Process for the liquefaction of natural gas
AssigneeMobil Oil Corporation
InventorsHarold S. Chung, Alan J. Silverman, Tsoung Y. Yan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The opportunity for mercury vapor, a common component of natural gas, to form a corrosive amalgam with the aluminum construction material of a cryogenic heat exchanger used in natural gas liquefaction operations is greatly minimized by cooling the mercury-containing gas to a temperature at or below the freezing point of mercury prior to introducing the gas to the heat exchanger.
Claims7
In a process for liquefying a mercury vapor-containing gas in an aluminum cryogenic heat exchanger, the improvement which comprises reducing the temperature of said gas to a temperature at which at least a substantial portion of the mercury content thereof is in the solid state and introducing said gas containing said solidified mercury to said aluminum cryogenic heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.