Cryogenic liquefying-refrigerating method and apparatus

Claim 1

A CLOSED-CYCLE CRYOGENIC APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE DUAL CAPACITY OF REFRIGERATOR AND LIQUEFIER INTO WHICH A HIGH-PRESSURE CRYOGENIC FLUID IS INTRODUCED, COOLED, EXPANDED AND THEN WITHDRAWN AS LOWPRESSURE FLUID, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION (A) A FIRST HEAT EXCHANGER ADAPTED TO EXCHANGE HEAT BETWEEN FLUID STREAMS IN A HIGH-PRESSURE PASSAGE AND A LOW-PRESSURE PASSAGE; (B) A SECOND HEAT EXCHANGER ADAPTED TO EXCHANGE HEAT BETWEEN FLUID STREAMS IN A HIGH-PRESSURE PASSAGE AND A LOW-PRESSURE PASSAGE; (C) A FIRST MAIN FLUID PATH COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE HIGH-PRESSURE PASSAGES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND HEAT EXCHANGERS; (D) A SECOND MAIN FLUID PATH COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE LOW-PRESSURE PASSAGES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND HEAT EXCHANGERS; (E) FLUID CONDUIT MEANS ADAPTED TO CIRCULATE COLD EXPANDED FLUID TO A LOAD EXTERNAL OF SAID APPARATUS AND HAVING INLET AND OUTLET TERMINALS WITHIN SAID APPARATUS; (F) A FIRST AUXILIARY FLUID PATH COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE HIGH-PRESSURE PASSAGE OF SAID FIRST HEAT EXCHANGER AND THE INLET TERMINAL OF SAID FLUID CONDUIT MEANS; (G) A SECOND AUXILIARY FLUID PATH COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE OUTLET TERMINAL OF SAID FLUID CONDUIT MEANS AND SAID SECOND MAIN FLUID PATH; (H) A FIRST FLUID EXPANSION MEANS LOCATED IN SAID FIRST AUXILIARY FLUID PATH; (I) A THIRD AUXILIARY FLUID PATH CONNECTING THE HIGHPRESSURE AND LOW-PRESSURE PASSAGES OF SAID SECOND HEATER EXCHANGER;