System and process for liquefying natural gas

A process of liquefying a natural gas stream in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, the process comprising:

• cooling the natural gas stream in a first refrigeration cycle to produce a cooled natural gas stream;
• cooling the cooled natural gas stream in a first chiller of a second refrigeration cycle, the cooled natural gas stream exiting the first chiller at a first pressure;
• cooling the cooled natural gas stream in a first core of a second chiller of the second refrigeration cycle;
• and
• cooling a refrigerant of a refrigerant recycle stream separate from the cooled natural gas stream in a second core of the second chiller of the second refrigeration cycle, wherein the refrigerant recycle stream enters the second chiller at a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure of the cooled natural gas stream;
• routing the cooled natural gas stream from the second refrigerant cycle to a heat exchanger for cooling therein;
• reducing the pressure of the cooled natural gas stream in a first expansion component disposed downstream of the heat exchanger;
• routing the cooled natural gas stream to a first flash drum configured to separate the cooled natural gas stream into a natural gas vapor portion and a natural gas liquid portion;
• routing the natural gas vapor portion to the heat exchanger for heating therein;
• routing the natural gas vapor portion from the heat exchanger to an inlet port of a compressor;
• routing the refrigerant recycle stream from the second chiller of the second refrigeration cycle to a methane recycle flash drum configured to separate the refrigerant recycle stream into a refrigerant vapor portion and a refrigerant liquid portion;
• routing the refrigerant liquid portion to the heat exchanger for cooling therein;
• reducing the pressure of the refrigerant liquid portion in a second expansion component disposed downstream of the heat exchanger;
• and routing the refrigerant liquid portion to a second flash drum configured to separate the refrigerant liquid portion into a refrigeration recycle vapor portion and a refrigeration recycle liquid portion.