is expanded through a conventional cryogenic turbine 17 by which its temperature falls to-190°C and its pressure to 1.4 bar.
  • The nitrogen, cooled in this manner in the closed circuit 18, passes through a heat exchanger 19 to absorb heat from the nitrogen compressed in an open circuit 20.
  • This open circuit 20 comprises an inlet line 21, into which gaseous nitrogen is fed at a pressure of 1.15 bar absolute and a temperature of +15°C. This nitrogen undergoes successive compressions by a compressor unit composed of a first stage 22, a second stage 23, a third stage 24, a fourth stage 25 and a fifth stage 26.
  • The nitrogen of the open circuit 20 undergoes the following cooling sequence: cooling implemented by an intake heat exchanger 27, cooling implemented by a plurality of interstage heat exchangers (28, 29, 30, 31) and further cooling implemented by a final heat exchanger 32 upstream of said heat exchanger 19 located in the final part of said open circuit 20.
  • Said heat exchangers 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 32, subtract heat from the nitrogen of the open circuit 20 by transferring to it the cold present in the nitrogen passing through the line 10, itself cooled by the cold subtracted from the liquid methane in the heat exchanger 4.
  • After collecting heat through the respective heat exchangers 11, 12, 13, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, the nitrogen of the two lines 9 and 10 flows into a common line 33, through which the nitrogen is fed to a compressor 34 which circulates it at a pressure of about 70 bar along the paths already described and in the directions indicated by the arrows.
  • As a result of this, the nitrogen enters the open circuit 20 in the gaseous state through the line 21 and leaves in the liquid state through a line 3, by optimum use of the cold deriving from the vaporization of the liquid methane.
  • The liquid nitrogen produced in this manner can itself be used in the usual air fractionation plants to produce liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon, and in addition for all the usual possible uses of liquid nitrogen.
  • Advantageously, the process for recovering cold from liquid methane by liquid nitrogen production cycles in the aforedescribed manner results in substantial energy savings.
  • With reference to the already stated real numerical values referring to a volume of 25,000 Normal cubic metres of nitrogen, the energy consumption using this process decreases to only 3,700 kWh, so drastically reducing the current energy requirement using the common liquefaction methods (for nitrogen liquefaction).

Claims (4)

  1. A process for the liquefaction of a cryogenic fluid by recovering the cold derived from liquid methane gasification, comprising the steps of cooling (4) with the liquid methane (1) a first cryogenic fluid (5), preferably nitrogen, and then using said first cryogenic fluid as coolant fluid in a first compressor unit (22-23-24-25-26), both for the interstage coolers (28, 29, 30, 31) and for the intake and final delivery coolers (27, 32) of said first compressor unit, the cryogenic fluid (3) being compressed by the first compressor unit (22-23-24-25-26) and liquefied in a heat exchanger (19), by characterized in that the heat exchanger is cooled another separate cryogenic fluid circulating in a closed circuit, said another separate cryogenic fluid being continuously compressed by a second compressor unit (14-15-16), expanded through a cryogenic turbine (17) to achieve a cooling temperature being lower than the liquefaction temperature of the cryogenic fluid and then fed to said heat exchanger (19), and in that the first cryogenic fluid is also used as coolant fluid in said second compressor unit (14,15,16) both for second interstage coolers (12,13) and second final delivery cooler (11) of said second compressor unit.
  2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the another separate cryogenic fluid is nitrogen which by cooling through the expansion in the cryogenic turbine (17) is brought to a temperature of-190°C so as to obtain liquefaction of the nitrogen on reaching -180°C through said heat exchanger (19), the liquid nitrogen leaving through a controlled line (3) of the open liquefaction circuit.
  3. A process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the nitrogen is used in an air fractionation plant for the production of liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon or for other possible uses of liquid nitrogen.
  4. An apparatus for the liquefaction of a cryogenic fluid implementing the process, of claim 1, the apparatus comprises a first closed circuit (33) with circulating first cryogenic fluid (preferably nitrogen) and said first closed circuit comprising first heat exchanger means (4), for cooling first cryogenic fluid by liquid methane;
    an open circuit (20) comprising first compressor means (22-26) for compressing the cryogenic fluid and heat exchanger means (19) for liquefying the compressed cryogenic fluid (3);
    the first compressor means (22-26) comprising interstage coolers (28-31), intake and final delivery coolers (27,32) for cooling the cryogenic fluid wherein said coolers being cooled by said cooled first cryogenic fluid;
    characterised by
    a second closed circuit (18) with circulating another separate cryogenic fluid;
    the second closed circuit (18) comprising second compressor means (14-16) for compressing the another separate cryogenic fluid and expander means (17) for expanding the another separate cryogenic fluid wherein the expander means (17) being connected to the heat exchanger means (19); and
    the second compressor means (14-16) comprising second interstage coolers (12,13) and second final delivery cooler (11) for cooling the another separate cryogenic fluid wherein said second interstage and second final delivery coolers being cooled by said cooled first cryogenic fluid.
EP04007031A 2003-04-08 2004-03-24 Process for nitrogen liquefaction by recovering the cold derived from liquid methane gasification Expired - Lifetime EP1469265B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SI200430051T SI1469265T1 (en) 2003-04-08 2004-03-24 Process for nitrogen liquefaction by recovering the cold derived from liquid methane gasification

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000027A ITBG20030027A1 (en) 2003-04-08 2003-04-08 RECOVERY PROCEDURE FOR REFRIGERATORS ARISING FROM THE GASIFICATION OF LIQUID METHANE.
ITBG20030027 2003-04-08

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EP1469265B1 true EP1469265B1 (en) 2006-05-31

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WO2008023000A2 (en) 2006-08-23 2008-02-28 Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. Method and apparatus for the vaporization of a liquid hydrocarbon stream
DE102007005494A1 (en) * 2007-01-30 2008-07-31 Dge Dr.-Ing. Günther Engineering Gmbh Producing liquid methane from a gas containing methane and carbon dioxide comprises scrubbing the gas to remove carbon dioxide and using the liquefied carbon dioxide to liquefy the methane
JP2011526993A (en) 2007-12-21 2011-10-20 シエル・インターナシヨネイル・リサーチ・マーチヤツピイ・ベー・ウイ Method for producing a gasified hydrocarbon stream, a method for liquefying a hydrocarbon gas stream, and a circulation for cooling and reheating a nitrogen-based stream thereby liquefying and regasifying the hydrocarbon stream Method
CN103775239B (en) * 2013-01-17 2017-01-04 摩尔动力(北京)技术股份有限公司 Nearly constant temperature pressure low-temperature receiver heat engine
GB2512360B (en) * 2013-03-27 2015-08-05 Highview Entpr Ltd Method and apparatus in a cryogenic liquefaction process

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NL265913A (en) * 1960-06-16
GB1120712A (en) * 1964-07-01 1968-07-24 John Edward Arregger Improvements in or relating to the separation of gas mixtures by low temperature distillation
US3343374A (en) * 1964-12-16 1967-09-26 Conch Int Methane Ltd Liquid nitrogen production
FR2131985B1 (en) * 1971-03-30 1974-06-28 Snam Progetti
DE2434238A1 (en) * 1974-07-16 1976-01-29 Linde Ag System to store and retrieve stored energy - has gas type auxiliary energy storage medium which is liquefied when energy requirements are low
FR2300303A1 (en) * 1975-02-06 1976-09-03 Air Liquide CYCLE FR
JPH02171580A (en) * 1988-12-23 1990-07-03 Kobe Steel Ltd Air separating device
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JP2000337767A (en) * 1999-05-26 2000-12-08 Air Liquide Japan Ltd Air separating method and air separating facility

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DE602004001004D1 (en) 2006-07-06
SI1469265T1 (en) 2006-10-31
PT1469265E (en) 2006-09-29
ITBG20030027A1 (en) 2004-10-09
ES2264059T3 (en) 2006-12-16
DE602004001004T2 (en) 2006-12-14
ATE328258T1 (en) 2006-06-15
EP1469265A1 (en) 2004-10-20

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