Disclosed is a device for liquefying a fluid, comprising a circuit for fluid to be cooled, the device comprising a set of one or more heat exchangers exchanging heat with the circuit of fluid to be cooled, at least one first cooling system exchanging heat with at least some of the set of one or more heat exchangers, the first cooling system being a refrigerator with refrigeration cycle of a cycle gas mostly comprising helium, the refrigerator comprising, arranged in series in a cycle circuit: a cycle gas compression mechanism at least one cycle gas cooling member, a mechanism for expansion of the cycle gas and at least one expanded cycle gas heating member, wherein the compression mechanism comprises at least four compression stages in series, consisting of a set of one or more centrifuge-type compressors, the compression stages being mounted on shafts rotated by a set of one or more motors, the expansion mechanism comprising at least three expansion stages in series, consisting of a set of centripetal turbines, the at least one cycle gas cooling member being configured to cool the cycle gas at the outlet of at least one of the turbines and wherein at least one of the turbines is coupled to the same shaft as at least one compression stage so as to supply the compression stage with the mechanical work produced during the expansion.

Systems and methods for multi-stage refrigeration in mixed refrigerant and cascade refrigeration cycles using one or more liquid motive eductors.

The present invention relates to a method of cooling and separating a hydrocarbon stream: (a) passing an hydrocarbon feed stream (7) through a first cooling and separation stage to provide a methane enriched vapour overhead stream (110) and a methane depleted liquid stream (10); (b) passing the methane depleted liquid stream (10) to a fractionation column (200) to obtain a bottom condensate stream (210), a top stream enriched in C1-C2 (220) and a midstream enriched in C3-C4 (230), (c) cooling the upper part of the fractionation column (201) by a condenser (206), (d) obtaining a split stream (112) from the methane enriched vapour overhead stream (110) and obtaining a cooled split stream (112) by expansion-cooling the split stream (112), (e) providing cooling duty to the top of the fractionation column (201) using the cooled split stream (112).

Systems and methods for multi-stage refrigeration in mixed refrigerant and cascade refrigeration cycles using one or more liquid motive eductors in combination with a pump.

A precool heat exchanger system receives a stream of first cryogenic fluid for warming a second cryogenic fluid. A first splitter receives and divides a first cryogenic fluid stream into a motive stream and a secondary cooling stream. An ejector receives the motive stream. An expansion device receives and expands the secondary cooling stream and directs at least a portion of it to the precool heat exchanger system so that a second cryogenic fluid is cooled. First cryogenic fluid from the precool heat exchanger is directed into the ejector suction port and the pressure therein is reduced. A primary separation device divides a first cryogenic fluid mixed phase stream from the ejector into a first cryogenic fluid vapor stream and a liquid recycle stream that exit the primary separation device. A recycle pump directs first cryogenic fluid to the first splitter.

An arrangement for liquefying natural gas is provided. The arrangement includes a gas turbine unit that includes a gas turbine compressor, a steam turbine unit, a first compressor unit, a shiftable clutch, a heated steam generator for supplying steam to the steam turbine unit, and a second compressor unit. The steam turbine unit and the first compressor unit have a common, rigidly connected first shaft assembly, while the gas turbine unit and the second compressor unit have a common, rigidly connected second shaft assembly. In order to increase economic efficiency, the first shaft assembly and the second shaft assembly are operable to be connected to and disconnected from each other using the clutch. A suitable method for starting said arrangement is also provided.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a process for liquefaction of a natural gas. The process includes cooling the natural gas with a first refrigerant provided by a first cooling system and cooling the natural gas with a second refrigerant provided by a second cooling system. The second cooling system is a single phase cooling system. The first and second cooling systems operate independently from each other. The second refrigerant is cooled with the first refrigerant so that the cooling capacity of the second refrigerant and the second cooling system is increased.

The invention relates to an integrated process and apparatus for liquefaction of natural gas and recovery of natural gas liquids. In particular, the improved process and apparatus reduces the energy consumption of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) unit by using a portion of the already cooled overhead vapor from a fractionation column from an NGL (natural gas liquefaction) unit to, depending upon composition, provide, for example, reflux for fractionation in the NGL unit and/or a cold feed for the LNG unit, or by cooling, within the NGL unit, a residue gas originating from a fractionation column of the NGL unit and using the resultant cooled residue gas to, depending upon composition, provide, for example, reflux/feed for fractionation in the NGL and/or a cold feed for the LNG unit, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the LNG unit and rendering the process more energy-efficient.

Systems and methods for multi-stage refrigeration in mixed refrigerant and cascade refrigeration cycles using one or more liquid motive eductors.

A highly efficient refrigeration system and process for precooling of a hydrogen feed stream with concurrent nitrogen liquefaction is disclosed. The disclosed refrigeration system and associated methods employ a reverse Brayton refrigeration cycle using a nitrogen based refrigerant and a fully integrated three pinion bridge (BriM) machine operatively coupling at least two turbine/expanders and at least four nitrogen refrigerant compression stages.