Apparatus for the production of liquefied natural gas

Abstract

A transportable apparatus for production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) having include a housing, a natural gas feed inlet, a heat exchanger, a phase separator, a liquid outlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger, an LNG product outlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger, a first refrigeration supply, a second refrigeration supply, and wherein the heat exchanger, the phase separator, the first expansion valve, the first refrigeration supply, and the second refrigeration supply are all disposed within the housing. The first refrigeration supply includes expansion of a portion of the LNG product, and the second refrigeration supply can include expansion of another portion of the LNG product or expansion and heat exchange with a supply of liquid nitrogen. The production of LNG is achieved without the external supply of electricity.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A transportable apparatus for the production of liquefied natural gas (“LNG”), the apparatus comprising:
 a) a housing; 
 b) a natural gas feed inlet configured to accept a stream of pressurized natural gas originating from outside the housing; 
 c) a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the natural gas feed inlet, such that the heat exchanger is configured to receive the stream of pressurized natural gas from the natural gas feed inlet, wherein the heat exchanger has a warm end, a cold end, and an intermediate section; 
 d) a phase separator having a fluid inlet, a gaseous outlet, and a liquid outlet, wherein the fluid inlet is in fluid communication with a first intermediate fluid outlet located in the intermediate section of the heat exchanger, such that the phase separator is configured to receive a partially cooled fluid from the heat exchanger, wherein the gaseous outlet of the phase separator is in fluid communication with a second intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger, such that the second intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger is configured to receive at least a first portion of gas coming from the phase separator; 
 e) a third intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger that is configured to receive a second portion of gas coming from the phase separator, 
 f) a third expansion valve in fluid communication with, and disposed inline between, the gaseous outlet of the phase separator and a second intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger; 
 g) a liquid outlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger and in fluid communication with the second intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger; 
 h) an LNG product outlet in fluid communication with the liquid outlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger; 
 i) a first refrigeration supply comprising a first expansion valve, a first LNG inlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger, and a first natural gas outlet disposed on the warm end of the heat exchanger, wherein the first refrigeration supply is in fluid communication with the liquid outlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to indirectly exchange heat between a first LNG stream and a natural gas stream when the first LNG stream flows from the first LNG inlet to first natural gas outlet; and 
 j) a second refrigeration supply configured to provide refrigeration within the heat exchanger, 
 wherein the heat exchanger, the phase separator, the first expansion valve, the first refrigeration supply, and the second refrigeration supply are all disposed within the housing. 
 
     
     
         2 . A transportable apparatus for the production of liquefied natural gas (“LNG”), the apparatus comprising:
 a) a housing; 
 b) a natural gas feed inlet configured to accept a stream of pressurized natural gas originating from outside the housing; 
 c) a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the natural gas feed inlet, such that the heat exchanger is configured to receive the stream of pressurized natural gas from the natural gas feed inlet, wherein the heat exchanger has a warm end, a cold end, and an intermediate section; 
 d) a phase separator having a fluid inlet, a gaseous outlet, and a liquid outlet, wherein the fluid inlet is in fluid communication with a first intermediate fluid outlet located in the intermediate section of the heat exchanger, such that the phase separator is configured to receive a partially cooled fluid from the heat exchanger, wherein the gaseous outlet of the phase separator is in fluid communication with a second intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger, such that the second intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger is configured to receive at least a first portion of gas coming from the phase separator; 
 e) a liquid outlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger and in fluid communication with the second intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger; 
 f) an LNG product outlet in fluid communication with the liquid outlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger; 
 g) a first refrigeration supply comprising a first expansion valve, a first LNG inlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger, and a first natural gas outlet disposed on the warm end of the heat exchanger, wherein the first refrigeration supply is in fluid communication with the liquid outlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to indirectly exchange heat between a first LNG stream and a natural gas stream when the first LNG stream flows from the first LNG inlet to first natural gas outlet; and 
 h) a second refrigeration supply configured to provide refrigeration within the heat exchanger, 
 wherein the heat exchanger, the phase separator, the first expansion valve, the first refrigeration supply, and the second refrigeration supply are all disposed within the housing. 
 
     
     
         3 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the second refrigeration supply comprises a liquid nitrogen inlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger and a nitrogen outlet disposed on the warm end of the heat exchanger, and wherein the heat exchanger is configured to indirectly exchange heat between a liquid nitrogen fluid and the natural gas stream when the liquid nitrogen flows from the liquid nitrogen inlet to the nitrogen outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the second refrigeration supply further comprises a liquid nitrogen storage tank in fluid communication with the liquid nitrogen inlet, such that the liquid storage tank is configured to deliver liquid nitrogen to the heat exchanger via the liquid nitrogen inlet. 
     
     
         5 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the second refrigeration supply comprises a second expansion valve, a second LNG inlet disposed on the cold end of the heat exchanger, and a second natural gas outlet disposed on the warm end of the heat exchanger, and wherein the heat exchanger is configured to indirectly exchange heat between a second LNG stream and the natural gas stream when the second LNG stream flows from the second LNG inlet to second natural gas outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the first expansion valve is configured to expand the first LNG stream to a first pressure, wherein the second expansion valve is configured to expand the second LNG stream to a second pressure, wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure. 
     
     
         7 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the first pressure is between 4 and 10 bara, wherein the second pressure is between 1 to 2 bara. 
     
     
         8 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a third intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger that is configured to receive a second portion of gas coming from the phase separator. 
     
     
         9 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a third expansion valve in fluid communication with, and disposed inline between, the gaseous outlet of the phase separator and a second intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a lower pressure natural gas outlet in fluid communication with the first natural gas outlet of the heat exchanger, wherein the lower pressure natural gas outlet is configured to send a stream warm natural gas received from the first natural gas outlet to outside of the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the liquid outlet of the phase separator is in fluid communication with a first intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger, wherein the transportable apparatus further comprises a liquid expansion valve in fluid communication with, and disposed inline between, the liquid outlet of the phase separator and the first intermediate fluid inlet of the intermediate section of the heat exchanger; 
     
     
         12 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchanger is split into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the warm end of the heat exchanger is disposed in the first portion, wherein the cold end of the heat exchanger is disposed in the second portion, wherein the intermediate section is disposed in both the first portion and the second portion. 
     
     
         13 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising an absence of compression means. 
     
     
         14 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising an absence of a rotating compressor. 
     
     
         15 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising an absence of rotating machinery. 
     
     
         16 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising an absence of electrically powered compression or expansion devices. 
     
     
         17 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the transportable apparatus is configured to liquefy natural gas without the use of externally provided electricity for process equipment. 
     
     
         18 . The transportable apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the housing is configured to fit within a shipping container such that the transportable apparatus is configured to be transported via a truck and/or a barge.