Patent Application
20160109177
The present technology relates generally to liquid natural gas production and, in particular, to systems and methods for natural gas liquefaction and filtration of solid carbon dioxide particles.
Generally, natural gas refers to a methane-rich gas mixture that can include carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, other hydrocarbons, and moisture in various proportions. In at least some known applications, natural gas is used as an alternative to other known fuels such as gasoline and diesel. To be used as an alternative fuel, or to facilitate storage and/or transport, natural gas is typically processed to convert the natural gas into liquefied natural gas (LNG). Typically liquefying natural gas includes cooling the natural gas to about the liquefaction temperature of methane, which is about −161° C. under atmospheric pressure. However, since some commonly found constituents of natural gas (e.g. moisture and carbon dioxide) have higher freezing points than methane, solidification of the constituents may occur when cooled to the liquefaction temperature of methane, thereby forming a LNG-rich slurry. The LNG-rich slurry is generally unsuitable for use as alternative fuel. Impurities freezing in a heat exchanger during natural gas liquefaction also can cause operational problems during LNG production.
Conventional methods of forming purified LNG typically includes removing CO2 in the raw natural gas before cooling it to the liquefaction temperature of methane. However, known removal systems are costly to implement and generally have a relatively large ecological and/or physical footprint. Other known methods of forming purified LNG include removing the solidified CO2 from LNG via gravity separation and/or cyclone separation. However, while such removal methods are generally effective at removing relatively large solidified CO2 particles from the LNG-rich slurry, they are less effective at removing smaller particles
Therefore, the inventors have provided an improved system and method for natural gas liquefaction and filtration of solid carbon dioxide particles.
In accordance with an example of the present technology, a system for natural gas liquefaction includes a natural gas source for providing a flow of natural gas. The system also includes a moisture removal system located downstream of the natural gas source and configured to remove moisture from a natural gas flow path that is in fluid communication with the natural gas source. The system further includes a first heat exchanger located downstream of the moisture removal system and configured for exchanging heat between the natural gas flow path and a first refrigerant flow path of a refrigerant cycle subsystem. Furthermore, the system includes at least one first throttle valve coupled downstream of the first heat exchanger for expanding the flow of natural gas and causing reduction in pressure and temperature of the flow of natural gas and formation of liquid natural gas, solid CO2 particles and cold vapor. The system also includes a filter subassembly for separating the solid CO2 particles present in the flow of liquid natural gas. The system also includes a second heat exchanger located downstream of the filter subassembly and is configured to transfer heat from a natural gas vapor flow path to a second refrigerant flow path of the refrigeration cycle subsystem. Further, the system includes a storage tank assembly located downstream of the filter assembly for storing liquefied natural gas.
In accordance with an example of the present technology, a method of liquefying a natural gas includes directing a flow of natural gas from a natural gas source to a moisture removal system for removing moisture. The method also includes directing the flow of natural gas through a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the natural gas flow path and a first refrigerant flow path of a refrigerant cycle subsystem. Further, the method also includes expanding the flow of natural gas passing out of the first heat exchanger via a first throttle valve causing reduction in pressure and temperature of the flow of natural gas and further resulting in liquefaction of the flow of natural gas and CO2 solidification. Furthermore, the method also includes filtering the flow of natural gas for separating solid particles in a filter subassembly and directing the flow of cold vapor through a second heat exchanger configured transfer heat from transfer heat from to a second refrigerant flow path of the refrigeration cycle subsystem. Finally, the method includes storing the filtered flow of natural gas natural in a storage tank assembly.
In accordance with an example of the technology, a system for natural gas liquefaction includes a natural gas source for providing a flow of natural gas. The system includes a moisture removal system located downstream of the natural gas source and configured to remove moisture from a natural gas flow path that is in fluid communication with the natural gas source. The system also includes a first heat exchanger located downstream of the moisture removal system and configured for exchanging heat between the natural gas flow path and a first refrigerant flow path of a refrigerant cycle subsystem. Further, the system includes at least one first throttle valve coupled downstream of the heat exchanger for expanding the flow of natural gas and causing reduction in pressure and temperature of the flow of natural gas and CO2 solidification and a filter subassembly for separating solid CO2 particles present in the flow of natural gas. Furthermore, the system includes a storage tank assembly located downstream of the filter assembly for storing liquefied natural gas, wherein the storage tank assembly comprises a heat exchanger integrated with a storage tank.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present technology will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present technology, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Any examples of operating parameters are not exclusive of other parameters of the disclosed examples.
The first refrigerant flow path 20 includes a refrigerant fluid mixture that is capable of absorbing latent heat from the flow of natural gas in the natural gas flow path 16 through the first heat exchanger 18. Such an absorption of latent heat facilitates a liquefaction of the natural gas. In a non-limiting example, the temperature of the natural gas passing through the first heat exchanger 18 may be reduced from about 101 degree Fahrenheit to about −170 degree Fahrenheit.
In some embodiments, the system 10 also includes at least one first throttle valve 22 coupled downstream of the first heat exchanger for expanding the flow of liquefied natural gas and causing reduction in pressure and temperature of the flow of liquefied natural gas. By causing a sudden drop of temperature of the natural gas, a portion of the liquefied natural gas may turn into vapor. While not intending to be bound by theory, the inventors believe such a mechanism is due to a Joule-Thomson effect. In addition, the sudden temperature drop turns the carbon dioxide present in the natural gas into solid particles and thus, the liquefied natural gas contains carbon dioxide particles downstream of first throttle valve 22.
In some embodiments, the system 10 further includes a filter subassembly 24 for separating the solid particles present in the liquefied natural gas. This filter subassembly 24 is also configured to separate a vapor portion of the natural gas. The system 10 further includes a storage tank assembly 25 located downstream of the filter assembly 24 for storing the liquefied natural gas.
As shown in
In some embodiments, the refrigerant cycle subsystem 21 may also include a phase separator 30 located downstream of the air cooler 28 for separating a vapor portion from a liquid portion of the refrigerant mixture. The vapor portion of the refrigerant mixture includes a vapor stream composed of species with lower boiling points, e.g., lighter hydrocarbons, while the liquid portion includes a liquid stream having species with higher boiling points, e.g., heavier hydrocarbons.
Further, as shown in
In some embodiments, the refrigeration cycle subsystem 21 also includes a three-way valve 36 located downstream of the phase separator 30 in the second refrigerant flow path 34 that connects with the third refrigerant flow path 32 and the second refrigerant flow path 34. The three-way valve 36 is configured for controlling flow of refrigerant mixture in the second and the third refrigerant flow paths 34, 32. Particularly, the vapor portion of the refrigerant mixture flowing in the second refrigerant flow path 34 is divided into two streams by the three-way valve 36. One vapor stream 33 is combined with the liquid portion of the refrigerant mixture flowing in the third refrigerant flow path 32 and then the combined stream is directed to the first heat exchanger 18 while the remaining vapor stream with lower boiling points in the second refrigerant flow path 34 is also passed to the first heat exchanger 18.
The refrigeration cycle subsystem 21 includes one second throttle valve 38 located in the third refrigerant flow path 32 downstream of the first heat exchanger 18 for further expanding the refrigerant mixture in the third refrigerant flow path 32. This causes the temperature of the refrigerant mixture in the third refrigerant flow path 32 to decrease, thereby causing at least some of the refrigerant mixture to become vapor due to the Joule-Thomson effect. The third refrigerant flow path 32 downstream of the second throttle valve 38 connects with a return flow path of the refrigeration cycle subsystem 21 to form the first refrigeration flow path 20 passing through the first heat exchanger 18. The return flow path carries the refrigerant mixture of the second refrigerant flow path 34 after passing through a plurality of heat exchangers. Thus, the first refrigeration flow path 20 is directed to a cold side of the first heat exchanger 18 to absorb heat from a hot side, thereby, completing the refrigeration cycle. As shown, the refrigeration cycle subsystem 21 includes a second heat exchanger 40 located downstream of the second refrigerant flow 34 path and is configured to transfer heat from the second refrigerant flow path 34 to the return flow path of the refrigeration cycle subsystem 21. This leads to cooling of the vapor portion of the refrigerant mixture flowing in the second refrigerant flow path 34.
Furthermore, the refrigeration cycle subsystem 21 includes one third throttle valve 42 located downstream of the third heat exchanger for expanding the refrigerant mixture flowing in the second refrigerant flow path 34. At the end of the expansion by the third throttle valve 42, the temperature of the refrigerant mixture is further reduced below the temperature of the liquefied natural gas in the storage tank assembly 25. The refrigeration cycle subsystem 21 further includes a second heat exchanger 44 located downstream of the third heat exchanger 40 and is configured to transfer heat from a natural gas vapor flow path 46 to the refrigerant mixture in the second refrigerant flow path 34 of the refrigeration cycle subsystem 21. The natural gas flow path 46 carries the vapor portion of the natural gas after being separated in the filter subassembly 24 from the liquefied natural gas. As the result of the heat transfer in the second heat exchanger 44, the temperature of the refrigerant mixture increases while a majority of the vapor portion of the natural gas vapor is condensed. A cycle 39 is shown in
Advantageously, the present technology provides a low-cost and less natural gas vapor exiting the refrigeration cycle. The system also enables removal of moisture from the natural gas upstream of the first heat exchanger prior to liquefaction. The present technology also enables removing the solidified constituents such as solid carbon dioxide particles from the liquefied natural gas downstream of the first heat exchanger.
Furthermore, the skilled artisan will recognize the interchangeability of various features from different examples. Similarly, the various methods and features described, as well as other known equivalents for each such methods and feature, can be mixed and matched by one of ordinary skill in this art to construct additional systems and techniques in accordance with principles of this disclosure. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages described above may be achieved in accordance with any particular example. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the systems and techniques described herein may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or improves one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
While only certain features of the technology have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the claimed inventions.
