US 2014/0208797 A1 · Natural Gas Liquefaction Process

Abstract

A gas processing facility for the liquefaction of a natural gas feed stream is provided. The facility comprises a gas separation unit having at least one fractionation vessel. The gas separation unit employs adsorbent beds for adsorptive kinetic separation. The adsorbent beds release a methane-rich gas feed stream. The facility also includes a high-pressure expander cycle refrigeration system. The refrigeration system compresses the methane-rich gas feed stream to a pressure greater than about 1,000 psia. The refrigeration system also chills the methane-rich gas feed stream in one or more coolers, and then expands the chilled gas feed stream to form a liquefied product stream. Processes for liquefying a natural gas feed stream using AKS and a high-pressure expander cycle refrigeration system are also provided herein. Such processes allow for the formation of LNG using a facility having less weight than conventional facilities.

Claims44

Dependent claims

A gas processing facility for the liquefaction of a natural gas feed stream, the facility comprising:

a gas separation unit, the gas separation unit having at least one fractionation vessel comprised of:
a gas inlet for receiving a natural gas mixture comprising methane,
an adsorbent material that has a kinetic selectivity for contaminants over methane greater than 5, such that the contaminants become kinetically adsorbed within the adsorbent material, and
a gas outlet for releasing a methane-rich gas stream;
and
a high-pressure expander cycle refrigeration system comprised of:
a first compression unit configured to receive a substantial portion of the methane-rich gas stream and to compress the methane-rich gas stream to greater than about 1,000 psia (6,895 kPa), thereby providing a compressed gas feed stream;
a first cooler configured to cool the compressed gas feed stream to form a compressed, cooled gaseous feed stream;
and
a first expander configured to expand the cooled, compressed, gaseous feed stream to form a product stream having a liquid fraction and a remaining vapor fraction.

7 more elements

A process for liquefying a natural gas feed stream, comprising:

receiving the natural gas feed stream at a gas separation unit, the gas separation unit having at least one fractionation vessel comprised of:
a gas inlet for receiving a natural gas mixture comprising methane,
an adsorbent material that has a kinetic selectivity for contaminants over methane greater than 5, such that the contaminants become kinetically adsorbed within the adsorbent material, and
a gas outlet configured to release a methane-rich gas stream;
substantially separating methane from contaminants within the natural gas feed stream;
releasing a methane-rich gas stream from the gas separation unit;
directing the methane-rich gas stream into a high-pressure expander cycle refrigeration system;
compressing the methane-rich gas stream to a pressure that is greater than 1,000 psia (6,895 kPa) in order to form a compressed gas feed stream;
cooling the compressed gas feed stream to form a compressed, cooled gaseous feed stream;
expanding the cooled, compressed, gaseous feed stream to form a product stream having a liquid fraction and a remaining vapor fraction;
and
separating the vapor fraction from the liquid fraction.

9 more elements

A method for liquefying a natural gas feed stream, comprising:

receiving the natural gas feed stream at a gas processing facility;
passing the natural gas feed stream through a dehydration vessel in order to remove a substantial portion of water from the natural gas feed stream;
releasing a dehydrated natural gas feed stream to a gas separation unit as a dehydrated natural gas feed stream;
in the gas separation unit, passing the dehydrated natural gas feed stream through a series of adsorbent beds in order to separate methane gas from contaminants in the dehydrated natural gas feed stream using adsorptive kinetic separation;
releasing a methane-rich gas stream from the gas separation unit;
directing the methane-rich gas stream into a high-pressure expander cycle refrigeration system;
compressing the methane-rich gas stream to a pressure that is greater than 1,000 psia (6,895 kPa) in order to form a compressed gas feed stream;
cooling the compressed gas feed stream to form a compressed, cooled gaseous feed stream;
expanding the cooled, compressed, gaseous feed stream to form a product stream having a liquid fraction and a remaining vapor fraction.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Natural Gas Liquefaction Process

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Natural Gas Liquefaction Process

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Abstract

Claims44