NATURAL GAS LIQUEFACTION PROCESS

摘要

A gas processing facility for the liquefaction of a natural gas feed stream is provided. The facility comprises a gas separation unit having at least one fractionation vessel. The gas separation unit employs adsorbent beds for adsorptive kinetic separation. The adsorbent beds release a methane-rich gas feed stream. The facility also includes a high-pressure expander cycle refrigeration system. The refrigeration system compresses the methane-rich gas feed stream to a pressure greater than about 1,000 psia. The refrigeration system also chills the methane-rich gas feed stream in one or more coolers, and then expands the chilled gas feed stream to form a liquefied product stream. Processes for liquefying a natural gas feed stream using AKS and a high-pressure expander cycle refrigeration system are also provided herein. Such processes allow for the formation of LNG using a facility having less weight than conventional facilities.