Method of removing solid carbon dioxide

A method of producing liquefied natural gas, wherein natural gas is introduced in cryogenic equipment and is cooled down to form liquefied natural gas, and further wherein solid carbon dioxide is removed from the cryogenic equipment by:

• (a) introducing a stream including ethane to the cryogenic equipment to convert solid carbon dioxide to liquid form whereby a mixture of liquid ethane and liquid carbon dioxide is formed;
• and
• (b) removing the mixture of liquid ethane and liquid carbon dioxide from the cryogenic equipment, wherein relative percentages of ethane and carbon dioxide are adjusted for a given pressure and temperature such that the mixture of liquid ethane and liquid carbon dioxide is near azeotropic.

A method of removing solid carbon dioxide from cryogenic equipment, comprising the steps of:

• (a) introducing a stream including ethane to said cryogenic equipment to convert solid carbon dioxide to liquid form whereby a mixture of liquid ethane and liquid carbon dioxide is formed;
• and
• (b) removing the mixture of liquid ethane and liquid carbon dioxide from the cryogenic equipment, wherein the solid carbon dioxide is already present on a surface of said cryogenic equipment prior to said introducing said stream.