Facility and method for refrigeration and/or liquefaction of a fluid

A facility for refrigeration and/or liquefaction of a fluid comprising a circuit of fluid to be cooled, the facility comprising:

• an upstream end configured to be connected to a source of fluid to be cooled and a downstream end configured to be connected to a member for collecting the cooled and/or liquefied fluid;
• a set of heat exchangers in heat exchange with the circuit of the fluid to be cooled;
• a cooling device in heat exchange with the set of heat exchangers, said cooling device comprising a refrigerator having a cycle of refrigeration of a cycle gas in a working circuit,
• the working circuit of the refrigerator comprising a compressor configured to compress the cycle gas, a system configured to cool the cycle gas, a means for expanding the cycle gas and a system for reheating the cycle gas, the means for expanding the cycle gas comprising a plurality of turbines rigidly connected to shafts rotatably mounted on aerostatic bearings;
• a plurality of braking compressors configured to apply a braking force to the plurality turbines, wherein each of the plurality of braking compressors is rigidly connected to the shaft of one of the plurality of turbines;
• a plurality of braking gas circuits each comprising one of the plurality of braking compressors, wherein each of the plurality of braking gas circuits further comprises a system for cooling the braking gas downstream of the braking compressor and a mechanism for expanding the braking gas;
• and
• a compressed supporting gas circuit comprising an end connected to a source of compressed supporting gas and a downstream end connected to the bearings, the source of compressed supporting gas comprising at least one of the braking circuits,
• wherein the plurality of the braking gas circuits are fluidically connected in a common circuit in which the plurality of braking compressors are positioned in series and in that the source of compressed supporting gas comprises one end of the common circuit downstream of the plurality of braking compressors in series.