Power conversion system utilizing reversible energy of liquefied natural gas

In a power conversion system having a power generating device driven by combustion of a fuel and a subsystem for vaporizing liquefied natural gas for release into a pipeline, storage facility and the like, heat content of ambient air being utilized in the subsystem for vaporizing said liquefied natural gas whereby the ambient air is cooled to a substantial extent, said cooled air being ultimately converted into high pressure air and utilized in the power generating device, the improvement comprising:

• first means for generating liquid air from ambient air by use of the cryogenic capacity of the liquefied natural gas;
• pump means for pressurizing said liquid air to a high pressure, and
• heat exchange means for vaporizing said high pressure liquid air to generate high pressure gaseous air, the heat exchange means cooling ambient air prior to being liquefied by the first means, the high pressure gaseous air representing a substantial portion of the reversible energy contained in the liquefied natural gas.

A method of recovering reversible energy of liquefied natural gas, the method comprising the steps of:

• utilizing cryogenic capacity of liquefied natural gas to produce liquid air in a liquid air generating plant, the natural gas being vaporized in the process;
• pressurizing the liquid air to a high pressure;
• returning said highly pressurized liquid air into the liquid air generating plant in a heat exchange relationship with air drawn into the liquid air generating plant from the ambient environment to vaporize said liquid air and to produce high pressure gaseous air, said high pressure gaseous air representing the recovered reversible energy of the liquefied natural gas.