Installation and process for producing a cryogenic fluid

Abstract

Title of the invention: Installation and method for producing a cryogenic fluid An installation for producing a cryogenic fluid comprises, arranged in at least one cold box (3, 4), a set of heat exchangers (5, 6, 7) in thermal exchange with the hydrogen circuit (2) to be cooled, the installation (1) comprising a pre-cooling device (8) configured to pre-cool the gas circuit (2) to be cooled to a first determined temperature, the device comprising two thermosyphons (42, 42A) connected in parallel arranged in two different cold boxes (3, 3A). Abstract figure: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Installation and method for producing a cryogenic fluid

[0001] The invention relates to an installation and a method for producing a cryogenic fluid.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to an installation for producing a cooled, or even cryogenic, fluid, in particular liquefied hydrogen. Such installations usually comprise a gas circuit to be cooled having an upstream end intended to be connected to a gas source and a downstream end intended to be connected to at least one receiving system, for example a cryogenic storage system, the installation comprising, arranged in at least one cold box, a set of heat exchangers in heat exchange with the hydrogen circuit to be cooled, the installation comprising a pre-cooling device in heat exchange with at least a first part of the set of heat exchangers and configured to pre-cool the gas circuit to be cooled to a first determined temperature,the installation further comprising a cryogenic cooling device in heat exchange with at least a second part of the heat exchanger(s) assembly and configured to cool the gas circuit to be cooled to a second determined temperature lower than the first temperature, the pre-cooling device comprising a refrigerator with a closed circuit of pre-cooling fluid, the circuit comprising a device for compressing the pre-cooling fluid, a device for expanding the pre-cooling fluid, at least one thermosiphon of the pre-cooling fluid, said circuit comprising one or more heat exchange portions with at least one of the first part of the heat exchanger(s) assembly, the cryogenic cooling device comprising a refrigerator with a refrigeration cycle of a cycle gas in a working circuit, the cycle gas comprising at least one of: hydrogen, helium, neon,the working circuit of the refrigerator comprising a cycle gas compression member, a compressed cycle gas cooling member, a compressed and cooled cycle gas expansion member and a expanded cycle gas reheating member.

[0003] Hydrogen liquefaction processes are divided into two successive parts: 1) pre-cooling and 2) cooling ensuring liquefaction. Pre-cooling can be carried out with a pre-cooling device using for example a nitrogen cycle (or other pre-cooling fluid) in a cold box. Optimization of the nitrogen cycle is a compromise between the compactness of the cold box and performance (power consumed).

[0004] Pre-cooling is generally carried out via a pre-cooling device using a closed pre-cooling fluid loop producing cold via an appropriate thermodynamic cycle. The cold is produced for example by expansion turbines of the pre-cooling fluid flow. The hydrogen to be cooled is sub-cooled in the last pre-cooling exchanger, the temperature at the cold end of which is efficiently regulated by means of a thermosiphon of the pre-cooling fluid. The fluid of the liquefaction cycle which ensures the liquefaction is also pre-cooled in the main pre-cooling exchanger.

[0005] This known solution requires providing a single bulky pre-cooling cold box. In addition, energy efficiency is not optimal.

[0006] “Large scale hydrogen liquefaction in combination with LNG re-gasification” of Kuendig et al, WHEC 2006, pp3326-3333 describes a liquefaction apparatus with two cold boxes, a first cold box containing a nitrogen cycle and exchangers for cooling hydrogen using the nitrogen cycle and a second cold box containing a hydrogen cycle and exchangers for cooling hydrogen using the hydrogen cycle.

[0007] An aim of the present invention is to overcome all or part of the disadvantages of the prior art noted above. In particular, the invention aims to arrange the standardized elements of the installation in a cold box, leaving in another cold box the elements requiring adaptation to suit the needs of each customer.

[0008] Thus a refrigeration circuit as well as the exchanger and the thermosiphon associated with it are arranged in a separate cold box.

[0009] To this end, the installation according to the invention is an installation for producing a cooled, or even cryogenic, fluid, in particular liquefied hydrogen, comprising a gas circuit to be cooled having an upstream end intended to be connected to a gas source and a downstream end intended to be connected to at least one receiving system, for example a cryogenic storage facility, the installation comprising a first set of heat exchangers in heat exchange with the gas circuit to be cooled, the installation comprising a pre-cooling device in heat exchange with at least a first part of the first set of heat exchangers and configured to pre-cool the gas circuit to be cooled to a first determined temperature,the installation possibly further comprising a cryogenic cooling device in heat exchange with at least a second part of the first set of heat exchanger(s) and configured to cool the gas circuit to be cooled to a second determined temperature lower than the first temperature, the pre-cooling device comprising a closed circuit refrigerator of pre-cooling fluid, the circuit comprising a, a pre-cooling fluid compression device, a pre-cooling fluid expansion device, at least one first and one second separate thermosyphon of the pre-cooling fluid arranged in parallel in the pre-cooling fluid circuit, said circuit comprising one or more heat exchange portions with at least one of the first part of the heat exchanger assembly, a refrigerator with a cycle for refrigerating a cycle gas in a working circuit, the cycle gas comprising at least one of: hydrogen, helium, neon, the working circuit of the refrigerator comprising a cycle gas compression member, a member for cooling the compressed cycle gas, a member for expanding the compressed and cooled cycle gas and a member for reheating the expanded cycle gas,in which the cycle gas cooling member and / or the cycle gas heating member comprises one or more first cycle heat exchangers, separate from the first set of pre-cooling heat exchangers of the gas circuit to be cooled, these first cycle heat exchangers also being cooled by heat exchange with the pre-cooling fluid circuit of the pre-cooling device, a first cold box containing at least one heat exchanger of the first part of the set of heat exchanger(s), including a heat exchanger in heat exchange with a flow of pre-cooling fluid of the circuit leaving the first thermosiphon, the first thermosiphon and the pre-cooling fluid expansion device, a second cold box containing the second thermosiphon,the cooling member for the compressed cycle gas, including at least one first heat exchanger in heat exchange with a flow of pre-cooling fluid from the circuit leaving the second thermosiphon, the expansion member for the compressed and cooled cycle gas and the heating member for the expanded cycle gas.

[0010] According to other optional objects of the invention: • the first and / or second cold box is thermally insulated using powdered insulation, for example perlite. • the installation comprises a cryogenic cooling device in heat exchange with at least a second part of the first set of heat exchanger(s) and configured to cool the gas circuit to be cooled to a second determined temperature lower than the first temperature, the cryogenic cooling device being located in a third thermally insulated cold box under vacuum. • the installation comprises means for purifying the cooled gas to be cooled, these means being located in the second cold box, means for sending cooled gas to be cooled in a heat exchanger in the first cold box to the means for purifying the hydrogen, means for send the purified gas to be cooled in the means for purifying to a heat exchanger of the first box to cool there. • the installation includes at least one catalyst in the first cold box • the means for purifying the gas to be cooled are connected to at least one catalyst to send the purified gas to be cooled. • the first cold box does not contain any means for purifying the gas to be cooled. • the first cold box contains means for purifying the gas to be cooled, for example hydrogen. • the second cold box does not contain any means for purifying the gas to be cooled, for example hydrogen. • the means for purifying the gas to be cooled comprising adsorbent beds • the second part of the heat exchanger assembly comprises at least one second cycle heat exchanger ensuring a heat exchange between the gas circuit to be cooled and the working circuit of the cryogenic cooling device. • the second cycle heat exchanger is in heat exchange with a first portion of the working circuit of the device conveying cycle gas before passing through an expansion member and with a second portion of the working circuit of the device conveying cycle gas after passing through said expansion member. • the second cycle heat exchanger is located in a third cold box separate from the first and second cold boxes. • the pre-cooling fluid comprises or consists of at least one component chosen from the group: nitrogen, argon, at least one hydrocarbon chosen from the list methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, butane, butene, pentane. • the refrigeration circuit comprises at least one expansion member allowing the first and second thermosyphons to operate at different pressures.

[0011] According to another object of the invention, there is provided a method for producing a cooled, or even cryogenic, fluid, in particular liquefied hydrogen, using an installation as described above, the method comprising a step of pre-cooling the gas circuit flow to be cooled to a first temperature of between 65 and 100K and preferably between 77 and 90K, by means of the pre-cooling device, a step of pre-cooling the cycle fluid via the pre-cooling device to a temperature of between 77 and 90K, and a step of cooling the gas circuit gas to be cooled to a second temperature of between 77 and 90K, determined temperature between 18 and 25K and preferably between 20 and 23K via the device (cryogenic cooling).

[0012] According to other optional features: • at least one cycle heat exchanger and / or at least one heat exchanger(s) configured to pre-cool the gas circuit to be cooled to a first determined temperature is in heat exchange with a flow of pre-cooling fluid from the circuit leaving one of the thermosyphons, at least one thermosiphon operating at a pressure between 1.5 and 3.5 bara and at a corresponding temperature between 80.8K and 89.6K. • the gas to be cooled is purified by adsorption at a subambient temperature only in the first cold box or only in the second cold box

[0013] It will be understood that a closed circuit may comprise means for adding refrigerant and / or means for withdrawing refrigerant to supply and / or relieve the circuit.

[0014] 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.

[0015] Other features and advantages will appear on reading the description below, given with reference to the figures in which: Brief description of the figures

[0016] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0017] [Fig. 1] is a schematic and partial view illustrating an example of structure and operation of an example installation;

[0018] [Fig.2] is a schematic and partial view illustrating an example of structure and operation of an example installation

[0019] [Fig.3] is a schematic and partial view illustrating an example of structure and operation of an example installation which is a variant of [Fig.2]. Detailed description

[0020] In all the figures, the same references refer to the same elements.

[0021] 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. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined and / or interchanged to provide other embodiments within the scope of the claims.

[0022] The installation 1 for producing a cryogenic fluid illustrated schematically in [Fig.l] comprises a circuit 2 of gas to be cooled / liquefied, in particular hydrogen. This circuit 2 of gas to be cooled has an upstream end 21 intended to be connected to a gas source and a downstream end 22 intended to be connected to at least one receiving system, for example a cryogenic storage of liquefied gas.

[0023] The installation 1 comprises, arranged in at least one cold box 3, 4, a set of heat exchangers 5, 6, 7 in thermal exchange with the hydrogen circuit 2 to be cooled.

[0024] The installation 1 comprises a pre-cooling device 8 in heat exchange with at least a first part 5, 6 of the set of heat exchangers (or exchangers 5, 6 for pre-cooling the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled). The pre-cooling device 8 is configured to cool the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled to a first determined temperature, for example between 65 and 100K and preferably between 77 and 90K.

[0025] The installation 1 further comprises a cryogenic cooling device 9 in heat exchange with at least a second part 7 of the set of heat exchangers (further downstream). The cooling device 9 is configured to cool the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled from the first temperature to a second determined temperature lower than the first temperature, for example between 18 and 25K and preferably between 20 and 23K.

[0026] As illustrated, this second part 7 of the heat exchanger(s) assembly comprises at least one second cycle heat exchanger 7 ensuring a heat exchange between the hydrogen circuit 2 to be cooled and the working circuit 19 of a cryogenic cooling device 9 described below.

[0027] The pre-cooling device 8 comprises a refrigerator with a closed circuit 18 of pre-cooling fluid, for example nitrogen, a mixture of refrigerant fluids (MRC) composed of the components proposed for example in the doctoral thesis of Songwut Krasae-in “Efficient Hydrogen Liquefaction Processes” ISBN978-82-471-1869-6.r, page 43 and 44) ​​or in EP-A-3368630. The circuit 18 comprises, arranged in series and / or in parallel, a device 28 for compressing the pre-cooling fluid (one or more compressors in series and / or in parallel), a device 38 for expanding the pre-cooling fluid (one or more turbines or valves in series and / or in parallel), at least one thermosiphon 48 of the pre-cooling fluid.

[0028] The circuit 18 comprises one or more heat exchange portions with at least one heat exchanger of the first part 5, 6 of the set of heat exchanger(s).

[0029] Thus, the pre-cooling fluid undergoes a compression-cooling cycle. expansion-expansion-reheating in circuit 18 which produces cold power at at least one end of the circuit which is put into heat exchange with circuit 2 of gas to be cooled.

[0030] In particular, the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled is pre-cooled in at least one last exchanger 6 (last from upstream to downstream) whose temperature at the cold end can be effectively regulated thanks to a flow of pre-cooling fluid generated by a thermosiphon 48.

[0031] The thermosiphon 48 is a system for circulating fluids (gas and / or liquid) based on expansion-contraction and Archimedes' thrust, the circulation being ensured by temperature differences between the different incoming / outgoing fluid flows.

[0032] The thermosiphon 48 comprises for example at least one inlet and one outlet connected to a loop of the pre-cooling fluid circuit 18 in heat exchange with at least one pre-cooling heat exchanger 6 of the gas circuit 2 to be cooled. The thermosiphon 48 comprises for example a lower fluid inlet, an internal fluid heating chamber, a vertical conduit (chimney) positioned at the top of this chamber and a fluid outlet vertical relative to the axis of the inlet.

[0033] The cryogenic cooling device 9 comprises a refrigerator with a refrigeration cycle of a cycle gas in a working circuit 19. The cycle gas preferably comprises at least one of: hydrogen, helium, neon.

[0034] The working circuit 19 of the refrigerator 9 is preferably closed and comprises a member 29 for compressing the cycle gas (one or more compressors in series and / or in parallel), a member 15, 16, 7 for cooling the compressed cycle gas (one or more heat exchangers), a member 39 for expanding the compressed and cooled cycle gas (one or more turbines or valves in series and / or in parallel) and a member 7, 15 for reheating the expanded cycle gas (one or more compressors in series and / or in parallel).

[0035] Thus, the working fluid undergoes a compression-cooling-expansion-reheating cycle which produces cold power at at least one end of the circuit 19 which is put into heat exchange with the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled in order to liquefy it.

[0036] As illustrated, the cycle gas cooling member 15, 16, 7 and the cycle gas heating member 7, 15 may comprise one or more heat exchangers, preferably counter-current and ensuring a heat exchange between relatively cold and hot flows (to ensure their heating and cooling respectively).

[0037] In particular, for pre-cooling the cycle gas and / or reheating the cycle gas, the refrigerator 9 comprises one or more first heat exchangers 15, 16 cycle which are distinct from the first part of heat exchangers 5, 6 configured to pre-cool the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled.

[0038] In addition, these first cycle heat exchangers 15, 16 are cooled by heat exchange with the circuit 18 of the pre-cooling fluid of the pre-cooling device 8.

[0039] That is to say that the pre-cooling of the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled (for example hydrogen) and the pre-cooling of the cycle gas (for example helium-based) are carried out by the pre-cooling fluid circuit (for example nitrogen-based) in separate distinct exchangers.

[0040] The working fluid of the refrigerator cycle 9 is pre-cooled in at least one first dedicated cycle heat exchanger 15, 16 which does not exchange with the circuit 2 of fluid to be cooled.

[0041] In addition, this cycle gas can be pre-cooled in a heat exchanger 16 whose temperature at the cold end can be effectively regulated by a flow of pre-cooling fluid generated by a thermosiphon 48A separate from the thermosiphon 48 described previously which ensures the pre-cooling of the gas circuit 2.

[0042] Thus, and as shown, the thermosiphon 48A associated with a first cycle heat exchanger 15, 16 and the thermosiphon 48 associated with at least one pre-cooling exchanger of the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled are distinct and arranged in parallel in the circuit 18 of pre-cooling fluid.

[0043] The thermosiphon 48A is a system for circulating fluids (gas and / or liquid) based on expansion-contraction and Archimedes' thrust, the circulation being ensured by temperature differences between the different incoming / outgoing fluid flows.

[0044] The thermosiphon 48A comprises for example at least one inlet and one outlet connected to a loop of the pre-cooling fluid circuit 18 in heat exchange with at least one pre-cooling heat exchanger 6 of the gas circuit 2 to be cooled. The thermosiphon 48 comprises for example a lower fluid inlet, an internal fluid heating chamber, a vertical conduit (chimney) positioned at the top of this chamber and a fluid outlet vertical relative to the axis of the inlet.

[0045] The thermosiphon 48A is supplied through a valve which allows the operating pressure of the thermosiphon 48A to be lower than that of the thermosiphon 48. This makes it possible to equalize the pressure drop in the circuit going to the thermosiphon 48 and in the circuit going to the thermosiphon 48A.

[0046] Thus, the pre-cooling of the cycle gas of the refrigerator 9 by the pre-cooling fluid in a dedicated heat exchanger (separate from the pre-cooling of the circuit 2 to be cooled) makes it possible to maximize the pre-cooling of the hydrogen circuit 2 to be cooled and the pre-cooling of the cycle gas of the refrigerator 9.

[0047] As illustrated, after its expansion and its heat exchange with the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled, the cycle gas of the refrigerator 9 can, by returning to the compression 29, give up frigories to the pre-cooling fluid in a heat exchanger 15 (before returning to the compression 28.

[0048] The thermosyphons 48, 48A may comprise at least one inlet and at least two outlets, the two outlets being connected to two separate portions of the pre-cooling fluid circuit 18 in heat exchange with the heat exchanger(s) 5, 6, 15, 16 concerned.

[0049] The pre-cooling fluid thermosiphon 48A has at least one inlet and one outlet connected to a loop of the pre-cooling fluid circuit 18 in heat exchange with at least one first cycle heat exchanger 15, 16.

[0050] That is to say that the first cycle heat exchanger(s) 15, 16 comprise at least one heat exchanger in thermal exchange with a flow of pre-cooling fluid from the circuit 18 leaving a thermosiphon 48A.

[0051] The thermosiphon 48A connected to at least one exchanger 16 makes it possible to regulate effi effectively the temperature of the refrigerator cycle fluid 9.

[0052] The pre-cooling liquid is produced by the pre-cooling device 8. cooling. The liquid pre-cooling fluid may be expanded in a turbine 38 or a valve before being sent to the thermosiphons 48, 48A. The pressures within the thermosiphons 48, 48A may be different. The low-pressure pre-cooling fluids produced by the thermosiphons 48, 48A and by the expansion device 38 may be put into heat exchange with all or part of the heat exchangers (pre-cooling heat exchangers 5, 6 of the circuit 2 on the one hand and the heat exchangers 15, 16 of the refrigerator circuit 9 on the other hand). This or these relatively cold cooling fluid flows release(s) frigories respectively to the exchangers concerned to cool the gas 2 to be cooled and the cycle gas. The refrigerant thus heated is returned to the inlet of the same compressor(s) 28 of the pre-cooling device 8 and a new cycle can begin.

[0053] This configuration with exchangers separated in separate cold boxes for respectively the pre-cooling of the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled and for the pre-cooling of the circuit 19 of the working gas (with respective separated pre-cooling flows) makes it possible to use in a cold box 3 exchangers of relatively smaller size than in the prior art. In addition, this separate distribution of cold power from the pre-cooling device 8 to the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled and to the cycle fluid of the refrigerator 9 increases the overall efficiency of the installation.

[0054] The use of a thermosiphon 48A for pre-cooling the cycle gas of the refrigerator 9 makes it possible to pre-cool the cycle gas of the refrigerator 9. This makes it possible to reduce the energy consumption for the liquefaction of the gas to be cooled from circuit 2 in the cold box 4. The temperature can be lower because the temperature of the liquid pre-cooling fluid is controlled by the pressure within the thermosyphons 48, 48A. In addition, the heat exchange can be greater in the dedicated exchangers 6, 16.

[0055] The thermosiphon 48 and / or 48A operates at a pressure between 1.5 and 3.5 bara and at a corresponding temperature between 80.8K and 89.6K. Preferably the thermosiphon 48A operates at a lower pressure than the thermosiphon 48. A valve upstream of at least one thermosiphon 48, 48A makes it possible to adjust the pressures independently.

[0056] As illustrated, the heat exchanger(s) 5, 6 configured for pre-cooling the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled, and only a part 38, 48 of the pre-cooling device (8) (cold elements: turbine(s), thermosiphon, cold pipes, cold valve(s)...) are arranged in the same first cold pre-cooling box 3.

[0057] This first cold box 3 is preferably thermally insulated under vacuum and / or thermally insulated via perlite (or other insulation) and swept with a gas such as nitrogen for example.

[0058] The first cycle heat exchanger(s) 15, 16, the second thermosiphon 48A and only a part 38 of the pre-cooling device 8 (cold elements: turbine(s), cold pipes, cold valve(s)...) are arranged in a second pre-cooling cold box 3A.

[0059] This second cold box 3A is preferably thermally insulated under vacuum or thermally insulated via perlite (or other insulation) and swept with a gas such as nitrogen for example.

[0060] The second cycle heat exchanger(s) 7 which are provided for liquefying the gas of the circuit 2 of gas to be cooled are preferably located in a third cold box 4 separate from the first cold box 3 and the second cold box 3A (thermally insulated under vacuum or otherwise). This third cold box 4 also preferably contains the associated cryogenic components (turbine, valve(s)...).

[0061] As illustrated, the last second cycle heat exchanger 7 is in heat exchange with a first portion of the working circuit 19 of the device 9 conveying cycle gas before passing into an expansion member 39 (turbine(s) 39) and with a second portion of the working circuit 19 of the device 9 conveying cycle gas after passing into said expansion member 39. That is to say that the cycle exchanger 7 may comprise multiple passages of the working circuit 19 of the refrigerator 9.

[0062] The installation preferably comprises means for purifying the cooled hydrogen, these means being located in the second cold box 3A. These means serve to remove the water and / or carbon dioxide and / or nitrogen contained in the cooled hydrogen. The hydrogen cools in the first cold box 3 and then goes to the second cold box 3A to be purified by the purification means P. The purified hydrogen is then cooled again in a heat exchanger of the first box.

[0063] The first cold box 3 may contain at least one catalyst in the first cold box, the hydrogen purified in the second cold box 3A being sent to the catalyst of the first cold box.

[0064] The first cold box 3 preferably does not contain means for purifying the hydrogen.

[0065] In this way, the first cold box 3 can have standardized dimensions while the second cold box 3A contains all the equipment whose dimensions change according to the composition of the feed flow to be liquefied.

[0066] It will be noted that the installation may comprise only the cold boxes 3, 3A, the cold box 4 being added at a later stage of the manufacture of the installation.

[0067] [Fig. 2] shows in more detail the cold boxes 3, 3A. The hydrogen flow 21 containing impurities likely to liquefy or even solidify in the cold box 4 must be purified downstream of the cold box 4. In the variant of [Fig. 2], the hydrogen 21 is cooled in the exchanger 5 in the cold box 3 and then is sent to the cold box 3A to be purified in the adsorption purification unit P, the purified flow then returning to the cold box 3 for a catalysis step in the catalyst C1, followed by cooling in the exchanger 6, again a catalysis step in the catalyst C2 and cooling in the exchanger 6 before leaving the cold box 3 as flow 22 to return to the cold box 4 for final cooling. The catalysis is used for the ortho-para conversion of hydrogen, in a conventional manner.The purification unit P can only accept a fairly pure gas load, because a high level of impurities leads to larger catalysts, increasing the dimensions of the module. Placing the purification unit P in the cold box 3A will be a preferred solution when the gas load 21 requires a lot of purification and therefore adsorbent beds of a significant size.

[0068] The cold box 3A also contains the thermosiphon 48A whose liquid 50 is heated in the exchanger 16 and returned to the thermosiphon 48A. A gas 32 coming from the thermosiphon heats up in the exchanger 15 with the gas 19 by heat exchange with the gas 30 which cools before being sent to the exchanger 16.

[0069] In [Fig.3], the purification unit P is located in the cold box 3, the cold box 3A mainly containing the thermosiphon 48A and the exchangers 15, 16.

[0070] It will be noted that the connections are particularly simple.

[0071] The invention allows the flexibility of having a less pure charge 21 and coming from any source for example an ATR or SMR type reformer, an electrolyzer, a pipeline, a hydrogen deposit, etc.

[0072] It allows the cooling and / or catalytic conversion capacity to be increased if necessary, by modifying only one cold box.

[0073] It makes it possible to reduce pressure losses on the refrigeration cycle.

[0074] It allows the manufacture of the two cold boxes 3, 3A in parallel to reduce the manufacturing time.

Claims

Claims

1. Installation for producing a cooled, or even cryogenic, fluid (22, 23), in particular liquefied hydrogen, comprising a circuit (2) of gas to be cooled having an upstream end (21) intended to be connected to a gas source and a downstream end (22) intended to be connected to at least one receiving system, for example a cryogenic storage, the installation (1) comprising a first set of heat exchangers (5, 6, 7) in heat exchange with the circuit (2) of gas to be cooled, the installation (1) comprising a pre-cooling device (8) in heat exchange with at least a first part (5, 6) of the first set of heat exchangers and configured to pre-cool the circuit (2) of gas to be cooled to a first determined temperature,the installation (1) optionally further comprising a cryogenic cooling device (4) in heat exchange with at least a second part (7) of the first set of heat exchanger(s) and configured to cool the circuit (2) of gas to be cooled to a second determined temperature lower than the first temperature, the pre-cooling device (8) comprising a refrigerator with a closed circuit (18) of pre-cooling fluid, the circuit (18) comprising a device (28) for compressing the pre-cooling fluid, a device (38) for expanding the pre-cooling fluid, at least one first and one second separate thermosyphon (48, 48A) of the pre-cooling fluid arranged in parallel in the circuit (18) of pre-cooling fluid, said circuit (18) comprising one or more heat exchange portions with at least one of the first part (5, 6) of the set of heat exchanger(s),a cycle refrigerator for refrigerating a cycle gas in a working circuit (19), the cycle gas comprising at least one of: hydrogen, helium, neon, the working circuit (19) of the refrigerator (9) comprising a member (29) for compressing the cycle gas, a member (15, 16, 7) for cooling the compressed cycle gas, a member (39) for expanding the compressed and cooled cycle gas and a member (7, 15) for reheating the expanded cycle gas, in which the member (15, 16, 7) for cooling the cycle gas and / or the member (7, 15) for reheating the cycle gas comprises one or more first cycle heat exchangers (15, 16), distinct from the first set of pre-cooling heat exchangers (5, 6) of the circuit (2) of, gas to be cooled, these first cycle heat exchangers (15, 16) also being cooled by heat exchange with the circuit (18) of the pre-cooling fluid of the pre-cooling device (8), a first cold box containing at least one heat exchanger of the first part (5, 6) of the set of heat exchanger(s), including a heat exchanger in heat exchange with a flow of pre-cooling fluid of the circuit (18) leaving the first thermosiphon (48), the first thermosiphon and the device for expanding the pre-cooling fluid, a second cold box containing the second thermosiphon, the member (15, 16) for cooling the compressed cycle gas including the at least one first heat exchanger in heat exchange with a flow of pre-cooling fluid of the circuit (18) leaving the second thermosiphon (48A),the member (39) for expanding the compressed and cooled cycle gas and the member (15) for reheating the expanded cycle gas, the installation comprising means (P) for purifying the cooled gas to be cooled, these means being located in the second cold box (3A), means for sending the cooled gas to be cooled in a heat exchanger in the first cold box to the means for purifying the hydrogen, means for sending the gas to be cooled and purified in the means for purifying (P) to a heat exchanger of the first box to cool there.,

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and / or the second cold box is thermally insulated by means of perlite.

3. Installation according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a cryogenic cooling device (4) in heat exchange with at least a second part (7) of the first set of heat exchanger(s) and configured to cool the circuit (2) of gas to be cooled to a second determined temperature lower than the first temperature, the cryogenic cooling device being located in a third cold box (4) thermally insulated under vacuum.

4. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises at least one catalyst (Cl, C2) in the first cold box.

5. Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that the means for purifying the gas to be cooled (P) are connected to the at least one catalyst (Cl, C2) to send the purified gas to be cooled there.

6. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in which The first cold box does not contain any means for purifying the gas to be cooled, for example hydrogen.

7. Installation according to claim 3, characterized in that the second part (4) of the heat exchanger assembly comprises at least one second cycle heat exchanger (7) ensuring a heat exchange between the circuit (2) of gas to be cooled and the working circuit (19) of the cryogenic cooling device (9).

8. Installation according to claim 7, characterized in that the second cycle heat exchanger (7) is in heat exchange with a first portion of the working circuit (19) of the device (9) conveying closed cycle gas of the pre-cooling fluid before passing into an expansion member (39) and with a second portion of the working circuit (19) of the device (9) conveying closed cycle gas of the pre-cooling fluid after passing into said expansion member (39).

9. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the second cycle heat exchanger (7) is located in a third cold box (4) separate from the first and second cold boxes (3, 3A).

10. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the pre-cooling fluid comprises or consists of at least one component chosen from the group: nitrogen, argon, at least one hydrocarbon chosen from the list methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, butane, butene, pentane.

11. Method for producing a cooled, or even cryogenic, fluid, in particular liquefied hydrogen, using an installation according to any one of the preceding claims, the installation (1) further comprising a cryogenic cooling device (4) in heat exchange with at least a second part (7) of the first set of heat exchanger(s) and configured to cool the circuit (2) of gas to be cooled to a second determined temperature lower than the first temperature, the method comprising a step of pre-cooling the flow of circuit (2) of gas to be cooled to the first temperature between 65 and 100K and preferably between 77 and 90K, by means of the pre-cooling device (8), a step of pre-cooling the cycle fluid via the pre-cooling device (8) to a temperature between 77 and 90K,and a step of cooling the circuit gas (2) of gas to be cooled to the second determined temperature between 18 and 25K and preferably, initially between 20 and 23K via the cryogenic cooling device (9).

12. Method according to claim 11 characterized in that at least one cycle heat exchanger (15, 16) and / or at least one heat exchanger(s) (5, 6) configured to pre-cool the circuit (2) of gas to be cooled to a first determined temperature is in heat exchange with a flow of pre-cooling fluid of the circuit (18) leaving one of the thermosyphons (48, 48A), at least one thermosiphon operating at a pressure between 1.5 and 3.5 bara and at a corresponding temperature between 80.8K and 89.6K.

13. A method according to claim 11 or 12 wherein the first and second thermosyphons (48, 48A) operate at different pressures.

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