A liquefied natural gas production unit and a method of managing the same, the unit comprising a cold box providing a plurality of heat exchangers configured to cool down natural gas, a separator configured to separate pre-cooled natural gas into a vapor stream and a heavy hydrocarbon liquid stream, a debutanizer connected to the bottom of the separator through a heavy hydrocarbon liquid stream line, the debutanizer being configured to evaporate light hydrocarbons from the heavy hydrocarbon liquid stream, a liquid stream line connected to the bottom of the debutanizer, a vapor stream line connecting the top of the separator with the cold box, and a light hydrocarbons vapor line connecting the top of the debutanizer with the cold box, a natural gas line collecting the natural gas from the vapor stream line and from light hydrocarbons vapor line downstream the cold box.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cooling down a cryogenic heat exchanger adapted to liquefy a hydrocarbon stream, such as a natural gas stream. The method comprises: (i) receiving one or more refrigerant temperature indications, providing an indication of the temperature of the refrigerant, (ii) comparing the one or more refrigerant temperature indications with one or more associated predetermined threshold values, and (iii) based on the outcome of the comparison under (ii) selecting one of an automated warm cooling down procedure of the cryogenic heat exchanger and an automated cold cooling down procedure of the cryogenic heat exchanger.

A method to control the cooldown of main heat exchangers in liquefied natural gas plant. The method provides for the automated control of a flow rate of a natural gas feed stream through a heat exchanger based on one or more process variables and set points. The flow rate of refrigerant streams through the heat exchanger is controlled by different process variables and set points, and is controlled independently of the flow rate of the natural gas feed stream.

A floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) commissioning system and method are described. A system for commissioning a FLNG vessel comprises a floating liquefaction vessel positioned offshore proximate a shipyard, the floating liquefaction vessel comprising a natural gas liquefaction module and a first LNG storage tank cryogenically coupled to the natural gas liquefaction module, a regasification vessel positioned alongside the floating liquefaction vessel, the regasification vessel comprising a second LNG storage tank fluidly coupled to a regasification facility onboard the regasification vessel, a high pressure natural gas conduit extending between an output of the regasification facility and an input of the liquefaction module, a cryogenic transfer member extending between the second LNG storage tank and the first LNG storage tank, and a gaseous natural gas coupling extending between the natural gas liquefaction module and one of the first LNG storage tank, the second LNG storage tank or a combination thereof.

The invention relates to a method and an installation for producing liquid helium, said installation comprising a cooling/liquefaction device comprising a working circuit that subjects a helium-enriched working fluid to a thermodynamic cycle in order to produce liquid helium, said circuit comprising at least one working fluid compression body and a plurality of heat exchangers. The installation also comprises a plurality of fluid recovery lines having respective upstream ends to be selectively connected to respective reservoirs, and a first collection line having an upstream end connected to the recovery lines and a downstream end connected to a receiving body that can supply the working circuit with a working fluid. The installation is characterized in that it comprises at least one second and one third collection line that each have an upstream end connected to the recovery lines and a downstream end connected to the working circuit, the upstream ends of the second and third collection lines being connected at separate determined positions of the working circuit, that respectively correspond to separate temperature levels of the working fluid in the working circuit.

Provided is a natural gas processing facility for the liquefaction or regasification of natural gas. The facility includes a primary processing unit, e.g., refrigeration unit, for warming natural gas or chilling natural gas to at least a temperature of liquefaction. The facility also has superconducting electrical components integrated into the facility. The superconducting electrical components incorporate superconducting material so as to improve electrical efficiency of the facility by at least one percent over what would be experienced through the use of conventional electrical components. The superconducting electrical components may be one or more motors, one or more generators, one or more transformers, switch gears, one or more electrical transmission conductors, variable speed drives, or combinations thereof.

There is provided a system and method for producing liquefied natural gas (LNG). An exemplary method includes flowing a high-pressure stream of LNG through a first series of liquid turbines. The exemplary method also includes generating electricity by reducing the pressure of the high-pressure stream of LNG to form a low-pressure stream of LNG. The exemplary method additionally includes bypassing any one the liquid turbines that has a failure while continuing to produce electricity from the first series.

A leakage detection system includes: a gas supply line along which boil-off gas is supplied to a compressor; a reliquefaction line along which the compressed boil-off gas is cooled and reliquefied through a heat exchanger and is returned to a storage tank; a refrigerant circulation line along which a refrigerant is circulated; a refrigerant compressor to compress the refrigerant discharged from the heat exchanger; a refrigerant expander expanding and cooling the compressed refrigerant compressed by the refrigerant compressor and having been cooled through the heat exchanger and supplying the cooled refrigerant back to the heat exchanger; and a refrigerant charge line connecting an inventory tank filled with nitrogen to an upstream side of the refrigerant compressor. Upon initial start-up or restart of a reliquefaction process, the nitrogen is supplied to the upstream side of the refrigerant compressor via the refrigerant charge line to detect leaks in the refrigerant circulation line.

An apparatus and process for recycling hydrogen can be provided so that hydrogen is recycled during hydrogen liquefaction processing to account for an unexpected loss of feed of hydrogen so the recycled hydrogen can be provided to avoid liquefier operations having to be shut down. Embodiments can utilize a parahydrogen to ortho-hydrogen conversion unit to facilitate such recycling of hydrogen to avoid liquefaction processing problems in liquefaction of the recycled hydrogen included into the feed to account for the loss of fee hydrogen.