Process and apparatus for vaporizing liquefied natural gas

Abstract

Abstract THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR VAPORIZING LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS WITH TURBINE EXHAUST GASES WHEREIN THE VAPORIZED NATURAL GAS IS PASSED THROUGH HEAT EXCHANGE TUBES IN A HEAT EXCHANGER FOR COOLING THE INPUT AIR TO THE TURBINE. A STREAM OF LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS IS VAPORIZED AND HEATED WITH THE TURBINE EXHAUST GASES TO A TEMPERATURE WHICH WILL BRING ABOUT THE FORMATION OF A MINIMUM QUANTITY OF ICE ON THE OUTSIDE SURFACES OF A FIRST BANK OF SAID HEAT EXCHANGE TUBES, AND IS PASSED THROUGH SAID FIRST BANK OF HEAT EXCHANGE TUBES TO COOL THE TURBINE INPUT AIR. A SECOND STREAM OF LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS IS THEN COMBINED WITH THE VAPORIZED NATURAL GAS STREAM TO COOL THE RESULTING COMBINED STREAM TO A TEMPERATURE WHICH WILL BRING ABOUT THE FORMATION OF A MINIMUM QUANTITY OF ICE ON THE OUTSIDE SURFACES OF A SECOND BANK OF SAID HEAT EXCHANGE TUBES. THE COMBINED STREAM IS THEN PASSED THROUGH THE SECOND BANK OF HEAT EXCHANGE TUBES SO THAT THE TURBINE INPUT AIR IS COOLED FURTHER. AS MANY ADDITIONAL BANKS OF HEAT EXCHANGE TUBES MAY BE PROVIDED AS ARE REQUIRED TO COOL THE AIR TO A DESIRED TEMPERATURE, AND THE STREAM OF NATURAL GAS RECOOLED WITH ADDITIONAL STREAMS OF LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS IN THE MANNER DESCRIBED ABOVE BEFORE IT ENTERS EACH BANK.

Inventors

• 👤 Edwin M Arenson

Bibliographic Details