Patent ID: 9696086
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: F25J,H02K

Claim:
1. A system for producing liquefied natural gas, comprising a compressor fluidly coupled with a natural gas source and configured to compress a process stream containing natural gas from the natural gas source to a compressed process stream; a separator fluidly coupled with the compressor and configured to receive the compressed process stream and at least partially separate water and carbon dioxide from the natural gas in the compressed process stream; a mechanical chiller in thermal communication with the compressor and configured to cool the natural gas in the compressed process stream to supercritical natural gas; a turbo-expander fluidly coupled with the compressor and configured to expand a first portion of the supercritical natural gas to generate a first refrigeration stream; an expansion valve fluidly coupled with the compressor and configured to expand a second portion of the supercritical natural gas to generate a second refrigeration stream; a first heat exchanger fluidly coupled with the turbo-expander and configured to cool the supercritical natural gas with the first refrigeration stream; and a second heat exchanger fluidly coupled with the expansion valve and configured cool the supercritical natural gas with the second refrigeration stream.