Producing power from a cryogenic liquid

摘要

Power is produced from a methane-containing cryogenic liquid such as LNG by compressing the liquid and employing the compressed liquid as a refrigerant in the condensers of two closed and independent power cycles. The heat exchange medium in the first of the cycles evaporates in a lower temperature range than that at which the heat exchange medium in the second cycle condenses. The first heat exchange medium is condensed by heat exchange in a first heat exchange step with the compressed cryogenic liquid and the second heat exchange medium is condensed by heat exchange in a second heat exchange step with compressed cryogenic liquid recovered from the first heat exchange step and evaporating first heat exchange medium. Power is recovered from the expansion engines associated with the two power cycles.