EP3390939B1 - Expander-based lng production processes enhanced with liquid nitrogen - Google Patents

Expander-based lng production processes enhanced with liquid nitrogen Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3390939B1
EP3390939B1 EP16798358.4A EP16798358A EP3390939B1 EP 3390939 B1 EP3390939 B1 EP 3390939B1 EP 16798358 A EP16798358 A EP 16798358A EP 3390939 B1 EP3390939 B1 EP 3390939B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
stream
lng
liquid refrigerant
natural gas
pressurized
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EP16798358.4A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
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EP3390939A1 (en
Inventor
Fritz PIERRE Jr.
Michael W. Miles
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ExxonMobil Upstream Research Co
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ExxonMobil Upstream Research Co
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
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    • 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
    • F25J1/0022—Hydrocarbons, e.g. natural gas
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    • 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
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    • F25J2245/90—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams the recycled stream being boil-off gas from storage
    • 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
    • F25J2270/00—Refrigeration techniques used
    • F25J2270/04—Internal refrigeration with work-producing gas expansion loop
    • F25J2270/06—Internal refrigeration with work-producing gas expansion loop with multiple gas expansion loops
    • 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
    • F25J2270/00—Refrigeration techniques used
    • F25J2270/14—External refrigeration with work-producing gas expansion loop
    • F25J2270/16—External refrigeration with work-producing gas expansion loop with mutliple gas expansion loops of the same refrigerant
    • 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
    • F25J2290/00—Other details not covered by groups F25J2200/00 - F25J2280/00
    • F25J2290/34—Details about subcooling of liquids

Definitions

  • Step (c) of the conventional LNG cycle usually requires the use of large refrigeration compressors often powered by large gas turbine drivers that emit substantial carbon and other emissions. Large capital investments in the billions of US dollars and extensive infrastructure are required as part of the liquefaction plant.
  • the present disclosure generally involves liquefying natural gas using liquid nitrogen (LIN).
  • using LIN to produce LNG is a non-conventional LNG cycle in which step (c) above is replaced by a natural gas liquefaction process that uses a significant amount of LIN as an open loop source of refrigeration, and in which step (e) above may be modified to use the exergy of the cryogenic LNG to facilitate the liquefaction of nitrogen gas to form LIN that may then be transported to the resource location and used as a source of refrigeration for the production of LNG.
  • the disclosed LIN-to-LNG concept may further include the transport of LNG in a ship or tanker from the resource location (export terminal) to the market location (import terminal) and the reverse transport of LIN from the market location to the resource location.
  • the first cooling stream 416 exits the at least one heat exchanger 418 as a first warm stream 420.
  • the second refrigerant stream 414 after being cooled in the at least one heat exchanger 418, is expanded in a second expander 422 to produce a two-phase stream 424.
  • the pressure of the two-phase stream 424 may be the same or near the same to the pressure of the first cooling stream 416.
  • the two-phase stream 424 may be separated into its vapor component and its liquid component in a two-phase separator 426 to form a second cooling stream 428 and a second pressurized LNG stream 430.
  • the temperature of the first cooling stream 416 may be higher than the temperature of the second cooling stream 428.
  • the pressure of the combined pressurized LNG stream 438 may be greater than 50 psia (or 345 kPa) and less than 500 psia (or 3445 kPa), or more specifically greater than 100 psia (or 690 kPa) and less than 400 psia (or 2758 kPa), or more specifically greater than 200 psia (or 1379 kPa) and less than 300 psia (or 2068 kPa).
  • the pressurized LNG stream 438 may be directed to a LIN subcooling unit, as will be further described herein.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
EP16798358.4A 2015-12-14 2016-11-10 Expander-based lng production processes enhanced with liquid nitrogen Active EP3390939B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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US201562266979P 2015-12-14 2015-12-14
PCT/US2016/061246 WO2017105680A1 (en) 2015-12-14 2016-11-10 Expander-based lng production processes enhanced with liquid nitrogen

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KR (1) KR102137939B1 (ja)
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CA3006956A1 (en) 2017-06-22
JP6772268B2 (ja) 2020-10-21
KR102137939B1 (ko) 2020-07-27
JP2019505755A (ja) 2019-02-28
CN108369060A (zh) 2018-08-03
WO2017105680A1 (en) 2017-06-22
CA3006956C (en) 2020-10-27
CN108369060B (zh) 2020-06-19
EP3390939A1 (en) 2018-10-24
KR20180095870A (ko) 2018-08-28
AU2016372710A1 (en) 2018-05-24
SG11201803523WA (en) 2018-06-28
AU2016372710B2 (en) 2019-09-12
US20170167785A1 (en) 2017-06-15

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