Installation and process for liquefying a fluid

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquefaction plant for a fluid such as hydrogen, comprising a supply circuit (2) having one end for connection to a liquefied fluid collection device, the plant (1) comprising a set of heat exchanger(s) (4, 5) in heat exchange with the supply circuit (2) and a cooling system for the set of heat exchanger(s) (4, 5), and comprising at least one refrigerator with a cycle gas refrigeration system, the refrigerator (6) comprising in a cycle circuit (16): a compression mechanism (26), at least one cooling device (4, 5), an expansion mechanism (36, 46, 56, 66), and at least one heating device (5, 4), wherein the compression mechanism (26) comprises one or more compression stages composed of a set of compressor(s), the expansion mechanism comprising at least two expansion stages in series each equipped with at least one expansion turbine (36,46, 56, 66), the last expansion stage being composed of two turbines (66) arranged in parallel, the cycle circuit (16) comprises a set of pipe(s) and valve(s) (106, 206, 306) configured to allow the cycle gas flow to bypass at least one of the two turbines (66) in parallel with the last expansion stage and / or to bypass a turbine of a stage preceding the last expansion stage. Abbreviated figure: Fig. 1,