Abstract:
A method for producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) is provided. The method may include feeding natural gas from a high-pressure natural gas source to a separator and removing a non-hydrocarbon from the natural gas. A portion of the natural gas from the separator may be precooled, and the precooled natural gas may be cooled in a first heat exchanger with a first refrigeration stream. A first portion of the cooled natural gas may be expanded in a turbo-expander to generate the first refrigeration stream. A second portion of the cooled natural gas may be cooled in a second heat exchanger with the first refrigeration stream and expanded in an expansion valve to produce a two-phase fluid containing the LNG and a vapor phase. The LNG may be separated from the vapor phase in a liquid separator and stored in a storage tank.
Abstract:
A system and method for producing liquefied natural gas from a natural gas source is provided. The method may include feeding natural gas provided by the natural gas source to a liquefaction module. The method may also include flowing the natural gas through a product stream of the liquefaction module. The method may further include flowing a process fluid through a liquefaction stream of the liquefaction module to cool at least a portion of the natural gas flowing through the product stream to produce the liquefied natural gas.
Abstract:
A method for operating a compressed air energy storage system is provided. The method can include compressing a process gas with a compressor train to produce a compressed process gas and storing the compressed process gas in a compressed gas storage unit. The method can also include extracting the compressed process gas from the compressed gas storage unit to an expansion assembly through a feed line. A valve assembly fluidly coupled to the feed line can be actuated to control a mass flow of the compressed process gas from the compressed gas storage unit to the expansion assembly. The method can further include heating the compressed process gas in a preheater fluidly coupled to the feed line upstream from the expansion assembly, and generating a power output with the expansion assembly.
Abstract:
An internally-cooled diaphragm for an internally-cooled compressor is provided. The internally-cooled diaphragm may include an annular body configured to cool a process fluid flowing through a fluid pathway of the internally-cooled compressor. The annular body may define a return channel of the fluid pathway, and a cooling pathway in thermal communication with the fluid pathway. The return channel may be configured to at least partially diffuse and de-swirl the process fluid flowing therethrough, and the cooling pathway may be configured to receive a coolant to absorb heat from the process fluid flowing through the return channel.
Abstract:
An internally-cooled compressor is provided including a casing and a diaphragm disposed in the casing. The diaphragm includes a diaphragm box defining a plurality of box channels and a bulb defining a plurality of bulb channels. A plurality of return channel vanes connect the diaphragm box and bulb in fluid communication, such that each return channel vane defines a plurality of return vane conduits coupled in fluid communication with the plurality of box channels and the plurality of bulb channels thereby forming a section of a cooling pathway. The cooling pathway is configured such that a cooling agent introduced from an external coolant source into the diaphragm box and flowing through a box channel flows through a return vane conduit into and through a bulb channel and back through another return vane conduit into another box channel before flowing back to the external coolant source.
Abstract:
An integral compressor-expander assembly, including a cryogenic expander positioned in an overhung configuration on a central shaft; a multi-stage centrifugal compressor supported on the central shaft between at least two bearings; and a device coupled to the central shaft and configured to either supply rotational power to the central shaft or generate power from rotation of the central shaft, depending upon a current operational mode of the multi-stage compressor.
Abstract:
A method for operating a compressed air energy storage system is provided. The method can include compressing a process gas with a compressor train to produce a compressed process gas and storing the compressed process gas in a compressed gas storage unit. The method can also include extracting the compressed process gas from the compressed gas storage unit to an expansion assembly through a feed line. A valve assembly fluidly coupled to the feed line can be actuated to control a mass flow of the compressed process gas from the compressed gas storage unit to the expansion assembly. The method can further include heating the compressed process gas in a preheater fluidly coupled to the feed line upstream from the expansion assembly, and generating a power output with the expansion assembly.
Abstract:
An internally-cooled compressor is provided including a casing and a diaphragm disposed in the casing. The diaphragm includes a diaphragm box defining a plurality of box channels and a bulb defining a plurality of bulb channels. A plurality of return channel vanes connect the diaphragm box and bulb in fluid communication, such that each return channel vane defines a plurality of return vane conduits coupled in fluid communication with the plurality of box channels and the plurality of bulb channels thereby forming a section of a cooling pathway. The cooling pathway is configured such that a cooling agent introduced from an external coolant source into the diaphragm box and flowing through a box channel flows through a return vane conduit into and through a bulb channel and back through another return vane conduit into another box channel before flowing back to the external coolant source.
Abstract:
An integral compressor-expander assembly, including a cryogenic expander positioned in an overhung configuration on a central shaft; a multi-stage centrifugal compressor supported on the central shaft between at least two bearings; and a device coupled to the central shaft and configured to either supply rotational power to the central shaft or generate power from rotation of the central shaft, depending upon a current operational mode of the multi-stage compressor.
Abstract:
An integral compressor-expander assembly, including a cryogenic expander positioned in an overhung configuration on a central shaft; a multi-stage centrifugal compressor supported on the central shaft between at least two bearings; and a device coupled to the central shaft and configured to either supply rotational power to the central shaft or generate power from rotation of the central shaft, depending upon a current operational mode of the multi-stage compressor.