Patent ID: 6089028
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: F01K,F17C

Abstract:
A process for recovering power in which liquefied natural gas is gasified and the cold potential thereof is utilized, comprising the steps of:(a) pressurizing the liquefied natural gas to a predetermined pressure;(b) passing the pressurized liquefied natural gas through a first heat exchanger whereby the liquefied natural gas is vaporized;(c) passing the vaporized natural gas through a second heat exchanger whereby the vaporized natural gas is heated to produce a first vaporous product;(d) circulating a refrigerant as a working fluid in a closed circuit through the first heat exchanger to condense the refrigerant and to heat the liquefied gas, through a pump to pressurize the condensed refrigerant, through a second heat exchanger in which heat is absorbed from a heat source to vaporize the pressurized refrigerant, and through a work-producing device to generate energy;(e) compressing boil-off vapor by a first compression means;(f) passing the compressed boil-off vapor through the first heat exchanger to cool the boil-off vapor and to heat the liquefied gas; and(g) further compressing the boil-off vapor by a second compression means and passing the compressed vapor from the second compression means through the second heat exchanger to heat the boil-off vapor to produce a second vaporous product.