The invention relates to a cooling system (1) comprising at least: a Stirling heat pump (2) designed to cool an inlet gas (G.sub.e) down to a cryogenic temperature so as to form a cryogenic liquid (L), a primary electric motor (3), intended to put said Stirling heat pump (2) into operation, a primary pump (4) intended to cause said cryogenic liquid (L) to circulate under pressure, and a cooling means (5) intended to cool said primary electric motor (3) with the aid of the cryogenic liquid (L) output by said primary pump (4). The invention is particularly suitable for the production of a cryogenic liquid and the applications thereof.

A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to improve the recovery of C.sub.2 (or C.sub.3) and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The preferred method of separating a hydrocarbon gas stream generally includes producing at least a substantially condensed first stream and a cooled second stream, expanding both streams to lower pressure, and supplying the streams to a fractionation tower. In the process and apparatus disclosed, the tower overhead vapor is directed to an absorbing means and a heat and mass transfer means inside a processing assembly. A portion of the outlet vapor from the processing assembly is compressed to higher pressure, cooled and substantially condensed in a heat exchange means inside the processing assembly, then expanded to lower pressure and supplied to the heat and mass transfer means to provide cooling. Condensed liquid from the absorbing means is fed to the tower.

Provided herein are systems and methods for the processing of exhaust gases of industrial processes in order to reduce or eliminate emission of pollutants (including carbon dioxide) and store energy in the form of cryogenic liquids. Advantageously, the provided systems and methods utilize advanced heat exchanger systems to reduce or eliminate the net power required for operation. The heat exchangers are used both to reduce effluent gases to liquid temperatures as well as reheat previously cooled and separated gases, which can generate electricity via a turbo generator. The described systems and method may also produce cryogenic liquid products (Argon, Krypton, liquid Oxygen, liquid Nitrogen, etc.).

The present invention provides a high efficiency prime mover with phase change energy storage for distributed generation and motor vehicle application. Phase change storage minimizes energy required for refrigerant liquefaction while reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

In a method for separating at least one lighter impurity of a gaseous mixture containing at least 30% mol of carbon dioxide, a liquid (101) enriched with carbon dioxide is drawn off into a vat of a distillation column (25), at least part (27) of the liquid enriched with carbon dioxide is vaporized and then heated to a first temperature higher than the boiling temperature thereof in the exchanger and leaves the exchanger at the hot end thereof, and at least part of the vaporized and heated liquid is sent from the hot end of the exchanger at the first temperature, without being cooled in the exchanger and without having been compressed, to the lower part of the distillation column, where it participates in the distillation while enriching itself.

A system and method for integrated heavy hydrocarbon removal in a liquefaction system having a lean natural gas source. An economizer located between a main cryogenic heat exchanger and a reflux drum is provided to cool an overhead vapor stream against a partially condensed stream. In addition, pressure of the natural gas feed stream is maintained into a scrub column. A pressure drop is provided by a valve located between the economizer and the reflux drum on a partially condensed stream withdrawn from the cold end of the warm section of the main cryogenic heat exchanger.

A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to improve the recovery of C.sub.2 (or C.sub.3) and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The preferred method of separating a hydrocarbon gas stream generally includes producing at least a substantially condensed first stream and a cooled second stream, expanding both streams to lower pressure, and supplying the streams to a fractionation tower. In the process and apparatus disclosed, the tower overhead vapor is directed to an absorbing means and a heat and mass transfer means inside a processing assembly. The outlet vapor from the processing assembly is compressed to higher pressure and cooled, then a portion is substantially condensed in a heat exchange means inside the processing assembly, expanded to lower pressure, and supplied to the heat and mass transfer means to provide cooling. Condensed liquid from the absorbing means is fed to the tower.

The invention relates to a method and a device for generating electrical energy in a combined system consisting of a power plant and an air handling system. The power plant comprises a first gas expansion unit connected to a generator. The air handling system comprises an air compression unit, a heat exchange system, and a fluid tank. In a first operating mode, feed air is compressed in the air compression unit and cooled in the heat exchange system. A storage fluid is generated from the compressed and cooled feed air and is stored as cryogenic fluid in fluid tank. In a second operating mode, cryogenic fluid is removed from fluid tank and is vaporized, or pseudo-vaporized, at superatmospheric pressure. The gaseous high pressure storage fluid generated is expanded in the gas expansion unit. Gaseous natural gas is introduced into the heat exchange system (21) to be liquefied.

A liquefier device which may be a retrofit to an air separation plant or utilized as part of a new design. The flow needed for the liquefier comes from an air separation plant running in a maxim oxygen state, in a stable mode. The three gas flows are low pressure oxygen, low pressure nitrogen, and higher pressure nitrogen. All of the flows are found on the side of the main heat exchanger with a temperature of about 37 degrees Fahrenheit. All of the gasses put into the liquefier come out as a subcooled liquid, for storage or return to the air separation plant. This new liquefier does not include a front end electrical compressor, and will take a self produced liquid nitrogen, pump it up to a runnable 420 psig pressure, and with the use of turbines, condensers, flash pots, and multi pass heat exchangers. The liquefier will make liquid from a planned amount of any pure gas oxygen or nitrogen an air separation plant can produce.

A method and apparatus for producing high-purity nitrogen and low-purity oxygen using three-column rectification are provided, in which: nitrogen and oxygen undergo rectification in different columns, with high-purity nitrogen and low-purity oxygen being separated out of air simultaneously, thereby overcoming the shortcomings of conventional low-purity oxygen production equipment, and also reducing equipment investment, lowering energy consumption, increasing product added value, and realizing a circular economy effect.