APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMPRESSING AND LIQUEFYING GAS

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of power engineering. The technical result consists in a reduction in the amount of energy expended on compressing and liquefying gas, and a simplification of the design of the apparatus. A gaseous medium to be compressed in a pressure exchanger by the action thereon of a gaseous compression medium having a higher pressure and temperature. A portion of the compression medium is pre-compressed to the necessary pressure in a compressor, or, after cooling and condensation, is pressurized by a pump, after which it is heated and evaporated, or gasified, and used as a compression medium. In the case that a compressor is used, the portion of compression medium is drawn off from the high-pressure gaseous medium compressed in the pressure exchanger and is fed by circulating fan or a compressor to a heater and used as a compression medium in the pressure exchanger.

Claims

1. Apparatus of gas compression and liquefaction, containing at least one compressor or fan, at least one heat exchangerheater and at least one heat exchangercooler, one or more, connected in series and, or in parallel, cascade pressure exchangers, protection, control, start-up, control systems, etc., different in that, which contains at least one cascade pressure exchanger, for example quasi-isothermalconfigured to remove heat during compression of gas and, or supply heat during expansion into gas, the low-pressure working fluid supply port of which is connected by a pipeline to the supply of compressible and or liquefied gas, or a mixture of gases, for example through a pressurization system in the form of a fan and, or a pre-compression system, for example in the form of at least one compressor, at least with an aftercooler, the outlet port of the low pressure working fluid of the cascade pressure exchanger is connected to an expansion device, for example to the turbocharger turbine, possibly through a heat supply device and, or a low-pressure working fluid outlet port, connected to at least one recuperator and, or a cooler with a low-pressure condensate separator, and then, through a purge fan or compressor to the working fluid supply port low-pressure body, the same pressure exchanger, the outlet port of the high-pressure working fluid of which is connected to the compressed gas consumer and, or to the fan of the recirculation circuit of the high-pressure working fluidcompressing working fluid and, or the outlet port of the high-pressure working fluid is connected to at least, to one cooler with a high-pressure condensate separator, the liquefied gas outlet from which is connected to the liquefied gas consumer, wherein the condensate outlet is from at least one low-pressure condensate separator and, or the condensate outlet is from at least one condensate separator high pressure, connected by a pipeline to the inlet of at least one pump of the recirculation circuit of the high-pressure working fluidthe compressing working fluid, while the pipeline with the flow of uncondensed gas from at least one high-pressure condensate separator is connected to the compressed gas consumer, while the recirculation circuit of the compressive working fluid in the part after the pump and, or fan, is connected to at least one heater in the form heat exchangersrecuperator and, or heat exchanger heater, possibly with an intermediate coolant and, or in the form of a combustion chamber, or electric heater, solar collector, etc. etc., after which the pipeline with the heated compressing working fluid is connected to the supply port of the high-pressure working fluid of the cascade pressure exchanger, while the condensate drain from the high-pressure condensate separator and, or from the low-pressure condensate separator, can be connected through, at least one pump to one or more evaporative cooling systems, with the possibility of injecting condensate through nozzles or at least one throttle valve, into the compressible medium, in a quasi-isothermal cascade pressure exchanger and, or in a compressible pre-compression system environment, and, or, with the possibility of throttling condensate, for example propane or ethane, in at least one heat exchanger of the cooling system, at least liquefied gas.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the outlet of the compressive working fluid from the fan or compressor of the recirculation circuit and, or the outlet of the working fluid with higher pressure from the pump connected to the recirculation circuit of the compressive working fluid, are connected by pipelines at least to one heat supply source, the outlet of the heated compressing working fluid from which is connected to the high-pressure working fluid supply of the cascade pressure exchanger, and the outlet from the heater of the higher pressure working fluid heated in it is connected to the inlet of an expansion device, for example a turbine, made on the load shaft, the outlet from which is connected to the high-pressure working fluid supply port of the cascade pressure exchanger and, or to an expansion device, for example to a lower pressure turbine.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the cascade pressure exchanger is made quasi-isothermal, with at least part of the bypass, mass transfer channels and, for example, outlet channels made on the opposite side of the rotor, in terms of expansion of the working fluid in the rotor channels, mounted in a heat supply device, with the ability to supply heat to the compressing medium during its expansion in the bypass and, for example, outlet channels and, or in the housing of the cascade pressure exchanger, opposite the rotor channels located on the opposite side of at least part of the windows supply from bypass channels into the channels of the rotor of the compressing medium, and possibly, for example, partially, opposite the port for supplying the compressing working fluid (medium) of the high pressure of the cascade pressure exchanger, injection devices are made into the channels of the rotor of coolant.

4. The Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the outlet of the high-pressure working fluid, for example carbon dioxide, from the cascade pressure exchanger is divided into two pipelines before or after the cooler, for example containing a high-pressure condensate separator, one of which is by means of a fan or compressor of the circuit recirculation of the high-pressure working fluid and further to the heater, and another pipeline, for example after an additional preparation device, is connected to a low-temperature recuperator with the possibility of heat removal, after which the flow of the high-pressure working fluid is connected to a low-temperature heat exchanger, for example to a refrigeration unit, after exiting in which, the pipeline with the flow of liquefied gas, for example after the liquefied gas separator, is divided into two pipelines, one of which is connected to the consumer of liquefied and cooled gas, and the other pipeline is connected to at least one pump of the high-pressure compressive working fluid recirculation circuit, the output from which is connected to a low-temperature recuperator, with the possibility of supplying heat, after which the flow of evaporated high-pressure working fluid is connected to a pipeline with a compressing working fluid from a fan or compressor of the high-pressure working fluid recirculation circuit, after which the high-pressure compressing working fluid is supplied through to at least one heat supply device and, then, to the high-pressure working fluid supply port of the cascade pressure exchanger.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the pipeline from the outlet port of the high-pressure working fluid of the pressure exchanger is divided into two parts before or after the cooler, for example containing a high-pressure condensate separator, one of the pipelines is connected to the inlet of the fan or compressor of the recirculation circuit high-pressure working fluid, and another pipeline, after the cooler, for example with a high-pressure condensate separator, possibly after an additional drying device, is connected with the ability to remove heat, first, along the gas flow, possibly to the heat exchanger in advance cooling, connected, for example, to a refrigeration unit, then, a pipeline with cooled gas is built into a heat exchanger-cooler of liquefied gas, the outlet of cooled gas from which is connected to a heavy hydrocarbon condensate separator, some of which are connected to the consumer, and some, or after fractionation of whichor gas, for example ethane or propane, is supplied by a pipeline to a throttle valve, connected, in turn, to a pre-cooling heat exchanger and, or to a lower temperature heat exchangera liquefied gas cooler, with the possibility of evaporating ethane or propane, while removing non-condensed natural gas gas from a heavy hydrocarbon separator is divided, for example, into three pipelines, one of which is built into a heat exchangera liquefied gas cooler and a pre-cooling heat exchanger, with the possibility of supplying heat, after which it is connected to a compressed gas consumer, the second pipeline is connected to a low-temperature heat exchanger, with the possibility of cooling and liquefying liquefied gas in it, the outlet of which is connected, for example, to an expansion device, possibly in the form of an expander (liquid), or to a throttle valve, the outlet of which is connected to a liquefied gas separator, part of the liquefied gas from which is connected by pipeline to consumer of liquefied natural gas, while the third pipeline from the heavy hydrocarbon separator is connected to an expansion device, for example to an expander, the outlet of which is connected to a low-temperature heat exchanger, with the possibility of supplying heat, the outlet of heated gas from which is connected, then, by a pipeline to the heat exchanger-cooler liquefied gas, the outlet from which, the refrigerants heated in it, possibly through a pre-cooling heat exchanger, is connected to a pressurization system, for example to a fan, or to a compressor of the compression system, the outlet of which is connected to the low-pressure working fluid supply port of the cascade pressure exchanger, while, the removal of part of the condensate from the liquefied gas separator is connected to the pump of the recirculation circuit of the compressing working fluid, the outlet from which is connected by pipelines, in series, with the possibility of supplying heat, first, in the direction of movement of the high-pressure compressing working fluid, to the low-temperature heat exchanger, then to the heat exchangerliquefied gas cooler, then possibly through a pre-cooling heat exchanger, then connected to at least one higher temperature 35 heater, at the outlet of which, a pipeline with a heated high-pressure compressive working fluid is connected to at least the high-pressure working fluid supply port of the cascade pressure exchanger.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the removal of gas condensate, for example ethane or propane, from the high-pressure condensate separator is divided into three pipelines, one of which is connected to the pump of the high-pressure working fluid recirculation circuit, the outlet from which is connected at least to at least one heater, the outlet of which is connected to the high-pressure working fluid supply port of the cascade pressure exchanger, the second pipeline is connected to the pumps of the evaporative cooling system of the quasi-isothermal cascade pressure exchanger, the third pipeline is connected to the heat exchanger for pre-cooling the liquefied gas, with the possibility of heat removal, further, in the direction of condensate movement, the pipeline with cooled condensate is connected to an expansion device, for example to a throttle, the outlet from which is connected from the cold side to the pre-cooling heat exchanger, the outlet of the heated and evaporated refrigerant from which is connected to the low-pressure working fluid supply port of the cascade pressure exchanger.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the removal of gas condensate, for example ethane or propane, from the high-pressure condensate separator contains a pipeline connected to a high-pressure pump, the outlet of which is connected to at least one heater, for example to heat exchangereconomizer, the outlet of the heated gaseous working fluid from which is connected to the drive turbine of the compressor and, or electric generator, the outlet from which is connected to the cooler, the outlet from which is connected to the low pressure working fluid supply port of the cascade pressure exchanger, for example through the compressor of the pre-compression system.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the pipeline with condensate from a high-pressure condensate separator, for example ethane, as a refrigerant is connected, for example at the beginning, along the flow of liquefied ethane, with the possibility of heat removal, to the pre-cooling heat exchanger, the outlet from which is divided into two pipelines, one pipeline is connected to an expansion device, for example in the form of a throttle valve, the outlet from which is connected with of the cold side to the pre-cooling heat exchanger of at least liquefied gas, the outlet of the heated refrigerant from which is led by a pipeline to the low-pressure working fluid supply port of the pressure exchanger, while another pipeline of liquefied and cooled ethane is connected to a colder heat exchanger-cooler, at least liquefied gas, for example with the possibility of additional cooling, at the outlet of which cooled ethane is connected by pipeline to another expansion device, for example in the form of a throttle, with the possibility of expansion to a lower pressure than in the first throttle, the outlet of which is connected, on the cold side, to a heat exchangera cooler, at least of liquefied gas, the outlet of the heated refrigerant from which is connected with the possibility of supplying heat, through a separate line to the pre-cooling heat exchanger, the outlet of the heated refrigerant from which is connected to the compressor of the pre-compression system.

9. The Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, as an expansion device for a gaseous refrigerant, for example nitrogen, it contains at least one cascade expander-compressor, made on the basis of a cascade pressure exchanger, for example quasi-isothermal, at least designed with the possibility of removal heat in the heat exchanger from the cooled and liquefied gas and, or from the refrigerant, and the heat supply in the same heat exchanger to the bypass, and possibly to, made on the opposite side of the rotor, in terms of expansion in the channels of the rotor of the working fluid, outlet channels of the cascade expander compressor.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one pipeline, after discharge from the pump of the recirculation circuit of the high-pressure compressing working fluid, is connected to at least one heater, for example to a boiler-steam generator and, or to a recuperator, release of a heated high-pressure working fluidgas and, or steam from which, is connected with the possibility of supplying heat to a high-temperature heater, possibly in the form of a combustion chamber, for example, configured to burn methane gas in an environment of, at least partially, pre-mixed and heated dioxide carbon and oxygen, and possibly water vapor, the outlet of the heated working fluid from the high-temperature heater is connected to the inlet of an expansion device, for example, a turbine, the outlet of the expanded working fluid fmm which can be connected to a pipeline with, 37 pre-compressed in the fan (compressor) of the recirculation circuit of the compressive working fluid and heated, for example in a recuperator, the compressive working fluid in the form of gas, a mixture of gases and, or a vapor-gas mixture, after which the pipeline with the combined compressive working fluid (medium) is connected, for example through a high-temperature heater, possibly also in the form of a combustion chamber, to the high-pressure working fluid supply port of the cascade pressure exchanger.

Description

[0017] The drawings show:

[0018] FIG. 1 Apparatus of compression, liquefaction and cooling of gas. Shown is the development of a quasi-isothermal cascade pressure exchanger.

[0019] FIG. 2 Technological diagram of the apparatus for compression and liquefaction of natural gas with nitrogen as one of the working fluids of the thermocompression and refrigerant of the gas liquefaction system.

[0020] FIG. 3 Technological scheme for producing liquefied natural gas and mechanical energy, with nitrogen as a refrigerant in the cooling circuit.

[0021] FIG. 4 Flow diagram of a natural gas liquefaction plant with at least nitrogen as refrigerants in the cooling circuit. The development of a quasi-isothermal cascade pressure exchanger in terms of thermal compression of refrigerants and a quasi-isothermal cascade expander-compressor in terms of generating deep cold is shown.

[0022] FIG. 5. Apparatus for liquefying carbon dioxide, with liquid carbon dioxide as a compressing working fluid. Shown is the development of a quasi-isothermal cascade pressure exchanger.

[0023] FIG. 6. Apparatus for obtaining liquefied carbon dioxide and additional energy, in the process of burning methane, in an environment of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Shown is the development of a quasi-isothermal cascade pressure exchanger.

[0024] The apparatus includes the following elements and blocks: a pressurization system, in the form of a boost fan 1 and, or a pre-compression system, for example, in the form of a low pressure compressor 2 and a high pressure compressor 3, connected through an intercooler 4 and an aftercooler 5, to the low-pressure working fluid supply port 6 of a cascade pressure exchanger (quasi-isothermal) 7 with bypass (mass transfer) channels 8, the low-pressure working fluid outlet port 9 of which is connected through a recuperator 10 with a low-pressure condensate separator pressure 11, through a purge fan 12, to the low-pressure working fluid supply port 6, the high-pressure working fluid outlet port 13 of the cascade pressure exchanger 7 is connected to an atmospheric cooler 14, possibly with a high-pressure condensate separator 15, for example, through a high-temperature cooler 16, also with a high-pressure condensate separator 15, the outlet of non-condensed gas from which is possibly connected to the outlet of compressed gas to the consumer 17 and to the fan of the working fluid recirculation circuit 1, also contains a pump of the working fluid recirculation circuit 19, the outlet from which is possibly combined with the outlet from the fan 18, is connected to the recuperator 10 and, further, to a high-temperature heater 20, possibly made in the form of a combustion chamber 21, after which it can be connected to a turbine 22, with an electric generator 23, the outlet of which is connected to the high-pressure working fluid supply port 24, cascade pressure exchanger 7, also from the high pressure condensate separator 15, the condensed gas and non-condensed gas can be separately connected by pipelines, possibly first to the pre-cooling heat exchanger 25, then to the liquefied gas cooler heat exchanger 26, after leaving which, the condensed gas can be again directed through the throttle valve 27 into this heat exchanger, and the non-condensed gas is supplied to the expander 28, possibly in the form of a cascade expander-compressor 29, possibly quasi-isothermal, the cooled gas outlet from which is supplied to the low-temperature heat exchanger 30, which may also contain a rotor speed control device 31 32, cascade pressure exchanger 7, evaporative cooling system of compressed gas 33, heat exchanger-heater of bypass channels 34, supply of liquefied gas 35, liquefied gas separator 36, discharge of liquefied gas to the consumer 37, heavy hydrocarbon condensate separator 38, additional drying device 39, additional device gas preparation 40, low-temperature recuperator (evaporator) 41, electric motor 42, shut-off valve 43, may contain a liquefied low-temperature refrigerant separator 44, a water or liquefied gas treatment system 45, a coolant separator 46, circulation fan 47, heat exchanger-economnizer 48, high-pressure pump 49.

[0025] The apparatus operates as follows.

[0026] A compressible gaseous medium, for example propane, is compressed in a cascade pressure exchanger 7 (FIG. 1), as a result of exposure to an additionally heated compressive gaseous medium, for example gaseous propane of higher pressure, the pre-pressure of which, after cooling in the cooler 14 and condensation, is pumped into the pump recirculation circuit of the working fluid 19, after which the propane is sequentially heated and evaporated in the recuperator 10, after which it is sent to the heater 20, the heated propane from which is sent to the supply port of the high-pressure working fluid 24 of the cascade pressure exchanger 7 as a compressive high-pressure working fluid. The other part of the propane condensate is compressed in the evaporative cooling system 33 and injected into the medium (propane) compressed in the cascade pressure exchanger 7 as a coolant-refrigerant. The third part of the propane, after leaving the pump 19, is sent as a refrigerant to the pre-cooling heat exchanger 25, cooled together with the flow of liquefied gas from the supply 35, after which it is expanded in the throttle valve 27 and again sent to the heat exchanger 25 as a refrigerant, which is in the heat exchanger 25 heats up and evaporates, after which it is supplied to the low-pressure working fluid supply port 6 of the cascade pressure exchanger, where the compressive medium expanded in the rotor 32 of the pressure exchanger 7 is also supplied, through the fan 12, the residual heat from which is removed in the recuperator 10.

[0027] The apparatus can simultaneously use a multicomponent working fluid, for example nitrogen and ethane. (FIG. 2) In this case, the pressure of ethane, used as a high-pressure compressive working fluid, is pumped by pump 19, after which ethane evaporates in the recuperator 10 and is heated in heater 20. And nitrogen, after compression in the cascade pressure exchanger 7, is partially removed by fan 18 in recirculation circuit of the high-pressure compressing working fluid and is heated, at least in the heater 20. And partially cooled as a refrigerant in heat exchangers 25 and 26, after which it is expanded in the expander 28 and sent to the low-temperature heat exchanger 30, where the liquefied gas is cooled. After heating in heat exchangers 25, 26 and 30, low pressure nitrogen is supplied to the low pressure working fluid supply port 6 and compressed again. Additionally, part of the ethane condensate from pump 16 is sent to heat exchanger 22, where it is cooled. After which, part of it is expanded in one expander 27 and sent for heating and evaporation into a heat exchanger 25, then compressed in an exchanger 7. And part is cooled in a colder heat exchanger 26, then expanded in another expander 27, to a lower pressure and cooled with it, gas and refrigerants in heat exchangers 26 and 25, after which they are compressed in the compressor 3 of the pre-compression system, cooled in the cooler 5 and again compressed in the exchanger 7. The other part of the ethane condensate is compressed in the high-pressure pump 49 and sent to the heat exchanger-economizer 48, where it is heated and expand in the turbine 22, which rotates the electric generator 23 and the compressor 3 of the pre-compression system, after which it is cooled in the cooler 5 and compressed again in the cascade pressure exchanger 7.

[0028] Possibly, the gas not condensed in the high-pressure condensate separator 15, for example, nitrogen used as a refrigerant, is divided for two hours and (FIG. 3), one part of the high-pressure nitrogen is sent to the input of the fan or compressor of the working fluid recirculation circuit 18, after which it is heated in the recuperator 10, then in the high-temperature heater 20 and supplied to the high-pressure working fluid supply port 6 of the cascade exchanger 7, and the other part, possibly after an additional drying device 39, is sent sequentially as it cools, for example, to the pre-cooling heat exchanger 25, then into the heat exchanger-cooler of liquefied gas 26, after which the cooled refrigerant (nitrogen) is sent to an expansion device, for example in the form of an expander 28, in which it is expanded to perform useful work, as a result of which it is further cooled, after which medium-pressure nitrogen is divided into two parts, one part is again sent to the expansion device, possibly in the form of a throttle valve 27, or an expander, for example, in this case, the nitrogen is pre-cooled in the heat exchanger-evaporator of the liquefied low-temperature refrigerant (nitrogen) (not shown in the drawing), then separated in the liquefied low-temperature separator refrigerant (nitrogen) 44, liquefied nitrogen from which is supplied to the pump of the working fluid recirculation circuit 19, where its pressure increases, then high-pressure liquefied nitrogen is supplied, for example, at first, as heat is supplied, to the heat exchangerevaporator of liquefied nitrogen, after which it sequentially heated in a low-temperature heat exchanger 30, then in a heat exchanger-cooler of liquefied gas 26, after which it is possibly heated in a pre-cooling heat exchanger 25, then high-pressure nitrogen is heated, possibly in a recuperator 10, after which it is heated in a high-temperature heater 20 and supplied to the turbine 22, which rotates the payload, for example in the form of an electric generator 23.

[0029] It is possible that the low-temperature expansion device (FIG. 4) is made in the form of a cascade expander-compressor 29, possibly quasi-isothermal, in which heat is removed from the compressed gas (mixture) during the compression process, while when the rotor of the cascade expander-compressor 29 rotates, the compressive the working fluid (cooled gas or mixture of gases), for example nitrogen, is expanded to perform useful work, while the nitrogen is cooled, and it is directed from the low-pressure working fluid outlet port of the cascade expander-compressor 29, possibly through a coolant separator 46, for example, ethane and, or propane, into a low-temperature heat exchanger 30, where nitrogen is heated, cooling and liquefying the liquefied gas, then the flow of heated nitrogen is divided into two parts, one of which is sent, with the possibility of supplying heat, to the heat exchanger-cooler of the liquefied gas 26, while mixed with evaporated ethane and or propane, after which the mixed refrigerant is connected, for example, to fan 1 (compressor) of the pressurization system and, further, to the low-pressure working fluid supply port 6 of the cascade pressure exchanger 7, and the other part of the nitrogen is sent through a pipeline to the heat exchangerliquefied gas cooler 26, after which the pipeline with heated nitrogen is connected via a purge fan 12 to the low-pressure working fluid supply port of the cascade expander-compressor 29, while the pipeline with cooled high-pressure gas after leaving the heat exchanger-cooler of the liquefied working fluid 26 is connected to the high-pressure working fluid supply port of the cascade expander-compressor 29, from the high-pressure working fluid outlet port of which, the working fluid (refrigerant) compressed in it, for example, is first cooled, possibly in an atmospheric cooler 14, for example with a coolant condensate separator (ethane and, or propane) 46, after which the high-pressure refrigerant (nitrogen) is connected through the circulation fan 47 to the high-pressure working fluid supply port of the cascade expander-compressor 29. Then the cycle is repeated.

[0030] The apparatus may contain a heat exchangerbypass heater, and, possibly channels 34 (FIG. 1 FIG. 2 FIG. 4) In this case, through the heat exchanger 34, heat is supplied to the bypass (mass transfer) channels, which heats the compressive working fluid in the process of its expansion, when the rotor 32 rotates, the cascade pressure exchanger 7. This increases the efficiency of compression of the compressible medium during gas expansion in the quasi-isothermal cascade pressure exchanger 7, which increases the efficiency of the installation as a whole.

[0031] After additional gas preparation device 40, it is possible that gas, for example carbon dioxide, is sent to a low-temperature recuperator 41 and cooled in it (FIG. 5), after which the gas is sent to a heat exchangerliquefied gas cooler 26, connected to a refrigeration unit (not shown in the drawings), shown), in which the temperature of the gas decreases and, at a given pressure, the gas liquefies, after which it is possible to remove uncondensed gas from it in the liquefied gas separator 36, and the liquefied gas is partially sent to the consumer, through the outlet of the liquefied gas to the consumer 37, and part of the liquefied gas is possible direct it to the working fluid recirculation circuit pump 19. After which the liquefied gas is initially heated and evaporated in a low-temperature recuperator 41 with a reverse flow of liquefied gas, then combined with a gas flow compressed in the fan of the working fluid recirculation circuit 18, after which the gas is heated in the recuperator 10 and heater 20.

[0032] It is possible that a gas, such as carbon dioxide, is liquefied at ambient temperature. (FIG. 6) In this case, from the outlet port of the high-pressure working fluid 13 of the cascade pressure exchanger 7, carbon dioxide or a mixture of carbon dioxide and high-pressure water vapor is divided into two streams. One stream is directed to the fan of the high-pressure working fluid circuit 18, then heated and directed to the high-pressure working fluid supply port 24 of the cascade pressure exchanger 7. And the other stream is directed to the high-temperature cooler 16, where water is removed from it, then sent to an additional drying device 39, after which, for example, it is brought to condition in an additional gas preparation device 40. Then the gas is sent to an atmospheric cooler 14 in which it is liquefied at ambient temperature, after which part of the liquefied gas is given to the consumer, for example, while it is cooled in some known way, for example, expanded in an expander 28. After which it is sent to a heat exchangerliquefied gas cooler 26, in which the gas is cooled and liquefied by a reverse flow of non-condensed gas of low pressure, after expansion in the throttle valve 27. The other part of the liquefied gas is connected to the pump of the recirculation circuit of the compressing working fluid 19 and is compressed, for example, to supercritical pressure, after which it is heated in the recuperator 10, then heated in a high-temperature heater, possibly in the combustion chamber 21 in which methane is burned in an environment of oxygen and carbon dioxide circulating in the cycle, after which a mixture of water vapor and carbon dioxide is combined with gas or a vapor-gas mixture, pre-compressed in the fan of the recirculation circuit of the compressing working fluid 18, and heated, for example in a recuperator 10, then possibly heated again in the high-temperature heater 20, or in the combustion chamber 21 and is supplied, as a compressing medium, to the high-pressure working fluid supply port 24 of the cascade pressure exchanger 7.

[0033] The use of this invention will make it possible to effectively compress and liquefy gas in simple and reliable installations using various sources of thermal energy, while it is possible to convert part of the thermal energy into mechanical energy and usefully use it, for example, in the same installation.