Agile installation of a hydrocarbon liquefaction unit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Natural gas liquefaction processes using mixed refrigerants pose environmental and safety risks due to their hazardous nature, requiring spread-out plant configurations that are costly and inefficient, especially in constrained urban areas.
Innovation Solution
A nitrogen refrigeration cycle, known as Turbofin, is employed in a modular natural gas liquefaction unit with a closed-loop system, utilizing a cryogenic cold box and interconnection module with a metallic frame for efficient and safe liquefaction, reducing the complexity and cost of connections between equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mixed refrigerants are used for natural gas liquefaction, then high liquefaction yields are achieved, but safety risks and environmental hazards increase requiring spread-out plant configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hazardous mixed refrigerants from the system and replaces them with nitrogen, which is inherently safer and environmentally benign. The nitrogen refrigeration cycle is introduced as a substitute working fluid that eliminates the safety and environmental hazards associated with mixed refrigerants while maintaining liquefaction functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs nitrogen as an inert refrigerant atmosphere throughout the liquefaction process. Nitrogen's inert properties eliminate fire and explosion risks associated with hydrocarbon-based mixed refrigerants, allowing for safer plant configurations without requiring excessive spacing between equipment.
2Productivity
If mixed refrigerants are used for natural gas liquefaction, then high liquefaction yields are achieved, but plant configuration complexity and cost increase due to spread-out layouts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for complex spread-out plant configurations by extracting the hazardous mixed refrigerants and replacing them with nitrogen. This substitution enables more compact and simplified plant layouts while maintaining high liquefaction yields, thereby reducing configuration complexity and associated costs.
3Reliability
If nitrogen refrigeration cycle is used instead of mixed refrigerants, then safety is enhanced and architecture is simplified, but adaptation to existing infrastructure may require modifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the liquefaction system into modular components, each designed to work with the nitrogen refrigeration cycle. This modular approach maintains safety through nitrogen's inert properties while enhancing adaptability by allowing flexible configuration and installation of individual modules to suit different site requirements and existing infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptability through the nitrogen refrigeration cycle system, which can be configured and adjusted to accommodate various installation environments. The system's modular and flexible design allows it to adapt to different site constraints and existing infrastructure, maintaining both safety and installation versatility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The nitrogen refrigeration cycle simplifies the architecture and operation of the liquefaction unit, enhances safety, and allows for flexible and cost-effective installation, adapting to various environments while maintaining high liquefaction efficiency and reducing the need for extensive piping, thus addressing the challenges of hazardous mixed refrigerants.
Implementation Method 1
The nitrogen from the cycle is compressed in a compressor then cooled
Implementation Method 2
The nitrogen from the cycle is compressed in a compressor then cooled
Implementation Method 3
The process makes it possible by using the 'compression-relaxation' principle and therefore the production of cold with high liquefaction yields
Implementation Method 4
At least one heat exchanger
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A natural gas liquefaction unit comprising: - At least one cryogenic cold box including: • At least one heat exchanger; • A fixed assembly area on its outer wall; - At least one closed-loop nitrogen refrigeration cycle; - At least one set of equipment necessary for liquefying a natural gas stream from a feed hydrocarbon stream; - At least one interconnection module comprising a pipe-carrying means and a set of piping and valves, designed to connect said at least one cold box with at least one set of equipment for the refrigeration and/or separation cycle of C6+ hydrocarbon elements contained in the natural gas. The unit is characterized in that the interconnection module rests on a chassis allowing for its handling and is connected to the cold box and to other process sub-assemblies or satellite equipment by said attachment area.