A refrigeration cycle utilising a multi-component refrigerant

摘要

In a refrigeration cycle utilizing a multi-component refrigerant and including at least one step of cooling and partially condensing compressed vapour and separating the condensate so formed from uncondensed vapour to form a condensate stream which is thereafter expanded and injected into returning low pressure refrigerant, a reflux heat exchanger (58) is employed in at least one of said steps of cooling and partially condensing to effect at least a part of the cooling and to separate condensate from uncondensed vapour. Condensate formed in heat exchanger (58) is recovered in line (64) condensate recovered from vapour/liquid separator (52) in line (70) may be injected, via pump (72) and line (74), into the compressed vapour stream travelling upwards through heat exchanger (58). The refrigeration cycle may be used in the liquefaction of natural gas.