Liquid natural gas liquefier utilizing mechanical and liquid nitrogen refrigeration

A natural gas liquefier system, comprising:

• a) a natural gas inlet in fluid communication to a source of natural gas;
• b) a liquid nitrogen inlet in fluid communication to a source of liquid nitrogen;
• c) at least one refrigerant inlet in fluid communication to a source of gaseous refrigerant fluid;
• d) at least one gaseous refrigerant outlet at a lower pressure than the refrigerant inlet in fluid communication to a device to receive the lower pressure refrigerant fluid;
• e) a liquefier in fluid communication to receive the natural gas, liquid nitrogen, inlet and outlet refrigerant flows which also includes at least one turbine;
• f) the at least one turbine which receives a flow of inlet refrigerant and discharges a flow of a reduce temperature refrigerant at a reduced pressure, wherein the inlet flow to the at least one turbine may or may not be pre-cooled within the liquefier module to a sub-ambient temperature;
• and
• g) said liquefier receiving the reduced temperature and pressure refrigerant fluid is then warmed where it is processed and discharged from the liquefier as the gaseous refrigerant outlet;
• and liquefied natural gas output coupled to the liquefier.