Process and apparatus for supplying a backup gas under pressure

A process for supplying a backup gas at an elevated pressure, comprising:

• a) providing a source of backup gas at a first pressure;
• b) providing at least a reprocessing heat exchanger, a backup vaporizer and a liquid pump;
• c) heat-exchange between the backup gas at the first pressure and a backup liquid at a second pressure in the reprocessing heat exchanger to produce the at least partially liquefied backup gas at the first pressure and the at least partially vaporized backup liquid at the second pressure;
• d) warming up the at least partially vaporized backup liquid at the second pressure in the backup vaporizer to produce the backup gas at an elevated pressure;
• and wherein
• the second pressure is higher than the first pressure, and the backup liquid at the second pressure is obtained from elevating the pressure of the liquefied backup gas to the second pressure with the liquid pump.

A system for supplying a back-up gas at an elevated pressure, comprising:

• a) a reprocessing heat exchanger, a back-up vaporizer and a liquid pump;
• b) a first conduit for delivering a back-up gas at a first pressure into a warm end of the reprocessing heat exchanger and a second conduit for transporting an at least partially liquefied back-up gas at a first pressure from the cold end of the reprocessing heat exchanger into the liquid pump;
• c) a third conduit for delivering a back-up liquid at a second pressure from the outlet of the liquid pump into a cold end of the reprocessing heat exchanger;
• d) a fourth conduit for transporting an at least partially vaporized back-up liquid at a second pressure from a warm end of the reprocessing heat exchanger to the back-up vaporizer;
• e) a fifth conduit for supplying the back-up gas at an elevated pressure from the back-up vaporizer, and wherein the second pressure is higher than the first pressure.