Heat exchanger, liquefaction system with dual refrigeration cycle comprising said heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger having a plurality of heat exchange bodies, each heat exchange body having a first inlet configured to receive a first fluid, a first outlet configured to discharge a second fluid, a first distribution means for the first fluid, which is connected to the first inlets of the heat exchange bodies, the first distribution means having at least one main distribution duct, a first discharging means for the second fluid, which is connected to the first outlets of the heat exchange bodies, the first discharging means comprising at least one main discharging duct. The plurality of heat exchange bodies may have a first set of heat exchange bodies mounted in parallel and a second set of heat exchange bodies mounted in parallel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of heat exchange bodies, each heat exchange body comprising:
 a first inlet configured to receive a first fluid, 
 a first outlet configured to discharge a second fluid, 
   a first distribution means for the first fluid, which is connected to the first inlets of the heat exchange bodies, the first distribution means comprising at least one main distribution duct,   a first discharging means for the second fluid, which is connected to the first outlets of the heat exchange bodies, the first discharging means comprising at least one main discharging duct,   
       wherein the plurality of heat exchange bodies comprise a first set of heat exchange bodies mounted in parallel and a second set of heat exchange bodies mounted in parallel, and
 the first set of heat exchange bodies and the second set of heat exchange bodies being disposed symmetrically with respect to said at least one main distribution duct of the first distribution means or with respect to said at least one main discharging duct of the first discharging means. 
 
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to the  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first distribution means comprises a main distribution duct connected to the first inlets of the first set and to the first inlets of the second set of heat exchange bodies,   the first discharging means comprises:
 a first main discharging duct connected to the first outlets of the first set of heat exchange bodies, 
 a second main discharging duct connected to the first outlets of the second set of heat exchange bodies, 
   the first set of heat exchange bodies and the second set of heat exchange bodies being arranged symmetrically with respect to the main distribution duct.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the distribution means comprises:
 a first main distribution duct connected to the first inlets of he first set of heat exchange bodies, 
 a second main distribution duct connected to the first inlets of the second set of heat exchange bodies, 
   the first discharging means comprises a main discharging duct connected to the first outlets of the first set and to the first outlets of the second set of heat exchange bodies,   
       the first set of heat exchange bodies and the second set of heat exchange bodies being arranged symmetrically with respect to the main discharging duct. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange bodies are identical. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first set and the second set comprise the same number of heat exchange bodies. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein, for a heat exchange body of the first set and a heat exchange body of the second set, which are symmetric, the first inlet and the first outlet of each heat exchange body are provided in opposite walls of said heat exchange body, in a manner facing one another, in a median plane of said heat exchange body, said median plane being perpendicular to the axis along which said at least one main distribution duct extends or to the axis along which said at least one main discharging duct extends. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein, for a heat exchange body of the first set and a heat exchange body of the second set, which are symmetric, the first inlet and the first outlet each heat exchange body are provided in opposite walls of said heat exchange body, in a manner offset axially from one another and arranged at an identical distance on either side of a median plane of said heat exchange body, said median plane being perpendicular to the axis along which said at least one main distribution duct extends or to the axis along which said at least one main discharging duct extends. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one main distribution duct of the first distribution means and said at least one main discharging duct of the first discharging means are configured to ensure circulation of the first fluid and of the second fluid, respectively, in opposite directions. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first distribution means and the first discharging means are disposed in one and the same horizontal plane. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each heat exchange body comprises:
 a second inlet configured to receive the first fluid, and 
 a second outlet configured to discharge the second fluid, and further comprising:
 a second distribution means for the first fluid, which are connected to the second inlets of the heat exchange bodies, the second distribution means comprising at least one main distribution duct, 
 a second discharging means for the second fluid, which are connected to the second outlets of the heat exchange bodies, the second discharging means comprising at least one main discharging duct. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to the  claim 10 , wherein the second distribution means and the second discharging means are disposed in one and the same vertical plane. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one main distribution duct of the second distribution means and the main discharging duct of the second discharging means are configured to ensure circulation of the first fluid and of the second fluid, respectively, in opposite directions. 
     
     
         13 . A liquefaction system for liquefying a stream of gas with a dual refrigeration cycle, comprising:
 a pre-cooling heat exchanger,   a liquefaction heat exchanger connected to the pre-cooling heat exchanger,   
       wherein the pre-cooling heat exchanger and/or the liquefaction heat exchanger is/are a heat exchanger according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . The liquefaction system according to  claim 13 , wherein a mixture manifold is arranged between the pre-cooling heat exchanger and the liquefaction heat exchanger, the mixture manifold being configured to mix an intermediate fluid exiting the pre-cooling heat exchanger before introducing it into the liquefaction heat exchanger.