Installation and method for liquefying a cryogenic fluid

Abstract

The invention relates to a cryogenic fluid liquefaction installation, for example hydrogen, comprising a fluid supply circuit to be cooled having an upstream end and a downstream end (22) connected in parallel to several cryogenic storage tanks (8), a set of heat exchanger(s) (3) in thermal exchange with the supply circuit (2) and a cooling device (7) comprising a refrigerator (7) with a cycle refrigeration gas, the installation (1) comprising a set of liquid withdrawal lines (18) equipped with a set of valve(s) (38) and connecting the storage tanks (8) at at least one connection end (28), the installation (1) comprising a common heater (4) connected in parallel to the plurality of cryogenic fluid storage tanks (8) via a set of pressurization lines (5, 6) equipped with valves (15,16) and configured to allow pressurization of each of the cryogenic storage units (8) via the common heater (4).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an installation and a method for liquefying a cryogenic fluid, for example hydrogen.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a cryogenic fluid liquefaction installation, for example hydrogen, comprising a fluid supply circuit to be cooled having an upstream end intended to be connected to a gas source and a downstream end connected in parallel to several cryogenic liquefied fluid storages, the installation comprising a set of heat exchanger(s) in thermal exchange with the supply circuit and a cooling device in thermal exchange with the set of heat exchanger(s), said cooling device comprising a refrigerator with a cycle refrigeration of a cycle gas comprising, for example, at least one of: hydrogen, helium, the installation comprising a set of liquid withdrawal lines equipped with a set of valve(s) and connecting the storages to at least one connection end intended to be connected to a tank to be filled.

[0003] Hydrogen liquefiers are generally connected to liquid storage tanks, which are themselves connected to loading bays for refueling trucks. See, for example, FR3088415 A1.

[0004] These architectures are relatively expensive and require a large number of components.

[0005] One aim of the present invention is to overcome all or part of the disadvantages of the prior art noted above.

[0006] To this end, the installation according to the invention, which also conforms to the generic definition given in the preamble above, is essentially characterized in that the installation comprises a common heater connected in parallel to the plurality of cryogenic fluid storages via a set of pressurization lines fitted with valves, the set of pressurization lines and the corresponding valve(s) being configured to allow the pressurization of each of the cryogenic storages via a withdrawal of liquid from the storage, a heating of the withdrawn liquid in the common heater and a return of the heated fluid to the storage.

[0007] Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following characteristics: -The liquid withdrawal piping system includes a common pipe section connected in parallel to each of the storage tanks and connected in parallel to at least one connection end, to allow several storage tanks to simultaneously supply liquid to at least one connection end. - The pressurization piping system includes a first common pipe section connected in parallel to the lower portion of each storage tank and connected to a first end of the heater; the pressurization piping system includes a second common pipe section connected to a second end of the heater and connected in parallel to each of the storage tanks. - The heater comprises two heat exchangers arranged in parallel, each ensuring heat exchange between the fluid conveyed by the pressurization lines and a heating fluid, for example air. -The installation includes a set of valve(s) configured to distribute the flow of the fluid carried by the pressurization lines into the one or two heat exchangers arranged in parallel, - The installation includes a set of return pipe(s) connecting the upper portion of each storage unit to the refrigerator and / or the supply circuit and configured to allow the transfer of vaporization gas from the storage unit(s) to the refrigerator and / or the supply circuit, - The return pipe assembly includes a common pipe section connected in parallel to the upper portion of each of the storage tanks, said common pipe section including a common isolation or flow and / or pressure control valve, -The common pipe portion of the return pipe assembly includes a branch equipped with a vent valve configured to allow the gas flow to be vented to the receiver or to the air.

[0008] The invention also relates to a method for producing and storing a liquefied cryogenic fluid using an installation conforming to any one of the above or below characteristics, the method comprising a step of pressurizing several or all of the storages simultaneously via the common heater.

[0009] The invention may also relate to any alternative device or method comprising any combination of the above or below features within the scope of the claims. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following description, given with reference to the figures in which: Brief description of the figures

[0010] [ Fig. 1] is a schematic and partial view illustrating an example of the structure and operation of an installation according to the invention.

[0011] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Detailed description

[0012] In all the figures, the same references refer to the same elements.

[0013] In this detailed description, the following embodiments are examples. Although the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not mean that the features apply only to a single embodiment. Simple features from different embodiments can also be combined and / or interchanged to provide other embodiments.

[0014] The cryogenic fluid liquefaction installation 1, illustrated, for example for liquefying hydrogen, comprises a fluid supply circuit 2 for the fluid to be cooled, having an upstream end 21 for connection to a gas source 23 (for example, an electrolyzer or reformer). The supply circuit 2 has a downstream end 22 connected in parallel to several cryogenic liquefied fluid storage tanks 8 (typically double-jacketed, thermally insulated, vacuum-sealed tanks). The storage tanks 8 can be filled simultaneously by the liquefier, for example, by opening a common valve 122.

[0015] Installation 1 comprises a set of heat exchanger(s) 3 in heat exchange with the supply circuit 2 (two in the schematic illustration). Installation 1 also has a cooling device 7 in heat exchange with the set of heat exchanger(s) 3. This cooling device comprises a cryogenic refrigerator 7 with a refrigeration cycle using a cycle gas comprising, for example, at least one of the following: hydrogen, helium.

[0016] Typically, the refrigerator 7 includes a cycle circuit in which the cycle gas undergoes a thermodynamic cycle (compression, cooling, expansion, and heating) to produce cooling power, which is transferred to the supply circuit 2 for liquefaction. The installation 1 may also include a pre-cooling device (not shown) in heat exchange with part of the heat exchanger assembly 3 to provide intermediate cooling (e.g., to around 80 K) of the fluid to be cooled between its temperature at the upstream end 21 and its temperature at the downstream end 22 (e.g., around 20 K).

[0017] Installation 1 includes a set of liquid withdrawal lines 18 equipped with a set of valves 38 and connecting the storages 8 to at least one connecting end 28 (for example flexible) intended to be connected to a tank 10 to be filled.

[0018] As illustrated, the liquid withdrawal piping system 18 may include a common (manifold) section connected in parallel to each of the storage tanks 8 and connected in parallel to the connection end(s) 28. This allows several storage tanks 8 to simultaneously supply liquid to the connection end(s) 28. The installation 1 includes a common heater 4 connected in parallel to the plurality of cryogenic fluid storage tanks 8 via a pressurization piping system 5, 6 equipped with valves 15, 16. The pressurization piping system 5, 6 and the corresponding valve(s) 15, 16 are configured to allow the pressurization of each of the cryogenic storage tanks 8 by drawing liquid from the storage tank 8, heating the drawn liquid in the common heater 4, and returning the heated fluid to the storage tank 8.The pressurization piping assembly 5, 6 may in particular include a first common piping section connected in parallel to the lower portion of each of the storage tanks 8 (to draw liquid) and also connected to a first end of the heater 4. The pressurization piping assembly 5, 6 may further include a second common piping section connected to a second end of the heater 4 (to recover the heated fluid) and connected in parallel to each of the storage tanks 8 (to reinject it in order to increase the pressure within the storage tank(s) 8.

[0019] This means that the common heater 4, connected in parallel to the plurality of cryogenic fluid storage tanks 8, forms a common pressure building unit (PBU) allowing each of the storage tanks 8 to be pressurized, or even several storage tanks 8 to be pressurized simultaneously. Thus, the installation 1 can have a single heater 4 for several separate storage tanks 8.

[0020] This allows for advantageous pooling of equipment and lines, limiting the cost of storage, interconnections and operation.

[0021] As illustrated, the heater 4 may comprise or consist of two separate heat exchangers arranged in parallel, each providing heat exchange between the fluid carried by the pressurization lines 5, 6 and a heating fluid, for example, air. The circuit may include a set of distribution valve(s) 14 configured to distribute the flow of fluid carried by the pressurization lines 5, 6 to the parallel heat exchanger(s). These two separate parallel heat exchangers 4 may each be sized to provide heating for the entire flow to be heated. That is, this heating function can be duplicated to ensure the possibility of heating by one heat exchanger 4 while the other heat exchanger 4 is temporarily unavailable (for example, due to frost).Therefore, preferably, during reheating only one of the 4 exchangers is used.

[0022] As illustrated, the installation 1 may also include a set of return lines 9 connecting the upper portion of each of the storage units 8 to the refrigerator 7 and / or the supply circuit 2 and configured to allow the transfer of vaporization gas from the storage unit(s) 8 to the refrigerator 7 and / or the supply circuit 2 (when the natures of the gases are compatible).

[0023] The return line assembly 9 includes, in particular, a common section of pipe connected in parallel to the upper portion of each of the storage tanks 8 (to recover vaporized gas). This common section of pipe may include a common isolation or flow control valve 19 for the return to the liquefier. Naturally, the connections of this common line to each of the storage tanks 8 may also each be equipped with a valve at each storage tank 8.

[0024] Furthermore, as illustrated, the common pipe portion of the return pipe assembly 9 preferably has a branch equipped with an evacuation valve 29 configured to allow the evacuation of the gas flow to the receiver or venting, for example when the pressure and / or flow rate and / or nature of the gas cannot be recycled to the supply circuit and / or the refrigerator.

[0025] Installation 1 thus has several cryogenic liquid storage units 8 which share one or more components and which can be used as a single storage unit for pressurization, withdrawal or filling.

Claims

1. A cryogenic fluid liquefaction installation, for example hydrogen, comprising a fluid supply circuit (2) having an upstream end (21) for connection to a gas source (23) and a downstream end (22) connected in parallel to several cryogenic liquefied fluid storage tanks (8), the installation (1) comprising a set of heat exchanger(s) (3) in heat exchange with the supply circuit (2) and a cooling device (7) in heat exchange with the set of heat exchanger(s) (3), said cooling device comprising a refrigerator (7) with a cycle refrigeration of a cycle gas comprising, for example, at least one of: hydrogen, helium,the installation (1) comprising a set of liquid withdrawal pipes (18) equipped with a set of valve(s) (38) and connecting the storage tanks (8) to at least one end (28) of a connection intended to be connected to a tank (10) to be filled, the installation (1) being , characterized in that It comprises a common heater (4) connected in parallel to the plurality of cryogenic fluid storage tanks (8) via a set of pressurization lines (5, 6) fitted with valves (15, 16), the set of pressurization lines (5, 6) and the corresponding valve(s) (15, 16) being configured to allow the pressurization of each of the cryogenic storage tanks (8) by drawing liquid from the storage tank (8), heating the drawn liquid in the common heater (4) and returning the heated fluid to the storage tank (8) and in thatThe heater (4) comprises two heat exchangers arranged in parallel, each ensuring a heat exchange between the fluid conveyed by the pressurization pipe assembly (5, 6) and a heating fluid, for example air and in that The installation includes a set of valve(s) (14) configured to distribute the flow of the fluid carried by the pressurization pipe set (5, 6) into the one or two heat exchangers arranged in parallel.

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that The liquid withdrawal piping system (18) includes a portion of common piping connected in parallel to each of the storage tanks (8) and connected in parallel to at least one end (28) of the connection, to allow several storage tanks (8) to simultaneously supply liquid to at least one end (28) of the connection.

3. Installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in thatThe pressurization pipe assembly (5, 6) includes a first common pipe portion connected in parallel to the lower portion of each of the storage tanks (8) and connected to a first end of the heater (4), the pressurization pipe assembly (5, 6) includes a second common pipe portion connected to a second end of the heater (4) and connected in parallel to each of the storage tanks (8).

4. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that It includes a set of return pipe(s) (9) connecting the upper portion of each of the storages (8) to the refrigerator (7) and / or the supply circuit (2) and configured to allow the transfer of vaporization gas from the storage(s) (8) to the refrigerator (7) and / or the supply circuit (2).

5. Installation according to claim 4, characterized in thatthe return pipe assembly (9) includes a common pipe portion connected in parallel to the upper portion of each of the storage tanks (8), said common pipe portion including a common isolation or flow and / or pressure control valve (19).

6. Installation according to claim 5, characterized in that the common pipe portion of the return pipe assembly (9) includes a branch equipped with a vent valve (29) configured to allow the gas flow to be vented to the receiver or to the air.

7. A process for producing and storing a liquefied cryogenic fluid using an installation conforming to any one of the preceding claims, the process comprising a step of pressurizing several or all of the storages (8) simultaneously via the common heater (4).

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