Equipment and methods for producing cryogenic fluids

Abstract

The apparatus for producing cryogenic fluids includes a series of heat exchangers (5, 6, 7) in heat exchange relationship with a hydrogen circuit (2) for uncooled hydrogen, located in at least one cold box (3, 4), and the apparatus (1) includes a pre-cooling device (8) configured to pre-cool the gas circuit (2) for the gas to be cooled to a first determined temperature, and the device includes two thermosiphons (42, 42A) connected in parallel and located in two different cold boxes (3, 3A).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to equipment and methods for producing cryogenic fluids.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to equipment for producing low-temperature or even cryogenic fluids, particularly liquefied hydrogen. Such equipment typically includes a circuit of a cooled gas having an upstream end intended to be connected to a gas source and a downstream end intended to be connected to at least one containment system, such as a cryogenic storage facility. The equipment includes a series of heat exchangers disposed within at least one cold box that exchange heat with a circuit of cooled hydrogen. The equipment includes a pre-cooling device configured to exchange heat with at least a first portion of the series of heat exchangers and pre-cool the circuit of the cooled gas to a first predetermined temperature. The equipment also includes a cryogenic cooling device configured to exchange heat with at least a second portion of the series of heat exchangers and cool the circuit of the cooled gas to a second predetermined temperature lower than the first temperature. The pre-cooling device includes a refrigerator having a closed circuit of a pre-cooling coolant. The closed circuit includes a device for compressing the pre-cooling coolant, a device for expanding the pre-cooling coolant, and at least one thermosyphon for the pre-cooling coolant. The circuit includes one or more portions that exchange heat with at least one of the first portions of the series of heat exchangers. The cryogenic cooling device includes a refrigerator having a refrigeration cycle for cooling a cycle gas within an operating circuit. The cycle gas includes at least one of hydrogen, helium, and neon. The operating circuit of the refrigerator includes a unit for compressing the cycle gas, a unit for cooling the compressed cycle gas, a unit for expanding the compressed and cooled cycle gas, and a unit for heating the expanded cycle gas.

Background Art

[0003] The hydrogen liquefaction method is divided into two consecutive parts: 1) pre-cooling and 2) cooling to ensure liquefaction. Pre-cooling can be performed using a pre-cooling device within a cold box, for example, using a nitrogen cycle (or a cycle of another pre-cooling coolant). Optimizing the nitrogen cycle involves a trade-off between the compactness of the cold box and its performance (power consumption).

[0004] Pre-cooling is generally carried out using a closed loop of pre-cooling coolant, which generates cold energy through a suitable thermodynamic cycle using a pre-cooling device. Cold energy is generated, for example, by an expansion turbine that expands the flow of pre-cooling coolant. The hydrogen to be cooled is subcooled in the final pre-cooling exchanger, and its temperature at the cold end is efficiently regulated by a thermosiphon for the pre-cooling coolant. The fluid of the liquefaction cycle that provides liquefaction is also pre-cooled in the main pre-cooling exchanger.

[0005] This known solution requires the installation of a single bulky pre-cooling cold box. Furthermore, it is not energy-efficient.

[0006] Kuendig et al., "Large scale hydrogen liquefaction in combination with LNG re-gasification," WHEC 2006, pp. 3326-3333, describes a liquefaction apparatus comprising two cold boxes: a first cold box containing a nitrogen cycle and a heat exchanger for cooling hydrogen using the nitrogen cycle, and a second cold box containing a hydrogen cycle and a heat exchanger for cooling hydrogen using the hydrogen cycle. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] One objective of the present invention is to address all or some of the drawbacks of the prior art described above. In particular, the present invention aims to arrange standard elements of equipment in one cold box, while leaving elements that need to be adapted to each customer's needs in a separate cold box.

[0008] Therefore, the refrigeration circuit and its associated exchanger and thermosiphon are also housed in a separate cold box. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] For this purpose, the apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for producing a low-temperature or even cryogenic fluid, in particular liquefied hydrogen, comprising a circuit of a 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 containment system, such as a cryogenic storage facility, the apparatus comprising a first series of heat exchangers that exchange heat with the circuit of the gas to be cooled, the apparatus comprising a pre-cooling device configured to exchange heat with at least a first portion of the first series of heat exchangers and to pre-cool the circuit of the gas to be cooled to a first predetermined temperature, the apparatus optionally The pre-cooling device also includes a cryogenic cooling device configured to exchange heat with at least a second portion of the first series of heat exchangers and to cool the circuit of the gas to be cooled to a second predetermined temperature lower than a first temperature, the pre-cooling device includes a refrigerator having a closed circuit of a pre-cooling coolant, the circuit includes a device for compressing the pre-cooling coolant, a device for expanding the pre-cooling coolant, and at least one separate first thermosiphon and one second thermosiphon for the pre-cooling coolant arranged in parallel within the circuit of the pre-cooling coolant, the circuit being a small portion of the first portion of the series of heat exchangers A refrigerator having a refrigeration cycle for cooling a cycle gas in an operating circuit, including at least one part that exchanges heat with one or more parts, the cycle gas including at least one of hydrogen, helium, and neon, the operating circuit of the refrigerator including a unit for compressing the cycle gas, a unit for cooling the compressed cycle gas, a unit for expanding the compressed and cooled cycle gas, and a unit for heating the expanded cycle gas, the unit for cooling the cycle gas and / or the unit for heating the cycle gas The first cold box includes one or more first cycle heat exchangers distinct from a first series of heat exchangers for pre-cooling a circuit of the gas to be cooled, these first cycle heat exchangers are also cooled by heat exchange with a circuit of pre-cooling coolant in a pre-cooling device, the first cold box includes at least one heat exchanger of the first part of the series of heat exchangers, namely a circuit leaving the first thermosiphon, the first thermosiphon and a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the flow of pre-cooling coolant in a device for expanding the pre-cooling coolant, the second cold box includes a second thermosiphon,The system includes means for cooling the compressed cycle gas, namely a circuit leaving the second thermosiphon, a unit for expanding the compressed and cooled cycle gas, and at least one first heat exchanger that exchanges heat with a flow of pre-cooling coolant within the unit for heating the expanded cycle gas.

[0010] According to any other subject matter of the present invention, The first cold box and / or the second cold box are insulated with an insulating material in powder form, such as perlite. The system includes a cryogenic cooling device configured to exchange heat with at least a second portion of a first series of heat exchangers and to cool the circuit of the gas to be cooled to a second predetermined temperature lower than the first temperature, the cryogenic cooling device being located in a third vacuum-insulated cold box. The equipment includes means for purifying the cooled gas, which is located in a second cold box and includes means for supplying the gas cooled in a heat exchanger in a first cold box to means for purifying hydrogen, and means for supplying the gas purified in the purification means to a heat exchanger in the first box for cooling in the heat exchanger. The apparatus includes at least one catalyst in the first cold box. The means for purifying the cooled gas is connected to at least one catalyst to supply the purified cooled gas to at least one catalyst. • The first cold box does not include any means for purifying the gas to be cooled. The first cold box includes means for purifying the gas to be cooled, for example, hydrogen. The second cold box does not include any means for purifying the gas to be cooled, such as hydrogen. The means for purifying the gas to be cooled includes an adsorbent layer. The second part of the series of heat exchangers includes at least a second-cycle heat exchanger that provides heat exchange between the circuit of the gas to be cooled and the operating circuit of the cryogenic cooling device. The second cycle heat exchanger exchanges heat between a first part of the operating circuit of a device that transports the cycle gas before the cycle gas passes through the expansion unit, and a second part of the operating circuit of a device that transports the cycle gas after the cycle gas has passed through the expansion unit. The second-cycle heat exchanger is located in a third cold box, which is different from the first and second cold boxes. The pre-cooling coolant comprises or consists of at least one component selected from the following group, namely nitrogen, argon, and at least one hydrocarbon selected from the following list, namely methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, butane, butene, and pentane. The refrigeration circuit includes at least one expansion means, allowing the first thermosiphon and the second thermosiphon to operate at different pressures.

[0011] According to another subject of the present invention, the present invention provides a method for producing low-temperature or even cryogenic fluids, particularly liquefied hydrogen, using the above-described equipment, the method comprising the steps of: pre-cooling the flow in a circuit of the gas to be cooled to a first temperature in the range of 65 to 100 K, preferably 77 to 90 K, using a pre-cooling device; pre-cooling the cycle fluid to a temperature in the range of 77 to 90 K, using a pre-cooling device; and optionally cooling the gas in a circuit of the gas to be cooled to a second predetermined temperature in the range of 18 to 25 K, preferably 20 to 23 K, using a cryogenic cooling device.

[0012] According to any other feature, At least one cyclic heat exchanger and / or at least one heat exchanger configured to pre-cool the circuit of the gas to be cooled to a first predetermined temperature exchanges heat with the flow of pre-cooling coolant in the circuit leaving one of the thermosiphons, and at least one thermosiphon operates at a pressure of 1.5 to 3.5 bara and a corresponding temperature within 80.8 K to 89.6 K. The gas to be cooled is purified by adsorption at a temperature below ambient temperature, either within the first cold box or within the second cold box.

[0013] It will be understood that the closed loop may include means for adding refrigerant and / or means for removing refrigerant in order to supply the circuit and / or reduce the load on the circuit.

[0014] The present 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 specific features and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description provided with reference to the drawings.

[0016] The present invention will be better understood by reading the following description provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of example only.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic partial view showing an example of the structure and an example of the operation of an installation. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic partial view showing an example of the structure and an example of the operation of an installation. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic partial view showing an example of the structure and an example of the operation of an installation which is a variant of [FIG. 2].

Embodiments of the Invention

[0018] Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals relate to the same elements.

[0019] In this detailed description, the following embodiments are examples. The description refers to one or more embodiments, which does not mean that the features apply only to a single embodiment. The individual features of different embodiments may also be combined and / or interchanged in order to provide other embodiments within the context of the claims.

[0020] The facility 1 for producing cryogenic fluids schematically shown in [[Fig. 1]] includes a circuit 2 for the gas to be cooled / liquefied, particularly hydrogen. This circuit 2 for the 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 storage system, for example a cryogenic storage facility for liquefied gas.

[0021] The facility 1 includes a series of heat exchangers 5, 6, 7 arranged in at least one cold box 3, 4 and exchanging heat with the circuit 2 of the hydrogen to be cooled.

[0022] The facility 1 includes a pre-cooling device 8 that exchanges heat with at least the first part 5, 6 of the series of heat exchangers (or the exchangers 5, 6 for pre-cooling the circuit 2 of the gas to be cooled). The pre-cooling device 8 is configured to cool the circuit 2 of the gas to be cooled to a first predetermined temperature, for example 65 - 100 K, preferably 77 - 90 K.

[0023] The facility 1 also includes a cryogenic cooling device 9 that exchanges heat with at least the second part 7 of the series of heat exchangers (further downstream). The cooling device 9 is configured to cool the circuit 2 of the gas to be cooled from the first temperature to a second predetermined temperature lower than the first temperature, for example 18 - 25 K, preferably 20 - 23 K.

[0024] As shown in the figure, this second part 7 of the series of heat exchangers includes at least a second cycle heat exchanger 7 that exchanges heat between the circuit 2 of the hydrogen to be cooled and the operating circuit 19 of the cryogenic cooling device 9 described below.

[0025] The pre-cooling device 8 includes a refrigerator having a closed circuit 18 for a pre-cooling coolant, such as nitrogen, or a refrigerant mixture (MRC) consisting of components proposed in, for example, the doctoral dissertation "Efficient Hydrogen Liquefaction Processes" by Songwut Krasae-in, ISBN 978-82-471-1869-6.r, pages 43 and 44, or European Patent Application Publication No. 3368630(A). The circuit 18 has, arranged in series and / or parallel, the following: a device 28 for compressing the pre-cooling coolant (one or more compressors in series and / or parallel); a device 38 for expanding the pre-cooling coolant (one or more turbines or valves in series and / or parallel); and at least one thermosiphon 48 for the pre-cooling coolant.

[0026] The circuit 18 includes one or more parts that exchange heat with at least one heat exchanger of the first parts 5, 6 of a series of heat exchangers.

[0027] As a result, the pre-cooling coolant undergoes a compression-cooling-expansion-heating cycle within circuit 18, generating cooling capacity at at least one end of the circuit that is in a heat exchange relationship with circuit 2 of the gas to be cooled.

[0028] In particular, the circuit 2 of the gas to be cooled is pre-cooled at least in the last exchanger 6 (the last one going from upstream to downstream), and its temperature at the cold end can be efficiently controlled by the flow of pre-cooling coolant generated by the thermosiphon 48.

[0029] A thermosiphon 48 is a system for circulating fluids (gases and / or liquids) based on expansion-contraction and buoyancy, where circulation is provided by the temperature difference between various fluid flows in and out.

[0030] The thermosiphon 48 includes at least one inlet and one outlet connected to a loop of a circuit 18 for a pre-cooling coolant, for example, which exchanges heat with at least one pre-cooling heat exchanger 6 of the circuit 2 for the gas to be cooled. The thermosiphon 48 includes, for example, a downward fluid inlet, an internal chamber for heating the fluid, a vertical pipe (chimney) located at the top of the chamber, and a fluid outlet perpendicular to the axis of the inlet.

[0031] On the other hand, the cryogenic cooling device 9 includes a refrigerator having a refrigeration cycle for cooling the cycle gas in the operating circuit 19. The cycle gas preferably includes at least one of the following: hydrogen, helium, and neon.

[0032] The operating circuit 19 of the refrigerator 9 is preferably closed and includes a unit 29 (one or more compressors in series and / or parallel) for compressing the cycle gas, units 15, 16, 7 (one or more heat exchangers) for cooling the compressed cycle gas, a unit 39 (one or more turbines or valves in series and / or parallel) for expanding the compressed and cooled cycle gas, and units 7, 15 (one or more compressors in series and / or parallel) for heating the expanded cycle gas.

[0033] As a result, the working fluid undergoes a compression-cooling-expansion-heating cycle, generating a cooling capacity at at least one end of the circuit 19, which is designed to exchange heat with the circuit 2 of the gas to be cooled for the purpose of liquefying the gas to be cooled.

[0034] As shown in the figure, units 15, 16, and 7 for cooling the cycle gas and units 7 and 15 for heating the cycle gas may preferably include one or more heat exchangers in a counterflow configuration to exchange heat between a relatively low-temperature flow and a high-temperature flow (for heating and cooling them, respectively).

[0035] In particular, for pre-cooling and / or heating of the cycle gas, the refrigerator 9 includes one or more first cycle heat exchangers 15, 16 distinct from the first portion of heat exchangers 5, 6 configured to pre-cool the circuit 2 of the gas to be cooled.

[0036] In addition, these first cycle heat exchangers 15 and 16 are cooled by heat exchange with the pre-cooling coolant circuit 18 of the pre-cooling device 8.

[0037] In other words, the circuit 2 of the gas to be cooled (e.g., hydrogen) and the cycle gas (e.g., helium-based) are pre-cooled in separate, distinct exchangers by a circuit of pre-cooling coolant (e.g., nitrogen-based).

[0038] The working fluid of the refrigerator 9 cycle is pre-cooled in at least the first dedicated cycle heat exchangers 15, 16, which do not exchange heat with the circuit 2 of the fluid to be cooled.

[0039] In addition, this cycle gas can be pre-cooled in the heat exchanger 16, and its temperature at the cold end can be efficiently controlled by a flow of pre-cooling coolant generated by a thermosiphon 48A, which is different from the thermosiphon 48 described above that pre-cools the gas circuit 2.

[0040] Therefore, as shown in the figure, the thermosiphon 48A associated with the first cycle heat exchangers 15, 16 and the thermosiphon 48 associated with at least one pre-cooling exchanger of the circuit 2 for the cooled gas are separate and can be arranged in parallel within the circuit 18 for the pre-cooling coolant.

[0041] The Thermosiphon 48A is a system for circulating fluids (gases and / or liquids) based on expansion-contraction and buoyancy, where circulation is provided by the temperature difference between various fluid flows in and out.

[0042] The thermosiphon 48A includes at least one inlet and one outlet connected to a loop of a circuit 18 for a pre-cooling coolant, for example, which exchanges heat with at least one pre-cooling heat exchanger 6 of the circuit 2 for the gas to be cooled. The thermosiphon 48 includes, for example, a downward fluid inlet, an internal chamber for heating the fluid, a vertical pipe (chimney) located at the top of the chamber, and a fluid outlet perpendicular to the axis of the inlet.

[0043] Thermosiphon 48A is supplied via a valve, which allows the operating pressure of thermosiphon 48A to be lower than the operating pressure of thermosiphon 48. This makes it possible to balance the pressure loss in the circuit leading to thermosiphon 48 with the pressure loss in the circuit leading to thermosiphon 48A.

[0044] Therefore, by pre-cooling the cycle gas of the refrigerator 9 with a pre-cooling coolant in a dedicated heat exchanger (which is different from the pre-cooling of the circuit 2 being cooled), it is possible to maximize the pre-cooling of the circuit 2 containing the cooled hydrogen and the pre-cooling of the cycle gas of the refrigerator 9.

[0045] As shown in the figure, after expanding and exchanging heat with the circuit 2 of the gas to be cooled, the cycle gas of the refrigerator 9 can provide cooling capacity to the pre-cooling coolant in the heat exchanger 15 (before returning to the compression section 28) while returning to the compression section 29.

[0046] The thermosiphons 48, 48A may include at least one inlet and at least two outlets, the two outlets of which are connected to two different parts of a circuit 18 of a pre-cooling coolant that exchanges heat with the heat exchangers 5, 6, 15, 16 of the subject.

[0047] The thermosiphon 48A for the pre-cooling coolant has at least one inlet and one outlet connected to a loop of the pre-cooling coolant circuit 18 that exchanges heat with at least one first cycle heat exchanger 15, 16.

[0048] In other words, the first cycle heat exchangers 15, 16 include at least one heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the flow of pre-cooling coolant in the circuit 18 leaving the thermosiphon 48A.

[0049] A thermosiphon 48A connected to at least one exchanger 16 allows for efficient temperature control of the cyclic fluid in the refrigerator 9.

[0050] The pre-cooling liquid is generated by the pre-cooling device 8. The liquid pre-cooling coolant can be expanded in the turbine 38 or valve before being supplied to the thermosiphons 48, 48A. The pressures in the thermosiphons 48, 48A may be different. The low-pressure pre-cooling coolant generated by the thermosiphons 48, 48A and the expansion device 38 can be prepared to exchange heat with all or some of the heat exchangers (on the one hand, the pre-cooling heat exchangers 5, 6 of circuit 2, and on the other hand, the heat exchangers 15, 16 of the refrigerator circuit 9). This flow or these flows of relatively low-temperature coolant each provide the exchanger in question with the cooling capacity to cool the gas to be cooled 2 and the cycle gas. The thus heated coolant can be supplied to the inlet of the same compressor 28 of the pre-cooling device 8 to start a new cycle.

[0051] This configuration, which includes separate cold boxes containing isolated exchangers (with corresponding separate pre-cooling flows) for pre-cooling the cooled gas circuit 2 and the working gas circuit 19, allows for the use of exchangers in the cold box 3 that are relatively smaller than those in the prior art. In addition, by distributing the cooling capacity of the pre-cooling device 8 separately to the cooled gas circuit 2 and the cyclic fluid of the refrigerator 9 in this manner, the overall efficiency of the equipment is improved.

[0052] By pre-cooling the cycle gas of the refrigerator 9 using the thermosiphon 48A, it is possible to pre-cool the cycle gas of the refrigerator 9 to a lower temperature. This reduces the energy consumption required to liquefy the gas to be cooled in circuit 2 within the cold box 4. The temperature of the liquid pre-cooling coolant is controlled by the pressure within the thermosiphons 48 and 48A, allowing the temperature to be lowered. In addition, more heat can be exchanged in the dedicated exchangers 6 and 16.

[0053] Thermosiphons 48 and / or 48A operate at pressures of 1.5 to 3.5 bara and corresponding temperatures within the range of 80.8K to 89.6K. Thermosiphon 48A preferably operates at a lower pressure than thermosiphon 48. At least one upstream valve of thermosiphons 48, 48A allows for individual pressure setting.

[0054] As shown in the figure, only parts 38 and 48 of the heat exchangers 5 and 6 and pre-cooling devices (8) (low-temperature elements: turbine, thermosiphon, low-temperature pipe, low-temperature valve, etc.) configured to pre-cool the circuit 2 of the gas to be cooled are located within a single first pre-cooling cold box 3.

[0055] This first cold box 3 is preferably vacuum insulated and / or insulated with perlite (or another insulating material) and flushed with a gas such as nitrogen.

[0056] Only the first cycle heat exchangers 15 and 16, the second thermosiphon 48A, and part 38 of the pre-cooling device 8 (low-temperature elements: turbine, low-temperature pipes, low-temperature valves, etc.) are located inside the second pre-cooling cold box 3A.

[0057] This second cold box 3A is preferably vacuum-insulated or insulated with perlite (or another insulating material) and flushed with a gas such as nitrogen.

[0058] The second-cycle heat exchanger 7, provided for liquefying the gas in the circuit 2 of the gas to be cooled, is preferably located in a third cold box 4, separate from the first cold box 3 and the second cold box 3A (and otherwise vacuum-insulated or insulated). This third cold box 4 also preferably houses the associated cryogenic components (turbines, valves, etc.).

[0059] As shown in the figure, the final second-cycle heat exchanger 7 exchanges heat with a first portion of the operating circuit 19 of the device 9 that transports the cycle gas before it passes through the expansion unit 39 (turbine 39), and with a second portion of the operating circuit 19 of the device 9 that transports the cycle gas after it has passed through the expansion unit 39. In other words, the cycle exchanger 7 may include multiple passage sections of the operating circuit 19 of the refrigerator 9.

[0060] The apparatus preferably includes means for purifying the cooled hydrogen, which are located within a second cold box 3A. These means function to remove water and / or carbon dioxide and / or nitrogen from the cooled hydrogen. The hydrogen is cooled in a first cold box 3 and then purified by the purification means P, which then proceed to the second cold box 3A. The purified hydrogen is then cooled again in a heat exchanger in the first box.

[0061] The first cold box 3 may contain at least one catalyst, and the hydrogen purified in the second cold box 3A is supplied to the catalyst in the first cold box.

[0062] The first cold box 3 preferably does not include any means for purifying hydrogen.

[0063] In this way, the first cold box 3 can have standard dimensions, while the second cold box 3A includes all the equipment that can have various dimensions depending on the composition of the feed flow to be liquefied.

[0064] The equipment may include only cold boxes 3 and 3A, and it should be noted that cold box 4 will be added in a later manufacturing stage.

[0065] Figure 2 shows cold boxes 3 and 3A in more detail. The flow of hydrogen 21 containing impurities that may liquefy or even solidify in cold box 4 must be purified downstream of cold box 4. In the modified configuration of Figure 2, hydrogen 21 is cooled in exchanger 5 in cold box 3, then supplied to cold box 3A for purification in adsorption purification unit P, the purified flow then returns to cold box 3 for catalytic action in catalyst C1, then cooled in exchanger 6, then undergoes another catalytic action in catalyst C2 and another cooling in exchanger 6, after which the purified flow leaves cold box 3 as flow 22 and heads toward cold box 4 for final cooling. Catalysis is used to convert orthohydrogen to parahydrogen using conventional methods. Purification unit P can only accept filling with relatively high-purity gas because a high impurity content would mean the need for a larger catalyst, which would increase the size of the module. If the filled gas 21 requires a high degree of purification and therefore a broad adsorbent layer, it is preferable to place the purification unit P inside the cold box 3A.

[0066] The cold box 3A also contains a thermosiphon 48A, whose liquid 50 is heated in the exchanger 16 and returned to the thermosiphon 48A. The gas 32 from the thermosiphon is heated together with the gas 19 in the exchanger 15 by heat exchange with the gas 30 and is cooled before being supplied to the exchanger 16.

[0067] In Figure 3, the purification unit P is located inside the cold box 3, as the cold box 3A mainly contains the thermosiphon 48A and the exchangers 15 and 16.

[0068] Note that this connection is particularly simple.

[0069] The present invention allows for the flexibility of having lower purity fillings 21 which can be obtained from any source, such as ATR or SMR type reformers, electrolytic cells, pipelines, or hydrogen deposits.

[0070] This allows for increasing cooling and / or catalytic conversion capacity by changing only a single cold box when needed.

[0071] This makes it possible to reduce pressure loss throughout the refrigeration cycle.

[0072] To reduce manufacturing time, it is possible to manufacture in parallel using two cold boxes 3 and 3A.

Claims

1. Equipment for producing low-temperature or even cryogenic fluids (22, 23), in particular liquefied hydrogen, comprising a circuit (2) of a 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 containment system, such as a cryogenic storage facility, wherein the equipment (1) comprises a first series of heat exchangers (5, 6, 7) that exchange heat with the circuit (2) of the gas to be cooled, and the equipment (1) exchanges heat with at least a first portion (5, 6) of the first series of heat exchangers, preheating the circuit (2) of the gas to be cooled to a first predetermined temperature The apparatus (1) also includes a cryogenic cooling device (4) configured to exchange heat with at least a second portion (7) of the first series of heat exchangers to cool the circuit (2) of the gas to be cooled to a second predetermined temperature lower than the first temperature, the precooling device (8) includes a refrigerator having a closed circuit (18) for a precooling coolant, the closed circuit (18) includes a device (28) for compressing the precooling coolant, a device (38) for expanding the precooling coolant, and the rotation of the precooling coolant The refrigerator includes at least one separate first thermosiphon and one second thermosiphon (48, 48A) arranged in parallel within the circuit (18) for the pre-cooling coolant, the circuit (18) includes one or more parts that exchange heat with at least one of the first parts (5, 6) of the series of heat exchangers, and the refrigerator has a refrigeration cycle for cooling a cycle gas in an operating circuit (19), the cycle gas including at least one of hydrogen, helium, and neon, and the operating circuit (19) of the refrigerator (9) is a unit for compressing the cycle gas The circuit includes a (29) unit, units (15, 16, 7) for cooling the compressed cycle gas, a unit (39) for expanding the compressed and cooled cycle gas, and units (7, 15) for heating the expanded cycle gas, wherein the units (15, 16, 7) for cooling the cycle gas and / or the units (7, 15) for heating the cycle gas include one or more first cycle heat exchangers (15, 16) that are different from the first series of heat exchangers (5, 6) for pre-cooling the circuit (2) of the gas to be cooled.These first cycle heat exchangers (15, 16) are also cooled by heat exchange with the circuit (18) of the pre-cooling coolant of the pre-cooling device (8), and the first cold box includes at least one heat exchanger of the first portion (5, 6) of the series of heat exchangers, i.e., the circuit (18) leaving the first thermosiphon (48), the first thermosiphon and a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the flow of pre-cooling coolant in the device for expanding the pre-cooling coolant, and the second cold box includes the second thermosiphon, the unit (15, 16) for cooling the compressed cycle gas, i.e., the circuit (18) leaving the second thermosiphon (48A), The apparatus includes a unit (39) for expanding the compressed and cooled cycle gas, and at least one first heat exchanger for heat exchange with a flow of pre-cooling coolant in the unit (15) for heating the expanded cycle gas, wherein the apparatus includes means (P) for purifying the cooled gas, which is located in the second cold box (3A) and includes means for supplying the gas cooled in the heat exchanger in the first cold box to the means for purifying hydrogen, and means for supplying the gas purified in the purifying means (P) to the heat exchanger in the first box for cooling in the heat exchanger in the first box. Equipment.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first cold box and / or the second cold box are insulated with perlite.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a cryogenic cooling device (4) configured to exchange heat with at least a second portion (7) of the first series of heat exchangers and to cool the circuit (2) of the gas to be cooled to a second predetermined temperature lower than the first temperature, wherein the cryogenic cooling device is located in a third vacuum-insulated cold box (4).

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first cold box contains at least one catalyst (C1, C2).

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the means (P) for purifying the gas to be cooled is connected to the at least one catalyst (C1, C2) in order to supply the purified gas to be cooled to the at least one catalyst (C1, C2).

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first cold box does not include any means for purifying the gas to be cooled, for example, hydrogen.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, as dependent on claim 3, characterized in that the second portion (4) of the series of heat exchangers includes at least a second-cycle heat exchanger (7) that provides heat exchange between the circuit (2) of the gas to be cooled and the operating circuit (19) of the cryogenic cooling device (9).

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the second cycle heat exchanger (7) exchanges heat between a first portion of the operating circuit (19) of the device (9) that transports the cycle gas before the cycle gas passes through the expansion unit (39), and a second portion of the operating circuit (19) of the device (9) that transports the cycle gas after the cycle gas has passed through the expansion unit (39).

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the second cycle heat exchanger (7) is located in a third cold box (4) that is different from the first cold box and the second cold boxes (3, 3A).

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the pre-cooling coolant comprises or consists of at least one component selected from the following group, namely nitrogen, argon, and at least one hydrocarbon selected from the following list, namely methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, butane, butene, and pentane.

11. A method for producing a low-temperature or even cryogenic fluid, particularly liquefied hydrogen, using the equipment described in any one of claims 1 to 10, The process involves pre-cooling the flow of the gas to be cooled within the circuit (2) to a first temperature in the range of 65 to 100 K, preferably 77 to 90 K, using the pre-cooling device (8), The process involves pre-cooling the cycle fluid to a temperature within 77-90K using the pre-cooling device (8), The process optionally involves cooling the gas in the circuit (2) of the gas to be cooled to a second predetermined temperature containing 18 to 25 K, preferably 20 to 23 K, using the cryogenic cooling device (9), Methods that include...

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein at least one cyclic heat exchanger (15, 16) and / or at least one heat exchanger (5, 6) configured to pre-cool the circuit (2) of the gas to be cooled to a first predetermined temperature exchanges heat with the flow of pre-cooling coolant in the circuit (18) leaving one of the thermosiphons (48, 48A), and at least one thermosiphon operates at a pressure of 1.5 to 3.5 bara and a corresponding temperature within 80.8 K to 89.6 K.

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

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