A method of cooling a boil-off gas (BOG) stream from a liquefied gas tank comprising at least the step of heat exchanging the BOG stream with a first refrigerant in a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having an entry port and a warmer exit port, and comprising at least the steps of: (a) passing the first refrigerant into the entry port of the heat exchanger and into a first zone of the heat exchanger to exchange heat with the BOG stream, to provide a first warmer refrigerant stream; (b) withdrawing the first warmer refrigerant stream from the heat exchanger at an intermediate exit port between the entry port and the warmer exit port; (c) admixing the first warmer refrigerant stream with an oil-containing refrigerant stream to provide a combined refrigerant stream; (d) passing the combined refrigerant stream into the heat exchanger through an entry port located in a second zone of the heat exchanger that is warmer than the first zone; (e) passing the combined refrigerant stream out of the heat exchanger through the warmer exit port. The present invention is a modification of a refrigerant cycle for BOG cooling, and LNG re-liquefaction in particular, that allows the use of a cost-efficient oil-injected screw compressor in the refrigerant system. The present invention is also able to accommodate the possibility of different flows or flow rates of the first refrigerant stream and the oil-containing refrigerant stream, such that there is reduced or no concern by the user of the process in relation to possible oil freezing and clogging of the heat exchanger caused by variation of the flow or flow rate of the oil-containing refrigerant stream.

A method of cooling a boil-off gas (BOG) stream from a liquefied gas tank comprising at least the step of heat exchanging the BOG stream with a first refrigerant in a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having an entry port and a warmer exit port, and comprising at least the steps of: (a) passing the first refrigerant into the entry port of the heat exchanger and into a first zone of the heat exchanger to exchange heat with the BOG stream, to provide a first warmer refrigerant stream; (b) withdrawing the first warmer refrigerant stream from the heat exchanger at an intermediate exit port between the entry port and the warmer exit port; (c) admixing the first warmer refrigerant stream with an oil-containing refrigerant stream to provide a combined refrigerant stream; (d) passing the combined refrigerant stream into the heat exchanger through an entry port located in a second zone of the heat exchanger that is warmer than the first zone; (e) passing the combined refrigerant stream out of the heat exchanger through the warmer exit port. The present invention is a modification of a refrigerant cycle for BOG cooling, and LNG re-liquefaction in particular, that allows the use of a cost-efficient oil-injected screw compressor in the refrigerant system. The present invention is also able to accommodate the possibility of different flows or flow rates of the first refrigerant stream and the oil-containing refrigerant stream, such that there is reduced or no concern by the user of the process in relation to possible oil freezing and clogging of the heat exchanger caused by variation of the flow or flow rate of the oil-containing refrigerant stream.

A variable capacity screw compressor comprises a suction port, at least two screw rotors and a discharge port being configured in relation to a selected rotational speed that operates at least one screw rotor at an optimum peripheral velocity that is independent of a peripheral velocity of the at least one screw rotor at a synchronous motor rotational speed for a rated screw compressor capacity. A motor is configured to drive the at least one screw rotor at a rotational speed at a full-load capacity that is substantially greater than the synchronous motor rotational speed at the rated screw compressor capacity. A variable speed drive receives a command signal from a controller and generates a control signal that drives the motor at the selected rotational speed.

A variable capacity screw compressor comprises a suction port, at least two screw rotors and a discharge port being configured in relation to a selected rotational speed that operates at least one screw rotor at an optimum peripheral velocity that is independent of a peripheral velocity of the at least one screw rotor at a synchronous motor rotational speed for a rated screw compressor capacity. A motor is configured to drive the at least one screw rotor at a rotational speed at a full-load capacity that is substantially greater than the synchronous motor rotational speed at the rated screw compressor capacity. A variable speed drive receives a command signal from a controller and generates a control signal that drives the motor at the selected rotational speed.

A vaporizer includes an inner shell through which a refrigerant and oil mixture is flowed, and one or more hot gas pathways extending through the inner shell from a hot gas inlet to a hot gas outlet, through which a hot gas is flowed to boil refrigerant in the refrigerant and oil mixture. The inner shell is embedded in an outer shell. The outer shell defines a sump fluidly connected to the inner shell via a sump inlet line to deliver the refrigerant and oil mixture from the inner shell to the sump. A sump heater is located in the sump, which is configured to boil additional refrigerant from the refrigerant and oil mixture.

A centrifugal separation type oil separator includes an oil separator body having a cylindrical body portion, and a bent pipe provided on an outer peripheral side of the body portion to surround the body portion in a circumferential direction, to introduce a fluid containing an oil into the oil separator body. The bent pipe includes an outer wall portion extending in the circumferential direction of the body portion and expanding radially outward from the body portion, and an inner wall portion extending along the outer wall portion and blocking an open part of the outer wall portion. The outer wall portion and the inner wall portion are formed by different members. An upper side of the body portion is open. The oil separator body has an upper cover blocking an open portion of the body portion. The inner wall portion and the upper cover are formed by an integral member.

A screw compressor includes a screw rotor having a plurality of screw grooves, a plurality of gate rotors each including gates that mesh with the screw rotor, and a casing. The screw rotor is rotatably inserted in the casing. The casing has a cylindrical wall through which the gates pass. The screw compressor has a plurality of compression chambers inside the cylindrical wall. The plurality of compression chambers are defined by the screw rotor and the gates. The compression chambers include a first compression chamber and a second compression chamber. A fluid introduced into the casing at a suction pressure is compressed to an intermediate pressure higher than the suction pressure in the first compression chamber. The fluid at the intermediate pressure is compressed to a discharge pressure higher than the intermediate pressure in the second compression chamber.

A refrigeration apparatus, including a main circuit (1) for circulation of a main flow (90) of refrigerant, and a lubrication branch (20), comprising a lubrication inlet (21), configured to derive a lubrication flow (91) from the main flow (90) circulating through a supply part (16) of the main circuit; and a lubrication outlet (22), to feed the compressor (2) with the lubrication flow (91) for lubrication. According to the invention, the refrigeration apparatus further includes: a subcooling branch (40), comprising a subcooling inlet (41), connected to an evaporator (8) of the main circuit (1), so as to derive a subcooling flow (92), and a subcooling outlet (42), connected to the evaporator (8), for reintroducing the subcooling flow (92) into the main flow (90); and a subcooling heat exchanger (31).

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system includes a compressor with a gas bearing supplied with compressed gas and a controller. The controller is configured to determine an inlet pressure and outlet pressure of the gas bearing, determine a maximum speed limit based on the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure, and prevent the compressor from operating at a speed that is greater than the maximum speed limit. A method of controlling a compressor includes calculating a maximum speed limit based on an inlet pressure and an outlet pressure of the gas bearing. The method also includes in response to determining that a speed setting is greater than the maximum speed limit, adjusting operation of the compressor such that a speed of the compressor is at or below the maximum speed limit.

An oil supply system for a compressor according to an embodiment includes an oil separator connected to a discharge pipe of the compressor, an oil tank for receiving oil from an oil sump of the oil separator, an oil pipe disposed between the oil separator and the oil tank, a pressure reducing valve disposed on the oil pipe, an oil supply pipe for supplying the oil to an oil line for supplying the oil to the compressor from an oil sump of the oil tank, and an agitator disposed on the oil pipe.