Plant and method for liquefying a flow of gas, comprising a cooling circuit which is provided with an upstream end which is intended to be connected to a source of pressurised gas to be liquified and a downstream end which is intended to be connected to a user member, the plant comprising, between the upstream and downstream ends, a set of members which are intended to liquefy the gas and comprise at least one exchanger for cooling the gas, and at least one expansion turbine which is mounted on a rotary axle which is supported by at least one bearing of the gas-static type, the cooling circuit comprising a pressurised gas injection conduit having an upstream end which is intended to receive pressurised gas supplied by the source and a downstream end which is connected to the bearing in order to provide support to the rotary axle, the plant comprising a conduit for recovering the gas which has been used in the bearing, the conduit for recovering the gas comprising an upstream end which is connected to the bearing and a downstream end, characterised in that the downstream end of the conduit for recovering the as is connected to the cooling circuit between the upstream and downstream ends thereof in order to recycle at that location at least a portion of the gas which has been used to support the rotary axle of the bearing with a few to liquefying said gas.

A plant for energy storage, comprises: a basin (2) for a work fluid having a critical temperature (T.sub.c) lower than 0°; a tank (3) configured to store the work fluid in at least partly liquid or super-critical phase with a storage temperature (T.sub.s) close to the critical temperature (T.sub.c); an expander (4); a compressor (5); an operating/drive machine (6) operatively connected to the expander (4) and to the compressor (5); a thermal store (8) operatively interposed between the compressor (5) and the tank (3) and between the tank (3) and the expander (4). The plant (1) is configured for actuating a Cyclic Thermodynamic Transformation (TTC) with the work fluid, first in a storage configuration and then in a discharge configuration. The thermal store (8), in the storage configuration, is configured for absorbing sensible heat and subsequently latent heat from the work fluid and, in the discharge configuration, it is configured for transferring latent heat and subsequently sensible heat to the work fluid.

The present invention relates to a process and a system for supplying a backup gas at a higher pressure from a source gas at a lower pressure. The backup gas at the lower pressure is at least partially condensed against a backup liquid at a higher pressure in a reprocessing heat exchanger and as a result, the backup liquid is at least partially vaporized. The backup liquid at the higher pressure is formed from boosting liquefied backup gas at the lower pressure. A backup vaporizer is disposed downstream of the reprocessing heat exchanger to completely vaporize the backup liquid at a higher pressure before it was delivered to the customer. The present invention eliminates the use of costly gas compressor and mitigates associated safety risks, in particular when the backup gas is oxygen.

Cryogenic refrigeration device comprising a working circuit intended to cool a working fluid circulating in the said circuit, the working circuit comprising, arranged in series in a loop: a compression portion, a cooling portion, a portion with valve(s), an expansion portion and a reheating portion, in order to subject the working fluid to a recuperative working cycle comprising compression, then cooling, then expansion and then reheating to prepare for a new cycle, wherein the compression portion comprises at least one compressor having a linear piston driven by a linear motor, the expansion proportion comprises at least one expander with a linear piston, the portion with valve(s) comprises at least one regulating valve linearly actuated by a linear motor and controlled in order to supply or extract the working fluid from the at least one expansion piston.

A unit for producing argon by cryogenic distillation, suitable for connection to a double air separation column consisting of first and second columns interconnected thermally, comprises an argon separation column surmounted with a top condenser and a denitrogenation column, means for withdrawing an argon-rich and nitrogen-depleted product (LAR) at the bottom of the denitrogenation column, means for connecting the top of the argon separation column to the denitrogenation column, means for sending a top gas from the argon separation column to the atmosphere, means for withdrawing a nitrogen-rich fluid from the top of the denitrogenation column, an analyser for measuring the nitrogen content at the top of the argon separation column, and means for opening and closing the means for connecting the top of the argon separation column to the denitrogenation column depending on the nitrogen content detected by the analyser.

Liquefaction of industrial gases or gas mixtures (hydrocarbon and/or non-hydrocarbon) uses a modified aqua-ammonia absorption refrigeration system (ARP) to chill the gas or gas mixture during the liquefaction process. The gas is compressed to above its critical point, and the heat of compression energy may be recovered to provide some or all of the thermal energy required to drive the ARP. A Joule Thomson (JT) adiabatic expansion process results in no requirement for specialty cryogenic rotating equipment. The aqua-ammonia absorption refrigeration system includes a vapour absorber tower (VAT) that permits the recovery of some or all of the heat of solution and heat of condensation energy in the system when anhydrous ammonia vapour is absorbed into a subcooled lean aqua-ammonia solution. The modified ARP with VAT may operate at pressures as low as 10 kPa, and the ammonia gas chiller may operate at temperatures as low as −71° C.

A method for producing power and argon is provided by providing a residual gas stream, purifying the residual gas stream in a front-end purification unit to remove carbon dioxide, thereby forming a purified residual gas stream, and introducing the purified residual gas stream to a cold box, wherein the purified residual gas stream is cooled and expanded within the cold box to produce power and then fed to a distillation column system for separation therein, thereby forming an argon-enriched stream and optionally a nitrogen-enriched stream and/or an oxygen-enriched stream, wherein the residual gas stream is sourced from a retentate stream of a cold membrane having oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon.

An arrangement comprising at least one liquefaction plant for liquefying a gaseous medium to produce a liquefied medium; and at least one storage tank for storing the liquefied medium. At least one first transfer line is connected between the liquefaction plant and the storage tank, for transferring liquefied medium from the liquefaction plant into the storage tank. At least one second transfer line is connected between the liquefaction plant and the storage tank, for transferring gaseous medium from the storage tank into the liquefaction plant. At least one shut-off valve is provided in each transfer line. The apparatus further includes a bypass line.

Various embodiments include an apparatus for liquefying gas comprising: an inlet for a pressurized gas; a countercurrent heat exchanger with a first channel for the pressurized gas to flow in a first direction; an expansion nozzle, such that the pressurized gas flows from the first channel into the nozzle, and flows out to form an aerosol comprising a gaseous phase and liquid droplets; an aerosol breaker separating at least some of the droplets out of the gaseous phase; a collecting region for gathering and collecting droplets dripping off the aerosol breaker; and a second channel of the countercurrent heat exchanger surrounding the first channel. The flow of the gaseous phase out of the expansion nozzle is colder compared to the gas flowing through the second channel in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The second channel surrounds the first channel. The apparatus comprises a monolithic structure.

A method for producing power and argon is provided by providing a residual gas stream, purifying the residual gas stream in a front-end purification unit to remove carbon dioxide, thereby forming a purified residual gas stream, and introducing the purified residual gas stream to a cold box, wherein the purified residual gas stream is cooled and expanded within the cold box to produce power and then fed to a distillation column system for separation therein, thereby forming an argon-enriched stream and optionally a nitrogen-enriched stream and/or an oxygen-enriched stream, wherein the residual gas stream is sourced from a retentate stream of a cold membrane having oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon.