Cryogenic fluid production and storage facility

Abstract

Installation (1) for the production of a cryogenic fluid comprising: a circuit for the gas to be cooled (2); a set of heat exchangers (5, 6); a pre-cooling device (8) in heat exchange with a first part (5) of the set (5, 6); a cryogenic cooling device (9) in heat exchange with at least a second part (6) of the set (5, 6); the circuit (2) having a first portion in heat exchange with the first part (5), a second portion in heat exchange with the second part (6), a fourth portion between the first and second portions, and a fifth portion downstream of the second portion; a recirculation line (7, 12) comprising an inlet connected to the fifth portion and an outlet connected to the fourth portion. Abbreviated figure: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Installation for the production and storage of a cryogenic fluid

[0001] The present invention relates to an installation for the production and storage of a cryogenic fluid and a method for managing such an installation.

[0002] A cryogenic fluid production installation, for example a liquefier, produces a cryogenic fluid by cooling a gas from a gas source.

[0003] When the gas source originates from a production process using renewable energy sources, for example, when the gas is hydrogen produced by an electrolyzer powered by renewable electricity, the flow rate of the gas produced may become low. The gas flow rate delivered by the gas source may become less than or equal to 50% of a setpoint, the setpoint representing, for example, a specific nominal flow rate of gas delivered by the gas source.

[0004] Such cryogenic fluid production facilities must be able to operate properly even when the gas flow delivered by the gas source becomes low, for example by allowing a load reduction to follow the electrical levels of renewable energies.

[0005] The present invention aims to effectively overcome these drawbacks by proposing an installation for the production and storage of a cryogenic fluid, in particular liquefied hydrogen, comprising: - a circuit for the gas 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 cryogenic storage to allow the storage of the cryogenic fluid; - a set of heat exchangers configured to be in heat exchange with the gas circuit to be cooled; - a pre-cooling device in heat exchange with at least a first part of the heat exchanger assembly and configured to pre-cool the gas circuit to be cooled to a first determined temperature, for example a temperature close to 80 K; - a cryogenic cooling device in heat exchange with at least one other part of the heat exchanger assembly and configured to cool the gas circuit to be cooled to a second, predetermined temperature lower than the first temperature, for example, a temperature close to 20 K; the gas circuit to be cooled having a first portion intended to be in heat exchange with the first part of the heat exchanger assembly, and a second portion intended to be in exchange thermal with the second part of the heat exchanger assembly, a third portion upstream of the first portion, a fourth portion between the first and second portions and a fifth portion downstream of the second portion; the gas circuit to be cooled comprising an expansion device mounted at the level of the fifth portion being configured to regulate the flow of the cryogenic fluid intended for cryogenic storage; - a recycling line comprising an inlet connected to the fifth portion and / or intended to be connected to the cryogenic storage and an outlet connected to the fourth portion, the recirculation line comprising, for example in the direction of recirculation of the cryogenic fluid, a cryogenic pumping element and a heating element, the recirculation line being arranged to recycle a part of the cryogenic fluid circulating in the fifth portion or stored in the cryogenic storage.

[0006] The invention thus makes it possible to maintain in operation a cryogenic fluid production installation, even when the gas flow delivered by the gas source becomes less than or equal to 50% of a determined nominal gas flow delivered by the gas source.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the recycling line is configured to allow recycling of up to 50% of a determined nominal flow rate of gas delivered by the gas source.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the inlet of the recirculation pipe being connected to the fifth portion upstream of the expansion device.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the heating element is configured to heat the cryogenic fluid so that its temperature is less than or equal to the first determined temperature and so that its temperature is greater than the second determined temperature, the temperature being considered at the outlet of the recycling line, for example so that the temperature of the cryogenic fluid at the outlet of the recycling line is between 60 K and 90 K.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the cryogenic pumping unit is configured to regulate the flow of cryogenic fluid circulating at the outlet of the recycling line so as to maintain a determined flow of fluid circulating in the second portion.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the determined flow rate is a flow rate greater than 50% of the determined nominal flow rate.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the installation includes a cryogenic purification device disposed in the circuit of the gas to be cooled, at the level of the fourth section, being configured to purify the cryogenic fluid, the outlet of the recycling line being connected to the fourth portion, downstream of the cryogenic purification device.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the installation includes cryogenic storage.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the inlet of the recycling pipe is connected to the storage cryogenic, especially without being connected to the fifth portion.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the recycling line inlet is connected to the fifth portion and to the cryogenic storage.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the gas circuit to be cooled includes a gas circuit expansion device, mounted downstream of the second portion and configured to regulate the flow of the cryogenic fluid intended for the first cryogenic storage.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the pre-cooling device comprises a refrigerator with a pre-cooling fluid refrigeration cycle in a pre-cooling circuit, the pre-cooling circuit comprising a pre-cooling fluid compression element and a final pre-cooling fluid expansion element.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the cryogenic cooling device comprises a cycle cooling circuit for refrigerating a cycle gas, the cooling circuit comprising a cycle gas compression element and a final cycle gas expansion element.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the installation includes a first cold box in which at least the first part of the heat exchanger assembly is arranged.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the installation includes a second cold box in which at least the second part of the heat exchanger assembly is arranged.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the expansion device of the gas circuit to be cooled comprises a turbine or an expansion valve, in particular a Joule-Thomson expansion valve.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the pre-cooling fluid comprises at least one of: nitrogen, helium, argon, neon, a mixture of refrigerants also called "MR".

[0023] According to one embodiment, the cryogenic purification device includes at least one temperature-modulated adsorption unit, otherwise called a TSA unit for "Temperature Swing Adsorption" in English.

[0024] The invention further relates to a method for managing a cryogenic fluid production and storage facility as described above, comprising the step: a) recycling a portion of the cryogenic fluid from the fifth portion and / or from cryogenic storage, the portion of the cryogenic fluid flowing through the cryogenic pumping unit, the cryogenic pumping unit being configured to regulate the flow rate of cryogenic fluid flowing from the outlet of the recycling line so as to maintain a determined flow rate of fluid circulating in the second portion, step a) being carried out in particular when the flow rate of gas delivered by the gas source is less than or equal to 50%, for example between 10% and 50%, of a setpoint, the setpoint representing for example a determined nominal flow rate of gas delivered by the gas source.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the process comprising the step: b) heating the cryogenic fluid so that the temperature of the cryogenic fluid at the outlet of the recycling line is less than or equal to the first determined temperature and greater than the second determined temperature, for example so that it is between 60 K and 90 K, for example substantially equal to 80 K, step b) being carried out in particular when the gas flow delivered by the gas source is less than or equal to 50%, for example between 10% and 50%, of the setpoint.

[0026] The invention may also relate to any alternative device or method comprising any combination of the above or below features.

[0027] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description and examining the accompanying figure. This figure is given only by way of illustration and in no way limits the invention.

[0028] [Fig-1] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an installation according to the invention.

[0029] With reference to [Fig.1], an installation 1 for the production and storage of a cryogenic fluid, in particular liquefied hydrogen, has been shown.

[0030] Installation 1 comprises: - cryogenic storage 40; - a gas circuit to be cooled 2 having an upstream end 21 intended to be connected to a gas source and a downstream end 22 connected to the cryogenic storage 40 to allow the storage of the cryogenic fluid; - a set of heat exchangers 5, 6 configured to be in heat exchange with the gas circuit to be cooled 2; - a pre-cooling device 8 in heat exchange with at least a first part 5 of the heat exchanger assembly 5, 6 and configured to pre-cool the gas circuit to be cooled 2 to a first temperature determined for example a temperature close to 80 K; - a cryogenic cooling device 9 in heat exchange with at least a second part 6 of the heat exchanger assembly 5, 6 and configured to cool the gas circuit to be cooled 2 to a second determined temperature lower than the first temperature, for example a temperature close to 20 K; the gas circuit to be cooled 2 having a first portion intended to be in heat exchange with the first part 5 of the heat exchanger assembly 5,6, a second portion intended to be in heat exchange with the second part 6 of the heat exchanger assembly 5,6, a third portion upstream of the first portion, a fourth portion between the first portion and the second portion and a fifth portion downstream of the second portion; the gas circuit to be cooled 2 comprising an expansion device 23 mounted at the level of the fifth portion being configured to regulate the flow of the cryogenic fluid intended for cryogenic storage 40; - a recycling line 7, 12 comprising an inlet connected to the fifth portion and / or intended to be connected to the cryogenic storage 40 and an outlet connected to the fourth portion, the recirculation line 7, 12 comprising, for example in the direction of recirculation of the cryogenic fluid, a cryogenic pumping element 13 and a heating element 11, the recirculation line 7, 12 being arranged to recycle a part of the cryogenic fluid circulating in the fifth portion or stored in the cryogenic storage 40.

[0031] The inlet of the recirculation line 7 is connected to the fifth portion upstream of the expansion device 23.

[0032] The heating element 11 is configured to heat the cryogenic fluid so that its temperature is less than or equal to the first determined temperature and so that its temperature is greater than the second determined temperature, the temperature being considered at the outlet of the recycling line 7,12, for example so that the temperature of the cryogenic fluid at the outlet of the recycling line 7,12 is between 60 K and 90 K.

[0033] The cryogenic pumping unit 13 is configured to regulate the flow of cryogenic fluid circulating at the outlet of the recycling line 7, 12 so as to maintain a determined flow of fluid circulating in the second portion.

[0034] The installation 1 includes a cryogenic purification device 10 disposed in the gas circuit to be cooled 2, at the level of the fourth portion, being configured to purify the cryogenic fluid, the outlet of the recycling line 7,12 being connected to the fourth portion, downstream of the cryogenic purification device 10.

[0035] The gas circuit to be cooled includes a pressure relief device 23 of the gas circuit to be cooled, mounted downstream of the second portion and configured to regulate the flow of the cryogenic fluid intended for the first cryogenic storage 40.

[0036] The expansion device 23 of the gas circuit to be cooled includes a turbine or an expansion valve, in particular a Joule-Thomson expansion valve.

[0037] The pre-cooling device 8 comprises a refrigerator with a pre-cooling fluid refrigeration cycle in a pre-cooling circuit, the pre-cooling circuit comprising a pre-cooling fluid compression element 28 and a final pre-cooling fluid expansion element 38.

[0038] The cryogenic cooling device 9 comprises a cycle refrigeration cooling circuit of a cycle gas, the cooling circuit comprising a cycle gas compression element 29 and a final expansion element 39 of the cycle gas.

[0039] The installation includes a first cold box 3 in which is disposed at least the first part 5 of the heat exchanger assembly 5, 6.

[0040] The installation includes a second cold box 4 in which is disposed at least the second part 6 of the heat exchanger assembly 5, 6.

[0041] A method for managing a cryogenic fluid production and storage facility 1, as described above, is described below.

[0042] The method for managing a cryogenic fluid production and storage installation 1 as described above, includes the step: a) recycling a portion of the cryogenic fluid from the fifth portion and / or from a cryogenic storage 40, the portion of the cryogenic fluid circulating through the cryogenic pumping unit 13, the cryogenic pumping unit 13 being configured to regulate the flow of cryogenic fluid circulating at the outlet of the recycling line 7, 12 so as to maintain a determined flow of fluid circulating in the second portion, step a) being carried out in particular when the gas flow delivered by the gas source is less than or equal to 50%, for example between 10% and 50%, of a setpoint, the setpoint representing for example a determined nominal flow of gas delivered by the gas source.

[0043] The process further comprises the step: b) heating the cryogenic fluid so that the temperature of the cryogenic fluid at the outlet of the recycling line 7,12 is less than or equal to the first determined temperature and greater than the second determined temperature, for example so that it is between 60 K and 90 K, for example substantially equal to 80 K, step b) being carried out in particular when the gas flow delivered by the gas source is less than or equal to 50%, for example between 10% and 50%, of the setpoint.

Claims

1. Demands Installation (1) for the production and storage of a cryogenic fluid, in particular liquefied hydrogen, comprising: - a circuit for the gas to be cooled (2) 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 cryogenic storage (40) to allow the storage of the cryogenic fluid; - a set of heat exchangers (5, 6) configured to be in heat exchange with the gas circuit to be cooled (2); - a pre-cooling device (8) in heat exchange with at least a first part (5) of the set of heat exchangers (5, 6) and configured to pre-cool the gas circuit to be cooled (2) to a first temperature determined for example a temperature close to 80 K; - a cryogenic cooling device (9) in heat exchange with at least a second part (6) of the heat exchanger assembly (5, 6) and configured to cool the gas circuit to be cooled (2) to a second determined temperature lower than the first temperature, for example a temperature close to 20 K; the gas circuit to be cooled (2) having a first portion intended to be in heat exchange with the first part (5) of the heat exchanger assembly (5, 6), a second portion intended to be in heat exchange with the second part (6) of the heat exchanger assembly (5, 6), a third portion upstream of the first portion, a fourth portion between the first portion and the second portion and a fifth portion downstream of the second portion;the gas circuit to be cooled (2) comprising a pressure-reducing device (23) mounted at the level of the fifth portion and configured to regulate the flow of the cryogenic fluid intended for cryogenic storage (40); - a recycling line (7, 12) comprising an inlet connected to the fifth portion and / or intended to be connected to the cryogenic storage (40) and an outlet connected to the fourth portion, the recirculation line (7, 12) comprising, for example in the direction of recirculation of the cryogenic fluid, a cryogenic pumping element (13) and a heating element (11), the recirculation line (7, 12) being arranged to recycle a portion of the cryogenic fluid circulating in the fifth portion or stored in the cryogenic storage (40).

2. Installation (1) according to the preceding claim, the inlet of the recirculation line (7) being connected to the fifth portion upstream of the expansion device (23).

3. Installation (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the heating element (11) being configured to heat the cryogenic fluid so that its temperature is less than or equal to the first determined temperature and so that its temperature is greater than the second determined temperature, the temperature being considered at the outlet of the recycling line (7, 12), for example so that the temperature of the cryogenic fluid at the outlet of the recycling line (7, 12) is between 60 K and 90 K.

4. Installation (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the cryogenic pumping unit (13) being configured to regulate the flow of cryogenic fluid circulating at the outlet of the recycling line (7, 12) so as to maintain a determined flow of fluid circulating in the second portion.

5. Installation (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a cryogenic purification device (10) disposed in the gas circuit to be cooled (2), at the level of the fourth portion, being configured to purify the cryogenic fluid, the outlet of the recycling line (7, 12) being connected to the fourth portion, downstream of the cryogenic purification device (10).

6. Method for managing a facility (1) for the production and storage of a cryogenic fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

7. comprising the step: a) recycling a portion of the cryogenic fluid from the fifth portion and / or from a cryogenic storage (40), the portion of the cryogenic fluid flowing through the cryogenic pumping unit (13), the cryogenic pumping unit (13) being configured to regulate the flow of cryogenic fluid flowing at the outlet of the recycling line (7, 12) so as to maintain a determined flow of fluid flowing in the second portion, step a) being carried out in particular when the flow of gas delivered by the gas source is less than or equal to 50%, for example between 10% and 50%, of a setpoint, the setpoint representing for example a determined nominal flow of gas delivered by the gas source. A method according to the preceding claim, comprising the step: b) heating the cryogenic fluid so that the temperature of the cryogenic fluid at the outlet of the recycling line (7, 12) is less than or equal to the first determined temperature and greater than the second determined temperature, for example so that it is between 60 K and 90 K, for example substantially equal to 80 K, step b) being carried out in particular when the gas flow delivered by the gas source is less than or equal to 50%, for example between 10% and 50%, of the setpoint.

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