Patent ID: 9746234
Date: 2017-08-29
CPC Classifications: F25B,F25J

Claim:
1. A refrigerant circuit for use in a liquefaction plant, the refrigerant circuit comprising: a first compression stage for compressing an evaporated mixed refrigerant gas from a first pressure to a second pressure, wherein the mass flow of the mixed refrigerant gas being compressed in the first compression stage is constant through the first compression stage, and the first compression stage comprises at least a first compressor body including a first compressor body casing for the evaporated mixed refrigerant gas passing the first compressor body casing, and a second parallel compressor body including a second compressor body casing for the evaporated mixed refrigerant gas passing the second compressor body casing, the first compressor body casing is separate from the second compressor body casing, and each of the first and second compressor bodies includes a suction inlet and an outlet; a first distribution means for splitting the mass flow of refrigerant gas to the first stage of compression evenly across the suction inlet of the first compressor body and the suction inlet of the second compressor body, such that a first stream of refrigerant gas is fed to the suction inlet of the first compressor body and a second stream of refrigerant gas is fed to the suction inlet of the second compressor body; a second compression stage for compressing the mixed refrigerant gas from the second pressure to a third pressure, wherein the mass flow of the mixed refrigerant gas being compressed in the second compression stage is constant through the second compression stage, the second compression stage comprising a single compressor body including a single compressor body casing for the evaporated mixed refrigerant gas passing through the single compressor body, and a pre-cooling compressor for compressing a refrigerant different to the evaporated mixed refrigerant, and wherein the single compressor body casing of the second compression stage is separate from the first compressor body casing of the first compression stage and the single compressor body casing of the second compression stage is separate from the second compressor body casing of the first compression stage; and a first merging means for recombining the first stream of refrigerant gas with the second stream of refrigerant gas to form a combined stream downstream of the first compression stage for delivery to the single compressor body of the second compression stage; wherein: