Apparatus for large hydrogen liquefaction system

Abstract

A hydrogen liquefaction apparatus is provided. The apparatus can include: one or more precooling zones; a plurality of liquefaction zones; a precooling refrigeration cycle configured to provide refrigeration to the precooling zone; and a cold end refrigeration cycle configured to provide refrigeration to the plurality of liquefaction zones, wherein the cold end refrigeration cycle comprises a common recycle compression system, wherein there are M total one or more precooling zones and N total liquefaction zones, wherein M is less than N.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hydrogen liquefaction apparatus comprising:
 a precooling cold box having a heat exchanger disposed therein, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to cool down a feed stream within the precooling cold box by indirect heat exchange between the feed stream and a precooling refrigerant;   a plurality of liquefaction cold boxes in fluid communication with the precooling cold box, wherein each liquefaction cold box comprises its own heat exchanger, wherein each heat exchanger within the plurality of liquefaction cold boxes is configured to liquefy the feed stream by indirect heat exchange with a liquefaction refrigerant;   a precooling refrigeration system configured to provide refrigeration to the precooling zone; and   a liquefaction refrigeration system configured to provide the liquefaction refrigerant to the plurality of liquefaction cold boxes,   wherein there are M total precooling cold boxes and N total liquefaction cold boxes, wherein M is less than N.   
     
     
         2 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction refrigeration system comprises a recycle compression system and an expansion system, wherein the recycle compression system is configured to compress the liquefaction refrigerant and the expansion system is configured to expand the liquefaction refrigerant. 
     
     
         3 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein there are M total recycle compression systems and/or N total liquefaction expansion systems. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the recycle compression system comprises one or more recycle compressors. 
     
     
         5 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the one or more recycle compressors are arranged in parallel and/or series. 
     
     
         6 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein liquefaction expansion system comprises one or more liquefaction expanders, wherein the one or more liquefaction expanders are arranged in parallel and/or series. 
     
     
         7 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, neon, helium, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction refrigerant comprises one or more of hydrogen, neon, and helium. 
     
     
         9 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the precooling system comprises a precooling refrigeration cycle. 
     
     
         10 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the precooling refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon ammonia, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, hydrocarbon, mixed hydrocarbons, fluorocarbons, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the precooling refrigerant comprises one or more of nitrogen, argon ammonia, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, hydrocarbon, mixed hydrocarbons, and fluorocarbons. 
     
     
         12 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction refrigeration system comprises a single, common recycle compression system. 
     
     
         13 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate cold box in fluid communication with the precooling cold box and the plurality of liquefaction cold boxes, wherein the intermediate cold box is disposed between the precooling cold box and the plurality of liquefaction cold boxes. 
     
     
         14 . The hydrogen liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of N total liquefaction cold boxes to M total precooling cold boxes is between 1.25 and 3.0 (1.25 ≤ N/M < 3.0). 
     
     
         15 . A liquefaction apparatus comprising:
 a first cooling cold box configured to receive a feed stream at an initial temperature T 0  and cool the feed stream to form a cooled feed stream at a cooled temperature T 1 ;   a first precooling withdrawal line configured to remove the cooled feed stream from the first cooling cold box;   a means for splitting the cooled feed stream, wherein the means for splitting the cooled feed stream are in fluid communication with the precooling withdrawal line; and   a plurality of secondary cold boxes in fluid communication with the means for splitting the cooled feed stream, wherein the plurality of secondary cold boxes are configured to receive the cooled feed stream from the means for splitting the cooled feed stream and liquefy the cooled feed stream therein to form a liquefied stream at a liquefaction temperature T L ,   wherein there are M total first cooling cold boxes and N total secondary cold boxes, wherein M is less than N.   
     
     
         16 . The liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein each secondary cold box comprises its own heat exchanger(s), wherein each heat exchanger within the plurality of secondary cold boxes is configured to liquefy the cooled feed stream by indirect heat exchange with a liquefaction refrigerant. 
     
     
         17 . The liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising a liquefaction refrigeration system, the liquefaction refrigeration system comprising a recycle compression system and an expansion system, wherein the recycle compression system is configured to compress a liquefaction refrigerant and the expansion system is configured to expand the liquefaction refrigerant. 
     
     
         18 . The liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising a means for combining the liquefaction refrigerant, wherein the means for combining the liquefaction refrigerant is configured to receive the liquefaction refrigerant from a warm end of each of the plurality of secondary cold boxes via a plurality of pipes and then send the liquefaction refrigerant, after being combined, to the first cooling cold box via a first return line. 
     
     
         19 . The liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising a second precooling withdrawal line configured to remove the liquefaction refrigeration stream from a cold end of the first cooling cold box. 
     
     
         20 . The liquefaction apparatus as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising a means for splitting the liquefaction refrigeration stream, wherein the means for splitting the liquefaction refrigeration stream are in fluid communication with the second precooling withdrawal line.