APPARATUS FOR ETHANE LIQUEFACTION

摘要

The apparatus for ethane liquefaction can include a mixed refrigerant refrigeration cycle having inline compression without interstage cooling, or cooling only after the first compression stages where there is no liquid formation yet, such that the number of liquid recycle loops are reduced. The lack of cooling in the compressor reduces the compressor's mechanical efficiency; however, this is offset by having a more thermodynamically efficient process cycle because the cycle can operate as a mixed refrigerant rather than cascade.

主权项

1. An apparatus for the liquefaction of ethane, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a gaseous ethane source; (b) a heat exchanger configured to condense gaseous ethane received from the gaseous ethane source; (c) a mixed refrigerant refrigeration cycle configured to provide sufficient refrigeration to condense the gaseous ethane in the heat exchanger, wherein the mixed refrigerant refrigeration cycle further comprises:
at least two compression stages configured to compress the mixed refrigerant received from a warm end of the heat exchanger;a final cooler in fluid communication with the final compression stage, wherein the final cooler is configured to cool the compressed mixed refrigerant received from the final compression stage to a temperature that is sufficiently low to produce a two phase fluid;a liquid/gas separator in fluid communication with the cooler, wherein the liquid/gas separator is configured to receive the two phase fluid and separate the two phase fluid into a liquid refrigerant and a gas refrigerant; andmeans for expanding the gas refrigerant and the liquid refrigerant to form a cooled gas refrigerant and a cooled liquid refrigerant; wherein the heat exchanger is configured to receive the cooled gas refrigerant and the cooled liquid refrigerant such that heat from the gaseous ethane is absorbed by the cooled gas refrigerant and the cooled liquid refrigerant within the heat exchanger.