Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
  • F25J1/003—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production
  • F25J1/0047—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using an "external" refrigerant stream in a closed vapor compression cycle
  • F25J1/005—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using an "external" refrigerant stream in a closed vapor compression cycle by expansion of a gaseous refrigerant stream with extraction of work
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
  • F25J1/0002—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the fluid to be liquefied
  • F25J1/0005—Light or noble gases
  • F25J1/001—Hydrogen
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
  • F25J1/006—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the refrigerant fluid used
  • F25J1/0062—Light or noble gases, mixtures thereof
  • F25J1/0065—Helium
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
  • F25J1/006—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the refrigerant fluid used
  • F25J1/0062—Light or noble gases, mixtures thereof
  • F25J1/0067—Hydrogen
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
  • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
  • F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
  • F25J1/0244—Operation; Control and regulation; Instrumentation
  • F25J1/0245—Different modes, i.e. 'runs', of operation; Process control
  • F25J1/0249—Controlling refrigerant inventory, i.e. composition or quantity
  • F25J1/025—Details related to the refrigerant production or treatment, e.g. make-up supply from feed gas itself
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
  • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
  • F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
  • F25J1/0257—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines
  • F25J1/0269—Arrangement of liquefaction units or equipments fulfilling the same process step, e.g. multiple "trains" concept
  • F25J1/0271—Inter-connecting multiple cold equipments within or downstream of the cold box
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J2235/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams
  • F25J2235/04—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure or for conveying of liquid process streams using a pressure accumulator
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J2245/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams
  • F25J2245/90—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams the recycled stream being boil-off gas from storage
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J2290/00—Other details not covered by groups F25J2200/00 - F25J2280/00
  • F25J2290/50—Arrangement of multiple equipments fulfilling the same process step in parallel
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J2290/00—Other details not covered by groups F25J2200/00 - F25J2280/00
  • F25J2290/60—Details about pipelines, i.e. network, for feed or product distribution
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J2290/00—Other details not covered by groups F25J2200/00 - F25J2280/00
  • F25J2290/62—Details of storing a fluid in a tank

Definitions

• the invention relates to an installation and a method for liquefying a cryogenic fluid, for example hydrogen.
• the invention relates more particularly to a cryogenic fluid liquefaction installation, for example hydrogen, comprising a fluid supply circuit to be cooled having an upstream end intended to be connected to a gas source and a downstream end connected in parallel to several cryogenic liquefied fluid storages, the installation comprising a set of heat exchanger(s) in thermal exchange with the supply circuit and a cooling device in thermal exchange with the set of heat exchanger(s), said cooling device comprising a refrigerator with a cycle refrigeration of a cycle gas comprising, for example, at least one of: hydrogen, helium, the installation comprising a set of liquid withdrawal lines equipped with a set of valve(s) and connecting the storages to at least one connection end intended to be connected to a tank to be filled.
• a cryogenic fluid liquefaction installation for example hydrogen
• a fluid supply circuit to be cooled having an upstream end intended to be connected to a gas source and a downstream end connected in parallel to several cryogenic liquefied fluid storages
• the installation comprising a set of
• Hydrogen liquefiers are typically connected to liquid storage tanks, which are themselves connected to loading bays for refueling trucks. See, for example... FR3088415 A1 .
• One aim of the present invention is to overcome all or part of the disadvantages of the prior art noted above.
• the installation according to the invention which also conforms to the generic definition given in the preamble above, is essentially characterized in that the installation comprises a common heater connected in parallel to the plurality of cryogenic fluid storages via a set of pressurization lines fitted with valves, the set of pressurization lines and the corresponding valve(s) being configured to allow the pressurization of each of the cryogenic storages via a withdrawal of liquid from the storage, a heating of the withdrawn liquid in the common heater and a return of the heated fluid to the storage.
• the invention also relates to a method for producing and storing a liquefied cryogenic fluid using an installation conforming to any one of the above or below characteristics, the method comprising a step of pressurizing several or all of the storages simultaneously via the common heater.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic and partial view illustrating an example of the structure and operation of an installation according to the invention.
• the cryogenic fluid liquefaction installation 1, illustrated, for example for liquefying hydrogen, comprises a fluid supply circuit 2 for the fluid to be cooled, having an upstream end 21 for connection to a gas source 23 (for example, an electrolyzer or reformer).
• the supply circuit 2 has a downstream end 22 connected in parallel to several cryogenic liquefied fluid storage tanks 8 (typically double-jacketed, thermally insulated, vacuum-sealed tanks).
• the storage tanks 8 can be filled simultaneously by the liquefier, for example, by opening a common valve 122.
• Installation 1 comprises a set of heat exchanger(s) 3 in heat exchange with the supply circuit 2 (two in the schematic illustration). Installation 1 also has a cooling device 7 in heat exchange with the set of heat exchanger(s) 3.
• This cooling device comprises a cryogenic refrigerator 7 with a refrigeration cycle using a cycle gas comprising, for example, at least one of the following: hydrogen, helium.
• the refrigerator 7 includes a cycle circuit in which the cycle gas undergoes a thermodynamic cycle (compression, cooling, expansion, and heating) to produce cooling power, which is transferred to the supply circuit 2 for liquefaction.
• the installation 1 may also include a pre-cooling device (not shown) in heat exchange with part of the heat exchanger assembly 3 to provide intermediate cooling (e.g., to around 80 K) of the fluid to be cooled between its temperature at the upstream end 21 and its temperature at the downstream end 22 (e.g., around 20 K).
• Installation 1 includes a set of liquid withdrawal lines 18 equipped with a set of valves 38 and connecting the storages 8 to at least one connecting end 28 (for example flexible) intended to be connected to a tank 10 to be filled.
• the liquid withdrawal piping system 18 may include a common (manifold) section connected in parallel to each of the storage tanks 8 and connected in parallel to the connection end(s) 28. This allows several storage tanks 8 to simultaneously supply liquid to the connection end(s) 28.
• Installation 1 includes a common heater 4 connected in parallel to the plurality of cryogenic fluid storage tanks 8 via a set of pressurization lines 5, 6 equipped with valves 15, 16.
• the pressurization lines 5, 6 and the corresponding valve(s) 15, 16 are configured to allow the pressurization of each of the cryogenic storage tanks 8 by drawing liquid from the storage tank 8, heating the drawn liquid in the common heater 4, and returning the heated fluid to the storage tank 8.
• the pressurization lines 5, 6 may, in particular, include a first common section connected in parallel to the lower portion of each of the storage tanks 8 (for drawing liquid) and also connected to a first end of the heater 4.
• the pressurization lines 5, 6 may further include a second common section connected to a second end of the heater 4 (to recover the heated fluid) and connected in parallel to each of the storage tanks 8 (to reinject it in order to increase the pressure within the storage tank(s) 8.
• the common heater 4 connected in parallel to the plurality of cryogenic fluid storage tanks 8, forms a common pressure building unit (PBU) allowing each of the storage tanks 8 to be pressurized, or even several storage tanks 8 to be pressurized simultaneously.
• PBU common pressure building unit
• the heater 4 may comprise or consist of two separate heat exchangers arranged in parallel, each providing heat exchange between the fluid carried by the pressurization lines 5, 6 and a heating fluid, for example, air.
• the circuit may include a set of distribution valve(s) 14 configured to distribute the flow of fluid carried by the pressurization lines 5, 6 into the parallel heat exchanger(s).
• These two separate parallel heat exchangers 4 may each be sized to provide heating of the entire flow rate to be heated. That is to say, this heating function can be doubled to ensure the possibility of heating by one heat exchanger 4 while the other heat exchanger 4 is temporarily unavailable (for example, due to frost).
• this heating function can be doubled to ensure the possibility of heating by one heat exchanger 4 while the other heat exchanger 4 is temporarily unavailable (for example, due to frost).
• this heating function can be doubled to ensure the possibility of heating by one heat exchanger 4 while the other heat exchanger 4 is temporarily unavailable (for example, due to frost).
• this heating function can be doubled to ensure the possibility of heating by
• the installation 1 may also include a set of return lines 9 connecting the upper portion of each of the storage units 8 to the refrigerator 7 and/or the supply circuit 2 and configured to allow the transfer of vaporization gas from the storage unit(s) 8 to the refrigerator 7 and/or the supply circuit 2 (when the natures of the gases are compatible).
• the return line assembly 9 includes, in particular, a common section of pipe connected in parallel to the upper portion of each of the storage tanks 8 (to recover vaporized gas).
• This common section of pipe may include a common isolation or flow control valve 19 for the return to the liquefier.
• the connections of this common line to each of the storage tanks 8 may also each be equipped with a valve at each storage tank 8.
• the common pipe portion of the return pipe assembly 9 preferably has a branch equipped with an evacuation valve 29 configured to allow the evacuation of the gas flow to the receiver or venting, for example when the pressure and/or flow rate and/or nature of the gas cannot be recycled to the supply circuit and/or the refrigerator.
• Installation 1 thus has several cryogenic liquid storage units 8 which share one or more components and which can be used as a single storage unit for pressurization, withdrawal or filling.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=90880465

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (1)

Citations (2)

• 2024
  • 2024-04-24 EP EP24172097.8A patent/EP4641122A1/de active Pending

Patent Citations (3)

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