METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR COOLING AND/OR LIQUEFYING A HYDROCARBON STREAM; METHOD FOR ACCOMMODATING A REDUCTION OF AVAILABLE DRIVER POWER; AND METHOD OF REDUCING A DECREASE IN THE PRODUCTION RANGE OF A COOLED HYDROCARBON STREAM

摘要

A hydrocarbon stream (5) is heat exchanged against one or more at' least, partially condensed refrigerant streams (20e) to provide a cooled hydrocarbon stream (6) and an at least partly evaporated refrigerant stream (8) at a pressure P1. One or more compressor feed streams (10a) are provided at a pressure not higher than P1, from a combination of at least at least a fraction of the at least partly evaporated refrigerant stream (8) and an at least partially liquid stream (32) which is at least partly vapourised to cool at least one of the one or more compressor feed streams (10a). The at least partially liquid stream (32) is provided from the at least one refrigerant circuit (2). At least one (12) of the refrigerant compressor ( s ) is operated, thereby providing at least one or more compressed refrigerant streams (20), of which at least a portion is condensed (17) to provide the one or more at least partly condensed refrigerant streams (20e).