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US2811843A - Method of liquefying natural gas at casing head pressure - Google Patents

Method of liquefying natural gas at casing head pressure Download PDF

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US2811843A
US2811843A US428287A US42828754A US2811843A US 2811843 A US2811843 A US 2811843A US 428287 A US428287 A US 428287A US 42828754 A US42828754 A US 42828754A US 2811843 A US2811843 A US 2811843A
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gas
temperature
pressure
cooling
stripped
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US428287A
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Willard L Morrison
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Constock Liquid Methane Corp
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Constock Liquid Methane Corp
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/0002—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the fluid to be liquefied
    • F25J1/0022—Hydrocarbons, e.g. natural gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/003—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production
    • F25J1/0032—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using the feed stream itself or separated fractions from it, i.e. "internal refrigeration"
    • F25J1/0035—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using the feed stream itself or separated fractions from it, i.e. "internal refrigeration" by gas expansion with extraction of work
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/003—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production
    • F25J1/0032—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using the feed stream itself or separated fractions from it, i.e. "internal refrigeration"
    • F25J1/004—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using the feed stream itself or separated fractions from it, i.e. "internal refrigeration" by flash gas recovery
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0201—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using only internal refrigeration means, i.e. without external refrigeration
    • F25J1/0202—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using only internal refrigeration means, i.e. without external refrigeration in a quasi-closed internal refrigeration loop
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2220/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for the removal of impurities
    • F25J2220/60—Separating impurities from natural gas, e.g. mercury, cyclic hydrocarbons
    • F25J2220/64—Separating heavy hydrocarbons, e.g. NGL, LPG, C4+ hydrocarbons or heavy condensates in general
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2240/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for expanding of process streams
    • F25J2240/40—Expansion without extracting work, i.e. isenthalpic throttling, e.g. JT valve, regulating valve or venturi, or isentropic nozzle, e.g. Laval
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2245/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams
    • F25J2245/90—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams the recycled stream being boil-off gas from storage

Definitions

  • My invention relates to improvements in method and apparatus for liquefying natural gas at casing head pres sure. I propose to liquefy a portion of the gas entering my apparatus at high pressure, preferably, but not necessarily, directly from the well at casing heading pressure, by reducing it to a temperature at which some of the gas remains liquid at atmospheric pressure.
  • Natural gas is primarily methane mixed with relatively smaller quantities of water vapor and other gases which have different physical and chemical characteristics than methane. Since the gas to which the present invention is primarily directed is methane, the liquid must be reduced to a temperature not above approximately -258 F. for that is the temperature at which methane, the most intractable of all the elements of natural gas boils at atmospheric pressure.
  • the remaining dry gas after the liquid has been removed may be used to pre-cool the high pressure gas on its way to the expansion turbine or work zone and may thereafter be compressed up to the pressure of the discharge from the expansion chamber, be then mixed with that discharge and recirculated through the expansion turbine.
  • This expansion of recirculated gas and of gas prior to recirculation both takes place together in the expansion turbine.
  • 1 is the high pressure pipe which conducts natural gas at casing head pressure directly from a gas or oil well or from some other high pressure source to a primary heat exchanger 2 where the temperature of the gas is reduced.
  • the Well or other source of supply of gas under pressure is not illustrated since it forms no part of the present invention. Since the gas is cooled in the primary heat exchanger some condensate may result and that is discharged through the drain 3.
  • 4 is a pipe leading the high pressure gas past a throttle valve 5 to any suitable expansion nozzle 6 in the expansion chamber 7 where the gas without doing mechanical work expands and is reduced in temperature. This reduction in temperature may result in further condensation of some of the components of the gas which will be discharged through the drain 8.
  • the details of the drains 3 and 8 forming no part of the present invention are also not illustrated.
  • the cold gas at reduced pressure passes through the pipe 9, heat exchanger 2 where it cools the gas on its way to the throttle valve. Thence the gas passes through the pipe 10 to the precooler 11.
  • the cooled gas from the cooler 11 passes through the pipe 12 to the expansion turbine 13 where it expands, does work, driving the generator 14, is cooled and discharged at low pressure through the duct 15 to liquid separator 16.
  • Liquid from the separator 16 is discharged through the pipe 17 to the liquid reservoir or receiver 18.
  • the dry gas, the liquid having been removed, passes from the separator 16 through the duct 19 to the precooler heat exchanger 11 where it cools the gas on the way to the turbine.
  • the gas having passed through the precooler is conducted by the pipe 29 to the recycling compressor system 21. The details of the compressor are not here illustrated.
  • the power to operate the recycling compressor may be provided as at 24. If desired, electrically in part from the generator 14 or any other suitable source of power. 24 may therefore indicate diagrammatically an electric motor or a steam turbine or a gas turbine, it being understood that while the power generated in the expansion turbine is used to furnish part of the power to operate the recycling compressor, additional power from any suitable source, preferably by the use of some of the gas itself, must be supplied.
  • the precooler only diagrammatically.
  • the gas entering from the pipes 10 and 22 is divided and passes through a series of pipes 25 on its Way to the pipe. Any suitable heat exchange, of course, may be used.
  • the pipe 26 may also return to the system vapor from the liquid receiver 18 under control of the valve 27.
  • the pipe 28 under control of the valve 29 may bleed oif, if desired, some of the gas before it is recycled for other uses of any kind.
  • the method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high presure and temperature, cooling it, causing the cooled gas to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas, separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, compressing and cooling the stripped gas to a pressure susbtantially equal to the pressure of the gas after initial expansion, and recycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded gas to form said combined stream.
  • the method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, cooling it, causing the cooled gas to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas,
  • the method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, causing it to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas, separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, compressing the stripped gas to a pressure substantially equal tothe pressure of the gas after initial expansion, and recycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded gas to form said combined stream.
  • the method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, cooling it, causing the cooled gas to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, using the expanded cooled gas by heat exchange to cool the gas prior to initial expansion, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work. with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas, separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, compressing and cooling the stripped gas to a pressure substantially equal to the pressure of the gas after initial expansion, and recycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded 'gas to form said combined stream.
  • the method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, cooling it, causing the cooled gas to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas,
  • the method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, causing it to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas, separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, compressing and cooling the stripped gas to a pressure substantially equal to the pressure of the gas after initial expansion and recycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded gas to form said combined stream.
  • the method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, cooling it, causing the cooled gas to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature to a point above the temperature of liquefaction of the gas, removing condensates and combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas, separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, compressing and cooling the stripped gas to a pressure substantially equal to the pressure of the gas after initial expansion, and recycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded gas to form said combined stream.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)

Description

NV 5, 1957 w. L. MoRRisoN METHOD OF LIQUEFYING NATURAL GAS AT CASING HEAD PRESSURE Filed May 7, 1954 INVENTOR, WILLARD L. MORRISON BY ATTORNEYS,
PARKER 8r CARTER United States Patent() METHOD OF LIQUEFYING NATURAL GAS AT CASING HEAD PRESSURE Wiilard L. Morrison, Lake Forest, lll., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Constock Liquid Methane Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application May 7, 1954, Serial No. 428,287
7 Claims. (Cl. 62175) My invention relates to improvements in method and apparatus for liquefying natural gas at casing head pres sure. I propose to liquefy a portion of the gas entering my apparatus at high pressure, preferably, but not necessarily, directly from the well at casing heading pressure, by reducing it to a temperature at which some of the gas remains liquid at atmospheric pressure. Natural gas is primarily methane mixed with relatively smaller quantities of water vapor and other gases which have different physical and chemical characteristics than methane. Since the gas to which the present invention is primarily directed is methane, the liquid must be reduced to a temperature not above approximately -258 F. for that is the temperature at which methane, the most intractable of all the elements of natural gas boils at atmospheric pressure.
In the present invention I propose to cause the gas at high pressure to expand, thus cooling the gas without doing any mechanical work. Such cooling will cause condensation as liquid of some of the other constituents of natural gas. Such liquids will be removed by draining after the reduction in temperature has caused their condensation. I propose then toexpand the resultant gas down to a much lower pressure perhaps in the order of atmospheric pressure and as it expands it will be causedto do mechanical work. The resultant reduction of temperature down to approximately. -258 F. will cause some of the methane to be condensed to a liquid which can then be drained oif as a liquid at approximately -258 F.
Assuming that it is desired to liquefy all of the gas passing through the system, the remaining dry gas after the liquid has been removed may be used to pre-cool the high pressure gas on its way to the expansion turbine or work zone and may thereafter be compressed up to the pressure of the discharge from the expansion chamber, be then mixed with that discharge and recirculated through the expansion turbine. This expansion of recirculated gas and of gas prior to recirculation both takes place together in the expansion turbine.
My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic layout and flow sheet illustrating my invention.
Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and drawing.
1 is the high pressure pipe which conducts natural gas at casing head pressure directly from a gas or oil well or from some other high pressure source to a primary heat exchanger 2 where the temperature of the gas is reduced. The Well or other source of supply of gas under pressure is not illustrated since it forms no part of the present invention. Since the gas is cooled in the primary heat exchanger some condensate may result and that is discharged through the drain 3. 4 is a pipe leading the high pressure gas past a throttle valve 5 to any suitable expansion nozzle 6 in the expansion chamber 7 where the gas without doing mechanical work expands and is reduced in temperature. This reduction in temperature may result in further condensation of some of the components of the gas which will be discharged through the drain 8. The details of the drains 3 and 8 forming no part of the present invention are also not illustrated. The cold gas at reduced pressure passes through the pipe 9, heat exchanger 2 where it cools the gas on its way to the throttle valve. Thence the gas passes through the pipe 10 to the precooler 11. The cooled gas from the cooler 11 passes through the pipe 12 to the expansion turbine 13 where it expands, does work, driving the generator 14, is cooled and discharged at low pressure through the duct 15 to liquid separator 16. Liquid from the separator 16 is discharged through the pipe 17 to the liquid reservoir or receiver 18. The dry gas, the liquid having been removed, passes from the separator 16 through the duct 19 to the precooler heat exchanger 11 where it cools the gas on the way to the turbine. The gas having passed through the precooler is conducted by the pipe 29 to the recycling compressor system 21. The details of the compressor are not here illustrated. Suffice it to say that the gas at turbine exhaust pressure will be compressed and cooled to the pressure and temperature of the gas in pipe 10. This compressed gas then passes through the pipe 22 to join the pipe 10 so that the gas from the expansion chamber is mixed with the gas from the recycling compressor and again passes through the precooler heat exchanger.
The power to operate the recycling compressor may be provided as at 24. If desired, electrically in part from the generator 14 or any other suitable source of power. 24 may therefore indicate diagrammatically an electric motor or a steam turbine or a gas turbine, it being understood that while the power generated in the expansion turbine is used to furnish part of the power to operate the recycling compressor, additional power from any suitable source, preferably by the use of some of the gas itself, must be supplied.
I have illustrated the precooler only diagrammatically. In this case the gas entering from the pipes 10 and 22 is divided and passes through a series of pipes 25 on its Way to the pipe. Any suitable heat exchange, of course, may be used. The pipe 26 may also return to the system vapor from the liquid receiver 18 under control of the valve 27. The pipe 28 under control of the valve 29 may bleed oif, if desired, some of the gas before it is recycled for other uses of any kind.
I claim:
1. The method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high presure and temperature, cooling it, causing the cooled gas to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas, separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, compressing and cooling the stripped gas to a pressure susbtantially equal to the pressure of the gas after initial expansion, and recycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded gas to form said combined stream.
2. The method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, cooling it, causing the cooled gas to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas,
separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, compressing the stripped gas to a pressure susbtantially equal to the pressure of the gas after initial expansion, andtrecycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded gas to form said combined stream.
3. The method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, causing it to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas, separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, compressing the stripped gas to a pressure substantially equal tothe pressure of the gas after initial expansion, and recycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded gas to form said combined stream.
4. The method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, cooling it, causing the cooled gas to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, using the expanded cooled gas by heat exchange to cool the gas prior to initial expansion, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work. with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas, separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, compressing and cooling the stripped gas to a pressure substantially equal to the pressure of the gas after initial expansion, and recycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded 'gas to form said combined stream.
5. The method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, cooling it, causing the cooled gas to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas,
separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, using the stripped gas by heat exchange to cool the gas immediately prior to the time that it expands doing external work, compressing and cooling the stripped gas to a pressure substantially equal to the pressure of the gas after initial expansion, and recycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded gas to form said combined stream.
6. The method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, causing it to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature, combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas, separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, compressing and cooling the stripped gas to a pressure substantially equal to the pressure of the gas after initial expansion and recycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded gas to form said combined stream.
7. The method of liquefying gas which consists in supplying it in gaseous phase to a liquefying system at relatively high pressure and temperature, cooling it, causing the cooled gas to initially expand without doing external work but with resultant reduction in temperature to a point above the temperature of liquefaction of the gas, removing condensates and combining the initially expanded gas with stripped gas to be recycled, cooling the combined stream, causing it to expand and do external work with further reduction in temperature and resultant liquefaction of some of the gas, separating the liquid from the gaseous phase, compressing and cooling the stripped gas to a pressure substantially equal to the pressure of the gas after initial expansion, and recycling the stripped gas to combine with said initial expanded gas to form said combined stream.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims (1)

1. THE METHOD OF LIQUEFYING GAS WHICH CONSISTS IN SUPPLYING IT IN GASEOUS PHASE TO A LIQUEFYING SYSTEM AT RELATIVELY HIGH PRESURE AND TEMPERATURE, COOLING IT, CAUSING THE COOLED GAS TO INITIALLY EXPAND WITHOUT DOING EXTERNAL WORK BUT WITH RESULTANT REDUCTION IN TEMPERATURE, COMBINDING THE INTIALLY EXPANDED GAS WITH STRIPPED GAS TO BE RECYCLED, COOLING THE COMBINED STREAM, CAUSING IT TO EXPAND AND DO EXTERNAL WORK WITH FURTHER REDUCTION IN TEMPERATURE AND RESULTANT LIQUEFACTION OF SOME OF THE GAS, SEPARATING THE LIQUID FROM THE GASEOUS PHASE, COMPRESSING AND COOLING THE STRIPPED GAS TO A PRESSURE SUSBTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE PRESSURE OF THE GAS AFTER INITIAL EXPANSION, AND RECYCLING THE STRIPPED GAS TO COMBINE WITH SAID INITIAL EXPANDED GAS TO FORM SAID COMBINED STREAM.
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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1091138B (en) * 1958-10-09 1960-10-20 Constock Liquid Methane Corp Method and device for purifying natural gas before it is liquefied
US3257813A (en) * 1960-08-03 1966-06-28 Conch Int Methane Ltd Liquefaction of gases

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2001550A (en) * 1929-07-27 1935-05-14 Fletcher Works Inc Centrifugal
US2679145A (en) * 1951-12-08 1954-05-25 Union Stock Yards & Transit Co Regenerative method and apparatus for liquefying natural gas

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2001550A (en) * 1929-07-27 1935-05-14 Fletcher Works Inc Centrifugal
US2679145A (en) * 1951-12-08 1954-05-25 Union Stock Yards & Transit Co Regenerative method and apparatus for liquefying natural gas

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1091138B (en) * 1958-10-09 1960-10-20 Constock Liquid Methane Corp Method and device for purifying natural gas before it is liquefied
US3257813A (en) * 1960-08-03 1966-06-28 Conch Int Methane Ltd Liquefaction of gases

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