A system and method for liquefaction of natural gas using two distinct refrigeration circuits having compositionally different working fluids and operating at different temperature levels is provided. The turbomachinery associated with the liquefaction system are driven by a single three-pinion or four-pinion integral gear machine with customized pairing arrangements. The system and method of natural gas liquefaction further includes the conditioning of a lower pressure natural gas containing feed stream to produce a purified, compressed natural gas containing stream at a pressure equal to or above the critical pressure of natural gas and substantially free of heavy hydrocarbons to be liquefied.

A system and method for liquefaction of natural gas using two distinct refrigeration circuits having compositionally different working fluids and operating at different temperature levels is provided. The turbomachinery associated with the liquefaction system are driven by a single three-pinion, three-turbine integral gear machine with customized pairing arrangements. The system and method of natural gas liquefaction further includes the conditioning of a lower pressure natural gas feed stream to produce a purified, compressed natural gas stream at a pressure equal to or above the critical pressure of natural gas and substantially free of heavy hydrocarbons to be liquefied.

A system and method for liquefaction of natural gas using two distinct refrigeration circuits having compositionally different working fluids and operating at different temperature levels is provided. The turbomachinery associated with the liquefaction system are driven by a single three-pinion, three-turbine integral gear machine with customized pairing arrangements. The system and method of natural gas liquefaction further includes the conditioning of a lower pressure natural gas containing feed stream to produce a purified, compressed natural gas stream at a pressure equal to or above the critical pressure of natural gas and substantially free of heavy hydrocarbons to be liquefied.

A system and method for liquefaction of natural gas using two distinct refrigeration circuits having compositionally different working fluids and operating at different temperature levels is provided. The turbomachinery associated with the liquefaction system are driven by a single three-pinion or four-pinion integral gear machine with customized pairing arrangements. The system and method of natural gas liquefaction further includes the conditioning of a lower pressure natural gas containing feed stream to produce a purified, compressed natural gas stream at a pressure equal to or above the critical pressure of natural gas and substantially free of heavy hydrocarbons to be liquefied.

A system and method for liquefaction of natural gas using two distinct refrigeration circuits having compositionally different working fluids and operating at different temperature levels is provided. The turbomachinery associated with the liquefaction system are driven by a single three-pinion or four-pinion integral gear machine with customized pairing arrangements. The system and method of natural gas liquefaction further includes the conditioning of a lower pressure natural gas containing feed stream to produce a purified, compressed natural gas stream at a pressure equal to or above the critical pressure of natural gas and substantially free of heavy hydrocarbons to be liquefied.

A system and method for liquefaction of natural gas containing feed stream using two distinct refrigeration circuits having compositionally different working fluids and operating at different temperature levels is provided. The turbomachinery associated with the liquefaction system are driven by a single three-pinion or four-pinion integral gear machine with customized pairing arrangements. The system and method of natural gas liquefaction further includes the conditioning of a lower pressure natural gas containing feed stream to produce a purified, compressed natural gas containing stream at a pressure equal to or above the critical pressure of natural gas and substantially free of heavy hydrocarbons to be liquefied.

A method of cooling a boil off gas stream (01) from a liquefied cargo having a boiling point of greater than −110° C. when measured at 1 atmosphere in a liquefied cargo tank (50) in a floating transportation vessel, said method comprising at least the steps of: compressing a boil off gas stream (01) from said liquefied cargo in two or more stages of compression comprising at least a first compression stage (65) and a final compression stage (75) to provide a compressed BOG discharge stream (06), wherein said first compression stage (65) has a first stage suction pressure and said final compression stage (75) has a final stage suction pressure; cooling the compressed BOG discharge stream (06) against one or more first coolant streams (202, 302) to provide a first cooled compressed BOG stream (08); providing a gaseous vent stream (51) from the first cooled compressed BOG stream (08); cooling the first cooled compressed BOG stream (08) against a second coolant stream (33) to provide a second cooled compressed BOG stream (35); expanding a portion of the second cooled compressed BOG stream (35) to the first stage suction pressure or below to provide a first expanded cooled BOG stream (33); using the first expanded cooled BOG stream (33) as the second coolant stream to provide a first expanded heated BOG stream (38); and cooling the gaseous vent stream (51) against the second coolant stream (33) to provide a cooled vent stream (53), wherein cooling of the first cooled compressed BOG stream (08) and cooling of the gaseous vent stream (51) occurs in a heat exchanger located adjacent to the liquefied cargo tank (50).

A process for cooling a hydrocarbon-rich fraction, in particular natural gas, against a refrigerant circuit. In this process, the compressed refrigerant is divided into three refrigerant substreams. Whereas the first substream is work-producingly expanded in a warm expander and the second substream is work-producingly expanded in a cold expander, the third substream is work-producingly expanded at the lowest temperature level. The result therefrom is that the operating point of the cold expander is shifted in such a manner that the refrigeration output of the two expanders is situated in a ratio between 40/60 and 60/40.

A liquefied gas cooling apparatus including: a gas flow path for carrying a liquefied gas that is liquefied by cooling; and a refrigeration unit including a refrigerating cycle formed by an evaporator for cooling the liquefied gas flowing through the gas flow path, a compressor, a condenser, and a throttle expansion unit. The compressor is driven through an electric motor contained in a sealed housing together with a compressor mechanism.

A liquefied gas cooling apparatus includes: a gas flow path for carrying a liquefied gas that is liquefied by cooling; and a refrigeration unit including a refrigerating cycle formed by an evaporator for cooling the liquefied gas flowing through the gas flow path, a compressor, a condenser, and a throttle expansion unit. The refrigeration unit includes: an inlet-side open/close valve and an outlet-side open/close valve provided in an inlet path and an outlet path of the compressor, respectively; and a service open/close valve in a refrigerant path between the inlet-side open/close valve and the outlet-side open/close valve.