Method of Utilization of Gas Expansion Energy and Utilization Power Installation for Implementation of this Method

Abstract

A method and installation are provided for reduction of natural gas from high pressure, such as in a borehole or in a main pipeline down to the pressure valve required for the consumer.

1 . A method of utilization of the natural gas expansion energy during the process of reduction of gas pressure from high pressure to the required pressure by converting the natural gas expansion energy to mechanical energy, with the gas cooled down in the process of pressure reduction being used as a cooling agent for generation of cold, comprising the steps:
 a. Reducing the natural gas pressure in more than one successive stages simultaneously with conversion of natural gas expansion energy to mechanical energy at each stage; and   b. Using at least a part of natural gas as a cooling agent for generation of cold after each stage of natural gas pressure drop.   
   
   
       2 . A power installation comprising:
 a gas expansion means consisting of more than one gas expansion machine arranged in the direction of natural gas pressure drop;   at least one converter of mechanical energy having a rotor being connected kinematically with the rotor of at least one gas expansion machine;   exchangers-refrigerators being not less than the number of the gas expansion machines; and wherein   the first of the gas expansion machine has an inlet being connected to a high pressure natural gas source;   the outlet of a preceding gas expansion machine is connected only to the inlet branch pipe on the cooling agent side of the exchanger-refrigerator, and   
     the outlet branch pipe on the cooling agent side of at least one exchanger-refrigerators is connected to the inlet of at least one gas expansion machine. 
   
   
       3 . A power installation comprising:
 a gas expansion means comprising a high pressure gas expansion machine and a low pressure gas expansion machine, the inlet of the high pressure gas expansion machine being connected to a high pressure natural gas source; wherein said high pressure gas expansion machine has an inlet and an outlet, and said low pressure gas expansion machine has an inlet and an outlet;   a converter of mechanical energy having a rotor being connected kinematically with the rotor of at least one gas expansion machine;   a first exchanger-refrigerator;   the outlet of the high pressure gas expansion machine is connected only to the inlet branch pipe on the cooling agent side of the first exchanger-refrigerator; and   
     the outlet branch pipe on the cooling agent side of the exchanger-refrigerator is connected to inlet of the low pressure gas expansion machine. 
   
   
       4 . The power installation of  claim 2 , further comprising an exchanger-refrigerator installed at the outlet of the low pressure gas expansion machine. 
   
   
       5 . The power installation of  claim 4 , wherein the inlet branch pipe of the exchanger-refrigerator on the cooling agent side is connected to the outlet of the low pressure gas expansion machine and the outlet branch pipe the cooling agent side of the exchanger-refrigerator is connected to the low pressure natural gas machine. 
   
   
       6 . The power installation of  claim 2 , wherein
 the rotors of the gas expansion machines are kinematically unconnected with each other,   the rotor of each gas expansion machine is kinematically connected with the rotor of a converter of mechanical energy.   
   
   
       7 . The power installation of  claim 2 , wherein the high pressure natural gas source is selected from the group comprising: a main pipeline, a high pressure natural gas pipeline, a medium pressure natural gas pipeline, a gas pipeline of a gas distribution station, a gas pipeline of a power station, a boiler house and a borehole of a natural gas production site, etc. 
   
   
       8 . The power installation of  claim 3 , wherein the high pressure natural gas source is selected from the group comprising: a main pipeline, a high pressure natural gas pipeline, a medium pressure natural gas pipeline, a gas pipeline of a gas distribution station, a gas pipeline of a power station, a boiler house and a borehole of a natural gas production site, etc. 
   
   
       9 . The power installation of  claim 2  further comprising an exchanger-refrigerator installed at the outlet of the low pressure gas expansion machine. 
   
   
       10 . The power installation of  claim 3  further comprising an exchanger-refrigerator installed at the outlet of the low pressure gas expansion machine. 
   
   
       11 . The power installation of  claim 3 , wherein the rotors of the gas expansion machines are kinematically unconnected with each other, the rotor of each gas expansion machine is kinematically connected with a rotor of converter of mechanical energy. 
   
   
       12 . The power installation of  claim 2 , wherein the rotors of the gas expansion machines are kinematically connected with each other, the rotor of each gas expansion machine are kinematically connected with a rotor of converter of mechanical energy. 
   
   
       13 . The power installation of  claim 3 , wherein the rotors of the gas expansion machines are kinematically connected with each other, the rotors of each gas expansion machine is kinematically connected with rotors of converter of mechanical energy. 
   
   
       14 . The power installation of  claim 2 , wherein the rotors of the gas expansion machines are kinematically connected with each other, the rotors of each gas expansion machine is kinematically connected with rotor of at least one converter of mechanical energy. 
   
   
       15 . The power installation of  claim 3 , wherein the rotors of the gas expansion machine are kinematically connected with each other, the rotors of each gas expansion machine is kinematically connected with a rotor of at least one converter of mechanical energy. 
   
   
       16 . The improvement of the power installation according to  claim 3 , wherein the rotors of the Gas expansion machine is kinematically unconnected with each other; the rotors of each the gas expansion machines are kinematically connected with at least one rotor of converter of mechanical energy. 
   
   
       17 . The improvement of the power installation according to  claim 3 , wherein the rotors of the gas expansion machines are mechanically unconnected with each other; the rotor of each the gas expansion machines is mechanically connected with rotor of converter of mechanical energy. 
   
   
       18 . The improvement of the power installation according to  claim 3 , wherein the rotors of the gas expansion machines are mechanically connected with each other;
 the rotor of the gas expansion machines is mechanically connected with rotor of at least one converter of mechanical energy.   
   
   
       19 . An improvement of the power installation according to  claim 3  wherein
 the rotors of the gas expansion machines are kinematically connected with each other;   the rotors of the gas expansion machines are kinematically connected with a converter of mechanical energy.   
   
   
       20 . An improvement of the power installation according to  claim 3  wherein
 the rotors of the gas expansion machines are kinematically connected with each other;   
     the rotors of the gas expansion machines are kinematically connected with rotor of at least one converter of mechanical energy. 
   
   
       21 . An improvement of the power installation according to  claim 3  wherein
 the rotors of the gas expansion machines are mechanically connected with each other;   the rotors of the gas expansion machines are mechanically connected with rotor of at least one converter of mechanical energy.