Method of Hydrogen Liquefaction Using Optimized Claude Refrigeration Cycles

A hydrogen liquefaction method, comprising:

• providing a purified gaseous hydrogen feed stream, wherein the purified gaseous hydrogen feed stream comprises about 75% ortho-hydrogen and 25% para-hydrogen, and further wherein the purified gaseous hydrogen feed stream comprises a pressure within the range of 800 kPa·G to 4,000 kPa·G and a temperature of about 300K;
• combining the purified gaseous hydrogen feed stream and a first split gaseous hydrogen stream forming a combined gaseous hydrogen feed stream;
• cooling the combined gaseous hydrogen feed stream inside a precooling main heat exchanger to form a first cold gaseous hydrogen stream;
• purifying the first cold gaseous hydrogen stream inside a swing hydrogen absorption bed unit to form a deep purified cold gaseous hydrogen stream;
• passing the deep purified cold gaseous hydrogen stream through a fixed-bed catalyst ortho-para hydrogen converter, wherein the deep purified cold gaseous hydrogen stream forms a first p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream, wherein the first p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream comprises a new equilibrium composition of about 53% ortho-hydrogen and about 47% para-hydrogen, and further wherein the first p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream increases in temperature due to the exothermic process of the ortho to para hydrogen conversion;
• cooling the first p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream inside the precooling main heat exchanger to form a first cold p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream, wherein the temperature of the first cold p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream is reduced to 82K;
• cooling the first cold p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream inside a catalyst filled intermediate-temperature ortho-para hydrogen converter of an intermediate temperature main heat exchanger to form a second cold p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream, wherein the second cold p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream comprises a temperature of about 40K;
• converting ortho-hydrogen to para-hydrogen in the second cold p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream inside the catalyst filled intermediate-temperature ortho-para hydrogen converter of the intermediate temperature main heat exchanger, wherein the second cold p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream comprises a new equilibrium composition of about 11% ortho-hydrogen and about 89% para-hydrogen;
• cooling the second cold p-H2 enriched gaseous hydrogen stream inside a catalyst filled low-temperature ortho-para hydrogen converter of a cold temperature main heat exchanger to form a subcooled high-pressure p-H2 enriched liquid hydrogen stream, wherein the subcooled high-pressure p-H2 enriched liquid hydrogen stream comprises a temperature of about 23.5K;
• converting ortho-hydrogen to para-hydrogen in the subcooled high-pressure p-H2 enriched liquid hydrogen stream inside the catalyst filled low-temperature ortho-para hydrogen converter of the cold temperature main heat exchanger, wherein the subcooled high-pressure p-H2 enriched liquid hydrogen stream comprises a new equilibrium composition of about 1% ortho-hydrogen and about 89% para-hydrogen;
• reducing the pressure of the subcooled high-pressure p-H2 enriched liquid hydrogen stream with a Joule-Thomson valve (J/T valve) to form a low-pressure liquid hydrogen product stream, wherein the low-pressure liquid hydrogen product stream comprises a pressure of about 50 kPa·G and temperature of about 21.7K;
• feeding the low-pressure liquid hydrogen product stream into a liquid hydrogen storage tank;
• removing a flashed gaseous hydrogen stream from the liquid hydrogen storage tank;
• feeding the flashed gaseous hydrogen stream into a liquid hydrogen storage tank pressure control valve, wherein the flashed gaseous hydrogen stream exits the liquid hydrogen storage tank pressure control valve as an optimized hydrogen Claude cycle hydrogen makeup stream;
• and
• combining the optimized hydrogen Claude cycle hydrogen makeup stream with a low-pressure thermosiphon hydrogen vapor stream to form a combined low-pressure cold circulation hydrogen stream, wherein the combined low-pressure cold circulation hydrogen stream enters a pass of the cold temperature main heat exchanger, forming a mixed low-pressure thermosiphon hydrogen stream.